by Jeannie Travis
My earliest memories of the Peddler Man coming was of a man called Peddler John. He always wore a three piece black suit, in my memory, anyhow, and a black felt hat. I’ve read that these peddlers had stores in New York City. Every summer the salesmen would fan out across the country, walking and toting an assortment of merchandise on their back in some sort of pack…When bad weather came in they headed back home. I suppose they wired their base to send them needed sale items and picked it up in the next town. Some of our neighbors gave them a bed and food, but Mom and Dad weren’t that trusting. They might not have even asked to stay with us, because they were afraid they’s have to sleep with a baby peeing on them! I don’t really think they ever thought of doing it, though, because I remember Daddy telling us at supper one night that our neighbors had let the Peddler Man stay all night with them. He was laughing about them setting up late to talk. I bet he could easily talk till bedtime telling stories of the things he had seen in his walkabout through the South.
Another man used to come through our area each summer, but I never heard of him selling anything. I saw him driving a rubber tired wagon pulled by two horses, going up Ma’s lane, Quietly….no noise…just happened to see him. Of course I ran in to tell Mama and she said he came through there every summer. Wish we could have heard HIS story!
An old man in a T model or A model car used to come to our log house in the early 40’s and my folks would buy Folgers coffee in glass jars with a little top, among other things, Pencils, etc. The canning lid company made a special lid for it so folks could can food in it. That was back when nobody threw anything away,unlike today…I see big thick glass jars that most folks just toss in the landfill and I cringe. I re-use what I can of those and re cycle the rest. I imagine a person could special order items to be brought the next week. We used to gather around that old car like he was the Pied Piper. I imagine a little candy changed hands once in awhile.
Our last peddler man drove a bob/box truck, and had a much bigger selection. We saved our pennies to buy candy and Mama would have him bring a 100 lb. sack of cow feed as needed. I imagine he hated that, because the path up the yard to Ma’s house was really steep. I remember hearing his artificial leg creak, but he never complained – War injury. You could special order stuff, also. I think his name was Dan ? Owens.
Daddy’s brother, Charley Winchester, set up a little country store over on the Paris Highway between Ore Springs and Como for awhile, and Mama would write him a list of what she needed and he would bring it to us. I don’t remember any special favors like free candy, etc. Imagine he was struggling to make a living like everyone else…. Jeannie T