One day, young Harry went into the kitchen to find his mother making grape jelly from the grapes he and his brother Vivion had picked that morning. "Mother, I've finished feeding the goat, horses, and mule, milking the cow, and gathering the eggs. Do you need me for anything else? " "Not at the moment Harry, dear, you may run along, now. But not too far!"

Harry grabbed one of the books that he'd picked up at the library, and scurried out to the barn in their large back yard. Since his father was an animal trader, they had a goat, horses, mules, cows, and a few chickens. So a barn was a necessity, even though they lived "in town" on Crysler Street.

Also, he preferred to be out of reach of his little sister Mary Jane, and brother Vivion, but needed to be close enough to the house to hear his mama call when she needed him. He tucked his book in his suspenders, and climbed quickly to the hot, musty hayloft. Years later, Harry would remember reading in the hayloft frequently during his boyhood years, and refer to it in his writings and interviews.

Next: Harry and Hamlet

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