M. A. Tallon

Reproduced with permission of the Oklahoma Historical Society

 I came to Afton in 1887, and hired to J. F. LaBoyteau, who had opened a liveried barn.

So many people who came here would go on to Miami that it set me wondering why they went. So I made a trip to Miami to see the town and, if possible, to find out the reason for their moving. In those days Miami did not have a railroad, and if you reached that city you had to drive either from Baxter Springs, Kansas, or from here. I found that Miami had cafes. We did not, and it gave me an idea. I would start one here in Afton.

 The First Cafe

 I secured a small building and provided myself with a gasoline stove and started in business. I made the trip to Neosho, Missouri, and arranged to have twenty-five pounds of steak sent me from there each day, and bought my soda pop from there, fifty cases at a time. My steak came each day on the 11:13 passenger train. The train did not change its schedule for twenty years. Ice and gasoline I bought from Vinita and would drive for it. Ice I bought in large quantities, and would pack it here to keep it. I bought gasoline by the five-gallon can.

 Once I went down for gasoline and they filled my can with coal oil, and I did not know it until I wanted to use it. Then I had to build a fire in the old wood cook stove instead. I made twenty gallons of ice cream each day. I did all of my own work at first.