Mystery? This was no mystery to me - I lived it. And in our neighborhood the rag man did not enter houses - his carriage stayed in the street and people took their goods out to the wagon and handed them up to him if they agreed with the price he was willing to pay. In those days everything was used out! People saved the string the butcher tied around the meat package, and there was a drawer in every house for for collected rubber bands, notes were written on the back of envelopes to save paper - still are - lol. Clothes were handed down from kid to kid. I was the youngest and the only girl - I squawked at wearing my brother's knickers, but mom said they were good enough to play in. Turned out to be my favorite uniform. Have a pic around here - my uncle a photographer took and I wanted to get cleaned up but he wouldn't let me. I'm with my rag tag friend, can't remember what we were doing - probably scouring around the canal for arrows. I'm in the knickers, one side of blouse hanging out, one braid coming undone, face smudged. Jimmy has on a crumpled shirt that's too big, pants too short and a bowl hair cut. I wouldn't take a million for that pic today. Jan Blessed Be; Bright Blessings; Beautiful Beginnings; Big Boons; Bodacious Blockbusters; Brilliant Brainstorms ; Boundless Benefits In a message dated 5/6/2008 12:41:10 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, JRay38@neo.rr.com writes: Well I've solved the mystery. My mother who is 86 remembers the Rag Man. (or multiples thereof) She said this was during WWII, they were older men, very poor, out of work, and they'd come to your house and ask if you had any old clothes to throw away etc. They would then take them and sell them to make money. So apparently children were threatened.. if you didn't behave... I'll give you to the Rag Man. So there ya have it! Janean ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to OHSUMMIT-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message **************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family favorites at AOL Food. (http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001)

Well there was a question posted to the list last week about the rag man and many people hadn't heard about it so that's where the "mystery" came from. Mom never said he came into the house..... just came around collecting old clothes people were going to throw out so he/they could sell them for money. Lot's of people were sharing little stories about things they did remember about the "boogey man" so to speak and variations thereof. I was just letting those who were in on the boogey man discussion know that my mom confirmed the Rag Man story. My mother claims though that the rag man basically was asking for donations that people were going to throw away anyway...... so he himself could later sell to make money. He didn't pay for the old clothes - he was poor and raggedy himself, out of work, too old to go to war, basically a street person......... hence the threat to misbehaving children that they would be given to the rag man if they weren't good. Now a days we'd be accused of psychological abuse. LOL -----Original Message----- From: ohsummit-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:ohsummit-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of RAVENIA@aol.com Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2008 5:36 PM To: ohsummit@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [OHSUMMIT] Rag Man Mystery? This was no mystery to me - I lived it. And in our neighborhood the rag man did not enter houses - his carriage stayed in the street and people took their goods out to the wagon and handed them up to him if they agreed with the price he was willing to pay. In those days everything was used out! People saved the string the butcher tied around the meat package, and there was a drawer in every house for for collected rubber bands, notes were written on the back of envelopes to save paper - still are - lol. Clothes were handed down from kid to kid. I was the youngest and the only girl - I squawked at wearing my brother's knickers, but mom said they were good enough to play in. Turned out to be my favorite uniform. Have a pic around here - my uncle a photographer took and I wanted to get cleaned up but he wouldn't let me. I'm with my rag tag friend, can't remember what we were doing - probably scouring around the canal for arrows. I'm in the knickers, one side of blouse hanging out, one braid coming undone, face smudged. Jimmy has on a crumpled shirt that's too big, pants too short and a bowl hair cut. I wouldn't take a million for that pic today. Jan Blessed Be; Bright Blessings; Beautiful Beginnings; Big Boons; Bodacious Blockbusters; Brilliant Brainstorms ; Boundless Benefits In a message dated 5/6/2008 12:41:10 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, JRay38@neo.rr.com writes: Well I've solved the mystery. My mother who is 86 remembers the Rag Man. (or multiples thereof) She said this was during WWII, they were older men, very poor, out of work, and they'd come to your house and ask if you had any old clothes to throw away etc. They would then take them and sell them to make money. So apparently children were threatened.. if you didn't behave... I'll give you to the Rag Man. So there ya have it! Janean ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to OHSUMMIT-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message **************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family favorites at AOL Food. (http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001) ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to OHSUMMIT-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.23.9/1417 - Release Date: 5/6/2008 8:07 AM