A Little Bit News Publication

6/4

2009-06-04T10:15:00.008-06:00

BANK ROBBERIES

During the period from August 8th, 1929 to November of 1930, Warren County was plagued by a series of bank robberies. The Marshfield Bank was robbed four times.
But Warren County wasn’t the only county to be hit with bank robberies. On September 1, 1930, The Twelve Mile Bank in Logansport was held up by two armed men.
Then on September 8, that same year the First National Bank in Boswell was hit at about 11:45 A.M. The bank President, Charles Lawson and two bank employees; James Bradley the cashier and an assistant, James Dewey were in the bank with two customers when two armed men entered the bank and forced them all into the bank vault. With their arms full of cash, about $8,400.00 the bandits left the vault, slamming it shut with the occupants inside and ran out to their waiting car.
The bank employees and customers were later released by men who had been across the street when the bandits drove away. The bandits, green Oakland sedan had Illinois license and had been parked heading south, but the driver made a quick turn. The car drove 3 blocks and turned north on State Road 41. They were only traced 4 miles before they disappeared. The local police sent men to patrol Road 52 and other surrounding highways. Volunteers in Benton County searched other roads leading west, north and south, while Warren County Sheriff Sam Cole kept a watchful eye on State Road 52 south of Boswell.
State Patrolman Charles Brand was in Boswell early the next morning and got a good description of the two men who had robbed the bank. The description made officials think these were the same men that had robbed the Marshfield Bank and The Twelve Mile Bank in Logansport.
Then two months later, November 7th, the bank robbers again tried to hold up the Boswell Bank.
There were no customers in the bank this time when two armed men again entered the bank. The Assistant Cashier, James Dewey looked up right into the barrel of a pistol. The bandits ordered Mr. Dewey to stand still, but Mr. Dewey knew something the bank robbers didn’t - the glass between them was bullet proof. Since the last robbery the bank had installed bullet proof glass and other security devices. So instead of obeying the bandits command he reached into a side drawer and pulled his own revolver. The men opened fire on the cashier, but the bullet proof glass stopped their bullets. Mr. Dewey however, was able to get a shot off through a small hole in the glass. He then ran to the door of the bank as the men fled and fired at the fleeing vehicle as it sped away. The bandits drove a Paige sedan or coach this time with an Illinois license plate.
Local Sheriff Leo McGrath was notified and word was spread out to authorities in the neighboring towns and counties.

***
A SUMMER SNOW STORM

Ground Almost Covered Yesterday Morning

Taken from the West Lebanon Gazette May 10, 1923

Quite a heavy fall of snow occurred here Tuesday morning , lasting for almost an hour. It melted as fast it fell but at times fell quite thickly. The thermometer suddenly dropped 18 to 20 degrees and finally touched the freezing mark. The morning had dawned clear, bright and crisp, giving promise of a beautiful day but the change came about 8 o’clock. The thermometer hovered about the freezing mark all day with occasional bursts of snow and in the evening a heavy snow squall with a high northwest winds struck us. A cherry tree in M.A, Judy’s yard fell before the blast.
Yesterday morning snow almost covered the ground and did not melt away until well after 9 o’clock. The snow and cold apparently did not do much damage to fruit or gardens but a killing frost is expected.

Whispering
Willow

By: Willow

Well, most of our gardens are in. I have a new circle garden, a new wildflower bed, and some new plants around the outside of the house. I still have some decorating to do, such as putting up some decorative fencing around the beds that are around the house and well pit. And of course there is still the mint garden to put in at the front door.
We are already eating veggies from our garden; so far we have enjoyed fresh asparagus, leaf lettuce, radishes, green onions and spinach. I love spring!
May has been a busy month and June is looking to be much of the same. We have graduations to go to, a couple of out of town trips are planned and I also have a committee meeting.
As you readers know our junior feature writer, Mallory Kerst, is planning on showing her goat at this years Warren County Fair, so we are holding a name the goat contest. The winner will be decided entirely by Mallory. She is already receiving entries so be sure and get your entry in this week. Next week is the Warren County Fair so we will be announcing the winner that week. The winner will receive a gift certificate that is good for one breakfast at Duck’s Family Dining in West Lebanon. It will be good for one free special of the day breakfast, Monday through Friday. The prize has been donated by Duck’s Family Dining.
Donna and the Williamsport - Washington Township Library is also hosting a Writer’s Workshop this month. The date was originally planned for the 17th of this month but since that is Fair Week it was decided to postpone the date until the following Wednesday, on June 24th, at the library in Williamsport in the Falls room. You can get more details on Page 7 of this news publication. All genre are invited, so come on out and join us for an evening of sharing and networking. Plans are to be serving refreshments so watch this paper for more details.
Don’t forget A Little Bit News has a special section in this paper for community events, called the Town Crier. Announcements in this section are usually free to most organizations and posting depends on type of event, and availability of space. Why not let everyone know what is going on in your neighborhood? Just call us at 765-585-1115 for more details.

Enjoy the spring, plant something.

Be Blessed,

Willow

Willow's Garden
By: Willow

"Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food." Hippocrates

Calendula

This plant originates from Southern Europe, the calendula or pot marigold is a hardy annual plant of the composite family. It has greenish yellow leaves and forms daisy-like flowers in different shades of yellow and orange.
The history of the Calendula is filled with poetry and symbolism, much of which has been reaction to and appreciation of an unusual characteristic, which has fascinated poets. At dawn, the moist calendula blossom opens with the rising sun, creating a poetic image of awakening. It stays open filling the area with bright colors of orange and yellows until sunset. It is an early-to-bed and closes and the sun starts to set.
The calendula gets its name from when the Romans recorded that the marigold was usually in bloom on the first day, or calends, of every month. From this observation the Latin generic name Calendula was given to the herb.
Calendula has been used in modern times as a local remedy with a stimulant effect. An ointment made of Calendula is sometimes used in dressing small wounds. For the relief of pain from a bee or wasp sting you should rub a flower into the affected part. It was because of this that my Popaw always hard marigolds in his garden.
In the kitchen fresh calendula is primarily used in salads, and dried calendula is used in soups and broths. The taste of the least is a first pasty and sweet then with a very salty after taste.
The seeds are unusual in shape and formation, they are light yellow in color with at least a half dozen shapes ranging from winged to curled, and the calendula seed stays viable for only a year. So fresh seeds are needed for each planting.
Planting the calendula should be done in April or early May, when the sun is shinning. The soil temperature should be at least 60 degrees F., for the seeds to germinate well. Even though the seeds need to e kept free of weeks and thinned to stand about 9 or 10 inches apart, there is little cultivation necessary once the pot marigold is established.
There are many varieties offered such as the double or single flowered plants with blossoms ranging in colors from yellow to deep orange. If planted in soil that is fairly rich the flowers will begin to appear anytime from June to August. If you are interested in maintaining a healthy flower until early October, the phosphate content of your soil will be important. These plants may survive the first frost but a harder frost of 25 degrees F. will damage it.
In harvesting most people are interested in the flower, which can be pinched off the stem. Each petal of the harvested flower head is pulled out by hand, leaving the green center of the flower. The only part used in the Calendula for medicinal purposes is the flower petal and because of this method it is considered a very expensive herb. The petals should be dried in the shade on paper rather than screens, since once the are dried they have a tendency to stick to the screen making it difficult to remove them. The petals should also be kept from touching each other while they are drying, since this can lead to discoloration. Then store the petals in moisture proof containers to preserve the color and flavor that is ordinarily lost in humid conditions.

Enjoy the Season
Willow

Historic Tree Spring Plugged

Taken from the Fountain-Warren Democrat August 30, 1923

This article was given to me by Walter Salts when I first started the “Little Bit”. I found it the other day while cleaning a file cabinet. I hope you enjoy reading it. I only met Mr. Salts once but he impressed me as a man who cared a great deal for this area and its history. I wish I could have gotten to know him better.

Historic Tree Spring, located on the Covington-Perrysville Road and known for years to Fountain County people, has been closed. That this spring, which has closed for 35 years, had been plugged up has been known for several weeks, but the cause leading up to its being closed was made known last week. According to reports just made public the closing is due to trouble between Grant Wright, a Chicago millionaire, who owns the farm on which the spring originates and J.M. Buser of Covington, who operated a small tented pop and soft drink stand just across the road on land owned by E.E. Harris, well-known collector of curious.
The Chicago man closed the spring because of the establishment of a soft drink stand and he asserts that he is not as angry with Buser as he is with Harris for renting the land to Buser. The county commissioners have invested $100 in the spring in the shape of a concrete tank. The original cost of the tree spring itself was about $35 and it was built as a result of a bet on the first Harrison-Cleveland election.
Thousands of automobiles from all through this section have been disappointed to see the spring closed but had blamed it on Buser, believing he had done it to secure increased business for his soft drink place. The pipe leading to the outlet of the spring has been plugged. Harris, on whose land the soft drink place is located, has a valuable collection of coins and other curios, many dating back to the time before Christ. He was the victim of a sensational robbery about a year ago, it will be remembered.
Mr. Buser has appealed to Mr. Wright and the county commissioners to reopen the spring as its been closed is injuring his business. The spreading of the number of motorists who were making this place the objective of many of their drives.

NOTE: During the 20’s and early 30’s, as a child I remember the family stopping at Tree Springs on our way to and from Perrysville to visit my grandparents. My sister and I strained out eyes to see which would be the first to spot the spring. I remember it was producing a cool drink of water. Evidently the problem about was resolved, as it has been running ever since I can remember and although the tree is long gone, the spring is still operating. Walter Salts

Fresh Vegetable Lasagna

8 oz. uncooked lasagna noodles
1 pkg. (10oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 c. shredded carrots
½ c. sliced green onions
½ c. sliced red bell pepper
¼ c. chopped parsley
½ t. black pepper
1 ½ c. cottage cheese
1 c. buttermilk
½ c. plain non-fat yogurt
2 egg whites
1 c. sliced mushrooms
1 c. (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 c. (8oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ c. grated Parmesan Cheese

Cook pasta according to directions, drain, rinse under cold water until cool; drain well and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine spinach, carrots, green onions, bell peppers, parsley and black pepper in a large bowl. Set aside. Combine cottage cheese, buttermilk, yogurt, and egg whites. Spray 13x9 in. baking dish with non stick cooking spray. Arrange 1/3 of lasagna noodles in bottom of pan. Spread half the cottage cheese, half the spinach mixture, mushrooms, artichokes, and mozzarella. Repeat the layers ending with noodles. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover and bake 30 minutes. Remove cover; continue baking 20 minutes or until bubbling and heated through. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Makes 8 servings.

***

According To
Big Al...

"Listen to what I mean... not what I say."

SPOONPLUGGING

I never was much of a fisherman in my younger days. The only one in our family who was a fisherman was my brother Richard. Our stepfather Wayne went fishing with his family when he was on vacation in Minnesota. I was always too busy (I thought) to be bothered with it.
Then in June of 1972 our stepfather Wayne passed on. We had a funeral in Calumet City, but his final resting place was to be in his home town of Eveleth, Minnesota. This is a small town near the Mesabi Iron Ore Range. It is incidentally the hall of fame town for hockey players. Mother rented a huge car for the family to travel to Minnesota for the final services. While staying a a cabin that Wayne and Mother planned to buy when Wayne retired we all had some idle time. Richard suggested that we go fishing on the little lake near the cabin. We got our fishing permits and went fishing, I used one of Richard's fishing poles as I had none. We caught a few small perch and I caught a small walleye. Richard said that's a funny looking perch – look at his eyes, he has cataracts. I said that's not a perch -it's a walleye. I guess Richard never caught a walleye before, living in Illinois and Indiana.
I inherited Wayne's old rod and reel and this started me off on my fishing experience. I started buying fishing equipment and any information I could find on fishing. Richard and I went fishing nearly every weekend that summer of 72. I quickly found out that there was a lot of literature on fishing, but very little on how to actually catch fish. Then I ran across a monthly magazine called “Fishing Facts” and everything changed. I purchased a book called “Lunker's Love Nightcrawlers” by George Pazik which calls for light line and no unnecessary junk on your fishing tackle. This proved to be a real boon to my fishing for pan fish in the small lakes we were fishing in. As I continued to fish and read I came across a book that would change my whole outlook and fishing ability. It was called “Spoonplugging” by Buck Perry from Hickory North Carolina.
Now I don't know if you ever heard of Buck Perry nor the term “Spoonplugging”, but he is the father of the term and method of Structure Fishing. Today every knowledgeable fisherman is familiar with this term but back in 72, very few fishermen were. Buck Perry is the father of structure fishing. His book Spoonplugging is the Holy Bible of fishermen. Everyone who knows anything about structure fishing owes a debt of gratitude to him. The key to this success is the knowledge you get by reading his book and applying the principles that Buck lays out for you. You will have to change almost everything that you have learned or have been taught about fishing. You will have a hard time grasping what Buck has to teach you. I have personally read his book at least 7 times and still not know everything old Buck has to teach me.
I read his book and purchased the necessary equipment and I thought I knew what Buck was trying to tell me only to go out fishing and forgot everything when I got out on the lake. Then I returned home and reread the book. Each time I learned a little more, but had to return to his book after each fishing trip. My brother, who is from the old school, wasn't to impressed with my new fishing method, but was happy that we were together and on the lake fishing. I tried to apply all this new knowledge to my fishing expertise but for over two years, I kept coming up short. Then in my third year, I went fishing 3 times and I mounted 4 trophy fish. Three of them were caught with spoonplugs, a largemouth bass, a musky and a stripper. One fish, (a walleye) was caught with “ Lunkers Love Nightcrawlers method.”.
If you think this made me feel real good about fishing, you're right, but unfortunately this feeling didn't keep me active in fishing. My brother moved away and I lost interest in fishing. I started another sport called golf. I never got near the accomplishment in this that I achieved in fishing.
Spoonplugs are a very special kind of plug, in that it always keeps at the same depth regardless of the speed.. The depth depends on the size of the plug you are using. The larger they are, the deeper they will run, but the real important thing about spoonplugs is what they teach you about fishing. I will try to run thru some of these things in future articles.
Spoonplugs are now very difficult to find, but I ran across some information on Google under Spoonplugging and you can purchase what you need from this site along with the fishing book and information to do this. They are not cheap, but they will teach you how to catch fish, I guarantee.

Big Al

***

Life is something you do when you can't get to sleep.-- Fran Lebowitz

Mallory's “Take”
by: Mallory Kerst

Have you ever noticed the historical markers in Fountain county? I have seen them in Warren county and did some research to see if there were any in Fountain county. The first one I came across is 2 miles north of Veedersburg on US 41. This marks the boy hood home of Daniel Voorhees. He was a famous orator, Representative in Congress, U.S. Senator, and chief promoter of the Library of Congress.
There is another historical marker at the Oak Grove Cemetery in Covington. It is about Esther Wallace. She was the first wife of Govenor David Wallace and the mother of General Lew Wallace. Lew Wallace was the author of Ben Hur, a statesman, soldier, and a diplomat. Esther Wallace influenced the lives of these two Hoosiers.
At the entrance to Potawatomi Park in Attica there is another historical marker. This one is about the “skirmish” between Attica and Covington about lack of water. A skirmish is a minor battle between small forces to avoid direct contact, kind of like a fight. Heavy rain eventually resolved the issue but competition between the two towns over water was often intense.
Next week I will finish up writing about the historical land marks in Fountain county and write about the ones in Warren County.

TOWN

CRIER
Your Community Events

WEST LEBANON -Community Clothing Room - Free Clothing. Nazarene Church 503 High Janet Booth 893-4989 Margo White - 762-6319.

ATTICA AMERICAN LEGION of Attica has Bingo each Thursday evening starting at 6:30 pm. Fish Fry every fourth Saturday from 5:30 - 7:30 pm, Public Welcome.

VEEDERSBURG - Food Pantry Operation Ministries (Church of God Ministry Center), 702 W. Second St. (765)294-5740. Food Pantry and Thrift Store Hours - Thursday & Friday 2-6 pm, Saturday, 9 - noon.

Fountain/Warren County - VFW hold Bingo every Friday at 7pm., and AYCE Fish and Chicken Fry the 2nd Friday of each month from 4:30 - 6:30.

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CRYTOQUOTE
RVZTLFR
EXAMPLE

To solve the puzzle, one letter stands for another. As in the word "EXAMPLE" above "R" stands for "E". Sentence structure and grammar rules and sentence structure are another clue.

RXGZ XN NSQZVPXBK JSM HS TPZB

JSM YDB'V KS VS NRZZW. - GFDB RZHSTXVL

Answer Next Week
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February

2009-03-03T15:20:00.002-06:00

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO IN WARREN CO.

