85. TIMELESS PHOTOS AND STORIES of my parents Ruth and Orson Pratt Miles

I hope you enjoyed the history yesterday of my mother Ruth.  I have two histories of her.  The first was in a book that Wayne and I wrote about our own lives.  In it we had a section of our parents, and in that version, there are some interesting things that are not in the ancestor's book.  Some of what is below is "print screened", which is to copy exactly what was on a certain page, including pictures.  I'll include some of that history, along with today's telling more about my beloved mother and father.  The picture below is of my Grandma Levinah E. Allen, who had an inspirational, and also difficult life.  I'll tell about her later.  This is in my mother Ruth's words:

Yes, mother did teach another 5 years, and after 40 years of teaching school, she did substitute teaching about 10 years until she was 75 years old, and her hearing was bad enough she couldn't hear well enough to teach.  She helped support several grandsons on missions, and used that money for it.  Below I wrote some about my dad, and his health as it is too small to read in a  "print screen":

My dad, Orson Pratt Miles, loved to "dress up", notice the tie, vest, and handkerchief in the pocket.  He almost ALWAYS, even in the house, wore a tie, every day, and most often also his hat.  If anyone in the family loved to "be in style" Mother would say that was the "Miles" in them!
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At about age 45, he had to have his tonsils out, when I (Pal) was about 2 or 3.  This had such a debilitating effect on his health, that it triggered a "nervous breakdown" when I was about 3, and he spent 5 or 6 weeks in Salt Lake in the Veteran's Hospital then.  He was in and out of that hospital several times, both before and after that time.  He received a total disability check monthly from the government from health problems he suffered after being a machine gun operator in World War I.  His sensitive nature couldn't handle the things he had to do.  He wouldn't talk about the horrors of war to us, but buried them in his subcouscious mind.  Also, because of the sad things he had seen in the War, he couldn't stand to see anyone or anything hurt, or suffere.  He didn't allow us girls to have or ride a bicycle, roller skates, or drive a car while living at home, because he was afraid we would be hurt.  One time I sneaked and rode a friend's bike, and tore the leg of my pants on the chain.  Dad noticed and asked me how I did it, and I had to confess I had disobeyed.  I don't remember what the discipline was then, but I know when I was small and disobeyed, Dad would tell me to go out and get a "willow" from a tamarack tree we had, and I think by the time I got it in the house he had softened.  Those willows could really tingle the legs and I suppose I had a few used on me!

 This is Ruth and Pratt standing on the steps in front of their home.  This is one of the only photos I've seen of my Dad in which he didn't have a tie on.

Dad didn't like to see any living creature die, and Mother has told me that one time he saw a miller (a type of large moth) which was flying over the fire in the small fireplace we had in our front room.  Dad didn't want it to fall in the fire and he tried to get it out, but it did fall into the fire.  This upset him so much that he threw up.

              
Dad never wanted us to make a show of ourselves.  In high school years they had a contest they called the "Dixie Sun Goddess", and girls would enter themselves, show off their talents, pose in swim suits, formals, etc.  Dad never did want us to enter ourselves in those.  He wanted us to not be vain, and sponsor ourselves in things in which we would try to show off.  He never wanted to draw attention to himself or his family.  He was a very humble man.

 

            

                  This is Ruth and Pratt standing in front of the fireplace in their front room.

If you'd like to read more about my parents, please check under all the labels, and find listings of blogs in November, and December, 2013.  Please check blogs in November 2013, # 6, "They are closing my book", # 7, about Thanksgiving, and my dad's "Suet Pudding Story", # 28, Dad loved to give anonymously, and in December 2013, # 30, about Ruth's extraction mission after she retired from teaching, # 33, 34, and 37 about my Dad's life, # 48, My Parents testimonies of the Prophet Joseph Smith.

This was our family about 1954,  Mavis, left, Vina, and me (Pal) on the right on top line.

I imagine some of our family, and others everywhere may not read this today, or tomorrow, but it will be interesting and inspiring whenever you read it, because these stories are TIMELESS ! ! and history about an era that is GONE ! !