Peggy Ann Evans

I remember when Nelson was about 3 or 4 yrs. old and he had a fasination with fire building. I think it was because he saw his Dad building fires all the time in the woodstove. I caught him playing with matches several times, until I finally put them up so he couldn't have them. One day it got really quiet, and I went looking for him because I knew that he had plans. Just as I opened the living room door I saw him out by the trail that goes to the ditch. He had a gallon metal can filled with dry grass and was just lighting a match to it as I looked out. It was about March so there was dry dead grass and weeds everywhere. I ran out as fast as I could, but it was already spreading. I called for Marianne as I was trying to keep it from spreading. We saw a man we knew (Alan White) and his son who were getting hay next door from their stackyard. I sent Marianne over to ask for their help. There was a slight breeze, and if they had not been there that fire would probably have gone clear to Upalco. Between them and Marianne and I we got the fire contain. In Nelson's thinking at that time he thought that fire would stay in the can from what he said. Nelson was also helping as much as he could at his young age, but I think it kind of scared him. I think that slowed him down on that.