A Series Part 3

EARLY DAYS IN WARREN COUNTY

Taken From The Warren Review February 25, 1909

First Impression of the Wabash Valley Upon Early Settlers

Traveling in those days was fatiguing, and not as safe as it might be, as there were the usual percentage of outlaws, that, driven from the more civilized locations, would flock to the new settlements where they were unknown and there follow their criminal practices until lynch law gave them their just dues or compelled them to move on. In the summer 1833 a young school teach, who had finished a term of school in Warren County, wished to travel to Eaton, Ohio, on important business. He had a horse, so he went from Williamsport to Lafayette, on a Wabash river steamer and when he reached the latter place he hired a single buggy and concluded to driving from Lafayette to Ohio. As driving was uncertain in those days he carried his saddle and riding bridle in the buggy with him in case a change from the buggy to the saddle became needful. Leaving Lafayette after breakfast the young man drove leisurely along until he reached Jefferson in Clinton County. There he stopped at a store and wrote a letter. While writing he observed among the various customers passing in and out of the little backwoods store two or more suspicious looking individuals that he could see through the open door, examining his horse and buggy with great interest. He thought but little of their conduct at the time. Soon after he left Shoemaker’s tavern, which stood near the middle of a twelve mile prairie he overtook a young man dressed in a blue surtout cloth coat, black pants, and white hat, riding a fine looking bay mare, about five or six years old. After passing the time of day he asked the traveler if he was going far on that road. The young teacher replied that he expected to go beyond Indianapolis. The stranger said he was going to Ohio and as he had never traveled that road he would be glad of company.

The Warren County man was surprised at this statement, for the newcomer carried no saddle bags, protmanteau, over coat or umbrella, had no girth to his saddle, not was there any shoes on the animal he was riding, in fact there was nothing about the horseman or his beast that indicated travel; and the young traveler was almost sure that he was one of the parties he had noticed at Jefferson, sizing up his horse and buggy the previous afternoon. He denied being there however, and said he passed the night at a cabin a few miles east of Jefferson. They had not proceeded over a mile when they overtook a man walking who probed to be an old acquaintance of the teachers. He readily accepted an invitation to ride in the buggy, while the horseman rode on ahead. His friend asked the teacher if he knew the fellow riding ahead and learned that he did not. The friend told him that the stranger was a suspicious character that had been loafing around Jefferson for several weeks with no ostensible business, consorting with tough characters and that he was no good.

The friend also told the schoolmaster that the “suspect” would probably follow him into the wilderness of the Black swamp, a desolate region on the Strawtown Road and there assisted by confederates, rob him of his horse and buggy and what ever he had of value. He further advised the teacher to change his route and take the Michigan road through Indianapolis. The teacher regretted he had no knife, pistol or other weapon and determined to procure them at the first opportunity.

After the friend left the buggy the stranger rode up alongside and regaled the teacher with his stories of his mare, that he claimed was a “singed cat” when it came running. The teacher was game and offered to take his buggy horse out of the shafts and run him a mile, the winner take both horses. The “suspect” weakened and said his mare was in no shape for racing then.

By the time the two arrived at Wynkoop’s Tavern in Kriklin, where the teacher stopped awhile until he could see the landlord privately of who he tried to buy or borrow a pistol. Mr. Wynkoop had none however, that would answer the purpose, so he started on stating his intention to go to Indianapolis by the Michigan road. The stranger said the Strawtown route was nearer and a better road. This the teacher knew very well for he had business in Strawtown and the idea of being driven out of his way by such a fellow annoyed him very much. He finally made up his mind that the fellow had no confederates and that he would be his match in a rough and tumble contest. So he kept on the Strawtown route. They had gone about three miles into the wilderness when there was a marked change in the manner and action of the horseman whose bearing become more insolent and imperious. It was evident that he intended mischief. He cast many glances at the horse and buggy then at the driver as if to doubt what manner he should begin the attack. He occasionally checked up his horse and rode it over to the side of the road occupied by the buggy. The teacher told him to trot ahead and he would keep up with him.

He would trot along for a few rods briskly and then show a disposition to lag back and get behind the buggy, which the teacher determined he should not do if he could prevent it. After the teacher had spoken to him several times, rather sharply for him to keep ahead, he at length dashed off some distance along the road, evincing his manner that he was in ill humor. Finally the teacher saw him take a pistol from his pocket and put what appeared to be a percussion cap on it. He put his hand in his pocket and drew out another instrument of some kind which he examined and replaced. He then fell back behind the buggy in spite of the teacher’s protests, who then drove rapidly ahead. The horse galloped after the buggy and the teacher suddenly checked his horse and hastily unwound the blanket from his Spanish saddle that was in the buggy, intending to grasp it by the horn and hold it in front of him as a shield, hoping the raw hide saddle tree might turn a bullet in case he fired at him.

As soon as the highwayman caught sight of the black crooked horn or knob of the saddle as it protruded from the blanket, he took it for the but of a horse pistol, and instantly dashed off at full speed, looking as black in the face as a thunder cloud. The teacher saw the magical effect of the saddle knob and quickly covered it over with the blankets to keep the illusion that he had a pair of horseman’s pistols wrapped in the blanket.

From that time on the horseman’s ferocity seem to take abate, and he was more docile and civil in his language and manner. In time they arrived at the town of Boxley where the teacher stopped for dinner, while his unwelcome companion hurried on.

On resuming his journey the teacher carefully eyed every tree and stump on the road, fearing an ambush, but luck seemed to turn in Boxley and he finished his journey without any further annuances.

***

The reverse side also has a reverse side.
-- Japanese Proverb

***

Whispering Willow
By Willow

The first sign of spring; or is it? I was standing at the window in my living room the other day talking on the phone to a friend in Roselle, in Northern Illinois. We were just saying good-bye and I stood staring out the window at a bird pecking around in the moist ground. It suddenly dawned on me, “Diana there’s a robin in my yard!” She didn’t believe me. She laughed at me because I sounded so shocked. But it had taken a moment for me to realize the bird was a robin.

That evening while I cooking supper I looked out the kitchen window and there was two male robins hopping around each other. At first I thought it was a male and female, but it was two males. Their aggressive dance was like they were vying for territory.

With Spring still a few weeks away I was so glad to see the robin. The robin is supposed to be the harbinger of spring. I don’t know about any of you but I am tired of the cold. I want some warm sunshine and I want to get out and start planting my gardens. But to tell you the truth I haven’t seen any other signs of spring. Like pussy willows, new growth on the tips of the branches of our pine trees, daffodils or snowdrops poking out of the ground. Although, I have noticed some of the redbud trees along the Wabash had a red tint to their branches.

But I remember last year the robin appeared early, in a few days it snowed and I was putting breadcrumbs out to feed them I am hoping that isn’t the case this year. Hopefully we are truly on the verge of spring.

Hope Springs Eternally
Be Blessed
Willow

***

Willows
Garden
By: Willow

"Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food." Hippocrates

There are many methods for the preservation of herbs. The method most used is fusion. There are two types of fusion; hot and cold. The leaves, flowers and some whole plants are soluble in liquid, usually water.

The cold fusion consists of soaking in cold or hot water and sometimes milk for several hours. After the soaking the herbs are usually strained. A cold fusion is used when the active principals of the plant are highly volatile and can be damaged by heat. This will noted later in this text. Occasionally milk infusions are used to increase the healing ability of the herb poultices and compresses.

The hot infusion; the most frequently used of all herb preparations, is produced by pouring boiling water over the herb or herb part and then steeping the infusion in a covered container for fifteen minutes to a half hour, or even longer if the infusion is to be used cold. Herbal teas are usually infusions.

To make an infusion usually 1 teaspoon of an herb to a cup of boiling water is sufficient. But you may use more for weak teas. Use 2 teaspoons of a fresh herb. The leaves, flowers and berries should be should be slightly bruised to help release their aromatic oils.

When you are making aromatic teas for table use warm the teapot slightly, you can do this by pouring hot water into the teapot and let it set for a moment. Then pour the hot water of and begin your infusion, by pouring more hot water over the tea and letting it steep. Then you strain the tea into your cup. Most good teapots have strainers in the spout.

Herbal teas can be used piping hot with bruised seeds such as fennel, anise, caraway, coriander, or cumin for both taste and stomach-easing qualities or cold or with over ice. My mother is an avid ice tea drinker in the summertime. I remember she had a huge glass that had yellow, green and orange rings around it. She would fill it with ice and you could hear the ice cubes crackle as she poured the sweet tea over the top of them. Then she would stick a lemon wedge on the side of the glass and go outside on the porch and sit down. She would squeeze the lemon into the tea, stir it with a tall ice teaspoon and take a long drink. Her sigh was one of a thirst that was at last quenched. Al keeps a pitcher of tea in the refrigerator all year round and drinks it like water. There are many blends of tea you can use. From just simple green tea, or you can add peppermint, anise or just about any other aromatic tea for you taste.

To preserve an infusion for medicinal uses strain the infusion while it is hot and pour it into a bottle with a tight stopper. The bottle must be very full and the stopped made to displace its own bulk of the liquid. The hotter the liquid and the freer it is from air bubbles the better it will keep. A stopper with a perforated cork stopped may also be used, and the hole instantly closed with sealing wax.

There is another way of preserving an infusion. Make a very concentrated tea; three times as strong as usual. Add one part alcohol to every three parts infusion. ( with a ¾ cup infusion, use ¼ cup alcohol). Since this mixture is three times as strong as the average infusion it can be diluted with three measures of water and used when needed.

Enjoy and Relax

Be Blessed
Willow

**

RECIPE

Dublin Coddle
=============

1 pound bacon slices
2 pounds pork sausages
Some bacon fat or oil
2 large onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic
4 large potatoes, thickly sliced
2 carrots, thickly sliced
1 large bunch of fresh herbs, tied with string
black pepper
hard cider (apple wine) or apple cider
fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Lightly fry the bacon until crisp. Place in a large cooking pot. Brown the sausages in some bacon grease or vegetable oil. Remove and add to pot.
Soften sliced onions and whole garlic cloves in fat, then add to pot with potatoes and carrots. Bury the bunch of herbs in the middle of the mixture. Sprinkle with pepper.
Cover with cider. Cook 1 1/2 hours over moderate heat, do not boil.
Garnish with chopped parsley.
Serves 6

***

According To Big Al...
"Listen to what I mean... not what I say."

THE GRIM REAPER

I'm not normally a Pessimistic type person, but lately things are getting the best of me. I got in the habit of checking the obituaries while I was a general contractor in the Hammond area. This habit has been carried over after moving to this area and retiring. Deaths are something that is inevitable and I suppose as we get older we should have a more personal relationship in this area. During the past year I have experienced no less than 6 deaths of people I knew and had a personal relationship with. This past fall I made a trip up to the Hammond area and tried to look up 3 of my friends. I learned that all 3 died within the past year. This brings the grand total of 9 people that I knew personally and have passed away within the past year. I think this is far too many people or I know far too many people. Some days I feel like I have been cursed and that all my friends are destined to die.

I am not that old of a person (68) and not all the people who have passed away are older than I. I have been living in this area only about 7 years, but have been writing an article in “Little Bit” for over 6 years and have been playing for the seniors for over 3 years and consequently have came into contact and know quite a few people, maybe that is part of the explanation as to why I have experienced so many deaths. I have been retired from full time contracting work, but have done some small time work and fix it type for quite a few people. Three of the people I have done work for have died in 08. Three others have been friends and acquaintances. Most of the people have suffered their death via an heart attack. I have had high blood pressure for 8 or 9 years now. High blood pressure runs in my family on my dad's side. This is probably why these deaths are of so much concern to me?

Bob Crane an 80 year old customer of mine died from heart problems. He was the past Postmaster of West Lebanon and old time owner of the Carbondale Tavern. We talked quite a bit about high blood pressure and health in general.

Jerry Johnson was a good customer of mine who passed away 11-3-08 from heart problems. He was only 59 but had been suffering from heart disease for quite some time. I had just done some work for him and Linda Emery only about a month previous to his death.

Just 2 weeks ago, I learned of the death of “Big Mike”, a friend and fellow musician who died from his truck turning over. Apparently it was in the Commercial News and I get the Journal Courier so I was not aware until his wife Jeanie ran into Donna and informed her of what had happened.

Alvin York (Sarge), my neighbor and friend died December 21 at the age of 80 from an apparent heart attack. He had been having health problems for some time also. I always went out of my way to talk with Sarge about politics and his health.

Randy Blanton a friend and husband to Jo Lynn passed away on 9-14-08 from an apparent heart attach. He was only 58 and had just started to learn how to live and enjoy his live.

Elsie Fields died at the age of 67 and was the mother of Richie and Kathy whom I know quite well and David whom I don't know of . Kathy and Marty are also past customers of mine.

The 3 people that I learned of in Hammond was Frank Ghee a customer and fellow worker died from an heart attack at the age of middle 70's. Steve, a good friend and worker for me died from an heart attack. He was in his early 60's and had been suffering from heart problems for years. The last of the 3 was Harold Broster my ex brother in law who was a good friend even after he and my sister divorced. He was about 74 and had been suffering from heart problems and diabetics. We learned of his death after failing to get thru to him on the phone and Donna Found him listed under the death list for Hammond as of 4-30-08.

This is quite a list for only one year. You will note that heart attacks from heart disease heads the list of reasons for their deaths. In fact this is more people than I can account for within the past 10 years of my life. My best friend Marty Moen, whom I considered more like a brother than a friend died of a heart attack while eating his breakfast. He was only 61 and was going to retire in a month when he reached 62 years of age. My younger brother Kenneth died when he was 51 from a massive heart attack. He was a type I diabetic which he incurred at the age of 16.

Maybe some of my readers can understand why I am sometimes obsessed with health issues and heart problems in particular and tend to write about these issues and quote from doctors in many of my articles. It is because I am concerned and care.

Big Al

***

All progress is based upon a universal innate desire of every organism to live beyond its income.
-- Samuel Butler

***

Mallory's “Take”
by: Mallory Kerst

Do you know of any special houses in this area? I do! My Grandma lives in a big house on Lincoln street in Williamsport. This yellow house was owned by a lot of people. The house has 16 rooms, 2 kitchen's and 2 bathrooms. That's a lot of rooms to play in! This house has changed over the years. There is a picture that shows no trees in the yard and the yard was one bigger. I even have a special “hideout” in the back yard!

After researching the deed to my grandparents house I found some interesting information. A deed is a paper saying that you own land or a house. My Grandma's house was built around 1887. A man named Clark Lincoln Messner owned my grandparent's house at one time. I think that Lincoln street was named after Clark Lincoln Messner. I have been told that this man may have owned a Messner theater in Williamsport.

This house is special to me because me and my family spend every holiday there. My grandparent's have lived in this house for 23 years. This is the longest that anyone has lived in this house other than the Messner family.

I will be on the radio with Willow this weekend. Listen to 103.1 on Saturday morning! Thanks for reading my stories!

***

CRYTOQUOTE
RVZTLFR
EXAMPLE

To solve the puzzle, one letter stands for another. As in the word "EXAMPLE" above "R" stands for "E". Sentence structure and grammar rules and sentence structure are another clue.

XVZ BZGZBNZ NRKZ QTNS VQN Q BZGZBNZ NRKZ. -

DQMQWZNZ MBSGZBP

Last Weeks Answer

The world is but a canvas to the imagination.-- Henry David Thoreau

Here's a tip on this weeks puzzle: Z = E

Febuary 20, 2009

2009-03-03T14:47:00.004-06:00

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO IN WARREN CO.

A Series Part 2

EARLY DAYS IN WARREN COUNTY
Taken From The Warren Review February 25, 1909

First Impression of the Wabash Valley Upon Early Settlers

It’s Natural Product. - Perils of Pioneer Travel. A Baffled Highwayman.

The natural scenery of the Wabash Valley as it was found by the first settlers, although not bluffy and broken, was nevertheless beautiful and picturesque. Hill and dales, forests and prairies, grottos, riverlets, and rivers, diversified every portion of it. In a letter yet in existence, one of the early settlers who first saw the Wabash River in 1830 in the month of April, describes it thus: It’s green banks were lined with the richest verdure. Wild flowers intermingled with tall grass that nodded in the passing breeze. Nature seemed clothed in her bridal robes. Blossoms of the wild plum, hawthorn, and red-bud made the air redolent. The notes of the blackbird and blue jay mingled with the shrill cry of the kingfisher, river gull and speckled loon.

On the points of the islands, cranes and herons were carrying on a lively fishing business among the minnows that had ventured into the coves that indented the islands. Large flocks of wild geese, brants and ducks frequently passed overhead, or would light down into the bayous and hold a general carnival. It was certainly rare sort for the young hunters of the neighborhood to fix up their “blinds” around those duck ponds and bag more game than they could carry home. Schools of fishes, salmon, bass, red-horse, and pike swam close along the shore, catching at the blossoms of the red-bud that floated on the surface of the water.

