Well, from all the press releases we get, they must have had
some time up in Saskatoon, Canada with the World’s greatest
Pioneer Show, ‘Pion-Era’. Even the merchants went along
with the show in promising ‘real pioneer bargains’. They
also handed out wooden quarters as change to customers which would
be spent as ‘good money’ at the Pion-Era. Grandstand
days when roving Indian bands ruled the plains. Great horseshoe
contests, shows presented by purebred German Shepherds, one of the
highlights being the demonstration of the dog-wheel and the dog
treadmill helped get the daily chores done in the old days
(Personally that is something entirely new to me, I’ve never
heard of it). An Indian village where an Indian Show was held every
evening, motorman the contrast between the early horseless
carriages and today’s power buggies; Kiddie’s Land,
featuring new items as ‘bucking barrels’?? and a contest
for the provincial pioneer, some outstanding citizen of over sixty
years of age wit*1 a most-worthwhile prizesure sounded like lots
and lots of interest and fun. Sorry we live so far away.
And I know all over the states, there are such ‘goings
on’ and you good folks are just as enthused with the wonderful
affairs close to you.
I want you people to know we do appreciate the friendly little
notes and letters you send along so many times with your renewals.
Sincerely, I wish we could answer each one but that is impossible.
There is one thing does worry us though, it seems quite a few folks
get aggravated with us because their picture or story isn’t in
just when they think it should be. Trouble is we have so many, and
we can use nearly all of them, but when is another story. You get
provoked at us when they don’t appear or when we don’t get
them returned. Really what you should do is get prints made to send
us instead of the original so you wouldn’t be without it, and
please don’t feel too harshly toward us for not getting them in
when you think we should. And then again when someone says
we’ve had a picture a whole year or two that sounds like a lot
of time but publishing only bimonthly really makes it only half the
time I think you understand me, if we were putting out a magazine
once a month we would be pleasing just twice as many folks by
putting their articles and pictures in, but so tar we cannot do
that.
Many of you people met Elmer, Earlene and Marsha at the Reunion
at Montpelier. Some day I hope to go too. Right now, the
Ritzman’s are on their vacation to the New England States.
Elmer is giving his Volks-wagon a real try-out. I’m sure
they’re enjoying every minute of vacation time.
Had a nice letter from Lloyd Burn of Central Lake, Michigan
who hopes someday to meet us, we hope so too and hereby extend an
invitation to any of you people to drop in and see us if you’re
passing this way. We’re a typical family and its hard to tell
what might be going on with the four age groups we have; it’s
like a four-ring circus most of the time. The older boy, Eddie,
nearly sixteen, may be taking a ‘work-out’ on the weights
which by the way are really proving themselves; or eleven year old
Dana may be mixing up a new concoction in the kitchen, or sewing
doll clothes, etc., or perhaps 5 year old Donnie and 2V2 year old
Keli-Anne may be playing cowboys, squirt guns and all, but as I
said, you’re welcome. Sorry if I bore any of you folks
sometimes with my ‘family’ talk, but I’ll have to admit
they are first on my list ‘IRON-MEN ALBUM’ plays second
fiddle. (Horrors, I’ve said it!) I’m sure you would’
nit expect it any other way. I do put a lot of time on the IRON-MEN
ALBUM and try not to make mistakes and keep everyone happy in the
ALBUM family and I think I’m rambling on too much so I’d
better end with this thought. One machine can do the work of fifty
ordinary men. NO machine con do the work of one extraordinary man.
Elbert Hubbard
