Words Worth The Saying

HELLO FOLKS — Came across a few clever sayings that are well worth repeating. They have lot of sense to them.. Here they are:

Life is a journey, not a camp.
Snap judgment, like a bear trap, may catch the one who baits it.
It is no use trying to shine your lamp if you. do not take time to fill it.
A used mind is one item that has more value than a new.
Some of us do not need a bushel to hide our light; a thimble should suffice.

—o—

THE FREEBORN County fair has come to another successful conclusion. There are a few observations I would like to make, as one seeing it from the outside.

First, the weather co-operated 100 per cent. It was not too, hot nor too cold. There was no rain yet it was not so dry that it detracted from the joy of the fair.

I don't recalls year that there have been more total exhibits. Certainly the 4-H exhibits were at a record. And the quality of them were never better. While speaking of 4-H; Eldon Senske and his gang are certainly to be complimented for their grand work. They can't possibly be on an eight-hour schedule; more like a set of three, eight-hour schedules during fair time.

The quality of livestock has greatley improved through the years, and fairs have certainly done their share in helping improve them. Freeborn County has an abundance of beautiful riding horses. The hogs have improved hog of today is a far cry from the old fat lardy type of 20 years ago. And the cows of today will double the production of th show winner of twenty years ago.

Thehmidway was the biggest I have seen. While we were parked at the top of the Ferris Wheel I tried to get a count the many rides available. I believe there were at least 20 of them.

Congratulations to the, fair board and all who had to do with the success of the fair.
—o—

WITH A family as big as ours there are bound tobe exciting moments at the fair. We stopped at a stand to get some hamburgers; Mark (aged four) got tired and decided to go to the car. We thought he had gotten lost and started hunting for him. After a 20 minute search we found him asleep in the car. The same thing happened to Zina, only when we looked in the car she had decided to go look for us.

Jared and Ann had their first time at exhibits. They were very excited and learned a lot. Ann was really thrilled when she got a blue ribbon on her pig. Dana never got enough of the fair. I think he could have lived there and not gotten tired of it. He still has two years to go to be able to exhibit.

Just Short Hops, These

HELLO FOLKS — "That's what I hate about these locals," complained one jet passenger to another. "We've stopped at Chicago, Minneapolis and now Salt Lake City." When a girl starts counting on a guy it only means that his number is up.

—o—

My wife is on real friendly terms with several fairly handsome males. Calls them her boy friends and they seem to feel the same way about her. One big "Stand - up and - bawl - for- mush' even goes so far as to say that he likes to kiss her because her lip stick tastes good.

I am not the jealous kind or I might not stand for it, but I do have a solution. I figure that what is good for the goose is good for One gander. So — I have a few choice gal friends too. Let me tell you about some of them, I won't give their names, for that would be telling.

There is one who is a real beauty. She is graceful as she is shy. Her kisses are divine and she is pretty generous with them.

She has a good friend who I am on good terms with too. She has a perfect figure and loves for me to put my hands around her waist so I can tell her how slim her middle is. Also is proud of her muscles and wants me to feel them.

One other that I must tell you about is a real petite blonde. She has natural curly hair and is a real joy to be around as she always has something to have fun over. She is seldom unhappy and loves to tease.

As you may have guessed by now they are all our children. They all love to tease and are all very lovable.

Smooth Going Makes It Rough

HELLO FOLKS: — The diamond cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trails.

The reason a dollar won't do as much for people as it used to is because people won't do as much for a dollar as they used to.

—o—

THE ACTIONS of children are very strange, sometimes. One wonders what makes them do the things they do. Is it neglect at some time? Or is it our fault? Or is it just a natural reaction that all of us go through at some time or other.

Take Dana, for instance. He never showed too much interest in dolls or such things when he was in his infancy. He was always an outdoor boy. He was so full of interest in the livestock and machinery that he could endure a lot of cold and seemingly not even get cold, if the weather was above Zero.

This year he asked for a teddy bear for Christmas. Insisted that that was what he wanted. Having never shown much interest in such things before we doubted that he would be satisfied once he got it. But 'Andy' came to live with us (Or should I say, live with him). Anyway, Dana takes him to bed every night and 'Andy' is really an attachment to him.

It even went so far that the other day Dana insisted that 'Andy' would be one year old the next day and in accordance with the custom at our house he must have a cake and party. He pressured Mother into making a cake with one candle on it and come supper time the lights were turned out and we all sang "Happy Birthday" to 'Andy'. The one who enjoyed it the most was Dana. Of course all enjoyed the cake.

