The Barcliffs lived on in an old house on the side of the road. It was up high off the road and at the side of the house in the yard was a bluff. If you were to fall off that bluff you would be in the Arkansas river. The house was built like a lot of the old houses were built then. It was log and there was a breezway down the middle open at each end. Daddy said John Barcliff had enough money to dry up the river and that it was supposed to be buried in fruit jars all over the property. John was skinny, humpbacked, and tall. He had one of those Santa Claus beards and wore a big hat with the front bent down to shade his eyes. Daddy said it was probably so no one could really see his face or look in to his eyes. He was a strange old man and I was scared to death of him. His wife Sally was my Grandma's first cousin and the sweetest person you ever saw. John was the crabbiest person you ever saw. They had eight kids who were married and not living at home, and A Daughter, never married who lived with them. She seemed odd. Sweet like her Mother but reclusive like her Dad. John lived on the right side of the breezeway and His wife Sally lived on the left side. He only crossed the way to eat his meals and Sally was not allowed to cross to his side. Sally and John both dipped snuff and smoked pipes. I never saw Sally smoke a pipe but knew that she did.
Mamma Daddy, Me, Norman, and My Grandma went one day to visit Sally. Her side of the house was neat and clean. I was very curious to see John and my being scared of him didn't stop me from wanting to snoop around, especially since I had heard about jars of money buried around the yard. I asked if I could go outside for a while and was allowed to only go on the porch where Mamma could see me through a window. Well being on the porch invited me to walk down that breezway which I decided to do. I also decided to peek in to a window on John's side of the house. Good grief! How very rude of me. I know that now but was a kid then. I crept up to the window and put my hands on either side of my face. I put my face right up against the window for a good view. It all only took a second or two because when Mamma couldn't see me any more she came looking. But that second was enough to cure me of my noseyness by golly. When my nose touched the window I was looking straight in to the eyes of John Barcliff!!! Oh My Goodness I was moving fast to get out of there and ran right in to my Mamma. I thought for sure John had me so I started kicking shins. My Mamma's shins to be exact. Oh Lordee me My Gosh, Good Grief!!! I got a spanking right there and heard John snickering which made my Daddy (who had come out) mad as an old hornet. I never wanted to go back there again and Thank God I never had to. I think John was harmless but he didn't want anyone to know that.
The local newspaper went out to interview John and Sally once. John dressed up slicker than a whistle for pictures. Even went in and sat by Sally and shaved for a picture. I don't really think that was what the paper wanted and I imagine they were not pleased with their "BIG STORY". The wanted to see the real John. John talked about his house which his Dad had built in 1839 and had been a stage coach stand. Everyone knew that John was a shrewd man and not the person he tried to portray at all. I guess He knew everyone knew but he seemed to love his "Strange" persona. John died of pneumonia in a Veterans Hospital. Sally died in a Nursing Home and so did the Daughter at home with them The cabin was there until the family sold it and it was torn down which I thought was a shame. I lived in another state when it was destroyed but you can still see where it stood for all those years. Should have been a Historical place and been protected to my way of thinking. But then what I think don't amount to a hill of beans since it wasn't mine. OH WELL!!! I suspect that if there were jars of money there the kids found it before they sold the place. YEP!!!