Perhaps the country ever produced a greater variety of wild fruits and berries. The wide fertile bottom lands of the Wabash, in many places presented on continuous orchard of wild plum and crab apple brushes, mingled with different varieties of woods, grape, wild hopes and honey suckle fantastically wreathed together. One bush often presented the crimson plum, yellow crab apple, blue luscious grape festoons of matured wild hops, mingled with the red berries of the clamoring sweet brier that bound them all lovingly together. Gooseberries and strawberries were the first gathered by the early settlers. There were soon succeeded by blackberries, dewberries, and raspberries, which grew thickly int eh fence corners, in the woods, and in the vicinity of the clearings and fallen timbers.

In the more sterile, sandy regions were to be found the huckleberry, whortleberry, and in wet marshy districts cranberries grew in great abundance. Black walnuts, butternuts, hickory and hazel nuts grew in great profusion throughout the Wabash country. A few persimmon bushes and apple trees planted no doubt by the French and Indians, were found growing near the old Indian towns. Between Vincennes, and the mouth of the Wabash, pecan and chestnut trees were quite common. These nuts were gathered and pulled by the children in the fall and cracked around the cabin hearth during long winter evenings, while the father and mother related to their listening children the stirring incidents that transpired during their childhood on the Monongehels, Scioto or old Kentuck.

There were prairie chickens and prairie hawks to catch them, rattlesnakes were numerous, as were also the black, gray and prairie wolves. In many localities it was next to impossible to raise sheep or pigs until they had been hunted out.

The legislature enacted laws granting a bounty on wolf scalps that proved sufficient finally, to exterminate these nocturnal prowlers that would often approach within a rod or two of the settler’s cabin and make night hideous with their prolonged howling. Wolf drives were common to whole neighborhoods and sometimes a whole county would participate. The old settlers also had to content with rattlesnakes, viper, adder and blood snakes. In some localities the inhabitants would arrange a snake hunt, search out the dens of these reptiles and slay hundreds in a single day.

***

Whispering Willow
By Willow

There are times (more often than not) that my readers find typos in the paper. It seems no matter how many times I run the spell check or look over the article there is always something I miss. Spell check will not catch errors like “tow” for “two”, or even “tomato” for “tornado” (don’t ask me where that one came from, I have no idea).

Putting the paper together takes a lot of work. It isn’t just sitting down at the computer and typing in a few words and then running it off on the printed. However it is a labor of love.

The stories have to be researched, read, and typed. Some times I use the material for a source and write the story; other times I insert the story as it was written by the newspaper long ago. I spend about three hours a week just on research for the main article. There are only two articles in the paper that I am not directly responsible for, According to Big Al, and Mallory’s Take. I receive these two articles all ready to cut and paste into the format.

I spend about 4 days a week selling advertising for the paper. When I sell an ad it too must be designed or scanned into the paper. Depending on what the advertiser wants. A new ad sometimes mean reformatting of the a page in the publication.

Then I look for the recipe, I don’t like to just open a book and pick a recipe, I want it to be something I would like. Preferably something I had tried.

The hardest article to write is this one, Whispering Willow. Coming up with something new to write about here sometimes waits until the last minute. I don’t want it to sound harsh, and with my younger readers I have to be careful about my input and the way I word it.

I also find an interesting quote to put up as a cryptoquote. I write out the quote, write ABC… at the bottom of the page, and assign another letter to each different letter in the quote, crossing off the new letter at the bottom as I go.

The big problem here has been leaving out a letter. But Thanks to a reader I think that may have been solved.
I received a letter from Lisa of Covington, on Wednesday:

“Hi Willow, Just a short note to say how much I enjoy your newsletter, especially the local history articles. I often share these with my children. One suggestion: I love crytoquotes but find it frustrating when they contain typo’s. I knew they are a challenge to design; I usually need graph paper, one square for each letter, to keep things straight when I make one up. This week’s cryptoquote was fine but the last two missed the proofreader. Great to see you encouraging a budding reporter from Williamsport Elementary. Sincerely Lisa.

I want to thank you Lisa for this great suggestion. It is one of the “duh” things, so simple but so right. I have begun to use your suggestion this week.

One more word on the subject. As for our budding reporter. Be sure and listen to KISS 103.1 fm on Saturday. Larry and Ron will be talking with our young reporter Mallory Kerst on the air.
Thanks again Lisa for you constructive suggestion. I always appreciate constructive suggestions and constructive criticism.

Be Blessed
Willow

***

Willows Garden
By: Willow

"Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food." Hippocrates

Methods For Preparing Herbs
At A Glance

Water:
Infusion - Tea is the most common everyday use for herbs.
Hot Infusion - Pour the boiling water over the herb and let steep for 15 minutes, then strain. This method is usually used for leaves and flowers and makes instant tea for drinking. Powdered root, bark, seeds, resin, bruised nuts and buds are also receptive to this method.
Cold Infusion - Steep wet mashed herbs in cold water or milk for several hours. This infusion can be also be used internally or on the body as a poultice.

Waters:
Steeped herbs, water, and alcohol and steeped herbs plus honey and other fruits are often called waters. The extracts or spirits from various herbs such as lavender for instance are also called waters.

Decoction - This is the second most used method of extracting the medicinal properties from herbs.
Hard Parts of plants such as the twigs, roots, barks rhizomes, berries and some seeds, will only release the volatile oils and locked in chemicals when the are gently simmered for about thirty minutes in water. Then strain and use. Long simmering will produce a distillation, or extract, or an herb. This is similar to a soup.

Alcohol:
Tincture: For herbs that are not soluble in water cook them in rectified alcohol or spirits. A tincture is a solution of a medicinal substance of coarse, bruised, or pulverized material in alcohol or diluted alcohol. The material is placed directly into the bottle, or the alcohol may be filtered through the plant material. To filter, use coffee parchment cones. Medicated wines are tinctures of a less stable nature.

Oils: Rectified alcohol or aromatic oils can be combined. The oils will seep into the alcohol to produce an essence. More on that later.

Vinegar:
Tincture - Herbs that are soluble in alcohol are often soluble in vinegar. This method is used in steeping the fresh or dried material is used for salad vinegars, cosmetic vinegars, some liniments and the preventive sickroom “washes.”

Far:
Ointments - Fresh or dried herbs, herb oils, or herb tinctures and extracts heated together with any variety of fats produce healing slaves. Add wax for hardness.
Cold Cream - Mix lanolin (fat), oil, rosewater, and wax.
Suppository - Heat fat, herb, and wax, or preferably cocoa butter and healing herb for cylinder shaping and insertion.
Lip Balm - Combine oils, honey, beeswax, vanilla

Oils:
Essence - Oils may be “captured” by evaporation from flowers and petals. Also, vegetable, nut, or fruit oils can be used as a medium for steeping aromatic plants to extract volatile oils. Aromatic oils can also be steeped in alcohol to extract the essence.
Combination - Combine oils for healing, massage, insect repellent, or lip balm.

Juice:
Essence or Extract - Extract a juice of a plant by applying pressure.
Sugar - Alcohol and sugar have many similar chemical components, and sugar will preserve many plant materials.
Jelly - Syrup in a more congealed form.
Electuary - Use powder to make a syrup.
Conserve - Beat together sugar and plant material.
Lozenge - Pill made of solid plant material, sugar, and gummy material.

Dried Material
Pills - is a rolled or pulverized plant material pellets, place in gylcerine capsules, or work with sugar into cake-like lozenges. Combine dried material for various insect repellent, potpourri, rodent repellent, herb deodorant, and herb salts.
Combinations - Herb or combination of herbs may be steeped to make a drinking team, a decoction, or, steeped in alcohol, vinegar. Steeped strained material may be used for douching and rectal irrigation purposes.
Laxative - Single-herb or combinations of herbs can be used for laxative purposes.
Breath Sweeteners - Eat breath-sweetening seeds such as caraway, fennel, or anise or steep these and other seeds and spices in Sherry to make breath-sweetening gargles and mouthwashes.
Liniment - Add dried to vinegar, oils, alcohol, or water to produce friction rub.
Tooth Preparations - Combine dried herbs and other materials for tooth aides.

Be Blessed
Willow

***

RECIPE

IRISH STEW

2 lbs. potatoes pared& cut into ½ in. thick slices
1 lb. onion sliced
3 lb. shoulder lamb
( or beef roast) into 1 ½ pieces
2 t. salt
¼ t. pepper
¼ t. leaf thyme crumbled
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
2 T. chopped parsley

Arrange layers of potatoes, onions and meat in heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, seasoning each level with salt pepper and thyme. Add just enough water to fill pan half the depth of ingredients. Cover. Bring just to boiling and reduce heat. Simmer 1 hour or until meat is tender. Add Worcestershire sauce. Season to taste. Sprinkle with parsley. Makes 6-8 servings.

***

THE LOGGERS
By C. Earl Ward
(Pete Ward)

Submitted by
Clyde E. Ward
Veedersburg, IN

Carl says, that trees mine
Charlie makes that saw whine
He cuts a notch with a couple of zips
Then bores the middle fast as a whip.
He cuts on the back, she hits the ground
Boy, you should hear that sound.
Charlie takes a breather
Then Carl cuts off a limb
Then log it off where it should be
When we go on to another tree.
Charlie says, that’s where it wants to go
I said, Charlie I don’t know.
Ronnie, he is standing by
Said, look at Charlie make that sawdust fly
They got another one on the ground
Carl looks at it with a frown
He gets the chalk and the ruler
He says boys, this is a fooler
It should make a 12 and 10
Then steps back and looks again
Cut two feet off the butt
Make the log worth twice as much.
Charlie, Carl and Ronnie take a chew
I smoke a cigarette, which I shouldn’t do
Charlie tells a joke, we all have a laugh
Then go on to another tree, just down the path.

(Charles Perry, Ronnie Ward, Carl Ward, C.E. Ward)
May 17, 1967 From the Wallace Abeix

***

According To Big Al...
"Listen to what I mean... not what I say."

LOGGING

Some of my first memories of my childhood was helping my dad in the woods. I don't know how much help I was Dad, but I was in the woods with him before I started grade school. I suppose I was company to him more than the actual work I did.

We owned a farm and our dad tried his hand at dairy farming, but he didn't get along too well with milk cows. It seemed that he always ended up back in the woods cutting down trees and hauling them to market to secure money for his family. The trees that we had on our farm were all but gone when I was a mere child. Dad would always end up cutting down trees that were on his mothers woods – a subject she did not approve of with dad.. When I was 6 years old Dad purchased 80 acres of woods near Cornell Wisconsin which he removed the timber from during the winter of 46 – 47. This was a short-lived project and we returned back to the farm. In the summer time dad planted soybeans and or corn and a little rye on his farmland. He even planted buckwheat one year. He said he wanted to be a “Grain Farmer”. I often think of this when I look around here at all the “Grain Farmers” around here. Of course my dad never had the equipment nor the amount of acreage that today's farmers have – then he never had the debt that todays farmers incur either.

Dad's method of logging was quite simple. All he needed was a cross-cut saw (with me on one end when I was no more than 6 or 7), an axe (He preferred the double bitted one), a “Swede Saw”, a cant hook and a horse. The Swede saw was a local name for a bow saw. This was used for smaller trees and the cross cut saw was used for larger trees. Chain saws were not yet available. When I am using my chain saws today, I often wonder what my dad would have given for one. After the tree was cut down and cut into the proper lengths, the log was hooked up to the horse and brought to the landing which was alongside of the road. There the log was unhooked from the horse and the process was repeated. After 2 or 3 trips back to the place where we were cutting the trees, the horse would walk back unattended for the next pull. When this became the case, I would stay at the landing and unhook the horse so the circuit could be completed without my dad or me needing to walk back and forth. I always thought that this was so neat and I still do. I believe it is simpler and better than the huge “Skidders” that are used today. A roadway was not necessary for a horse unlike the skidders, and you didn't need a man to drive the horse. When you logged this way, no one could scarcely tell that you had been in the woods. After enough logs were brought to the landing, they were hand loaded onto his old Ford flatbed truck and taken to market. This is where the cant hook came into play. The truck was backed up to the elevated landing and a couple of small logs were placed between the landing and the truck and the logs were rolled onto the truck with the aid of the cant hooks. This process was quite dangerous especially with larger logs. I don't remember taking logs longer than 8 on his old truck. Taking the logs to market was always the best part of the logging operation, because this is when my dad played the radio (if it worked) and sang the songs to me. We also would stop sometimes and buy some ice cream, a quart for him and a pint for me. I still have cravings for ice cream, but today I prefer to have my vanilla ice cream with wild berries – preferably black raspberries or black berries.

The majority of the logs that we took to market was poplar which was taken to Cornell for the paper factory there. It was necessary to “Peel” the logs in order to get the best price for your logs. Peeling meant stripping off the bark of the log. In the spring of the year this was pretty easy because the sap of the tree was flowing pretty good and the bark would slide off quite easily. In the summer and fall, this was a much more difficult process because the bark didn't come off nearly so easily. This was a job that my sister and I did while our dad was cutting the trees and the horse was bringing them to the landing. This is where my hatchet came into play. You could use an axe or a draw shave, but I preferred my hatchet that Grampa Dudenhoeffer gave me. You could take the pulpwood to market without peeling the logs but you didn't get as much money for them, indeed sometimes they wouldn't even accept them without being peeled.
Basswood was another tree that we cut and took to market. It is also known as American Linden. It was used to make baskets of all sorts, like bushel baskets, strawberry baskets, pints and quarts etc.

When dad got lucky he would find some hardwoods like oak or maple and these were cut and taken to a sawmill where they were cut up into lumber. These logs were generally cut to longer lengths than 8 foot and this necessitated getting someone else to haul the logs to market. This cut into the money that we got for the logs, this is probably why dad didn't cut too much hardwoods – plus it was more dangerous using the methods he used.

One day in early spring as the frost was coming out of the ground, dad got his truck stuck in the mud alongside of the road. While he was in the process of trying to pull it out with his horse, one of the fence posts that he was using to secure the logging chain came out of the ground and struck him in the leg, breaking it in 5 places. This disabled him for the summer of 1947. Mother and I took what logs dad had out on the landing to market in the old Ford truck. Money was tight, there was no insurance nor workman's compensation back then. I'm not sure how we made out, but it was sure nice having dad around all the time. Mother must have thought so too because the next summer my brother Kenneth was born. Dad's leg never healed quite right and it was decided that he and mom would start a Raleigh Route. This was in essence a door to door sales selling salves and spices and the like to farmers. It never did to well and mother took over the sales after dad got tired of it in a short period of time. Dad went back to logging.

The sound of a tree crashing down in the woods as it is being cut always brings back memories of my dad working in the woods and the fond memories of those long ago days.

Big Al

***

The world is but a canvas to the
imagination.-- Henry David Thoreau

***

Mallory's “Take”
by: Mallory Kerst

What is the biggest attraction in town? The Williamsport Falls! They stand 90 feet tall. There is a creek that runs into the Falls. There are a lot of different animal's near the falls also.
Me and my friend Josie go to the falls with our mom's in the summertime. One time “Willow” was there and she said that when you look a certain way you can see an Indian face in the side of the falls.
There is a very nice pavilion near the road for looking at the falls. The town built this pavilion for visitors to enjoy. I think that thousands of people visit the falls in the summertime. When there is a lot of water on the falls they are really loud.
I read in a book that the falls were formed from glaciers that passed through during the ice ages. The Williamsport falls are the highest falls in Indiana.
Keep posted, next week I will be doing an article on a very special home in Williamsport.

***

CRYTOQUOTE
RVZTLFR
EXAMPLE

To solve the puzzle, one letter stands for another. As in the word "EXAMPLE" above "R" stands for "E". Sentence structure and grammar rules and sentence structure are another clue.

