SHE had spent many Sundays with Lexie. They would talk endlessly of Lexie's life and her family, the city of St. Cloud, and the way things were. We wish SHE had written down this American history lesson but the details will be for us to rediscover and piece together like a quilt. Most of Lexie's things SHE moved into her house, a few pieces went to me and my other sister but the bulk of it was with her. Lexie's home was its own archeological dig. SHE had sat aside things SHE found Lexie had saved over the years chronicling accounts of local events and happenings, placed them in a 30 gallon plastic tub meant for donation to the small heritage museum in the city. I am not quite sure what the tub contained other than some yellowed newspaper clippings protected in plastic. There was no need to scrutinize the contents as they had been predestined.
I called the museum one day to see if I could bring this tub of whatever and Lucille said yes. Looking around my sister's home I realized SHE had Lexie's Singer treadle sewing machine.....sitting there with really no one wanting to claim her, take her in. I called the museum back and asked if they would like to have the sewing machine also and they said well they didn't have a lot of room but yes, bring it on, they will find a spot. I wanted to make sure if I could get it there that there would be someone to help me take it out of the car. Lucille said her husband could do that. A teenager down the street and I arrgghhed as we hoisted this iron based machine into the SUV. Arriving at the museum, Lucille called her husband. I saw the ancient marinerish figure walking toward the car causing me worry another argh was imminent, so I took the 30 gallon tub to the building intending to return to the car to help the old man unload the machine. But as I turned around I saw that he had the machine half way up the side walk. The greatest generation.
Lucille is in the middle.
One drawer had the original guide book for the machine and I had found the original warranty dated 1914. Another drawer held all the original attachments that came with the machine.
After I delivered all, I was incredibly curious and even feeling a bit silly for not looking through the tub to see what mysteries it contained. But Lucille, the lovely lady that took them, said they would catalog the items and send me a receipt and that is still pending so I suppose eventually I will know, until then the contents will remain a conundrum. And I can always visit the museum.
