The Beebe sisters Fern Dow and Sadie Koehler grew up outside of Central Point, Ore., and had many stories to tell of their early years. One had to do with the Baptist minister.
The Beebe family often invited him to their Sunday dinners. The girls were horrified by his habit of leaning over the table and breathing heavily on the food. One Sunday they dreamed up a prank to play on the man. After they grew up, the women blamed each other for their behavior, but each admitted to egging the other on.
The minister wore a frock coat with tails that had a pocket where he kept a handkerchief that he often reached for while preaching. So, while the coat hung over a chair, the girls sewed up the pocket. They laughed and laughed, then headed out for a walk until they saw the minister go home.
That night their parents insisted the girls go to church. Waiting on the top step of the church was the minister. He stopped them, but all he said was, “Is there someone at your house that sews?”
Source: Koehler, Sadie, and Fern Dow. Personal interview. 30 Aug. 1984. SOHS Oral History 365
