No Bathroom

Hello Dear Reader,
The Hall’s lack of bathroom facilities was similar to that of the Carter family. In order to take a bath they heated water in the reservoir on the old coal stove. They used kettles to heat additional water. They got out the #3 tub and placed it near the stove. Chairs were put around the tub with coats or blankets hung on them for privacy. The first child in got clean water. After that a teakettle of hot water was added each time another child had his turn.

Their outhouse seemed like a long walk through the half-dead Red Astrican (apple) trees. The trees were full of hoot owls that seemed to watch suspiciously twisting their heads around at anyone who passed by. The house was surrounded by large half-dead poplar trees. The night noises came from hoot owls, screech owls, crickets, and frogs—quite a change from the noisy, shrieking steam engine, railroad days that the Halls had known in Milford.
Love,
Aunt Genni