This October’s bright blue weather exceeds any said month I
can recall and that thinking is backed by many a resident, even
older than I. Saw Alice still picking tomatoes on the 25th; to date
no killing frost, and we are grateful for another ample
harvest.
A colored boy was working in the garden when the Parson happened
along. ‘Nice garden you and the Lord have.’ ‘Yes Suh,
but you all should see’d it last yeah when he had it
alone.’
Managed to persuade a reliable man to ‘jerk our jerseys’
to permit us to take in the Mt. Pleasant and Mable-Hesper shows.
Winding our way thru the hills of southwestern Wisconsin, GEORGE
CHRISTIAN pipes up from the back seat, ‘These people must be
gonna move’. I says, ‘What makes you say that?’
‘Well, they got the land all rolled up’. In a short
distance he added ‘If thses roads were any crookeder Alice
would need two steering wheels’. In less than 12 hours from the
time we left home we were setting up George’s tent. We found
pretty much the same nabers as in previous years. There were D U R
W A R D STEINMETZs from La-Farge, DALE McCLAINs from Lock-ridge,
Ia., the ART HUYSERs from Sully, and the HUDACHEKS from West
Liberty, BUD WAGNER’S ‘housekeeping bus’ normally
parked under that big elm tree next to the railroad tracks was not
there, neither was the elm tree. Observing the stump; it had been a
shaky place to park at any time. Glancing to the south, in the
midst of numerous trailers and tents was Bud’s ‘Wagon’
and still adjancent to it was ED VOGAL’s green tarp’ from
Buhl, Idaho.
Sleeping in basements too is a common thing during Old
Threshers, and thusly we again shared with the OLIVER RHEAs from
Meadville, Pa., the hospitality of the WM. SATER residence, OLIVER
RHEA and MORGAN HILL (of Pa.) hit for the grounds at ‘crack of
dawn’ but Mrs. Rhea rode over with us a bit later. All
proceeded without incident; the first two days that is. Come Friday
morning Mrs. Rhea was having a commotion in the far end of the
basement. Alice says, ‘You up already?’ ‘Yes I think I
should be going home.’ ‘How come?’ ‘Well, I lost my
dentures and blamed if I can find them; they been bothering lately
and I’d take them out occasionally’, then added, I’m in
no mood to go over there today.’ One can readily realize such a
predicament on a pleasure trip. Rather reluctantly she u p p e d
the stairs with us and in passing thru the kitchen, there were her
dentures in a dish on the sink. Just goes to prove fairies really
are.
Speaking of sleeping in basements, BOB McLAREN was telling, over
in that house where he stays there must be close to a dozen fellows
and lucky the guy that goes to sleep first, if at all. Says
he’s been staying there several years and the landlady is just
like one in the family, except until when it comes to paying up.
Bet they’ll all be back there again come ’64.
Sad indeed was the news that RAY ERNST had gotten hurt loading
exhibits two days prior to the reunion. Certainly our prayers are
for his recovery.
Was surprised and pleased to see my good friend BILL REW from
Mercer, Wis. at the show. Whats more he was already promoted to
‘tankie’ and certainly a more qualified contender would be
hard to find. He’s a steam and saw mill man from the
‘Gitchee Gumee’ country.
Some people may be air minded, others feel better with one foot
on the ground, but as for GLEN McNAMAR from Granger, Mo., he feels
best with both feet on the platform of the New Giant engine. He was
coming through the parade on Saturday with the New Giant when some
difficulty ahead forced him to wait up, so this gave me a chance to
talk a bit, while he was stoking his pipe. Said Glen, a youngster
had asked to ride on the engine through the parade and Glen assured
him it would be O.K. The lad then hurried home and came back
wearing a clean shirt, but to make the situation more authentic he
had smeared some mud on his face. After some patient waiting to get
going, the old ‘New Giant’ started to roll and spray-his
shirt with wet coal smoke. That kid took off across the grounds
grumbling some protesting words. Glen says, ‘that lad will
never make an engineer’.
Apparently Mt. Pleasant surpassed any of its previous
attendance. The President was seen carrying a walkie-talkie to keep
in touch with the head quarters. Its a sure thing the narrow gauge
railroad and steam merry-go-round have added appeal to this show. A
write up of this event was noted in the September issue of
‘Ford Times’ magazine.
Two old acquaintance were recalling their boyhood days. Says one
‘Wouldn’t it be fun to run barefoot again like we once
did?’ ‘Not me’ retorted the other, ‘I work on a
turkey farm.’
We got up to Mabel-Hesper Steam Show on Sunday and stayed over
night at JAMES SYLLINGS; our homeward half way mark. Sorta like
there used to be back in the logging days, a ‘stopping
place.’ Enjoyed playing ‘cat and rat’ with Shirley
Sylling but just why she called it fun, of course she did win
sometimes. The Mabel show has grown, steam threshing and log
sawing, gas engine display, tractor pulling contest, helicopter
rides, carnival and prizes with a talent show and fireworks
finale.
We stopped a few moments on our was h o m e at the new JACKSON
LUMBER HARVERTER PLANT on the outskirts of Mondovi. In the neat
office of MARGITH JACKSON MEIS are many sawmill pictures and a
world map showing locations of LumberHarvester mills. Out in back
TOM MEIS was demonstrating their machine that makes wood shavings.
Some prospective buyer evidently had come to see it work and sure
enough, he was from Missouri.
The next procedure on the ‘Johnson place’ was to fill
silo and here again steam power played a part. Belted our 9 x 10
Case to the Gehl silo filler.
If you are wondering what your wife is gonna have you do next,
try sitting down.
Had the opportunity to attend the Beldenville show south of
here. Several steamers were belted up and there was a large display
of old tractors and gas engines. Here was a Garr- Scott clover
huller now owned by ED HUPPERT and it was of a very early vintage
and still in a nice condition with some original leather belts.
‘And to think’ says DAN BOOTH, ‘that huller sat in a
shed on a farm where I drilled a well and solved pump problems
several times and didn’t know it, but I still like my old 1869
Case apron thresher better.’
The Hardy Lindblad Case steam rig again this year went into
action on some custom threshing. Combines have gained ground, but
also lost some.
An Indian Chief stood on a high hill patting his little son on
the head, ‘Lookie sonny, pretty soon this will be all yours,
white man going to the moon.’
