GIFT OF LOVE - A STORM CELLAR
Our family members always knew that we had an unusually good cellar on our family farm. It was a deep one, stoutly constructed, with wide concrete steps, comfortable spaced. The walls and ceiling were said to be as much as two feet thick, built of many rocks picked up from the hills of the farm, plus a great deal of concrete.
Last Christmas time, my cousin replied to my letter concerning our families' years on that farm, and she told of her mother's fear of storms. Our stout old cellar had been built because of her father's love for the girl he planned to marry. Bernice SMITH GATEWOOD wrote, "Mom wouldn't marry Dad until he built the big cool cave out back. She was afraid of storms.
He built the house new and sent her a beautiful engagement ring with garnets and chip diamonds to Everett, Wa. She said yes, she'd marry him, but in Washington, so they were married 1 Jan 1910" .
>From the "Craig News" 14 Jan 1910, Kirk SMITH, from this vicinity, was married to Miss Clara E. HALE at Snohomish, Wa., 1 Jan.
>From the "Craig News" 3 Mar 1910, Mr. and Mrs. Kirk SMITH moved Friday to their new home which is completed. (And that stout, safe storm cellar was there, but didn't rate newspaper space.)