—o—

THERE IS A new trend in child rearing. It is slow in coming, but gradually it will take root. True, juvenile delinquency (as they call it) is still gaining and probably will for a few years yet, but the new trend is not to let the children do as they please. Instead they are to be taught, that Dad is not just a pal to his sons but the head of the house and that Sonny is to respect him.

There is to be a friendlyness between them, of course, but also a firmness. A firmness that has not been there for many years generally. "No more of this buddy, buddy stuff", the most recent psychological book says.

I, for one, think the child rearing books of the past few years were way off base. They bent over backwards in wanting the child to think for himself, whether he was capable of it or not.

"Children should not be frustrated, or have big disappointments," they said. "It might create an inferiority complex".

Well we reaped the consequences of such attitudes, and the results are not good. Just read the papers every day and we can see the results.

I don't go along with the extremes that the latest views on child rearing go to. I think that the scriptures have the right attitudes "The fear of the Lord, is the beginning of wisdom".
"Well, the fear of Father is also the beginning of wisdom in the son or daughter".

At the same time God is the personification of love; and so must father be the personification of love toward his children. That is the balance wheel of parental relationship that will bring up the future leaders of this nation in a way that will teach authority without warping the personality.

Commies Want 100% of Parity

Hello, Folks! We have two little boys at our house. Dana 1 and Randy 2, who are about as different as brothers can be. My wife said Dana is like me, always into something, while Randy is a lone-wolf type of boy. They quite often get into fights and the only time Dana wins is if he can use his teeth as a weapon. Never-the-less he always comes back for more. One night we all went to the Drive-in theater. Randy probably had fresh in his mind the battle of the day. When the hero grabbed the heroine and planted a torrid kiss, Randy exclaimed, "He's a biting".

—o—

The Butcher was weighing up a roast when his customer observed, saying "You're giving me a lot of bone there, aren't you? "Oh, no," answered the butcher "You're paying for it".

—o—

I have had the opinion that the idea of high price supports were slipped from under the "Iron Curtain" however I never had any proof of it. Now I have the Communists own word for it. Before me I have a pamphlet put out by the Communist Party, with their ideas on "The American way to jobs, Peace and Democracy" (as they call it).

The ideas expressed in it are captivating and sound alright, UNLESS you know the catches in them. Among the many views expressed (which by the way are all ideas that would destroy the nation) is a government guarantee of 100 per cent price parity and crop insurance. I am not going to tag anyone a Communist just because he recommends policies identical to the Communist beliefs, (after all they may have some good ideas) but we know that they are setting up nights thinking up good was to destroy all that is good and progressive, and I think we ought to weigh very carefully any program that is as contrary to the American way of life as 100 per cent of parity guaranties.

We all have neighbors, friends, and possibly relatives who believe in the idea of high price supports, they are for the most part sincere in there convictions and certainly have a right to their views. To criticize them and possibly involve personalities and cause hard feelings is the worst thing we can do.

What we should do, however, is to be so well informed in American economics and principles that we can talk it over with them and show them the right way, then if they are open minded we are gained, if we just believe in a flexible program but don't know why then, if I may quote Roger Flemming "Brother you are a part of the problem."

—o—

At the annual meeting of the "Minn. Spring Barrow Show" July 20th, we had a delicious dinner served by Wilson & Co. After the meeting we were invited to play golf or it you want to put it in the vernacular "cow pasture pool." I don't think any farmers stayed for the game. I guess they figure it is tiresome enough chasing cows out of the pasture, let alone a tiny ball.

—o—

Some men thirst after fame and some after money. But I know something all men thirst after. What? Salted peanuts.

—o—

President Eisenhower has signed into law the "Trade Development Act of 1954" This is principally Farm Bureau's baby. It is a big step in the right direction and one that every Farm Bureau member can be proud of. This is just one of the ways that Farm Bureau serves you and makes your $10 dues pay big dividends. There are few places outside your church where $10 will be better spent. We need foreign markets and we need friends. The Trade development Act promotes both. Joining Farm Bureau is one way to help keep America strong and free.

—o—

That P.M. at Virginia City we visited the stores. At the barber shop the barber was sharpening his straight-edge and singing merrily while the patron leaned back in the chair with his cigar between his fingers and harmonized with the barber, thru the lather. All the old perfumes and shaving mugs were lined up neatly.