NSZ RVQBM TD GKN X WXHFXD NV NSV TJXPTHXNTVH. -

SZHQC MXFTM NSVQZXK

Last Weeks Answer

Three things can't be hidden: coughing, poverty, and love.
-- Anonymous

Here's a tip on this weeks puzzle: Z = E

February 13, 2009

2009-02-18T16:51:00.003-06:00

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO IN WARREN CO.
A Series Part 1

EARLY DAYS IN WARREN COUNTY

Taken From The Warren Review February 25, 1909

Good Action Never Thrown Away

Story of Billy the Brakeman and the High Bridge

East of Williamsport that was once a Low Bridge

A railroad section foreman or section boss as they were termed in the early days, was expected to possess about the same qualifications for handling men that the mate of an old-time river streamer did. That is, to be able to curse a man’s hat off his head or whip as many men as could get around him. A religious section boss would have been a great curiosity as a pious mate on a river steamer. Such being the case, it can be readily imagined what a sensation was produced in a quarterly meeting, at Independence in the early 70’s when a fine looking stranger who had been taking an active part in the meeting, was said to be the new section boss at Independence station. His name was Joseph Landry, he was a good foreman, and what a college boy would call an all around good fellow. He had been for several years in the employ of the Wabash road in one capacity or another and could tell many interesting stories of his experiences on the rail.
Landry was a great temperance and Sunday School worker and established a Lodge of the Temple of Honor at Independence and numerous accessions to the church roll resulted from his personal efforts. He thought nothing of wading through the muddy Wabash bottoms of a Saturday night to get from Riverside to Independence to meet with the boys and encourage them in their temperance work. One night after lodge he told the boys one f his best stories called "Billy the Brakemen." A lack of space will only permit a brief outline of the story which ran like this:

It seems that while Landry was firing on a freight that ran between Lafayette and Danville a certain wagon bridge that crossed the railroad just opposite Attica was not a great high bridge like it is now, but was quite low, freight cars could pass under it but the train men were compelled to lay pretty low or get knocked off.

Two or three brakemen had been killed or badly hurt there, yet as fast as one was knocked out there was a dozen more to apply for the job one wet, slippery, sleety night before leaving Danville a new brakemen was taken on in the place of one suddenly taken ill. This new man was a stranger and about all any body knew about him was, that he was called "Billy" and lived with a widowed mother in Danville. On the run to Lafayette as they were pulling out of Williamsport Landry asked the engineer if he thought Billy was posted about the low bridge just west of Attica. The engineer said he supposed so if not he would have to take his chances. Landry, however, could not bear to leave a man to take such chances and hurried over the long line of wet slippery cars, just in time to save the poor fellow from getting his head knocked off. While waiting in Attica for a passenger to pass, "Billy" told Laundry that he had, certainly saved his life and he would not soon forget him. Some years afterward Landry himself found him self at Fort Wayne. He had been discharged from a hospital that day as convalescent from a long sick spell. He was without money and wished to get to Lafayette.

He applied for transportation which was refused, and he sat in the Wabash station waiting room hoping to see some railroad acquaintance of whom he might borrow a little cash to supply present needs. He had waiting til evening in vain. The smell of good lunch from the lunch counter reminded him that a long lost appetite for food had returned with a vengeance. As lights were turned on he began to wonder where he would sleep. Finally the passenger train that would take him to Lafayette was made up, and a smart looking conductor in a very neat uniform stepped in for train orders. On his return he chance to observe Landry and his forlorn appearance attracted him. The smart young conductor was no one but "Billy" that he had saved near Attica while braking on the local. Of course "Billy" took his friend to Lafayette and supplied his wants and gave him his address with orders to draw on him if he was ever up against it in the future. And the moral of the story is that a decent all around good fellow hardly ever lacks for friends.

***

Whispering Willow
By: Willow

Every February all across the country, flowers, candy, jewelry all kinds of gifts are exchanged between loved ones and all in the name of St. Valentine’s Day. But does anyone really know how this holiday began. For that matter the story of it’s patron Saint, St Valentine is shrouded in mystery.

All we know for sure is that February has for a long time been a month of romance. The day St. Valentine’s Day as we know it today has its vestiges in Christian and ancient Roman tradition.
Who was St. Valentine? How did he become associated with this ancient rite? The Christian church today recognizes three different saints and all three with the name Valentine or Valentinus, and they are all martyred.

One legend suggests that Valentine was a priest that served in the third century of Rome. Emperor Claudius decided that unmarried men made better soldiers than those with wives and family. So he outlawed marriage for young men. St. Valentine didn’t agree with the Emperor and defied him by performing marriages for young couples in secret. When the Emperor discovered what Valentine was doing he ordered him put to death.

Another legend is that Valentine himself may have been killed for trying to help Christians escape the harsh Roman prisons and when he was caught he was beaten and tortured. According to legend it was Valentine himself who actually sent the first Valentine. It is believed that he fell in love with a young woman, who may have been his jailer’s daughter who would visit him every day during his confinement.

Before his death it is believed that he sent the young woman a letter and he signed it "From Your Valentine." This expression is still used today.

The truth behind the legend is murky but the stories certainly emphasize Valentine’s appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and very importantly a romantic figure. So it comes as no surprise to learn that Valentine is one of the most popular saints in England and France.
Some believe that Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14th to commemorate the anniversary of his death or his burial that probably occurred around 270 A.D.

Until Next Week
Stay Warm and
Be Blessed
Willow

Willows Garden
By: Willow
"Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food." Hippocrates

How To Release Herbs For Home Remedies

There are literally hundreds of thousands of growing plants. Some are poisonous to eat or irritating to the touch, such as poison ivy for instance, but a surprising number of herbaceous plants, or other plant substances commonly called herbs, contain volatile oils, antibiotics, and aromatic or other healing chemicals. Some cultures and tribes or families know hundreds of such healing plants.

Occasionally a whole plant with stem, twig, flower, leaf and bud is used for special preventive or remedial effect, usually only one part of a plant is used at a time. The whole plant or its various parts - such as berries, root, bark, rhizome, stems, twigs, seeds, leaves, or flowers can be considered a locked box of chemicals. If you want to use the chemicals within the plant, then you must provide a special key to unlock the box. This is true of both fresh and dried plant material. Incidentally, dried material is usually two to three times as strong as the fresh.

The chemicals in the plants may be released in a wide variety of ways. The method you use will depend on whether you are using fresh or dried material and whether you intend to use the material immediately or store it for future use. There are other factors that are important as to how you prepare the herb, such as what part of the body you wish to work on, or whether it is to be used internally or externally and the remedial effect you wish to produce.

Plants react to stimuli. Some plants are soluble in water. Most leaves and flowers, some berries, and most pulverized or powdered are soluble in hot or standing cold water.

Most plant material will dissolve and It can be extracted in a distilled alcohol medium. This is why I suggest the use of certain long-lasting wines and high proof spirits. While the rectified alcohol preserves the strained "extraction," you can also add a few drops of vegetable or animal glycerine, or drops of tincture of benzoin to further preserve any preparation.

Use glass, ceramic, stainless steel, or smoothly glazed cast iron. Do not use Teflon or aluminum. Metals are sometimes corroded by the plant ingredients, so glass, glazed ceramic, or earthenware products are the best choices. Do not use iron pots when astringent vegetables are being prepared for herbal remedies, but clean cast iron is preferred over any copper or brass pots, which must never be used in preparing herbs.

Herbs can be powdered or bruised and added to such solvents as boiling or cold water, milk, vinegar, rectified alcohol, (gin, or brandy will do), wine, fat, or oil. Herbs can be roasted, for example dandelion root or chickpeas, or used bruised or wet in form of external poultices. Many herbs can be added to a variety of water baths, foot, arm, full body and so on, to detoxify the body, relieve pain, release tension, relieve itching (oatmeal), soften the skin, or bring blood to the surface of the skin (mustard paste).

Herbs can be absorbed into fats or oils to produce softening, healing creams, ointments, or massage aids. They can be added to alcohol, vinegar, or water for body rubs; to water or sherry for delicious mouth washes or combined in dry from for tooth and mouth aids. Herbs can be added to various material to various materials to produce excellent healing douches, colonic irrigations, insect repellents, healing syrups, lozenges, pills, deodorants, suppositories, and other specific health aids.

Be Blessed
Willow

RECIPE

STRAWBERRY PIE
4 C. fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
(If frozen drain well)
1 ½ C. water
3/4 C. sugar
2 T. cornstarch
1 - 3 oz. Box strawberry JELL-O
1 Pie crust, baked and cooled
1 Pint heavy cream, whipped
Combine water, sugar and cornstarch in a pan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Boiled until clear. Remove from heat and add JELLO.
Arrange strawberries in baked pie shell and pour warm JELLO over berries. Chill for several hours. Serve topped with whipped cream

According To Big Al...
"Listen to what I mean... not what I say."

The Bugs

One of the things I have in common with my three brothers, besides having the same mother and father is, we all owned a Volkswagen Beetle at one time in our life. Later in my search for our dad, I found out that even he owned one. Now the V. W. was not a pretty car – it was down right ugly. It wasn't a fast car either – it was a real slug. It did get good gas mileage at a time when that wasn't very important unless you were a teenager, strapped for cash or just frugal. In the winter time you liked to freeze to death and you normally had to keep your window open in order to keep the windshield clear to see out of. However a "Bug" tended to grow on you and you would overlook its shortcomings. It was dependable and economical to drive. The rear engine gave you tremendous traction and you could go where most cars simply couldn't. It was virtually bullet-proof, the harder you drove it the better it ran. Some people made the mistake of babying their "Bug", this was a huge mistake. Lugging it around in higher gears tended to burn the valves in the "Bug". It was a "Cult" car – the backbone of the Hippie Generation. Everyone could afford one. The were only $1800.00 new in the early 60's and you could buy a good used one for a few hundred dollars. It would be the best investment you could make in a car.

I was the first in our family to purchase a "Bug", it was a black 1956. I was a newly wed and we had our first child, Blane. The storage area under the rear window became his "Crib". There were no child restraint seats in those days but the area under the rear window was a very secure place – you just had to be careful of the sunlight shining through the rear window.
Whenever he was in his "Crib", he was content – we ran all over in our little "Bug". To this day Blane has a tendency to fall asleep in a car – even while driving. I think this is because of his early experiences in our "Bug".

My ex-wife learned how to drive in the "Bug" - it was the easiest car in its day, to pass a drivers test with because of its small size and agility. She drove it all over after she got her driver's license. Our love affair with the "Bug" came to an end when we had to sell it for money for a down payment for our first house in Dyer. During the course of trying to sell the "Bug", I was told by a used car salesman that there was a bad valve in the engine because when the clutch pedal was depressed, the engine stalled. I refused to believe him, but when I got home I took a compression test on the engine and indeed, he was correct. I pulled the head an replaced a badly burned valve before selling it for $500.00. Later on we replaced the "Bug" with a P. V. 544 Volvo which in some aspects was an even better car than the "Bug" - in fact I ended up getting two of them – one for me and one for my wife.

My brother Sam bought a V. W. soon after I did. He made a trip to California and later a trip to Canada with it. He bragged that it cost him less than $30.00 to drive from L. A. to Chicago with it – but gas was only about 30 cents a gallon back then.

My other brother Richard got a V.W. Also in the 60's because he was tired of working on his American built cars. One day when he was over at my house, he had problem with the transmission being stuck in 3rd gear. Apparently someone had tapped the rear of his car while it was parked. We tried to get it out of gear for quite some time. Finally after about 2 hours of tinkering with it we decided that we needed to pull the transmission. In the V.W. This was no minor task as the engine and transmission were one integral unit. That meant that you had to pull the whole works out from the rear. Then you had to divorce the engine and rear end to get to the transmission. It is very similar to a motorcycle engine today.

It must have been after midnight before we got the transmission out and then we couldn't find anything wrong with it. Once we got the gears to slide it shifted fine. It must have been the "Bump" while it was parked that caused the gears to jam up. After a great deal of thought and deliberation, we put it all back together. It was now about 6:00 A.M. Monday morning. When we started up the "Bug" to test it we discovered that we had 4 speeds in reverse and only one forward!!! How could this be? It seems when we split the case that holds the differential, the ring gear can be replaced on either side of the pinion gear. We replaced it on the wrong side.

It was now time for me to go to work (with no sleep). I called off work and we spent the rest of the day pulling the engine and transmission unit back out of the car and reversing the ring and pinion gears. It was a very long and tiring day and the feeling that we had done a lot of work for nothing.

By early evening, we had the little "Bug" running again with 4 speeds forward. If anyone told me a story like this I would have refused to believe it, but I was there and experienced it and I find it hard to believe. What we learned was that most mechanics at that time refused to work on the V. W. cars. They were considerably different from American cars. They were not that difficult to work on, but different. This experience gave me a valuable lesson on how to work on motorcycle engines. Todays auto mechanics have to work on far more difficult things than the old "Bug". Nothing ventured – Nothing gained – nothing learned.

Big Al

DISCLAIMER:
The Articles written here do not necessarily reflect the opinions of all the writers or the owners of this publication. The articles are the opinions of each individual writer. They are not meant to cast judgment or take away from anyone else's opinion. If you would like to have your open stated here, submit you article By e-mail alittlebit@willowenterprises.net,and state your own opinion. It will be printed according to content, language and availability of space. All articles must be signed by the writer.
Also, the staff of A Little Bit News Publ. does not claim to be experts in the topics they write about. No one claims to be in the medical field. The herbal and medical articles written here are what we personally have found to work for us. We write these articles for your information and to pique your curiosity. It is up to the individual to critique the information and decide what steps to take.

Mallory's "Take"
by: Mallory Kerst

Her favorite color is pink and she graduated from the University of Illinois. She has two children Amy who is 23 years old and Colin who is 26 years old. Her son will be getting married this summer and her favorite food is pizza. In her spare time she likes to read books and exercise by biking......You guessed it! Moria Clark is the principal of Williamsport Elementary School.

I have learned through being a reporter that being a principal isn't easy. A principal helps teachers get what they need so that all students can learn. My school's principal was a teacher at my school before becoming a principal. She decided to become a principal to help all the students in the school instead of just the students in her class. Mrs. Clark says that "She loves being a principal because it's great seeing kids learn and grow from K-6." Mrs. Clark chose to work at Williamsport Elementary School because she loved the building and the principal at the time, Mr. Taylor. Mrs. Clark says that our school is special because it is very welcoming and the people are friendly. Mrs. Clark has been at Williamsport Elementary school for 23 years and she would like to update the technology in our school. One of the last questions I asked Mrs. Clark was what advice she had for kids moving to our school from another and she said "Be a friend and you'll make a friend!"

I think that being a principal is a tough job and Mrs. Clark does a good job at my school. I want to thank her for letting me interview her during lunch and helping me to understand what a principal does. Look for another article from me next week!

TOWN CRIER
Your Community Events

WEST LEBANON -Community Clothing Room - Free Clothing. Nazarene Church 503 High Janet Booth 893-4989 Margo White - 762-6319.

ATTICA AMERICAN LEGION VFW POST 52 has Bingo each Thursday evening starting at 6:30 pm. Fish Fry every fourth Saturday from 5:30 - 7:30 pm, Public Welcome.

UMC FOOD PANTRY will be om Service at the Williamsport Methodist Church starting Wednesday, January 14, 10 am to Noon and Wed. Jan. 21, 6-8pm. WARREN COUNTY RESIDENTS ONLY.

WARREN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: - meets the second Tuesday of every month at the Warren County LEDO office in Williamsport at 4:00pm. For more information call Jamie White at 762-6055. chamber@warrenadvantage.com
VEEDERSBURG - Food Pantry Operation Ministries (Church of God Ministry Center), 702 W. Second t. (765)294-5740. Food Pantry and Thrift Store Hours - Thursday & Friday 2-6 pm, Saturday, 9 - noon.

Fountain/Warren County - VFW hold Bingo every Friday at 7pm., and AYCE Fish and Chicken Fry the 2nd Friday of each month from 4:30 - 6:30.

BARIATRIC SUGURY SUPPORT GROUP
meets the 3rd Monday of each month at St. Vincent Williamsport Hospital at 6:30 - 8:00 pm, in the executive boardroom. This is open to anyone who has had bariatric surgury or would like to gather more information regarding the surgury. For more info call 762-4003.

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To solve the puzzle, one letter stands for another. As in the word "EXAMPLE" above "R" stands for "E". Sentence structure and grammar rules and sentence structure are another clue.

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Last Weeks Answer
Do not bite at the bait of the pleasure till you know there is no hook. - Thomas Jefferson
Here's a tip on this weeks puzzle: Z = E

February 6, 2009

2009-02-06T18:32:00.002-06:00

THE BEAUTY OF RAVINE PARK

By Donna Sullivan

The beauty of nature in this quiet park is astounding. One minute your in the middle of a town bustling with activity and turn the corner and your surrounded by the hills surrounding Ravine Park, in Attica, Indiana.

If you listen close enough or look hard enough perhaps you will see and hear the echoes of the past. The serenity surrounds you as you tread along the paths.

Paths where once the first inhabitants of this were trod; like the tribes of the Miami, the Shawnee, the Kickapoo, the Wea and the Potawatomi.
Because of it’s many springs that flow from the hillside surrounding this ravine, the many species of plants and trees that grow here to supply them with food and shelter. The Ravine was a favorite campsite of these Native American tribes.

