- my good fortune indeed -
Time after time I bore witness to the Colonel's respect for Ralph's skill as a builder. Daily I was instructed to, "watch Ralph and stay out of his way." Ralph hardly ever spoke and I often wondered to what extent I was considered a nuisance.
One afternoon, just after dinner, Mr Barr came over to me from one of their chats, "Ferguson!, 'bout time you learned drawers. You'll help Ralph glue up that 6 drawer breakfront this evening. But right now, go down underneath where we cleaned out last week and pull out enough of that butternut to build all the drawers."
He went on, "I'll not be here tommorrow. Goin' on a big groundhog hunt in the morning," chuckling to himself as he walked away.
"Oh," he said turning back, "Watch Ralph. Do what he tells you & stay out of his way."
At that time, I'd been there for over a year, but it was those drawers that 1st initiated me to the true mastery of the craft held by Ralph Shoemake - this 'ol sawyer's son.
I tell others I am a woodwright, but, to be honest, it is often difficult to think of myself as anything other than the Woodwright's apprentice.
Ralph fitting drawer fronts