Upstairs a woman was looking out the window, clad in a negligee. The hardware store was well stocked with all sorts of mining equipment and looks common for that day. The shelves in the Dry-goods store were lined with long-flannels and piece goods that made you almost forget that you were living in the 20th Century. The Stage coaches were on the street and we all had a "ride" in them. The livery stable where the Vigilantes met to plot there strategy to catch the outlaws was also fascinating. Club foot George Harris was one of the Outlaws gang that invariably follow the boom towns and live as parasites off the populace.

It seems that the outlaws got so powerful they were terrorizing the town of Virginia City, consequently a Vigilante group was organized and plans were formed to capture the desperadoes. The outlaws had informers as did the Vigilantes, so it was a life and death struggle. Finally the ringleaders were caught and hanged to death. They were buried on boot hill along with all other vagrants. Wooden markers were placed over their graves with the engravings burned into the wood.

A few years ago when the town was restored the grave of Club foot George was dug up to ascertain the fact that the markers were correct. As a result George's Club foot was carved off and preserved in a huge glass jar of alcohol. It is now at the museum.

The most interesting of the stores was the drug store. It is full of old time articles to stimulate the imagination. We had an old fashioned drink of mint julip. In the basement of the drug store was many more interesting things. In one corner of the basement was a closed door. On the door was a sign saying that in the closet was a skeleton of a man. Of course we had a look. It seems that one of the outlaws was a Negro, he was captured separately and hanged. The druggist was also somewhat of a doctor, he needed an anatomy to study on so he received permission to use this convict.

The story goes into the gruesome detail of how he boiled the meet off the bones and rebuilt the skeleton. At the lower end of the town we found a log cabin that also has weathered the years. Vera and I decided that when if ever we retire we are going to stake a claim to it. Thus ended a long and enjoyable day at Virginia City. When we got back to the Valley it was still 90 degrees.

Oh yea! Meet an honorary member of the Virginia City Vigilantes Organization, and I do mean yours truly. I have a cirtificate to prove it.

—o—

Captains for the 1955 membership campaign have been selected. They are Fred Miller for Freeborn, Carlston, Hartland and Manchester townships. Webster Lair for Mansfield, Alden, Nunda and Pickerel Lake townships. Marlin Brandvig for Freeman, Albert Lea, Bath and Bandroft townships. John Nordby for Geneva, Riceland, Newry and Moscow townships. William Lyle for London, Shellrock, Oakland and Hayward townships.

Census Bureau Must Know

HELLO FOLKS — It's time to take the farm census and the enumerators are out doing their job. There are a lot of questions that might seem of no value to anyone but I suppose they do make sense to the Census Bureau.

—o—

BEFORE HALLOWEEN is too far past, let's think a bit about it. It's the one time in the year when blackmail is legal for the junior league. It is still punishable by prison terms for the rest of us.

It is a good thing for the young ones to get out and "unbend" but I question the advisability of encouraging them to tricks or treat in the manner which it is done. I know of one man who leaves town for Halloween. The hords of children who come knocking and threaten tricks or treats gets him plenty upset. It isn't that he is not generous enough; he is as kindly a man as I know but he is getting up in years and it is more than he can stand.

Wouldn't it be a lot better if we taught the children to 'trick and treat' in a different manner? For instance parents could teach them little tricks, songs, jokes or stunts. They could go around from house to house showing off their talents, entertaining instead of being pests, giving instead of receiving. Surely that would be more uplifting and character building. We did it this year as a church group and it was a heap of fun. What say we give it a try on a community basis next year?

—o—

I THINK this Halloween was the most fun I have had at home. The children each got themselves a suit. They needed some nighties anyway so Vera made them each a different one. Mark got a leopard suit. Adell a bunny suit. Zina a Chinese suit and Dana a skeleton.

Randy made a costume out of cardboard — he called it Randy the Robot. Ann was a Devil and Jared a tramp. Karen was a cloak and dagger spy and Vera a Gypsy.

What gave me the most laughs was Adell. I hid my face when I saw the cotton Vera had sewed on for the bunny tail. That was signal enough for Adell, who has been teasing me a lot lately. Every time she got a chance she would wave that tail in front of me just to get a 'raise'. She is really proud of it and I guess she has a right to be; it isn't ever one who can go to bed at night with a 'cotton tail'.

An Auction As Seen by a Boy

HELLO FOLKS – I took three of the children to the sales barn the other night.  The next morning their mother asked Dana (8) how it all was.  

