| Mixed in with the soil and under the soil in our little | | | | bucket and dump the coal right in to the stove. |
| town is coal. Little chunks, large chunks, tiny fine | | | | They normally had a little shovel which was about |
| pieces of coal called "slack" and coal or slate that | | | | 18 - 20 inches long of a stem with a little shovel |
| has burned off which is called "Red Dog." Red Dog | | | | to get in to the bucket if you didn't want to just |
| was used to cover muddy driveways and alleys | | | | pour the coal in to the stove.) While picking coal |
| and roads because it was cleaner and packed | | | | she would sing a song to me called "Oh Johnnie" |
| down very well. | | | | as we slowly made our way walking near the |
| Long ago when most of the homes had coal | | | | railroad tracks and the old bucket house. |
| furnaces, pot belly stoves or heaterolas if you did | | | | Even though my dad worked in the mines, my |
| not order coal, you picked it yourself. To save | | | | mother loved to pick coal and take a |
| money, many men went with their pics and coal | | | | rambunctious little one with her to keep her busy. |
| buckets digging for coal. It also just layed on the | | | | After all, I would help her to pick the coal! |
| ground which is what my mother and I picked. | | | | We had a lovely coal stove in the kitchen which |
| My mother loved to pick coal while taking me for | | | | was a soft brown and blue color with the warmer |
| a walk, always carrying her coal bucket with her. | | | | on the top and that fire burning within made the |
| (If you have seen the coal buckets you will know | | | | kitchen warm and safe, and you can be sure the |
| what I am talking about. They are a silver or | | | | "Old Coal Bucket" and it's "little shovel" had a |
| black metal and shaped smaller at the bottom and | | | | prominent spot right beside it. |
| large and long at the top to be able to pick up the | | | | |