The trails crossed this ravine were once well traveled by the Shawnee toward Romney to Shawnee Mound. A westerly trail led from near the park as it is today; crossed the town of Attica, then on to the Wabash River, near the foot of Mill Street. There were always flotillas of canoes at the banks of the Wabash. The Wabash River was the preferred trail because of their residence just across the river.

Topenebee was the leader of the Potawatomi for fifty years.. The father of Topenebee married the daughter of Shesepa a noted Kickapoo Chief and Topenebee acquired his chieftainship from the Kickapoo on his mother’s side and his high position among the Potawatomi from his father. He wasn’t a warrior, he spent many hours traveling to see to the welfare of the many tribes he presided over. His headquarters was in Attica.

In the fall of 1807; Topenebee, the Kickapoos, Potawatomi, Miami, and the Winnebago met Tucumseh and his brother The Prophet beneath the spreading branches of a giant oak tree that once stood within the city limits of Attica. This oak became known as "The Council Tree". It was long ago cut down by a man named Mitchell, much to the displeasure of the residents of Attica.
There was and many still is at least a part of a treasure of those days in Ravine Park. Just west and almost under the Canada Street bridge; stood a once towering stone called, "Council Rock". Legend has it that here the chiefs stood on the highest point to address the people. Erosion has continually reduced the size of this rock. There was once a bronze marker that bore the inscription, " Here by Indian Rock the Kickapoo, Miamis, Shawnee, Potawatomi, Weas, and other tribes smoked their Tribal Pipe of Peace." The marker disappeared during WW ll.

The first white settlers that began coming to this area in 1823, played a key role in the beginning of Attica. Among them came George Hollingworth, and David and J. Stump. These men came down the Wabash River in a canoe; they stopped at Sycamore Ford, located near the mouth of Pine Creek, just where the old railroad bridge was. They realized this would be a great landing for boats. Because of the combination of the river, and the prairie they decided it was a great location for a town. The men went to the next land sale in Crawfordsville, Indiana and bought the land adjacent to the Wabash River. In 1825 the town of Attica, Indiana was laid out.

The Ravine soon had businesses springing up all around. In 1826, near the Canada Street Bridge, a combined Still and Grist Mill was erected in the ravine. A brickyard in Ravine Park had its kiln where the pavilion now stands. It was also the site of a factory that made wooden bowls, ladles, butter churn prints, and all kinds of woodenware. A limekiln stood where the Canada Street Bridge is now.

But the most significant thing to come out of the ravine was water for the town of Attica. The same spring that once quenched the thirst of the Native Americans and early settlers was leased by Lewis Hollvy from John Brady in 1835. Hollvy built a dam in the creek located at the lower in the lower part of the park and established a water works system.

For pipes he bore water seasoned logs and the water was brought down as far as the corner of Perry and Main Streets. The stone reservoirs were located beside the reflecting pool of large lions head fountain and at the top of the hill on Avenue One.

Hollvy’s Dam lasted many years. The creek was used as a swimming pool, a source of water for the tank of hose drawn wagons that sprinkled the dirt roads and a Bath House. The Bath House had showers and tub baths for twenty-five cents or monthly or seasonal tickets.

In 1870 the addition of the present picnic grounds was the site of an agricultural fair.

The beauty of this sacred and serene spot surrounded by homes has not lost its beauty or its attraction to the people of Attica. The past and present history of this ravine is held with in the beauty of this ravine surrounded by hills and homes. Even a simple drive through the ravine will draw you back there time and time again.

Whispering Willow
By: Willow

This is another one of those weeks where I am at a loss for a topic here. That’s what happens when the weather gets cold and you lock yourself indoors. There isn’t enough conversation to give you fuel for thought.

I have been busying myself with research on the computer and it seems that every time I google for an answer and follow the leads it just leads to another list to choose from; it sort of feels like the dog chasing his tail. I never did get the answer I am looking for.

Not many of you know that I have written a novel; it is a mystery. I am in the process of waiting for literary agents to get back in touch with me.

One of the key elements in the book is a necklace. In the ‘60’s and ‘70"s there was a popular necklace among couples. It was a split heart, and each one wore half the heart on a chain around their necks. When the two halves were together they had a saying and then when they were apart each half had its own saying.

I have searched the net for months looking for this necklace, to find out what they sayings were. All I can find is the heart necklaces that say "Best Friends" or Love Forever". This isn’t it. The saying on the heart as a whole was a full phrase with about 8-10 words and the half had about 5 words each.

If any of you know what this saying was could you please contact me? I can be reached at 765-585-1115 or email me at alittlebit@willowenterprises.net.
Until Next Week
Stay Warm and
Be Blessed
Willow

Willows Garden
By: Willow

"Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food." Hippocrates

SLIMMING WITH TEAS

Weight problems are usually exacerbated by digestive difficulties, stress and poor circulation that hinder the assimilation of nutrients and elimination of waste. Herbal teas help provide a natural way to help us lose excess weight.

Herbal teas that have bitters bring new vitality to your system. They ease digestive disorders and cleanse your body. Some herbal teas are diuretics help to prevent water retention and bloating. There are herbals teas to strengthen your resistance to stress and you can automatically cure the cue for stress eating

Herbal teas contain zero calories or fat and sweet teas ease your sugar cravings and also to aid in the digestion of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. These herbal teas help to curb your appetite between meals. With herbal teas you will never have to feel depleted of energy because of the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients in herbal teas.

Alfalfa. This herbal is chocked full of nutrients and essential amino acids for strength and it is a cleanser and a mild laxative to help keep you intestinal tract in good condition. When blended with peppermint you get a minty flavor and soothing effects.

Bladderwrack. This is a thyroid tonic and gentle metabolic stimulant that helps your body to utilize nutrients and burn calories better.

Dandelion. This is a cleanser and natural diuretic that is full of potassium and vitamins. It also helps to prevent constipation and bloating. While standard diuretics lead to potassium losses and leave you feeling weak, the dandelion works gently and naturally to balance to fluids of your body.

Marigold. This calming floral tea eases digestive tract disorders and de-stresses your stomach lining and bowels.

Oatstraw. This herbal tea is a full body tonic from the oat plant that gives us oat bran and oatmeal. There are a lot of vitamins and minerals for staying power.

Papaya. This is a tropical tea from the melon tree and is better for you than antacids. It counteracts acidity with its alkalizing enzyme. The papaya has enzymes to digest proteins and carbohydrates.

Raspberry. The raspberry tea is rich in vitamins and minerals.

Rosemary. Known as the herb of love and remembrance it also aids in the digestion of fats, and enhances your circulation. It is also good for your heart. What a way to love!

Sage. This is the herb of longevity. The tea increases digestive enzymes and stimulates your liver to give you a newfound vigor.

Sweet Treats. Vanilla, Anise, Licorice. These teas help to curb your desire for sweets. While they improve your health they curb your appetite and satisfy cravings. The natural vanilla is a mood elevator and an antioxidant that can be used as a tea or added to any other tea. To calm you stomach and calm a restless digestion then you need to drink Anise tea. The licorice is a digestive regulator and also a booster for nutrient stimulation.

Yerba Mate. This vitality tea has lots of B vitamins to combat stress. It is a metabolic stimulant and helps the body utilize carbohydrates fats and proteins. Taking yerba mate gives you the energy you need to stay thin. Instead of water take yerba mate to the gym in you water bottle for that extra boost.

Be Blessed
Willow

RECIPE

Chocolate Shortbread
Preheat oven to 300 degrees
Have ready a 13 x 9 inch baking pan
Beat on medium speed
½ lb. (2 sticks) unsalted, soften butter
½ C. superfine sugar
Melt, stirring often, in the top of a double boiler or in a microwave on medium:
2 oz. Semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Sift over the top: 2 C. all-purpose flour
Add the melted chocolate, and then stir until well blended. Press the dough into the pan to form a smooth even layer. Bake until top is firm when lightly depressed and a toothpick can be inserted in the center and come out clean, about 40 minutes. Remove the pan to a rock and let cool until barely warm. Cut into bars and transfer to rack to cool completely.

According To Big Al...

"Listen to what I mean... not what I say."

LONG BACKHOE

When Donna and I moved down here to our little 10-acre farm, I realized that we needed some farming equipment. The first thing I went looking for was a tractor. I was always partial to the old Ford tractors because my dad and cousin each had one and there are always plenty of used attachments for them. I found one across the state line in Illinois near my brother who lives in Neoga, which is near Mattoon. It was a 1942 Ford with a scraper, bush hog, and disk. After I purchased it we brought it home on Richard's lowboy trailer. Later I purchased the trailer from him so I could move the tractor around. After a little searching, I found a 2-bottom plow and a cultivator for the tractor.

After we were here for a while, I came to the realization that I could sure use a backhoe to run a water line to our barn and chicken coop. I found a 1974 Long tractor with an attached backhoe at an auction at Steam Jct. and bought it with the very last of my available funds. After some initial problems with the Long tractor this purchase proved to be a valuable addition. The first project was to run the water line to the barn and install a water hydrant at the chicken coop. This was about a 900 foot run. I also buried an electrical line from the barn to the chicken coop. We had R.E.M.C. Run an electrical line to the barn earlier. Later I installed a sewer system at the barn for a bath facilities that I installed at the barn. When I bought the property at the corner of 450 St. and 263, I used the backhoe to install a new septic system there. While the backhoe is an old and rather worn out piece of equipment, I sure feel that I got my money's worth out of it, but it still had another job to do.

After sitting dormant for quite a while, a new situation arose for the need of the backhoe. Our drain line off the kitchen sink needed replacing. The existing line ran under the concrete slab of the house. I decided to run a new line around the perimeter of the house and tie in the septic tank. It was getting late in the fall and I decided to get it done before it got too cold and froze up. I called the phone company and REMC to locate the underground lines. This was done and I went back to the machine shed to get the backhoe. With a little trouble, I got the backhoe up to the house and in position to start digging. After digging a couple of buckets, I noticed a stream of hydraulic fluid blowing out onto my new house siding. I shut down and investigated the leak. It was one of the hydraulic lines. I got out my tools and remove the line from the backhoe. I checked my supply of hydraulic lines and decided it would be best to have a new one made up, so I took the old line to Birkey's and had a new one made up. When I got back and installed the new line, the tractor refused to start. (Someone left the ignition switch on). I then got out the battery charger and hooked it up to the battery. The next morning when I got out to the tractor, I noticed that the battery charger's electrical line was missing. It appeared that my dogs had a tug-a-war with it. I took it back to the garage and soldered the lines back onto the charger and took it back to the tractor and hooked it back up again. The following morning I got the backhoe running again, but when I started digging again, I realized that I replaced the wrong line. Shut it down - removed the line - back to Birkey's - replaced the line. The next morning try again. This time I got it running and started digging, being very careful not to dig up any lines. My neighbor Jim came over to give me a hand. By the time it was getting dark, we had the trench dug. The next morning we got the plastic sewer lines in, leveled and coupled up to the kitchen sink and septic tank. Then I got my old Ford tractor with the scraper on it and started filling in the trench. We got it fairly well covered up before quitting for the night. That night the ground froze pretty good and the leveling off of the backfill would have to wait till spring. What will be my next project for the old Long Tractor?

Big Al

Mallory's "Take"

By: Mallory Kerst

This week I am writing about the Potholes in Warren County. I believe that the potholes were formed by glaciers. A glacier is a big chunk of ice that has been frozen for a long time.

I borrowed a book from Mrs. Finney in my school's library that had some information about the potholes in it. This book is about Williamsport and it says that the potholes are unusual holes formed in Fall creek by glaciers.

I have been to the potholes several times. One time when my family went there we seen a weird looking lizard. There is a trail that you walk down to get to the potholes, at the end of the trail there is a big pothole that I have swam in.

If you follow the trail across the slippery potholes and up the stairs you come to a waterfall at the start of the potholes. This is a very pretty place. I hope that all of you take time to visit the Potholes in Warren County this summer.

Next week I will be interviewing someone with an important job in our community.

TOWN CRIER

Your Community Events

WEST LEBANON -Community Clothing Room - Free Clothing. Nazarene Church 503 High Janet Booth 893-4989 Margo White - 762-6319.

ATTICA AMERICAN LEGION VFW POST 52 has Bingo each Thursday evening starting at 6:30 pm. Fish Fry every fourth Saturday from 5:30 - 7:30 pm, Public Welcome.

UMC FOOD PANTRY will be om Service at the Williamsport Methodist Church starting Wednesday, January 14, 10 am to Noon and Wed. Jan. 21, 6-8pm. WARREN COUNTY RESIDENTS ONLY.

WARREN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: - meets the second Tuesday of every month at the Warren County LEDO office in Williamsport at 4:00pm. For more information call Jamie White at 762-6055. chamber@warrenadvantage.com

VEEDERSBURG - Food Pantry Operation Ministries (Church of God Ministry Center), 702 W. Second t. (765)294-5740. Food Pantry and Thrift Store Hours - Thursday & Friday 2-6 pm, Saturday, 9 - noon.

Fountain/Warren County - VFW hold Bingo every Friday at 7pm., and AYCE Fish and Chicken Fry the 2nd Friday of each month from 4:30 - 6:30.

BARIATRIC SUGURY SUPPORT GROUP
meets the 3rd Monday of each month at St. Vincent Williamsport Hospital at 6:30 - 8:00 pm, in the executive boardroom. This is open to anyone who has had bariatric surgury or would like to gather more information regarding the surgury. For more info call 762-4003.

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Last Weeks Answer
Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.
-- Soren Kirkegaard
Here's a tip on this weeks puzzle: Z = E

Friday, January 30, 2009

2009-01-29T11:40:00.007-06:00

ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-THREE
YEARS AGO IN ATTICA

Taken form the Attica Ledger Nov. 13, 1886

One of the most destructive tornados ever recorded struck the city about 6 o’clock yesterday evening, leaving death and destruction in the course. The tornado appeared to form in the southwest, and parties who had the opportunity to observe its form describe it as having the appearance of smoke from an engine at first, then it began to assume a funnel shape and darker and more ominous looking clouds were rapidly attracted to it until the tornado started to move in a northeasterly direction.

The tornado first struck the river a few hundred yards below the wagon bridge throwing water at least two hundred feet high. One man who was about entering the bridge saw the tornado approaching hand hitching his steam started on run up town. The tornado then struck the bridge, shattering it to pieces, one portion being carried in the air and fell on the roof of Fred Lash’s store, a distance of about three hundred yards. Mr. Mentzer was in the tollhouse at the time the bridge was carried away and had a miraculous escape. Mr. Mentzer was in the east portion of the house and hearing the noise made by the tornado put his head out of the window in time to see the bridge blow away and the west side of the house vanish. The tornado then started on its deadly mission through a portion of the city, laying everything in ruins in its path. John Bethel’s house, near the river, was badly damaged, and George Sim’s carpenter shop was lifted from the foundation and was badly crushed. The fence factory was entirely swept away and the roof torn off Sam Clark’s saw mill and the smoke stack torn down.

The C. & I. C. Depot was shattered to a considerable extend and the freight depot totally demolished. Several freight cars were blown from the track and one turned bottom side up. The loss to the company can not yet be ascertains, but it will foot up considerable.

Fisher, Abergast & Company’s carriage factory is a total wreck, the loss being estimated at from $30,000 to $35,000. This firm will lose all they had accumulated in twenty-five years of hard labor.

Will VanDeventer was in the factory at the time and was completely buried beneath the falling bricks. Willing hands were soon at work to rescue him from his perilous position and it was not long until he was taken out. Medical assistance was immediately summoned and it was found that VanDeventer had received a broken leg and several ribs fractured.

Hess and Harvey’s wagon shop is a total wreck, the loss being roughly estimated at $15,00. Charles Johnson and Pearson & Points carpenter shops are in ruins, and Andrews and Company’s Lumber office is a total wreck. Nixon’s Warehouse was struck and badly damaged, the engine house being laid in ruins. Feuerstein’s warehouse is a total wreck and Frank Milford’s property at the foot of Main was slightly damaged.

Moses Loeb’s saloon was entirely demolished, the occupants narrowly escaping. The third story of Green’s ware rooms were lifted up and hurled with terrific force between the blocks, gutting Henny’s photograph gallery and Hemphill’s dry good store, the loss to the latter being fully $3,000. The roof was taken off Green’s hardware store and hurled like paper through the air. La Monte Green was in his office back of the store when the tornado reached the building and made a jump for the store, and just as he cleared the steps the third story of his warerooms came crashing through the office totally demolishing that portion of the building. Wolf Hirsh’s house, on Main Street was unroofed and otherwise damaged. Dave Smith’s wagon shop was damaged to the extent of about $2,000.

