Vol. 2-Interview-Pertrushka

Denis Mercier 7/23/72 Mr. & Mrs. George Petrushka

In 1962, a man was burned in a mine (methane) gas explosion while getting ready to fire a hole. There were burns on his arms, hands, and neck. The man's life was saved. Since his clothes were on fire, he had to lay quiet so the flames would go to the ceiling. He was in the hospital over two months.

Out-buildings that look like little houses are "[su?er] kitchens". All of the cooking is done there.

An old cold remedy is dried elderberry seeds or blossoms put in a bag. The bag is shaken. Two teaspoons, maybe one tablespoon of seeds are used to brew tea made from the seeds and sugar. This clears up congestion.

"For anything that ails ya," put a half teaspoon of baking soda and one teaspoon of cider or wine vinegar in a glass of water. This is for indigestion or headache.

French drain Dig three feet. Fill one and a half feet with gravel. Cover with tan paper or burlap then dirt. This makes an invisible drain.

The bank to the left of Petrushka's garage yielded up a sword under the white birch toward the alley. Petrushka's have the sword. It is, after all, near Council Ridge.

[Drawing and description of Petrushka's sword - steel blade very decayed & rusty, very ornate and cut out, copper or brass]

Denis Mercier 7/23/72 Mr. & Mrs. George Petrushka

They can remember only three homes on Shanty Street.

The old school house was used by the Eckley Game Club. Pigeons were stored there for "pigeon shoots" on Sunday afternoon. Lots of bets, twenty-five shots, four men, purse pit. Part of the foundation is still there, behind Piker Ferko's.

The big smokestack, 75 or 80 feet high, by the building was used to jump (parachute) from with beer wagon umbrellas. This was kids around nine years old. One kid named Wisrue Urich broke a leg jumping off the stack. Even though it was surrounded by soft coal dirt, this happened. This jumping caused big clouds of dust. It was a big amusement for kids. The umbrellas were striped and five or six feet in diameter.

Kids used to dress up like ghosts in white sheets, very elaborate. More than one guy involved rigged up coffins on ropes.

The place at #4 used to dump ashes from the boiler house, had very deep and soft ashes. Kids would have contests to see who could jump the farthest into the ashes off the edge of the stripping bank.

The iron chutes on top of the slate banks to take slate down to the bottom wouldd be used as slides by boys. They would slide down on shovels. Some would jump off. A carpet of leaves would break their fall at the bottom.

[Rough sketch of how the kids rode shovels down the iron chutes]

Angela Varesano ??] 133 Mrs. George Petroushka Fetcko born Drifton

live in [Kere?] [Holy Supper?] 10:00 am -

Parents' way's were even more beautiful than her use - Daddy wouldl take a clean [illegible] part of [untic ?] around 6 [looping go ?] where the horses were + give ( cows #1 in left margin) the horses a treat for their meal, oats, hay. There he'd go across the barn to the cows give them an extra treat. Then he'd carry the untouched water back to the house. Then he'd give the cats milk,a treat for the dogs, & extra corn for the chickens. Bring pot of water in house. Mother would have a clean basin. He'd pot water into basin. She'd put a silver (same each year) into the pan. mother would take handful of bobalki dough and make a small loaf with garlic & honey in (round, 5" diameter] middle. When father came from the barn, he'd take + break the bread & family would line up behind him: oldest son & wife youngest girl grandchildren would hand a piece to each.

If there was any left he would put it on table. Then we'd take pan of water. Father told family go and wash your hands. or He & wife would start and he washed hands and put water in face. Would rub hands an dollar - kids couldn't wait. [Ilsa?] was so [?] have money. Dollar is left in pan.

A Daddy would come from barn and bring handful of hay + cow feed [?] or oats wheat rye )take a handful of grain that was stored in barn, and put it under the table (dining room) on the floor] stayed there until after New Years. [Meant ?] Christmas born in a manger in straw in a barn - this was brought in house as a [ ??] of this. Represented Christ born in a manger in a barn. (LIne 9 to line 11 in bracket with number 1.) When this was done, when you'd sit on table, you wouldn't get up. All food was set out on table in pots [?????] All set + nobody [???] *

Dad would hand a plate to mother. Bobalkis would be first. When we'd be sitting, we'd all eat from some bowl. When we'd sit, Dad would say a prayer.

God bless this food that we are about to eat God bless this family God keep us in health till we meet for the next year again.

Sometimes he'd say a very touching prayer. A dish of bobalkis would be there. Mother would bless the dish with her hand saying the words.

Then she'd take a spoon and an extra empty dish (10 " ) plate and take a spoon of bobalkis and put it on this dish. Then all would take what they wanted with this spoon. It would start with Daddy then mother and down to youngest.

Before eating each person would have an oplatki on their plate. You'd break it and dip it in a dish of honey. [words cut off edge folded page] have 4 dishes of honey & sons's wives & children