It was after he sold his second wife that goatman decided to travel with his son. He had began to preach from his BIBLE to anyone who would listen. On the road he could spread the word of his LORD JESUS CHRIST to people along the road he traveled. From here on out we will call him GOATMAN as that was what people coined him in his early days on the road.
He bought an old railway baggage wagon with steel wheels and covered it with a tarp, making it look like one of the old covered wagons used during the pioneer days. He loaded up all his meager belongs into the wagon that was pulled my 8 to 10 goats and started his adventure across the United States that lasted for over 40 years.It was said that Goatman never took a bath during his travels. Once someone overheard him tell is son, " Get back in the wagon before you get dirty" The son was as dirty as the old man and smelled just as bad!! LOL!! A man told the Goatman, "If you would take a bath more people would come to see you and talk to you." The old man never looked up at the man who had made the comment, " When did you take a bath?" the man replied, " I took one this morning" Goatman," Well how many people came to see you?" None said the man. Well I guess there are about 300 here to see me!! The man didn't say another word and just walked away.
Goatman carried in his wagon items that he needed in his nomadic life as he traveled. Pots, pans, lantern's,containers for water and goat milk, a mattress and even a small pot bellied stove. Anything of value he found along the road was tossed into the wagon or nailed to the side for future use or he could sell or trade. He would locate a license plate of the state he was traveling in and nail it to the side of his wagon. Now, here's where he and I have something in common. I collect license plates and have all 50 states and some different countries nailed to my shop walls. The item that seemed to be his favorite to collect was old car tires. At the end of the day after covering 5 to 10 miles he would find a place to camp for the night, most of the time he would camp on a farm outside of town. He always built a campfire and would throw an old tire on top. He said the black smoke from the tire kept the bugs away!! Well today burning old tires would bring the E.P.A. running to fine you or put you in jail. He couldn't travel this day in time like he did in his days.
Goatman milked the goats and drink it and excepted any food that people along the way gave him and his goats. Only the male goats pulled his big wagon. When a nannie had a kid both would get to ride in the wagon. Sick goats would also get to ride. At night Goatman his son and some goats would load into the wagon to sleep. You can't blame his x-wife for hating those smell ie goats!!
Word would travel ahead from town to town that the Goatman was on the way. Crowds would gather as the old man and his traveling goat show came into town. It was said that the old man was friendly. He would let the children pet the goats during his stops. He told stories of his adventures to the crowd and also preach from his BIBLE to those that would listen.
All was not wine and ROSES during his travels. Several times he was beaten, mugged and some of his goats were killed. Once a woman ran over one of the goats with her car and never stopped. He cared for all his goats as if they were his children. He once said," My goats are just like humans to me and I treat them good." His favorite goat was named Billy Blue Horns, a big male that was with him for over 30 years. He had a name for each of his goats.
STORY TO CONTINUE........
Thats a good story to relay to us Nick
ReplyDeleteNice to be hear again Nick
ReplyDeleteoh a very interesting little story nick, love it xxxxx
ReplyDeleteI love this story, it's a marvelous tale. I'm really happy to find you back on all your blog sites. My hub reminded me that cookies go well with milk n tlc. :>)
ReplyDeletebilly goats smell awful! lol ...love your tale Nick thanks :o)
ReplyDelete