Mairsie Dotes and Dosie Dotes

"Mairsie dotes and dosie dotes and liddle lamsey divey,

A kiddledidivy too, wooden shoe, ooo oooo ooo . . ."

~ composed by Milton Drake, 1943

~ sung by Alice Augusta Hovey Moore to me, 1952 to 1962 or thereabouts

Alice and Miles Moore

1962

Alice Hovey Moore was my paternal grandmother. She was also, quite often, my babysitter. And she would sing me to sleep with that song. It was quite a bit later that she sang it correctly, and not nearly as much fun!

She surprised Mom, one day. She was babysitting, and when Mom came home, she found Gram sitting at the piano and playing some tunes. Mom had no idea that Gram could play the piano. What she found out that day is that Gram used to play for the silent movies, the talkies, at the theatre downtown.

Miles Moore was my paternal grandfather. One day his father, Moses Moore, decided that his son should play the violin. He took his horse to town and traded it for a violin. He should have kept the horse, would have gotten more use out of it. We inherited the violin. Mom recently had it fixed up and gave it to my niece. Her husband comes from a very musical family and we feel that their daughters might inherit the family talent. At least, they have nice long fingers. And that is all I know about the Moore/Hovey musical talent.