We had a wonderful surprise last weekend as Eddie and Kathi and
the two grandchildren-came down on Sunday and stayed overnight. It
was so good to see them all as it had been five months and my how
the children grow in all ways in that time. Then with Dana and Bob
living close we all got together for a bit -and their little one
got to meet his two cousins from Bangor. Father and Eddie went
every minute was enjoyed by all. I used to think it was only the
years that seemed to fly but now every day goes so rapidly and I
can’t seem to drink in all the wonderful things fast enough.
And Donnie, Keli and Tommie are in. such interesting times of life
I treasure each day of my life so much more than I did years
ago.
And I must quit this rambling on as we are getting into the
Christmas season and I know all you folks are busy and looking
towards exciting things at the Yuletide. We are, I know. Of course
this is the Jan-Feb. issue but it comes out quite early and I can
still therefore wish you all again a lovely and Blessed Holiday
Season. And then we’re into another New Year and I thought
maybe this poem might give us something to think about. It’s
entitled ‘Lifting and Leaning,’ by Ella Wheeler Wilcox:
There are two kinds of people on earth today, Just two kinds of
people, no more, I say.
Not the good and the bad, for ’tis well understood The good
are half bad and the bad are half good.
Not the happy and sad, for the swift-flying years Brings each
man his laughter and each man his tears.
Not the rich and the poor, for to count a man’s wealth You
must first know the state of his conscience and health.
Not the humble and proud, for in life’s busy span Who puts
on vain airs is not counted a man.
No! the two kinds of people on earth I mean Are the people who
lift and the people who lean.
Wherever you go you will find the world’s masses Are ever
divided in just two classes.
And, strangely enough, you will find, too, I ween, There is only
one lifter to twenty who lean.
In which class are you? Are you easing the load Of overtaxed
lifters who toil down the road?
Or are you a leaner who lets others bear Your portion of worry
and labor and care?
And now I must get on to a few letters that have come in
recently as I’m sure you like to hear from your fellow
readers.
A letter from Harry R. Muckley, 5213 N; W. 28th Ave., Fort
Lauderdale, Florida 33309, writes us: ‘I have just reread a
book The Thrasher by Herbert Krause, published by Bobbs Merrill Co.
This story presents a true picture of thrashing as it was done in
the wheat belt during the last part of the 1800’s. My father
who grew up in Kansas told me much of the same story.
‘The thought came to me that someone should write an account
of barn thrashing as it was done in the eastern states where heavy
dews made shock thrashing impractical before 10 or 11 o’clock
in the forenoone.
‘Professor Lorin Bixler would be ideal as the author of the
book. The subject could be a composite of men like Raymond Laizure,
Harry Mumaw, Tilden Langell, Emmet Slutz, Albert Ohl, Dave
McDonald, Al Fasnacht, Roy Conn etc. Stemgas Publishing Co. would
be publisher.’
Well, now that sounds like a pretty big order Mr. Muckley, but
maybe some of these men could write us articles on this subject to
be printed in the Iron-Men Album how about it?
Then Norbert J. Lucht of Athens, Illinois had written us ‘If
any of the readers of this magazine have histories of the Northwest
Thresher Company or the A. B. Farquhar Company, I would like to get
in touch with them. I enjoy corresponding with people who actually
worked in the factories where engines and threshers were made.
Another group of men who had interesting experiences were men who
were salesmen for the old thresher firms. It was my privilege to
correspond with several of these men before they passed away.’
there you are I’m sure there must be some of you out there
could write to Rev. Lucht on these interests.
D. H. Walke, Elkader, Iowa 52043, suggests we should have more
material on helps in building things boilers, engine hints etc. He
also says he was glad to see the column for young engineers. Well,
we’re always open for suggestions Mr. Walke, and if anyone
sends us items of this type, we’ll try and oblige by putting
them in.