One end of the opera house was torn away and all the small buildings in rear of the Banta block were destroyed. The roof was torn off Zeigler’s dry goods store, but none of the stock was injured. The roof was blown off Pixley’s Saloon and the rear portion of Kiff’s stables is in ruins. The valuable horse, Bald Hornet, was buried beneath the debris, but was gotten out uninjured.
The Revere house, a three-story brick, was badly wrecked, a portion of the south end and the whole of the north end being torn away. Mrs. John Hirsh and baby were in the north room of the second story at the time the walls were torn away, but miraculously escaped with injury.

The roof was torn from the city mill, the window lights all broken, and the office, corn crib and smoke stack demolished. The Gass property, occupied by I.E. Schoonover and Lon Brady, is a total wreck Mrs. Schooner was slightly injured by falling plaster. Mrs Lon Brady was sitting in the room with her son in her arms, and when the tornado struck the building and blew the child out of her arms into an adjoining room. Mrs. Brady jumped up and started after the child, but as she did so the partition separating the two rooms ell in such a manner as to shield the child, one side resting against the wall, When the child was taken out it was found to have received a deep though not dangerous cut on the head.

It is next to impossible at this time, with the people of the city sitting amid the ruins of a hundred homes and a score of manufactories, to estimate the loss that this terrible visitation ha wrought. None who have not seen the work of a cyclone can form any adequate idea of the character of the work it does. The most cursory glance at the damage done by the storm of last evening on the thrifty city can but impress the beholder with some sense of magnitude of the disaster, though it may not be an adequate one. Literally hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of property was swept out of existence as suddenly as though it had been swallowed by an earthquake.

The cyclone is worse than a fire because in this instance at least, the loss is total, "there being no insurance against the ravages of this monster of the upper deep.
Only the space of twenty-four hours have elapsed, and a sprightly and enterprising city is bowed, in desolation such as not one city in a thousand can appreciate, through experience, for which humanity may ever be thankful. The sweep and swish of the cyclone once heard will never be forgotten, nor will the observer of one care to see another. The city of Attica has sturdily held its own against all comers and ask no favors not granted to plunk and enterprise. But it has ever sought to be an honorable competitor, giving every advantage that it asks. Today somewhat of the clan for the time has been lost to the city of AAttica, but we have no doubt that it will speedily regain it all and go forward in the honorable and business-like manner that has characterized it at all times. We do not make this assertion in the spirit of boasting, but as a kind of confession that we have not lost the felling of competition that is the should of progress today we are in no position to assume anything but the spirit of submission to the unkind late that has overtaken us at this time. And to it we bow.

To all who have come in competition with Attica we confidently appeal in the moment of distress, not for charity, but for the consideration that all honorable men tender their fellows when in trouble. It is the intention of Attica to at once set about The cyclone is worse than a fire because in this instance at least, the loss is total, "there being no insurance against the ravages of this monster of the upper deep.

Only the space of twenty-four hours have elapsed, and a sprightly and enterprising city is bowed, in desolation such as not one city in a thousand can appreciate, through experience, for which humanity may ever be thankful. The sweep and swish of the cyclone once heard will never be forgotten, nor will the observer of one care to see another. The city of Attica has sturdily held its own against all comers and ask no favors not granted to plunk and enterprise. But it has ever sought to be an honorable competitor, giving every advantage that it asks. Today somewhat of the clan for the time has been lost to the city of Attica, but we have no doubt that it will speedily regain it all and go forward in the honorable and business-like manner that has characterized it at all times. We do not make this assertion in the spirit of boasting, but as a kind of confession that we have not lost the felling of competition that is the should of progress today we are in no position to assume anything but the spirit of submission to the unkind late that has overtaken us at this time. And to it we bow.

***

Whispering Willow
By: Willow

Another year has passed for me. Today, Friday, I am 62 years old. I know some of you are thinking why is she announcing her age. I know most of us want to hide our age. I don’t. I figure I earned every minute of those years and it wasn’t always easy.

But as I look back I can’t regret anything that happened. I wonder if I had the chance to do it all over again, would I? You know the resounding answer rings in my head. Hell, yes! Oops bad word. But I use it for emphasis only.

Those events of the past have shaped and molded everything that has come after them. If they had not happened would I be who I am today. Every happening was a learning experience. Every good and every bad event taught me a new lesson and gave me a new strength or made stronger one I already had.

The thing that scares me the most about thinking what if those things had never happened or if I could change them, what would change in my life today? Who would I be? Who wouldn’t be in my life? Where would I be? Would I be here?

I don’t want to lose any of what I have today. I don’t want to be anyone different than who I am, I like where I am, I like my life just as it is, and most of all I like me.
So next time something happens that you wish you hadn’t; just "think" about it. Draw from it. Make it work for you; at least learn from it. Someday you will thank yourself for it.

Be Blessed ( I am)
Willow

***

Willows Garden
By: Willow

"Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food." Hippocrates

PEPPERMINT

The peppermint is a perennial that likes warm moist climates and rich soil around brooks and streams. It is a aromatic plant that will invigorate you with just a whiff of your hand brushing over the leaves. It is also called White Peppermint or Mitcham, fro the area in England where it is cultivated for medicinal purposes.

The plant has smooth green steams with an undertonement of red, with lance-shaped leaves with scented edges. In July and August the peppermint the peppermint blooms in cluster of tiny violet-colored flowers that form spikes from the upper leaves.

Peppermint oil is the third most popular oil in the world next to lemon and orange. It has a powerful menthol.

There are more than 210 species of mint including spearmint, applemint, pineapple mint, red mint, ginger mint, Russian mint, Corsican Mint, and American wild mint., as well and many hybrid-garden and wild mints. But peppermint is considered the best.

Mint is mentioned in the bible as one of the herbs that was used in paying taxes. In Greece it was used for flavoring wine and sauces and had a special place in the festivals and the crowns for nobles were often made of mint. The Japanese valued mint highly and carried it in silver boxes that hung from their belts.

In old England the mints were frown in gardens in one district, Mitcham in Surrey, in 1750 there was only a few acres that grew peppermint, but by 1800 a 100 acres grew peppermint and in 1850 the peppermint fields covered 500 acres and there were peppermint fields in the southern districts as well. In France where it is called ‘red mint’, peppermint farms flourish as well as in the United States and around the world.

Ailments
Chest and Nasal Congestion: A peppermint bag in a pot of boiling water on the stove and inhale the aroma to clear congestion.

Cure-All: The British take mint seriously and often take what is called the Peppermint Cure. The drink peppermint water or peppermint spirits to ward off colds and disease at the onset.
Headaches: The mint is a strong local pain reliever, when applied to the skin. Place a warm tea bag where the pain is most pronounced will bring pain relief. It’s also been used in compresses for the pain of rheumatism and neuralgia.

Larngitis, Bronchitis: the same as chest and nasal congestion.

Nervus tension/stress: A cup of peppermint tea calms you all over It been used for hysteria and nervous disorders.

Seasickness and nausea: When you take a cruise take peppermint tea, the menthol has an anesthetic effect on nerve endings of the stomach, and prevents seasickness and nausea. Drink the tea iced.

Toothaches and cavites: Peppermint is a strong antiseptic and anesthetic and is ideal for the pain of toothaches. Gargle with the peppermint tea and press the press the wet tea bag right on the painful tooth and numb the pain and treat the infection.

Stomach Cramps: peppermint tea alleviates sudden pains in the abdomen.

Peppermint has been used through the ages for palpitations of the heart, cholic, dyspepsia, and fluatulence.

Be Blessed
Willow

***

Cabbage Rolls with Tomato Sauce

¾ pound ground beef
2 eggs
½ + 2 T. grated parmesan cheese (separate use)
salt, pepper and oregano to taste
2 gloves minced garlic
1 ½ cups cooked white rice
1 medium head cabbage
6 qt. Boiling water
3 cups tomato sauce
Mix together ground beef, eggs and ½ cup of cheese, salt, pepper, oregano, minced garlic and the rice. Mix well and set aside.
Remove the cabbage core and drop the whole cabbage into the boiling water and cook for about 20 minutes or until the leaves begin coming apart easily. Drain in a colander.
Take 1 large cabbage leaf at a time and put 2 tablespoons of the mixture on it. Roll into long rolls, tucking the ends in so the stuffing doesn’t fall out.
Place the cabbage rolls in a greased baking pan and pour tomato sauce over the top. Sprinkle with more cheese, salt pepper, oregano and garlic powder.
Cover with foil and bake at 374 degrees for 1 hour. Serves 4

***

According To Big Al...
"Listen to what I mean... not what I say."

THE DOG WHISPERER

Have you watched Ceasar Milan's television program "The Dog Whisperer" featuring how to train or retrain problem dogs? I think it is a very interesting and mind expanding program. Ceasar not only addresses how to get your dog's problems taken care of, but what the dog owners need to do to get this done – indeed the dog's owners are the key problem in solving dog problems. The most important thing that comes to mind is that the dog's owner must be the leader of the "dog pack" in order to correct any and all problems. In order for this to happen he or she must be calm and strict in his control of whatever situation is involved. Taking charge of the situation and being absolutely consistent applying the rules are absolutely necessary in order to get the job done.

I can't help but apply this same control to taking care of human problems, particularly the raising of children. Adults are suppose to be in charge of the rearing of children, not the wants or whims of the children and consistency of actions is what is most important in getting this done. Come to think of it, wouldn't it be wonderful if consistency of rules and the enforcement of them would be applied in all facets of our daily life's? How can rules be followed if we are inconsistent in enforcing them? I'm sure you can apply this to many situations that you are involved in, like work situations, law enforcement, school activities, personal relationships, marriages, rearing of children and many others too numerous to mention, but above all others consistency in political activities. Wouldn't it be a wonderful life if we all did what we know is right and acted accordingly in a consistent and meaningful manner?

The more I watch the "Dog Whisperer" program, the more I see applications in our daily life's and daily situations. So if you haven't seen this program, I think it is worth your time and effort to watch it at least once and apply the thinking in your daily life.

Dog Rules
1. You are the leader of the Pack
2. Your rules must be enforced
3. You must be consistent in enforcement of rules
4 You must be calm and in control
5 You must demand submissive behavior in your pack
6. You need to channel your pack's energy
7 You need to trusted by exhibiting control and protection of your pack
8 You must exhibit a calm and controlling manner – not rash and harsh
9. You must maintain order
10. You need to be reasonable in your application of the rules

These rules are my interpretation of what I have seen on this program "The Dog Whisperer" and my real life situations application. You may not agree with everything that I say here, but that is your prerogative. I do, however, think that the main thoughts will be consistent with mine or if not if some or all of this line of reasoning is applied in your life, you will find that things will work out a lot better for you and your " Pack".

P. S. Doesn't this remind you of how your dad treated you – at least most of the time?
Big Al

***

Mallory's "Take"

Hi, I am Mallory Kerst. I am 9 years old and I attend Williamsport Elementary School. My teacher is Mrs. McDonald and she will be moving at the end of the school year. She will be moving to Georgia where her husband is currently teaching a writing class. I am really going to miss my teacher. My friend Josie is sad too. All of the kids in my class talk about how they will miss Mrs. McDonald. I bet she has taught a lot of people in this town. My teacher really likes horses. She goes horseback riding a lot in her free time. Mrs. McDonald has taught 4 of my cousins and the cool thing is that she has taught my class for two years now! I hope that she has fun in Georgia and gets the job that she wants.
Next week I will be giving my "take" on the Potholes in warren county. Please look for my story!

***

FYI

Mallory's article was suppose to be in last weeks paper, but due to computer operator error it was not. This young lady is a joy to talk with. She is very articulate and bright.

We will be enjoying a colunn here by Mallory for a while. The extent hasn't been determined yet. I think that will be up to Mallory. But I think it will be of interest to all of us to see our community throught the eyes of this bright young lady.

I hope you all enjoy her articles as much as I do.. I am looking forward to hearing her "take" on the pot holes. It is one of my favorite spots in Warren County.

Donna Sullivan
owner/Editor

***

CRYTOQUOTE
RVZTLFR
EXAMPLE
To solve the puzzle, one letter stands for another. As in the word "EXAMPLE" above "R" stands for "E". Sentence structure and grammar rules and sentence structure are another clue.

BXJZ XN KVW Q LHVGBZ WV GZ NVBFZM,
GDW Q HZQBXWR WV GZ ZTLZHXKYZM. -
NVHZK SXHSZGQQHM

Last Weeks Answer
If you can't win, make the fellow ahead of you break the record.
-- Anonymous
Here's a tip on this weeks puzzle: Z = E

***

TOWN CRIER
Your Community Events

WEST LEBANON -Community Clothing Room - Free Clothing. Nazarene Church 503 High Janet Booth 893-4989 Margo White - 762-6319.

ATTICA AMERICAN LEGION VFW POST 52 has Bingo each Thursday evening starting at 6:30 pm. Fish Fry every fourth Saturday from 5:30 - 7:30 pm, Public Welcome.

UMC FOOD PANTRY will be om Service at the Williamsport Methodist Church starting Wednesday, January 14, 10 am to Noon and Wed. Jan. 21, 6-8pm. WARREN COUNTY RESIDENTS ONLY.

WARREN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: - meets the second Tuesday of every month at the Warren County LEDO office in Williamsport at 4:00pm. For more information call Jamie White at 762-6055. chamber@warrenadvantage.com

VEEDERSBURG - Food Pantry Operation Ministries (Church of God Ministry Center), 702 W. Second t. (765)294-5740. Food Pantry and Thrift Store Hours - Thursday & Friday 2-6 pm, Saturday, 9 - noon.

Fountain/Warren County - VFW holds Bingo every Friday at 7pm., and AYCE Fish and Chicken Fry the 2nd Friday of each month from 4:30 - 6:30.

Friday, Jauary 23, 2009

2009-01-29T11:04:00.003-06:00

HISTORY OF THE SHAWNEE IN INDIANA
By: Donna Sullivan & Mallory Kirst

The name Shawnee means "southerner". It was said that the Shawnee, a large and united tribe were on of the early historic groups of southern Indiana, but this has been questioned due to conflicting reports. The Shawnee considered the Delaware the "grandfathers" of the Shawnee tribe and the source for all the Algonquin tribes.

The Shawnee were living in northwestern Indiana by 1788, but some bands of the tribe roamed around Indiana and in April of that same year, Kakinathucca’s band were hunting and making sugar in the southwestern part of Indiana. When the sugar making was done they the moved toward Vincennes, near where the Ohio and White Rivers meet and here the women of the tribe planted their crops. The men of the tribe were warriors and the care of the crops was the responsibilities of the women. Many of the tribal ceremonies were centered around the agricultural cycle. In the spring when it was time to plant they performed the corn dance. When the crops were ripe they did the Green Corn Dance and at harvest time it was the Autumn Bread Dance to celebrate the harvest. When the harvest was done the band moved again, north toward Fort Wayne.

It was in the village near the White River where the Shawnee "Prophet" had his vision and he and his brother started their campaign among the central woodland tribes for the tribes return to the native way of life. The Prophet gained many followers but only a few Shawnee supported his ideas.

The Shawnee were divided into five divisions, the Pekowi, Chalakatha, the Theawikila, Kispola, and Miskohe. Each division had their own war chief, peace chief, woman chief, messenger and sacred bundle.

The Chalakatha and the Pekowi had established villages in Indiana and Tecumseh and his brother the Prophet belonged by birth to the Kishpolo division.

The tribal chiefs were chosen from either the Chalakatha or the Thawikila divisions. Each division was divided into a number of partilatineal or gens groups. An individual’s name referred directly to some the animal or a characteristic of the animal that the gen took their name.

***

A FAMILY REMEMBERS

Perry Beaver, the name that was later changed to ‘Beever’, is the great grandfather of Mallory Kirst, who resides in Williamsport, Indiana. With the help of her grandmother, Mallory has begun to learn her Native American Heritage. In an interview with Mallory this last week she provided me with information about her great grandfather. This is the idea that sparked the plan for the article on the History of the Shawnee in Indiana.

Perry Beaver was born December 28, 1830, in Champaign County, Ohio and died at the age of 57, "8 months and a few days". He and his wife Margaret Ann had 11 children and lost six of the children in infancy.

We don’t know what tribe of Shawnee Perry Beaver was a part of. But given what the story of the History of the Shawnee in Indiana states, I would say that Perry Beaver was a member of the Beaver Tribe.
It is good to see young people interested in their heritage and parents and grandparents taking an interest in helping them to preserve it.

A lot of Native American heritage has been lost, due to fear. There was a time when a Native American was not allowed to own land and it was taken away from them. So many of them claimed to be other nationalities, and only spoke in whispers of their heritage. This has been the case in my own family history research and makes that research very difficult to complete.

