Brothers and sisters often have a special relationship. Older bothers especially like to order around their little sisters, and vise visa. The following picture shows my grandfather [ Joseph Wheeler Jones] and his younger sister [Eliza Mildred Jones] taken around 1903. He would have been roughly six years old, born July 5, 1898; and Mildred would have been two years old or so, born April 14, 1901. An older sister [Nona Lee Jones, b. April 27, 1895] was not in this picture, and it is a mystery as to why not. She had the same birthday month [April] as Mildred, and maybe she was to have her separate photo...being the oldest and all...now nearing the age of ten. Maybe it was because these two looked almost like twins, having the same round head, eyes, nose, and that horizontal facial smile that seemed to follow "Pap paw" [What I called Joseph Wheeler Jones] in most of his pictures yet to come. See what you think...
Now, this does not look like the best way to take a photo? Pap paw is standing, squeezed into the back side of the chair with his legs pushed against the arm. It appears that he did not have enough room to place his hands comfortably alongside his body. There is a large draped, most likely stool, wedged into the fancy wicker chair where Mildred is sitting. Her body is twisted with almost a 45 degree angle to her feet which reveal a pair of shoes pointing almost 180 degrees. The cushion shows signs of the weight with the chair tilting slightly toward Pap paw. His laced shirt, high collar, and fluffy sleeves show through. No wonder Pap paw's face has that "you've got to be kidding me" look about it. [Now I know why Nona is not in the picture...no more room in this chair!] Just room for two...a brother and sister a century ago.
