Ancestry

One of my brothers has become immersed in our family history. Along with old census records, wills, and stories some relatives hoped would never come to light, he often finds pictures taken as far back as the 1800s. It's not difficult to distinguish different sides of the family. My mother's folks sit in front of fancy drapes, men in suits, women in long, flowing dresses. There's often a lace collar or a child in what could pass for a christening gown. Dad's people? Overalls, bare feet, oodles of stairstepped kids, and--in the background--a ramshackled house that never saw a coat of paint in its lifetime. How did this couple ever get together I wonder???