Christmas issue coming up and the engines aren’t even cooled
off as a matter of fact, they’re still steaming here and there
over the country. But by the time you’re reading this, many
will be shedded and tucked away for another year, some may be lucky
enough to get steamed up now and then throughout the winter while
others will look regal in their white snowy attire don’t ask me
why, but I think an engine looks pretty with a covering of snow
just like I’m partial to the horse pictures that come in or I
particularly like locomotives with a long stream of smoke trailing
behind. Just some of my ‘druthers’ you know how they
say’ I’d rather see an engine with snow than just sitting
in the cold without the white dress’.
Made one of the Reunions this year Yep! Tommy, my little
side-kick and myself went to Kinzers for Saturday of their Show
real nice day many, many people, lots of exhibits and doings. We
enjoyed ourselves and surely Tommy did as Earlene sent him out for
candy-he went for a walk with Dave Egan and came back with a tummy
full of french fries and then Mary Egan took him for an ice-cream
cone. That was all after I had gotten him his lunch at the stands.
After the show we all helped get the van packed and started for
home but stopped at a most pleasant restaurant way out in the
country, good food and good air out among the corn fields. Had to
watch the bustling traffic of the Amish buggies though. They surely
keep those buggies in fine shape, so shiny and clean, as are their
farms. And as it was getting pretty dark I never realized they have
two lights up on them I suppose they were lanterns. All in all, we
had a nice day! Yep! We saw 12 Clems!
Now I’ll explain that last remark we were driving along and
Tommy says-There’s a Clem, there’s a Clem! He was excited
and it took me awhile to figure what he meant. He meant the
Amish-man in the buggy. My Hubby has a habit of calling anyone he
doesn’t know ‘Clem’. It’s just a name he likes, and
is supposed to be very neighborly. And when we are driving
sometimes, people wave or acknowledge and he says ‘Hi
Clem’.’. So Tommy says we saw 12 Clems!
Now onto the letters and writings for this issue! Last month we
mentioned a company that sells steam engines and I’d like you
also to know that another place to get steam models would be to
write to Herb Eltz, R. D. 1, Box 109, Juniata, Nebraska 68955. As I
mentioned before we get letters sometimes asking for places to get
steam engines and off hand we don’t know, as we have not kept
an index on this we shall try to do more in this area in the
future. So you fellows, if you are interested write to Herb!
KEN R. MOWRER, SR., 721 Leonard Street, Piqua, Ohio 45356 is a
victim of emphysema and he writes: ‘It was so kind of you
printing my letter in the May-June I. M. A. I have received two
lovely letters from two gentlemen that are more or less, in my
condition.
They wrote very interesting letters of the type of work they did
in other years. One man worked with steam threshers, ran Huber and
Russell outfits, farmed some, worked in coal fields of Pennsylvania
and Ohio.
The other man started to run a steam engine when he was 12 years
of age. He says he was a dealer salesman, selling Rumely,
Aultman-Taylor, Fordson and Wood Bros. He was dealer, distributor
and factory representative for Wood Bros. Then he went to Des
Moines as General Service Manager and on the board of Directors.
There he stayed until the war closed down the Wood Bros. Co.
He sent me photos of a model of a 20 HP steam engine 1/26 scale
and of a 30-50 Woods Bros. Thresher 1/26 scale. He made them from
flat scrap using jewelers saws, files and lathe. He will be 80 in a
few months and just retired last December from the watch making
trade, just great, Huh?’ (You didn’t give us these
men’s names Ken, but maybe you could have them write a story
for us and have the second man send us one of the pictures you
speak of?)
From Wayne R. ‘Bink’ Hanson, Box 444, Mountain Lake,
Minnesota 56159 comes this question ‘I have an engine with the
following nameplate (Model MH3 Number 2383-Manufactured by Leloi
Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin.) This is a 2 cylinder hopper-cooled
upright engine. I wonder if anyone can provide some additional
information about this engine such as year, manufacturer,
horsepower and etc.?’
If you can help Bink out, Fellows, please do. I might add I
needed help in deciphering the letter. He had written at the bottom
in ink ‘Sorry-poor copy and he wasn’t kidding he must have
written it through carbon and it was very light and very hard to
figure out I used a magnifying glass am Earlene and the other
secretaries and myself finally coded the message h ha! If it
doesn’t sound all right or isn’t right, that is why, but
please write Bink. It’s hard to believe, but this is the
Christmas issue and one of our member had at one time sent this
poem along-please read it. It is called ‘The Inn Keeper’s
Lament’
Oh how was I to know that night that she, so young, so
mild,
Would be the chosen one to bear the Holy Jesus child.
They asked to enter, but I said ‘No room.’ I had no
choice.
But yet they stood, ‘No room’ I cried. This time I raised
my voice.
I scarcely noticed other guests, so hectic was that day,
But Mary’s drooping figure grieved me as she walked
away.
I called to Joseph ‘Stop! ’tis late, you 11 find no place
to go.
I’ll give you stable room tonight ‘Oh! How was I to
know?
Had I not golden coins to count, I might have seen the star,
I might have heard the angel’s choir on night winds from
afar,
I might have seen the Wise Men when they came to find the
stall,
Where prophets said the ‘Babe’ would be, my shame, I
missed it all.
Then the night was over and the Magi came to bring
The story of the royal birth, the advent of a King.
I hastened to the manger throne. The child in slumber lay,
A nimbus round his little head, as bright as dawning day.
There was no look of scorn for me from Mary as she smiled.
She said to Joseph ‘He has come to see our Jesus
Child’.
I knelt, I prayed. I cried in grief that tore my guilty
heart.
I begged forgiveness of the two, for soon they would depart.
The years went by, the child was grown, but news came back to
me
Of ministry, of miracles and then of Calvary.
I died a thousand deaths, when he was hammered to a cross.
He conquered death, I crucified myself and all was loss.
I could have given up my room, my warm and downy bed.
Would that my pillow had been touched by lovely Mary’s
head.
I might have shared the glory of that night so long ago
Had I looked up to see the star, but how was I to know?
Think about that how busy are we? Do we have time for Jesus or
are we too going to lament? Take the time my Friends and have a
Blessed Christmas and may we have a brighter and better 1973
together. Best wishes to all from all The Branyans.
