My first recollection of the old outhouse was that I always had to go out there on “liver” night. It was practically a standing rule at our house that we had liver and bread and gravy for supper at least once a week. Now liver was about the least favorite food of mine that my mother could possibly make, so as soon as supper began I needed to go out there, and especially when my dad was working in the field it would be dark at suppertime and my mom had to go along with me and we would have to take a flashlight.
It took mother awhile, but she finally caught on to my little trick that it was always on liver night that I needed to go – and when she did, that was the end of my little trips out to the outhouse at suppertime.
Viola Lucht
Milford, Illinois
Back in 1955 a call went out from the editors of the then Capper’s Weekly asking for readers to send in articles on true pioneers. Hundreds of letters came pouring in from early settlers and their children, many now in their 80s and 90s, and from grandchildren of settlers, all with tales to tell. So many articles were received that a decision was made to create a book, and in 1956, the first My Folks title – My Folks Came in a Covered Wagon – hit the shelves. Nine other books have since been published in the My Folks series, all filled to the brim with true tales from Capper’s readers, and we are proud to make those stories available to our growing online community.