Great-grandma's Parlor Stove

One of my most treasured collectibles is my great grandmother's Parlor Stove.  It is made of cast iron and dates back to the late 1800's.  Every time we have to move it, Clark threatens that it is the last time he will move it.  I barely remember the time when my great grandmother still lived in her home.  Most of my memories of her were after she began living with my grandmother.  Back in those days, the elderly were very seldom sent to a nursing home - they just moved in with their children who cared for them the remainder of their days.  I faintly remember this stove in her home.  After my great grandmother Laura moved in with my grandmother, her son (my great uncle) restored great grandma's house and used it for a weekend get-away.  Keri, my daughter, just said the other day that she remembered walking down the tree lined country road between my grandma's house and my great grandma's house.  It was such a cool and peaceful walk.  My uncle Wilson (nicknamed "Toots") kept the old stove and used it to warm the large kitchen in the house.  I remember going down there and lovingly admiring that stove.  I thought it was the prettiest stove I had ever seen.  The wood stove in grandma's house and at our house were so plain in comparison.  Several years passed and I had not been in my great-grandma's house.   After my uncle  Toots passed away, his remaining family arranged to sell  great grandma's house and contents.  I remembered that stove.  Due to my job, I was unable to attend the auction that day, but Clark was able to go.  I told him that I didn't care if he got anything else at all as long as he came home with that stove.  When he got home that evening, I could hardly wait to see the stove.  All he had brought home was a pile of rusty metal in the back of his truck.  It sure didn't look like the stove that I remembered.  He said that was the only stove that sold and it was in pieces out behind one of the barns.  I decided that it must be the stove I wanted, but it was unrecognizable.  Clark took the stove to a friend of ours who restores antiques.  He had the stove sandblasted.  He then polished the cast iron.  When we got the stove back, I remember how happy I was.  I said, "That's it - that's grandma's stove".  Clark fitted the stove with electric logs and I sometimes joke that it is the world's largest lamp.  Great grandma's stove proudly occupies a corner of my kitchen and even though it doesn't produce heat, I still get a warm feeling every time I look at it.