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CLAUD LEE NEAL : 1920 ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT DIARY HANDWRITTEN BY AN EXPRESSIVE, INTELLIGENT ROUGH AND TUMBLE RURAL BOY WHO LOVES NOTHING BETTER THAN HUNTING, FISHING AND TRUANCY

12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. On offer is a simply wonderful original manuscript diary handwritten by a Wichita Falls, Texas boy of 11 years of age when the diary begins November 11th 1920. Claud Lee Neal [b. October 31, 1908] is a rough and tumble boy with the likes and dislikes of what many would consider a 'bad boy' or truant but who is essentially an All-American rural kid that rebels against school because he would rather be out hunting, fishing, playing Tarzan of the Apes, going to movies and otherwise having fun. Historians and collectors of the era will recognize the uniqueness of an 11 year old as expressive as Claud. Over 44 numbered pages through to January 1922 we are informed by Claud who writes assuming a stranger will read his personal history in a matter of fact tone, for example: 'I went to school today. Me and Sewell swiping Dorothy, Isobel, Fern and Lula Graces notes, they don't say nothing worth reading. Miss Dean slapped Bob today. I wish she would slap me. She would slap me. She would get it right back harder…' Unfortunately this diary is also a study of the times: corporal punishment, prejudice and all for the reading. Here are some snippets: "Nov 19th - went to school and joined the boy scouts." "Nov. 20th - I took grandpa to Burk Burnett to day, it is the dirtiest town in Texas." Claud is like any other pre teen in gun swinging Texas, he loves to hunt: "Nov. 25th - Today is Thanksgiving. I went hunting and we had a big turkey and lots of other things." An entry on December 6th shows his bad boy roots by saying "...I belong to the black hand gang." But Claud is a very industrious young man who is not scared of working hard, loves to earn a a dollar. "December 12th - Went to school today we are going to get out the 23 of this month. I am going to get me a job at the Polo Grounds leading horses 25 cents for 6 minutes." Another entry December 22nd - I went to mineral wells day before yesterday on the way I shot at a wolf, we slid off the road into a ditch..." The entry on January 25th is one of several that speaks of young Claud getting his "Licks" or "Lickings" for bad behavior or in this instance a bad report card. The entry goes on to say "got our report cards today and I got a licking from Mr. Parks for saying I would raise H _ _ _ I got about 50 licks." Then in mid stream after talking about his beating, he changes the subject to the topic of girls "I haven't got a girl anymore but I like Elizabeth & Janette and Mary J. Mary B. and Alta Hobbs. I like Bernadine and Alta better than the rest of them..." Back to back sad news on Jan. 27th & 28th "A girl scout dies of Scarlet Fever and the next day a neighbor dies of blood poisoning." Other entrees speak of playing hookey, fighting, chasing girls, working, hustling, or trading items for money or objects of like value. Then there are the movies in which he sees Tarzan several times. 4" x 7" 46 pages. Overall G.. Book Condition: Good. Binding: Hard Cover

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