W.E. Garrett Snuff

By Jim Stewart c 1990

Well it's Saturday night at the old homestead
And all the weeks chores are already done.
My mom and Dad are in the livingroom washing their feet
While my uncle Garth is putting up the last of the diner dishes.
Pretty soon all my relatives will be coming on over.
The men will try to solve all the worlds problems
While the women will be swapping some recipes.
In that old house is an open hearth fire place
Where a fire has been burning every day of my life.
Winter, spring, summer or fall
Jimmy, get another log off the porch and throw it on the fire.
Some say that when the fire goes out
The unity of this family may also die out.
In that room is a big old bed
Where my Grandmother knits and crochets.
She taught me how to crochet when I was kid
I couldn 't get the hang of that knitting though.
Well Logan and Avinell will be coming over with the boys
Billy, Troy and Jerry Too.
Lord it's been a long time since I've seen Jerry
Austin and Lillian will be coming
They will be bringing my cousins Rhonda and Gaylon.
Aubry and Dosia will be coming up
With the girls, Becky, Linda and Peggy.
Marvin and Hilva are heading on up
They said that Joyce Sue, Junior and Sonny would be coming too
In fact I can hear old Bruno Barking at them now.
Sonny's got that old green domino table
With everyones names printed on the side.
Now these are some serious domino players, folks
This game is going to go on all night long.
Martha Jo and Gordon said they would be up
Just as soon as they bed down 20,000 chickens
Lord, what amess of chickens.
They said they would be bringing my cousins
Johnny,David, Sharon and Jeanette,
Along with my sister Deedee too.
While me and my cousin Stevie
Are in the back scrubbing down in those number 3 washtubs.
In that big old room next to the bed, sits a bible
Opened to Leviuticus.
Next to that bible is a tin of W.E. Garrett snuff
Where my Grandma would take a pinch
When she didn't think anyone was looking
Beside that tin of snuff was a jar of caramels
Where would would try to get some
When we thoughyt she wasn't looking.
Yeah, she'd dip that snuff and gum that caramel
Then want to give you a big kiss
Lord, What an experience.
In that room was a big old pump organ
With half the reeds missing.
But that's not going to stop my aunts from playing it.
On top of that od organ was a radio
It was tuned in to KBWD, Brownwood, Texas.
So we could hear the Goodtime Gospel Hour.
Well it's been a long time since the fire has gone out
And some of the people I talk about
Have gone to see their maker.
But every now and then on Saturday night
I get down that number 3 washtub
Tune the radiuo into the Gospel Hour
And take a dip of W.E. Garret snuff