Told by Viola Nevy Orsinger
Viola and Florence Nevy
The Ursiline Nuns taught us to worship The Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus. There was always a May procession at school on the first day of May. My mother told us girls, “Run over to Mrs. Kerns’ Farm and ask her if she has some flowers for your bouquets to carry in the procession.”
Usually our dresses were passed down the line. Inez, to me, then to Florence. Inez always got the brand new one, and sometimes Florence would get a new one. But this year was different. This time mother bought us each a new pastel dress. I guess because we were so close in age people thought we were twins. Pink for Florence, Blue for me, or a pale, pale green – or ivory.
Florence and I walked downtown to the local department store. As we passed by the photo department a young salesman suggested he take our picture as a gift to our mother for Mother’s Day. We must have been 9 and 10 years old.
“Well, we’re not dressed for a picture,” we exclaimed. But I wisely suggested we go home and return in our May Procession finery. Which we did.
Well, I think that was the most surprisingly wonderful gift mother had received from any of us. Of course, we had no money to pay for them but the young man was happy to charge it to her account. And we didn’t have color photos then, so he dutifully tinted our pale green chiffon dresses.