The Native American’s are a proud people and it is a shame that their heritage may be lost.
What can we do? Write it down as Mallory’s grandmother has done for her, get a tape recorder and let your parents and grandparents talk. Preserve the family history and story line. I have many cassettes of my grandfather and grandmother speaking into a recorder that they had forgotten was there. I have played this for my grandchildren, two of them that didn’t get to know them. It was a joy to share this with them. But the point is, this is a history that will go on. Will yours?

***

Whispering Willow
By: Willow

A few weeks ago I asked for you as readers to send me stories or recipes. I received a few responses to the recipe request and I thank all of you very much. Surprisingly, I didn’t receive much response to the request for stories. That is until the Christmas Holidays I received a letter from Mallory Kiest. Mallory is nine years old. She has been reading my paper for a long time. She said in her letter she had an idea for a story, so I met with Mallory and her mother last Saturday.

I was very impressed with this young lady. She knew what she wanted to talk about and the conversation moved along swiftly. Her idea was a story about her grandfather, xxxxx Beever. Her grandfather was a member of the Shawnee tribe of the Alquonquin Indian tribe. She brought with her some information about her family history.

So I went online and researched the Shawnee, our story appears as the main article this week. Mallory shares my byline this week because she helped me research the material in the story.
The best part of the meeting was when Mallory asked if she could write an article in my paper that would be of interest to her age group. This idea appealed to me, so I explained what we would need to do to print her article in the paper every week

On Monday evening I received Mallory’s first article by email. The column is written by Mallory in her own words, and is entitled "Mallory’s Take". She informs us that she already has an idea for her next column. I hope you enjoy reading Mallory’s article. She has put a lot of thought into what she has to say. I think we can look forward to more interesting article from this young lady.
Be Blessed
Willow

***

Willows Garden
By: Willow

"Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food." Hippocrates

BURDOCK

Burdock is also known as Beggar’s Buttons, and Coltbur. It is credited by the Hawaiians known there by its Japanese name gobo, with the ability to increase strength and endurance. Hawaiians who need stamina to perform some arduous task have been known to repeat the popular expression, "I need gobo." The Burdock is a sturdy plant, its Latin name Actium derives from the Greek work meaning "bear," is found in many countries all over the world. Various cultures have discovered its versatility in culinary as well as medicinal.

The burdock plant is alternately despised as a troublesome weed and sought out as a cherished healing herb. As far as troublesome is concerned it not only can take over a garden when introduced, but when you dog comes home with the little hitchhikers tangled in their fur, it is a real problem untangling them. It was introduced into North America by early European settlers, it grows along roadsides, in ditches, hedgerows, and waste places throughout most of the United States and Canada. It also grows in Asia, and particularly Japan where it is cultivated as a healing plant.

This is a biennial plant with long dull green stalks and large, up to 12 inches long, oval leaves with many veins. The leaf resembles rhubarb because of their size, shape and wavy edges and the underside is gray, covered with a fine down. The stalks and leaves are usually stripped with purple patterns. In it’s second year of growth, fuzzy looking purple blossoms top the thick seed stalks that can grow up to 3 feet high. Those pesty little hitchhikers, the burs, follow the flowers. These burs are covered with bristly stickers that make them stick like Velcro. The plant sends down a long thick taproot, which is the part that is used medicinally.

To plant burdock, though I can’t imagine why anyone would see the need to since they are so easy to identify and grow so prolifically in this area, set seeds ¼ inch deep in rows that are about 2 feet apart. When the seedlings establish, thin them to about 6 inches apart. The plant thrives in a deep bed of well-rotted compost, manure, sawdust, leaf mold, wood chips, and other light loose material. Sawdust is an especially good addition to the bed because it increases porosity and makes it easier to pull up the roots. Fine would chips would also help. If the bed is too shallow or not porous enough, the roots well are very difficult to dig up, since they grow to over 12 inches long. A thin spade or posthole digger can help unearth stubborn roots.

For medicinal reasons, treat the burdock as an annual by harvesting its roots at the end of the growing season in the plants first year of growth. Follow the drying procedure I have given in the past for the drying of roots. The leftover tops make an excellent mulch and compost ingredient.

In China and Japan the burdock root is not only consumed because of its excellent taste but also for its strengthening and nutritive qualities. The fresh root is skinned and sliced into thin rounds and added to soups, vegetables, stir-fries, and meat dishes. A rich tasting miso broth, fortified with sea and land vegetables, including burdock is a classic Japanese soup. To make this simple soup see this weeks recipe. The nutritional benefits of burdock and those of the seaweed which contain 10 to 20 percent more minerals than land plants make this a very healthy soup.

Europeans and Americans alike enjoy the leaves and stalks of the burdock as a vegetable. You can gather the tender young leaves of the first year burdock in early spring. Blanch them in water, and use them as a salad vegetable. Peed and served in a salad or cooked like asparagus, the young leaf stalks also make a good savory vegetable dish. When the plants reach their second year of growth the immature flowers stalks can be peeled to yield a tasty pith. Remove all parts of the outer rind and cook this pith like the roots.

In addition to its culinary uses, burdock has some long-standing medicinal applications. Burdock leaf poultices have been used for centuries to treat gout in Europe and China. In Chinese medicine, the seedpod is dried and used for colds and coughs, swelling of the throat, boils and measles. Both the European and Chinese herbalists have long considered burdock roots lightly warming, moistening effect an excellent tonic for the lungs and liver, and a good blood purifier. When the leaves are used in an infusion or a decoction of the root, it is traditionally used as a wash for various skin problems, including ringworm, acne, measles rash, and burns. This sturdy plant the Burdock’s nourishing and healing properties make it a very valuable plant.

Be Blessed
Willow

***

Spinach Stuffed Shells
REPRINTED BY REQUEST
1 pkg. (10 oz) chopped frozen spinach, frozen and drained
1 ½ c. nonfat ricotta cheese
½ c. grated Parmesan Cheese
2 eggs
3 gloves garlic, finely chopped
1 t. dried oregano
½ t. salt
½ t. dried basil leaves
½ t. dried marjoram
¼ t. ground black pepper
24 cooked large pasta shells
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 13x9-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Combine spinach, ricotta, and Parmesan Cheese, eggs and seasoning in a large bowl. Spoon mixture into cooked shells and place shells in prepared pan. Top with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. Bake 20 minutes or until cheese melts.
Makes 4 servings

***

According To Big Al...
"Listen to what I mean... not what I say."

BASEBALL

When I was a child growing up in Wisconsin we all played softball. Now softball was what is now known now as 12" fast pitch softball. Nearly everyone in our rural one- room school played ball whenever we got the chance. The school normally supplied us with a bat and ball. Most of the players had no gloves. The catcher would normally have a catchers mitt and most of the time the first baseman had a fielder's glove – the rest depended on how much money the kids had to get one of their own,although it wasn't considered necessary to have a glove, indeed sometimes it was considered being a "sissy" to use a glove. You see mom and dad never used one when they were kids.

Nearly everybody in our little one room school of less than 20 students had to participate in the game on order to form a team. This means you might have a few older 7th and 8th graders on your school team, but the majority of your team was 5th and 6th graders or less. It also meant that most of the girls played on the team also. As you might expect the teams were not very high on talent nor ability, but their was a lot of participation and team spirit. There was never any kind of schedule to play a ballgame, it was whoever was interested in playing, in the form of "workup" where you were at bat until you made an out, then you went in the outfield, and "worked" back up thru whatever positions were being available with the number of players. It meant playing the outfield then the infield then pitching and back to hitting. It was a rather loose game because it depended on how many people were playing. As a rule you only had two hitters, which meant you had to drive the other batter home or he was out. If you only had 2 or 3 players not at bat, you might have 1 or 2 outfielders and one infielder. Many times you had no infielders and the "Pitchers Hand" was out. This meant the batter had to get to first base before the pitcher got his hand on the ball. This meant everybody playing had their turn at different positions and developed their skills (hopefully). The playing field was nothing more than an area where the grass was cut by one of the local farmers with a hay mower, and the infield was grooved from the previous years of playing. You never knew which way the ball would bounce.
I am constantly amazed a t how nicely conditioned the fields are today with no one playing on them unless it isan organized game. In my day there was no organization of the games. Some student or parent or teacher would make contact with someone else in a neighboring school to schedule an impromptu game or a game involving the students and parents would be played at the annual spring picnic. There was no organized games like we have now. There was one exception that I can remember and that was 4H ball, but this involved young people (adults) and not kids. I remember seeing a pitcher playing for the opposition using what was known then as a "Windmill" pitch. His ball was delivered with great speed and no one on our team could hit him. I went home and started practicing this method of pitching with my brother as the catcher. We practiced all summer long and when we went back to school in the fall, the other kids were amazed at how fast I could pitch. The other kids were intimidated by my speed and wildness. Today you see this same thing in girl's softball but it was quite rare back then.

When we moved to Chicago, we were unable to comprehend what softball was to the "Chicagoans". They used a 16" ball and had to pitch it slow. No one used a glove and they played it in the city streets. Today this is known as an "Old Man's" game. When we showed the kids our small 12 softball, most of the kids thought of it as baseball. No one would play our type of ball, mostly because we could hit it too far for conditions I suppose. We changed our allegiance to baseball whenever we got the chance to play. But we got a bitter taste in our mouths from playing the local kids, because they all played right field was an out, not a foul ball and all my brothers and I were left handed hitters. It did serve one purpose thou – we learned to become switch-hitters.

Later when we moved to Calumet City, there were a lot of empty lots and undeveloped land and my brothers and I went about to make us a baseball diamond so we could play baseball. We had to clear the fields and mow the weeds and grass with an old-fashioned reel-type push mower. We had no power mower. It was a lot of work getting the field in shape and a never-ending job keeping it in relatively decent shape. Was it any wonder that all of us Martin's were in pretty good physical shape?

Big Al

***

Silver Island

Taken From The Wabash Valley News Jan. 14, 1987

Silver Island - The very name rings of mystery and hidden secrets.

Located in the southwest corner of Fountain County in Fulton Township, the island is about five miles long and 1 ½ miles wide. It is bounded on the west by the Wabash River and on the north, east and south by what is called locally, the Swail Branch and Coal Creek.

For about 35 years, from 1830 to the end of the Civil War in 1865, the Wabash and Erie Canal passed along the eastern side.

No one seems to know how the island received its name. One legend says Indians, returning from the Battle of Tippecanoe (near Lafayette) buried silver.

Another says an Indian chief paid a white man in silver coin to marry his daughter. The man did marry the Indian maiden, but soon left here. Before he slipped away, he buried the coins.
Aaron Fitz Randolph and his wife Margaret Carmon, settled the island in 1818 and built a brick house which is still standing. In 1893 the property was sold to the Shipman Coal Mining Co. In 1909 Elsworth and Nellie Sager bought the land. The two-story home, completed in 1832, is now owned and occupied by their descendants, Charles and Betty Smith Sager.

Aaron Randolph lll now lives across the road from the original family home. A life resident of Silver Island, he said he has plowed, hunted and "lived a lifetime here without ever finding a single silver coin".

The island has no villages nor towns. One road, running north and south, connects farms located on either side.

Some believe the island was so named for it’s geological treasures.
Some of the area’s finest building stone was mined here in the late 1880’s. Rich coal from thick veins from under the rock was used to heat homes for over 100 years. Sand and gravel from roads has been mined on the island since 1900’s. Farmers will tell you the soil has produced, over the years, millions of bushels of corn, wheat, oats, and soybeans.

For those that call it home, Silver Island is a place of treasures untold.

***

DINKY RAILROAD

The Dinky Railroad was a short narrow gauge railroad that was built by Wabash Clay Company for hauling shale from the shale pits to its factory. The railroad crossed Coal Creek immediately south of the highway that was known as the "Dinky Bridge". Then the road proceeded northward, on the west side of the gravel road, which is directly west of the plant, where the shale was dumped. A wreck occurred in 1914 on the Dinky Railroad and engineer Elbert Gillis was killed.

***

Veedersburg

Veedersburg was first laid out by Peter S. Veeders, Christopher Keeling, Franklin Yerkes, and W. .D. Cockran. It was incorporated in 1872. The town was named for Peter S. Veeders. Veeders was never a resident of Veedersburg, but he did own businesses in Veedersburg and was very interested in the growth of the town. Veeders donated much of the land that is now Veedersburg and also $5,000.00 to be used for the building of the school and the residents, though there is no record of this, are said to have matched his donation.

***

BG FQK PVTTQS NBT, RVWZ SXZ GZCCQN

VXZV QG FQK HDZVW SXZ DZQJ. - VTQTFRQKM

Last Weeks Answer
Whenever a man seeks your advice, he generally seeks your praise.
--- Lord Chesterfield
Here's a tip on this weeks puzzle: Z = E

January 16, 2009

2009-01-20T19:09:00.005-06:00

THE MURDER OF VICTOR BRIGGS

PART 2

By: Donna Sullivan

SUSPECTS IDENTIFIED IN THE BRIGGS MURDER

A bus driver told the Sheriff that he had seen the Model T and could identify it, if he saw it again. So the Sheriff, Haupt and the bus driver rode around the area looking for the car. The bus driver spotted the car in a garage on a dairy farm along the Attica Hill Road.

No one was home, but the title showed the car belonged to a man named Kenneth Ratcliff of Attica. The tires matched the tracks found under the oak tree and an empty pack of cigarettes lay on the floor. They were split down the side.

Sheriff Cole’s deputy brought Ratcliff in for questioning. Ratcliff claimed he had been at his mother’s house, the night of the murder and was sick in bed. A local doctor confirmed that he had seen Ratcliff late on Tuesday; had given him medicine and advised him to stay in bed.
Although Ratcliff admitted ownership of the Model T, he claimed that neither he nor the vehicle had left Attica that night. As he was being questioned he smoked cigarette after cigarette. Sheriff Cole noticed he opened his packs from the end.

The Sheriff also checked records and found that Victor Briggs had a permit to carry the gun that was found in his sedan. On November 4, 1925, he was issued a license to carry a .38 caliber Smith and Wesson…his application stated, "Applicant desires such permit for the purpose of protection".

Sheriff Cole also knew that the victim had had some trouble in the past, when he had been shot at on his farm. The Sheriff also examined the will of Victor’s father, Joel Briggs. It was a four page document; it told that the son, Victor Briggs had received his part of the estate outright but the nephews’ portion were held in trust. Joel Briggs had made provisions for them to receive the entire estate at the age of thirty-five. But he later added that since they had shown no degree of care or ability, he was changing the trust to last all their lives. They would have no control over it.

The attorney that drew up the will was former Judge Burton E. Barry. He later became the executor of the estate when the named executor, another cousin Henry Briggs, refused.
At the reading of Joel Briggs’ will the nephews were angry. From that moment on they were unfriendly toward their uncle, Victor Briggs. The attorney told Sheriff Cole that the nephews gave him a lot of trouble, even threatened him.

One of the nephews, Clarence "Billy" Briggs, was a little guy, about five feet three inches tall. The other nephew Joel, who weighed about 180 pounds, once came into the attorney’s office and drew a gun on him.

The Sheriff received a letter from the Detroit City Police. Joel, the elder nephew had been at work in Detroit, the day of the murder. It was also learned that Billy Briggs had been in Lafayette on Tuesday, the day of the murder, but had returned to Detroit. Upon learning of the death of their uncle they were leaving Detroit to return for the funeral that was scheduled for that Saturday.

It was at this point that Cecil Haupt informed Sheriff Cole that he had known Billy for fifteen years. He also told him that Joel and Billy had come into his office about a year before, wearing guns, talking tough and threatening to kill Victor, and others. This upset the Sheriff, and Cecil explained that Billy was a sort of friend, and he had put it all down to "bluster" on Billy and Joel’s part. Sam said that since Joel was at work in Detroit at the time of the murders he was in the cleaer.

Sam asked Cecil if he knew anymore about Billy and Cecil told him he was having trouble with his wife in Danville, Illinois over his affair with a woman named Martha Brooks. She was Kenneth Ratcliff’s sister. Sam decided it was time to check on Ratcliff’s alibi again.

On South Perry Street they talked to the man who had formerly owned the land where Ratcliff’s car had been spotted. The man told the Sheriff that Ratcliff had started working for him about August 1st to help with the milking on the man’s dairy farm, and yes Ratcliff did own a 1924 Ford with a bad top. When the man was asked about the movements of Ratcliff on Tuesday and Wednesday night he told them that Ratcliff had arrived at his home at about six or six-thirty on Tuesday and ate supper then he didn’t see Ratcliff again until the next afternoon, Ratcliff said he had been sick. The farmers son told the Sheriff that he had worked with Ratcliff on Tuesday and had ridden home with him in the Model T and there was a little man, wearing a cap waiting for Ratcliff. He left the two men talking; Ratcliff came in later washed up and ate supper. Then he put on a clean shirt and left in his car. None of the family knew the man in the cap. Then Haupt said that Billy was a little man and the last time he saw him he was wearing the type of cap the family had described. They questions residents along Perry Street about the man that had been looking for Ratcliff and some of them identified Clarence "Billy" Briggs.

