ON THE LONG TRAIL, WATCH FOR THE BY WAYS

... By the Way ……………

Along the By Ways in this blogging experience, questions arise.  Paul asked, if Percy Ryan founded Ryan, Oklahoma.  Percy’s daughter sent this answer.

            Stephen Walker Ryan was the founder of the town of Ryan and he was Daddy’s uncle. He was working cattle near the river and drove them through that area of Red River, through Indian Territory, and became friends with the Indian living where Ryan, Oklahoma is now. He soon set up a trading post, and settled there forming the town. We still have one cousin that owns a ranch near the old home place there, but all the older generation of Ryan’s are gone. Mother is 94 now and is the last of that generation.                               Judy Ryan Cook.

Daddy had met Percy Ryan, in 1941 or 1942, at a work site, building the Air Base in Altus, Oklahoma.  They became great friends for the rest of their lives.  Our families visited back and forth often.  Ryan’s youngest daughter was Eulene.  She was a sweet, fun, petite little girl when we first met them.

After several years one of our little bantam hens started to set.  For some reason, Daddy had named that dainty little chicken, Eulene.  One day someone gave him five turkey eggs.  He ask, “Do you think Eulene would set on such large eggs?”  

So the Percy Ryan story reminded me of this one:    He offered one to her and she tucked it right under, with her beak.  As he gave them to her, she kept taking until all five were covered by her feathers.  It was really amazing.  They all hatched and followed her all around the barnyard every day.  She took up bringing them into the dairy barn at night.  When the poults were large enough to fly, she roosted on the top of a stanchion.  They would fly up, two on each side with her wings spread out to cover them.  The last one flew right under her.  She stood astraddle him.  She continued covering all of them for another week or two until they were large enough to lift her right off her roost.  Then she flew beside them.  It was such a fun experience.


It’s time for me to give a word of THANKS!!!  So many people have blessed me is so MANY ways over the years.  And you who have been following this blog are adding blessings to me and to others…by reading, telling and sharing.  

I appreciate you who have joined the list of followers.  And I am grateful, also, to the many who are following these homely stories from your spot somewhere in the world.  I don’t know much about the workings of all this great electrical world that binds us together.  Because of it, we have unknown friends through out the United States, Europe, China and Southeast Asia.   My very sincere appreciation and thanks.        Carlton