Here is his reply: “Oh, they had a lot of stock there and a lot of people. But the auctioneer talked so fast the people couldn’t understand him; so they finally got tired and went home.”

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A young man spends most of his time between 12 and 21 waiting to become his own boss, – Then he gets married.

“Andrew, why do you always sign Sammy’s report card with an X?” the wife spoke up testily. “Because,” came the reply, “I don’t want the teacher to think that anyone who can read and write would have a son like that.”

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Congress has just passed a housing bill that gives purchasers 35 years to pay for their home. I believe the interest rate is 5 or 51/2 per cent. This bill is supposed to be a help to the middle-income families. To my way of thinking it is reverse economics; just as are so many of the things government does.  

Experts in the field of finance have boiled the problem down to a pretty definite solution. It, amounts to this. A young couple just starting up can pay for a new house that costs as much as three times the annual income of the wage earner. Therefore the man who makes $5,000 dollars a year can afford a $15,000 house.  That house could and should, for sound financial reasons, be paid for in 15 years. 

(End missing)

A Glance At Our Living Standard

BY:  Edwin B. Petersen

Hello, Folks!  Each one our children is a lot different.  Jared seems to be as normal in all respects as a boy can be.  Ann is what one might call a “clothes horse”.  She loves clothes; from anything as scanty as a “Bikini” to long flowing skirts that she has to hold in her hand, with cowboy and tramp clothes thrown in to boot.  Last summer she found an old red, wide-brimmed hat and for the next few weeks it was a regular fixture on her head.  She likes them nice and clean unless cleanliness interferes with her having a good time, then anything goes.  She has a very torrid kiss that she likes to floor her Daddy with.  Her favorite hobbies are dancing and taking care of the baby.

Randy is a “hot house plant” who loves to play by himself.  If it even looks cold outside he stays in.  He is a handsome little fellow with sparkling brown eyes and happy smile.

Dana is strictly an outdoor boy, with a determination the likes of which I have never seen.  When he wants something nothing else matters.  He is able to take a lot of weather and pain, although not yet two.  He will stay outside in zero weather for hours and it does seem to bother him.  He loves livestock.  A neighbor boy rode into the yard last summer and Dana insisted he had to have a ride.  It wasn’t until the horse gave itself a terrific shake that he was ready to get off.

All in all I am very glad they are each different; it makes the occupation of rearing a family more interesting.

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People who say they sleep like a baby usually haven’t got one.

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As two little boys were leaving the theatre, one was heard to remark to the other:  “I shut my eyes during the kissing scene and made believe he was choking her.”

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The women’s Committee of the Minnesota Farm Bureau is sponsoring a cake baking contest this year – a plain butter cake.  Here are the rules:

1. Contest is open to all rural women.
2. Cake must be a plain butter cake using whole egg, butter and whole milk.
3. Size – it shall be a loaf cake, usually 8X12X2.
4. No icing will be allowed prior to judging.
5. Contestants may use any type flour.
6. Recipe must accompany cake.
7. Winners of Unit contests to compete in the county butter cake contest.
8. County Winner will represent their county at the District Contest – cake to be baked at the site of the contest.
9. District winners will bake cake in the State contest to be held at the Minnesota Sate Fair.
10. Highly desirable awards will be provided at each contest

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The old negro lady was giving her recipe for a long life.  “When I walks, I walks slow; when I sits, I sits loose; and when I worries, I sleeps.”

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The American consumer today gets more food per dollar spent than ever in history.  This is also true of other commodities.  This is due directly or indirectly to America’s free capitalistic system.  The following will give you an idea of how fortunate we are under the free-enterprise system:

                     U.S.   Russia   Great Britain   France

World Pop........... 7 ....... 9 ......... 2 ......... 2

World Prod.......... 32 ...... 18 ½ ...... 9.5 ....... 4 ½

Land................ 6 ....... 14 ........ 2 ......... 3

Electricity......... 46 ...... 5 ......... 6 ......... 2

People per car...... 4 ....... 252 ....... 22 ........ 18

You will notice that Great Britain has nearly as much production per person as the U.S. which is more than twice as much as either France or Russia.  The interesting thing is that a tremendous amount of the U.S. production goes into our standard of living while a big portion of Great Britain’s goes in bare necessities and Russia’s seems to dissipate without benefiting anyone.  Notice the staggering difference in electricity and autos.  Are you thankful you live in America?

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Every rural Minnesota boy and girl between the ages of 10 and 21 is eligible to become a 4-H club member.