I started out as a child--writer! My mom recently found some of my earliest stories. They're in faded pencil on yellowed lined paper . . .but I do believe my penmanship back then was better than it is today.

Here are stories from the fourth grade, incorporating that week's spelling list:

(I haven't corrected grammar/spelling errors)

A Haunting Exsperience

One night in May I went down to the sea. I heard something behind me. I wheeled around and there was a man. I immediately disliked him for there was a wicked glow in his eyes.

He said, "Come with me, your father's sick."

I knew he was a phony, because I don't have a father.

I was curious to find out why this man wanted me, though and I played along with him.

Pretty soon we came to a house. I went in with him and as soon as I went in somebody behind the door hit me on the head.

When I woke up I realized that I had been tricked.

There was a news paper near by laying on the ground, so I had an idea that the house-keeper was not a very good one.

The man came in and I saw he was Mick-Mike, a well known robber. I knew by his reputation that he could kill a girl, too. He carried me out to a kitchen and I saw that the house-keeper was another robber, Mack-Marc. He was the cook and house-keeper. Mick (that's short for Mick-Mike) and Mack (that's short for Mack-Marc) were in this together, I could tell. They had taken my money, fifty dollars and 50 cents. Mick and Mack knew who I was. They were a pair you wouldn't want to get mixed up with.

I started toward the door. Mick grabbed a gun. I frozed. "Thought you were smart because you took Black-Eye-Pete to jail, didn't you?" He got no answer. He slapped me on my face. I winced. I saw Mack with a filled basket. In the basket was some rice and other things. "Lets take a little drive," suggested Mick. I knew instantly what was on his mind. He was going to try and drown me!

I didn't know what to do. I had beem too risky and had to pay with my life.

We had gotten into a merry little jeep. We stopped near a lake. Mick and Mack got the basket. It was a heavy load. I ran for it. I stumbled and fell. I didn't lose hope. They were right behind me.

I made one last feeble try and ........they caught me!

What a break for them! They filled up with food, soon. How can they fill up that quick? I wondered.

Soon we were in a boat in the middle of the lake. Mick absent-mindedly dropped his gun and I saw my chance.

I plunged into the water, head-first. Swimming toward land, I looked back. Mack-Marc and Mick-Mike was gaining on me. I kept going, but soon they caught up with me.

"Do you have a house here?" asked Mack.

"Yes," I said untruthfully.

"Than take me there." Mack said.

I led the way to a back door of the police office. We walked in. Officer Brown, on duty saw Mick with his gun stuck in my ribs. He grabbed a gun and fired. He missed. Mick fired. He missed. Then the officer hit Mick, and Mick went down!

I jumped on him and saw that he was not badly injured.

They got a 25 year sentance. The next day I was pictured in the newspaper. I got a $500.00 reward. I felt exzactly like a millionaire.

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Well . . .wow. That's all I can say. Mrs. Hawkins gave me an A, and I even illustrated this madcap crime story.

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(No title for this story, but it's dated May 19, 1961--I was ten. Mrs. Hawkins gave me an "A for content")

One day in the small town of Greenville, a young man named Mike O'Conner got out of bed and decided that THIS was the day he was going to get a wife AND a job.

He ate his breakfast alone, because his mother had died by a log falling from the pulleys and gables up above.

His father had fallen from the top of a tree.

He had never had any brother or sisters.

He finished his cereal and walked down the street. Soon, he came to a well, where a young lady was crying.

"What is the matter?" he asked.

"My husband had died," the pretty young lady answered.

Then seeing who it was they fell in love and got married.

The next day Mike got up early and started out to seek a job. He saw a notice and on it said:

(here, there's a drawing of a sign that says "Lumberman Wanted" and has a picture of a tree on it)

He took the job and soon he had very much faith in him self.

He climbed a 50 ton redwood tree and fell....................

He was in the hospital and doctors were working over him, anxiously.

He felt weak........too weak. His heart was beating too slow.

All that day and the next the doctors worked over him and then, he was saved!!!!!

He had polio, though, but he WAS still saved.

And from then on, he had polio till the end.

THE END

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Gosh, I hope I have another of these rollicking feel-good knee-slappers in my files, somewhere! I did have a happy childhood, honestly!

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(Untitled, dated 5-1-61. Mrs. Hawkins gave me an A for yet another crime drama with some interesting spelling errors.)

Last night grandpa and I went to a farm. We didn't know it but it really was the hide-out of a wll known robber named "Black-eye Pete."

"Black-eye Pete" was a murderer, too. He had killed the farmer while he was out in the wheat field. He disguised as the farmer, but we had known the Farmer and knew that the robber wasn't him. Unwisley grandpa started to yell and the robber jumped over the fence and frightened the cattle! I jumped over the pond to save myself and chased the man on. After a while I tripped and blacked out.

When I became conscious, I was tied up in a shappy room. I had no idea where I was. The man was gloating and sneering at me. "Thought you were smart, didn't you?"

I decided we were in a stable and I smelled hay.

I didn't have anything warm on and it was a cool night.

"You mean little creep!" He smiled wickedly. "When I get through with you, you'll have wished you had stayed home!" I shuddered.........Then I felt and saw that the ropes were lose on my arms.

Black-Eye-Pete was feeding himself. I wished I had been fed my dinner before I left.

I finally loosened my arms.

Black-Eye-Pete came over to inspect the ropes and when He found them undone, he slapped me cruelly on my face. Then (as if that wasn't enough) he clapped iron bracelets on my and they cut into my flesh untill bloot poured out. Then------Maaaa-ma, in trotted a goat and lowered her head and charged on Black-Eye-Pete and pretty soon Black-Eye-Pete was laying on the floor. I managed to get the goat to scrape his horns on the rope on my feet and soon my feet were free. I had practised unlocking things with my feet and soon I was free.

I brough Black-eye to jail and soon Mrs. Smith came out and said "The sherrif is going to give you something for capturing Black-Eye-Pete and its probably &1,0000.00. And Black-Eye-Pete says you ought to be a detective with brains like yours!"

And pretty soon I was a millianare!

THE END