Painting

The Meek family, which started in the mercantile business in 1855, had three store buildings in Camptonville. The first was the old brick store that was built in about 1852 by another at the cost of $12,000 and later sold to my great-grandfather, John R. Meek. This was destroyed in the first fire of 1889. Another wooden structure built in its place was destroyed by fire in 1908, and the present cement structure was built in its place.

This second building had a high platform for the back porch, level with the wagon beds or about level with a horse's back, making it easy to load wagons, etc. At one edge of this platform, an old-style three-holer toilet was in use.

Some painting was going on about this time, and I have always been artistically inclined, especially with the paint brush, obtained a bucket of white paint and a brush and proceeded to paint all the holes in said toilet. This made it very nice for those sitting on it. It at least was sanitary. At the same time, a team of horses was tied up at the platform, their backs being level with the same, so I proceeded to paint the rump of the horse nearest the platform, which also was a neat job. And ,of course, there was no repercussion as far as my grandfather was concerned.

Not so had my father been in control!!