Patterson NJ 1942 - Pre-Boarding School

The Burtons

After my brother and I left the family who accused my brother of stealing a ring. we went back home for a short time. Those few short days I had been touching plants that caused me to get Poison shomack all over my body. My Mother brought me to a family that lived out in the country. Helen Burton took care of me and nursed me back to health getting rid of the poison shomack. I slept on a couch for a long time. My brother and sisters visited but eventually I was the only one to stay with the Burtons. Helen Burtons husband John Burton was a mechanic.

Again I was living basically I was happy with.I loved the country I was fed good and had a clean bedroom. However again they never gave me a hug or a kiss, but all in all I was treated well.

They lived in a small bungalow the forest in the back. On one side of the house was a chicken coop with chickens hens and roosters and a lone duck that wondered about off to the right of the chicken coop was an out house then a spot where the Burtons left there trash which had many egg shells plus countless cans. On the other side of the house they had a very nice garden.Where they grew a variety of vegetables. Helen also grew flowers her favorite was a plant called a "bleeding heart"

My first job was to go to the chicken coop and find eggs that the chicken had laid. I found one egg and of course I put it in the wrong place my back pocket and the egg got crushed, however that was overlooked and I learned how to bring the eggs in to the house.