I just talked to the little boy wearing the hat. He is 77 years old now. He told me that he knows about the photo, and that his wife found it on the Internet a while ago.

That kitchen looks a LOT like Ralph and Alice Kramden's.

Laark, my grandfather used to own the Rainbow Pure Oil station in Callahan, Florida, and folks still talk about how he'd give boxes of matches instead of pennies when making change. Evidently, he made a fraction of a cent profit on the deal, but folks back then always needed matches and few if any objected to the idea.

I know how he feels. We milked about 30 cows morning and night when I was a kid. It is not a fun way to make a living.

Those old match holders are now sold to restaurants as toothpick dispensers.

I think that's a holder for matches on the wall above the family. Matches were a household necessity in those days. And by the way, a penny box of matches now costs fifteen cents.

. . . having been born in Rhode Island in 1904.

Submitted by AndyHall on Thu, 01/03/2013 - 12:33pm.

Punchline from an old Mainer joke: "Well, if your cat had kittens in the oven, you wouldn't call 'em biscuits, wouldja?"

having been born in Rhode Island in 1904. According to the 1940 U.S. Census, he and his wife, Mary, had five children, the youngest three of whom appear to be in the photo -- Robert, age 1; Catherine, age 2, and Owen, age 4. Mr. Decosta passed away in Connecticut in 1967.

New Englanders, all.

Mr Decosta appears to have something on his mind. The rest of the family seems to be enjoying themselves.

is a cutie! Look at that smile!