Back at his office Sheriff Cole instructed his deputy to bring Ratcliff in. The deputy returned empty handed the owner of the Model T and his car had disappeared.

Just after five o’clock on Saturday morning Sam was routed out of bed by two men, one an auctioneer and a stranger that introduced himself as Joel Briggs. Who said he had heard that the Sheriff wanted to talk to him. The Sheriff told Joel that he wanted to talk to him about his grandfathers will and the death of his uncle. After the auctioneer left the Sheriff’s office, Joel told the Sheriff that he had nothing to do with the murder he was at work in Detroit at the time. But he wasn’t sorry he was dead. Sheriff Cole asked Joel where his brother was: Joel told the Sheriff that Billy had stopped off in Danville to see his wife, but h e would be in the Sheriff’s office in the morning.

ARRESTS IN THE MURDER OF VICTOR BRIGGS

After Joel left the Sheriff called the Sheriff in Danville and told him to pick up Clarence "Billy" Briggs, at his home there in Danville and hold him. He told the Danville Sheriff he had a warrant for his arrest on the charge of murdering his uncle there in Williamsport.

When Billy was at the Vermilion County Jail he appeared a little nervous, but he was more than willing to talk about the case with the officers and newsmen. He told them he didn’t know how his uncle had died until his brother had picked up a Danville paper that morning when they had stopped to eat about ten miles north of Danville. He told officers that he could account for his whereabouts every day and night during the past week.

Just before noon the Sheriff and Cecil Haupt arrived at the Sheriff’s office in Danville. Joel Ratcliff had arrived before them and had brought a lawyer from Williamsport with him.

When Billy took a pack of cigarettes out of his coat pocket, Sheriff Cole and Cecil Haupt looked at each other, the package had been opened down the side. They asked Billy why he opened his cigarettes that way and Billy told them that was the way they do it in South America. When Billy got cocky Cecil Haupt told him he was in enough of a spot and didn’t realize it. Surprised Billy told the attorney that he thought he was his friend. Cecil told him that he had been but he had no time for murderers.

Back at the Williamsport Jail, they informed him of his rights and told him he could go to the funeral if he wanted to. Billy refused and told them to lock him up, he didn’t need an attorney either, that he wasn’t going to be there that long anyway.

That evening Billy agreed to talk to the Sheriff and Haupt and make a statement. The Sheriff called in someone to take it down, and Haupt, a notary, witnessed the signing of the statement.
Billy told them he left for Detroit on Tuesday, September the 25th and had stayed at his brother’s house until yesterday and hadn’t left the Detroit City limits at any time.

He also told them that he and his uncle never had any trouble with one another. He said he and his uncle visited each other and frequently took meals together. He had no reason to kill his uncle.

The Sheriff and Haupt both knew Billy was lying and figured at some point they would be able to ‘trip’ him. That evening Sheriff Cole asked Billy if he knew a woman named Martha Brooks and after a moments hesitation Billy said he did know her. Sheriff Cole asked him when he last saw her and Billy told him when he left Detroit she was visiting his brother’s house. Billy asked to speak to a man named Carl Mehaffey, who was a former officer. When Carl came to see Billy, he asked Carl about the new lie detector machine. Carl explained the machine to Billy and the Sheriff offered to set up a test for Billy, but Billy declined.

Neither Kenneth Ratcliff or his car had been found, the Sheriff told Cecil he wanted to find him so he could play him and Billy against one another, because all they had right now was circumstantial evidence and a lot of healthy suspicions. The Sheriff in Danville informed the Sheriff that no gun had been found at the home of Billy’s wife in Danville.

Cecil Haupt asked the Sheriff about the prints from shoes that the Sheriff had found. The Sheriff went to Billy’s cell. He was laying on the cell cot with his shoes off. When the Sheriff entered he picked up Billy’s shoes. The Sheriff took the shoes to where he had found the footprints and uncovered the prints. He placed the left shoe along side the print and pushed the shoe into the dirt. They were identical even down to the nail marks. Haupt was impressed and told the Sheriff he was sure Billy was the killer. The Sheriff said yes, but just one of them. He went to the second set of prints near the oak tree and compared the shoes to the smaller set of prints there. They matched again.

When they got back to the jail, in the presence of Ottinger, the Sheriff told Cecil that if they could find the woman Martha Brooks she could probably give them some information and tell them where her brother was hiding. Ottinger told them he knew her and she had been in his restaurant that morning.

The murder of Victor Briggs in October of 1928, had Warren County Sheriff, Sam Cole, deeply involved in a murder investigation. Sheriff Cole and Special Prosecutor for the investigation, Cecil Haupt, have gathered clues and suspicions as to who committed the murder. The prime suspects are a nephew of Victor Briggs, Clarence Briggs, also know as Billy, his friend Kenneth Ratcliff.

The Sheriff directed Deputy Ottinger to locate a woman named Martha Brooks. Martha had left Detroit. The deputy said he knew the woman and had seen her in a restaurant that morning.
The Deputy returned in about an hour with Martha Brooks, at first she didn’t want to cooperate with Sheriff Cole and Cecil Haupt in their questioning of her, but after she was told that since she was a known companion to Billy Briggs, she could be held as an accessory before and after the fact of the murder of Victor Briggs, she became frightened and began to talk.

She told the Sheriff and Cecil Haupt that she went to the home of Joel Briggs in Detroit on Thursday, before the murder. Billy was already there, but he left on Monday, October 1st, about nine o’clock in the morning. He said he was going to see someone that owed him money. She told the men that Billy always had a gun with him. He came back to Detroit on Wednesday evening about seven o’clock. He no longer had the gun, and he wouldn’t tell anyone where he had been. She said he didn’t leave the house again until Friday evening, when he and Joel left in the car to return to Williamsport. Billy never worked in Detroit while she was there. She said she did not know where her brother Kenneth Ratcliff was. The Sheriff told her not to leave the county and permitted her to leave the police station.

On Monday, Ratcliff was found asleep at this mother’s house in Attica. He was arrested, fingerprinted, mugged, and charged with the murder. At first Ratcliff was placed upstairs in the woman’s section of the jail to keep him away from Billy Briggs.

Sheriff Cole decided to set a trap for the killers. A telephone employee installed a Dictaphone in an empty cell behind the radiator and the other end of the wire was placed in the kitchen of the jail.

Billy was put in the cell next to the ‘bugged" cell. The next day Ratcliff was put in the cell that contained the "bug". A court reporter was put in the kitchen with headphones, she listened to Briggs and Ratcliff’s rasping voices I conversation for three weeks.

One day while being questioned by Sheriff Cole, Billy admitted he had fired his gun at his uncle, but claimed it was self-defense. After more interrogation Billy said he Ratcliff had driven to the oak tree where they parked the car. He said that Ratcliff had been with him at Victor Briggs’ home, but wouldn’t implicate him in the shooting. Clarence "Billy’ Briggs signed a confession in the presence of Special Prosecutor Cecil Haupt.

Billy and Kenneth Ratciff were both charged with the murder of Victor Briggs. They were arraigned on November 26, 1928. Kenneth Briggs pleaded not guilty and Billy stood mute.
Following a change of venue, Clarence "Billy" Briggs was tried in Benton County Circuit Court in Fowler, Indian on Valentines Day, 1929 after a sensational trail, where bullet shells, footprints, tire tracks, Dictaphone evidence and the will of the grandfather took the wind out of the defense. Clarence "Billy" Briggs changed his plea to guilty just as the prosecution led by Cecil Haupt rested their case.

Special Judge, Benjamin J. Care sentenced Billy to life imprisonment, in the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City. Billy had Haupt to thank for his sentence; it was Cecil Haupt’s suggestion to the Judge that got him life imprisonment, instead of the electric chair. Billy left the court room with a smirking smile on his face.

The star witness for the defense against Kenneth Ratcliff was Clarence "Billy’ Briggs. Kenneth Ratcliff had steadfastly denied any part in the killing of Victor Briggs. Ratcliff’s trial began on March 18, 1929. Billy was brought back from prison to testify, this time he implicated his former companion.

After twelve hours of deliberation the jury found Kenneth Ratcliff guilty of aiding and abetting, encouraging the murder of Victor Briggs.
Early Wednesday morning, March 27th he was sentenced to life in prison in Michigan City. Why this long deliberation? Several of the jurors held out for the death penalty.

Billy’s brother, Archy Joel Briggs was never prosecuted. Billy and Ratcliff appealed for parole many times, but it was never granted. The parole appeals were vigorously opposed by Warren County residents.

The End

***

Whispering Willow
By: Willow

Blizzrd of 1967

This isn’t what I had intended t write about today but you know what the say about best laid plans…

In 1967 I lived in Hammond, Indiana in my first apartment. My husband at the time had just gotten out of the service. It was just he and I and our two-year-old son Tony. Jerry left for work at about 3:00 in the afternoon of January 25, 1967. For some reason he walked to work that morning, but now that I think about it I don’t know why, he hated to walk. And we lived about a mile or mile and half from where he worked. Whatever the reason our Ford was sitting in front of the house.

I didn’t see him again for two days. It started snowing that night, Jerry was supposed to be home by 11:00 but he didn’t. Our apartment was in the rear of my aunt and uncles apartment, and our landlord lived next door. My aunt knocked on my door and it was Jerry saying he couldn’t leave the plant, because of the weather.

It was still snowing when I woke up the next morning, and Jerry still wasn’t home. By about 4:00 the evening of January 26th, Dan Rather a local weatherman on WLS TV said that the weatherman said that the worse was almost over.

We got four inches of snow in an hour and when it finally stopped snowing we have 3 feet. The winds were so fierce that it piled snow in snowdrifts of 10 feet high.

There was a small store on the end of the block from where we lived, and when we started to run out of things I would walk to the store for my aunt and I. The roads were impassable for a week. The owner of the store decided he had the advantage and on the third day he was charging 2.00 or 3.00 dollars a gallon from $1.25 or $1,50. The next day he had to close his store, someone through a brick through his front window.

Two days after the snow stopped Jerry walked home. He set about digging out the car. He dug out the driver’s side, our neighbors were digging out their vehicles as well. When Jerry got in and turned the key, the car fired up immediately. The next day we bundled up Tony and he finally got the car out to the main road. We drove to Calumet City, Illinois, about ten miles, to my parent’s house.

We made it as far as the main road in near their house, which was Burnham Avenue, which is about 6 blocks from their house. Jerry carried Tony and we walked down the middle of the street. You could tell that there were cars lining the street, you would either see an antenna sticking out of the snow or the pile of snow would be curved.

My parents lived in a slab ranch style house. The snow was up to the front windows so there was no way that they could open the front door or the back door. So my dad opened the front windows and took out the screen. He took Tony from Jerry and handed him to my mother. Then Jerry jumped down into the living room and helped me in.

The next day I took pictures of the house. The snowdrifts from the roof hung over the side and nearly touched the drift below. A friend of my parents walked two blocks and finally dug us out. We couldn’t get the garage door open either so we couldn’t get to the snow shovel. It was an interesting time. It was a time that families spent time together. They had nothing better to do; there was no TV, no radio, and certainly no driving. We later found out that if we had gotten stopped we could have been arrested. The had declared a state of emergency and no one was suppose to be on the road except in an emergency.

Be Blessed
Willow

***

According To
Big Al...

"Listen to what I mean... not what I say."

SNOW

I feel better today, I look outside and I see it snowing. Snow is beautiful, it covers all the dirt in the world. I am tired of all the rain and ice that we have had in the past few weeks. Ice causes too many accidents – people sliding into ditches and having to get someone to tow them out. My neighbors totaled their pickup just before Christmas because of the ice. Wintertime should be allocated for snow. Children love snow – maybe I am still a child. One of the things that I really missed when I moved to Chicago was the clean fresh snow. It seems that the snow in the city was dirty. When it snowed in the city, it wasn't plowed. It became dirty slush. The main streets were salted not plowed. People in the city don't know how to handle snow nor know how to appreciate it. This isn't the case for the rural population. We are equipped to handle the snow – plow it. One of the most enjoyable times I can remember of living in the city was the blizzard of 1967. We had over 24" of snow fall in a short time and people were absolutely stymied. Because no one was prepared for this event, the majority of the people became unglued. I was at work at the time and stayed there for 3 days. There is no sense in fighting mother nature. The single biggest problem was abandoned cars. The streets couldn't be cleared for all the cars left on the streets under the snow. The majority of the people had no food supplies in their homes. The local stores quickly ran out of milk and bread and people felt like there world was coming to an end. Some of the local merchants were gouging there customers – something that was not soon forgotten by their patrons – many small timers ran out of business later because of their gouging tactics.

One of the things I missed most when I lived in California, was the lack of rain and snow. It was always the same. Sunshine and 70 or 80 degrees. It was real nice when I first arrived but after about 6 months, I longed for some changes. Call me nuts but you can have too much of a good thing.

Playing in the snow was a great thrill for me when I was a kid. Making a snow man – building snow forts – snowball fights – sliding down the hills on sleds – walking in the woods with the snow falling, were all great feelings for me. Of course you need to dress up for the occasion. Something the kids in the city never seem to be able to do. We even shoveled out the driveway so we could accumulate enough snow in a pile to excavate later for our own snow house.

The best part of the whole winter was sledding. We always, it seems lived on or near a steep hill with little or no traffic. A perfect situation for sledding. By myself. With my younger brother, with my sisters or sometimes with other girls and boys, sledding was a joyful time. One of the best Christmas presents that I can remember was a new 3 passenger sled. Previously we had only a short 2 passenger sled and whoever was sitting on the rear was pushed on the way down the hill. I can remember Grampa Duddenhoeffer making a sleigh for farm chores. It was an exact duplicate of an horse sleigh only about 4 feet long. He would pull us kids around in it when we were only a few years old. Later on when he moved to the city and sold his farm. He gave us kids the sleigh. It was nice, but too big and heavy for sledding, it would have been ideal for us if we had a pony to pull it, which of course we didn't have.

One of the very best times that I can remember was building our own tobaggon out of a couple of old skis. We nailed a 2x4 lengthwise to each ski and then nailed boards about 12 inches wide to secure the two skis together. It made a very nice tobaggon and would slide down a steep hill very nicely with one problem – you couldn't steer it. This only made for more excitement. One day my cousin and I took the homemade tobaggon out after a very windy night a proceeded down a very steep hill close to his house. He was in the front and I was on the rear and the wind had crusted the snow real good so we were going down the steep hill at a very high rate of speed. Before you knew it we were approaching a deep drop-off into a creek. There also was a barbed-wire fence alongside of the drop-off. I sensed what was coming and rolled off the back, my cousin stayed with the sled and laid down on his back and disappeared under the fence and into the snow on the other side off the drop-off. Let me tell you I was scared. I thought that my cousin's head was amputated. I got up running to see if I could find my cousin. After digging in the snow for a few minutes, I located him. Fortunately he was O K, but the front of his new coat was torn where the zipper was from the barbed-wire fence as he slid under it. We considered ourselves very lucky to get out of this situation with only a torn coat. If you think that this put a damper on our sledding for that day – you are right, besides my cousin had to figure out a way to explain how his new coat got damaged without telling the truth. I had no problem.

So get out and enjoy the snow. I think I will go for a walk in the woods.
Big Al

***

Maple Sweet Potatoes
6 medium-sized sweet potatoes
1 t. salt
½ c. maple syrup
1 c. apple cider (or apple juice)
1 T. butter
½ C. Water

Boil potatoes in jackets until nearly done. Peel, slice and put into baking pan. Let maple syrup, butter, salt, cider, and water come to a boil. Pour over potatoes and bake in a slow oven (about 350 degrees) for 1 hour or until potatoes are glazed and syrup of desired consistency. Serves 6.

***

~~Willow's Garden ~~
By: Willow

"Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food." Hippocrates

In this series of articles I have been talking about the benefits of teas. I’ll continue that series with some herbs that make excellent teas. I will also include at least one recipe for that tea.

ALFALFA is indigenous to Arabia and is a member of the legume family. It has small split leaves with purple flowers like clovers and usual spiral pods. The roots of the alfalfa reach deep into the soil for minerals.

The Arabian horse is among the most prized breeds in the world. It was through their horses that the Arabians first discovered the virtues of alfalfa. They saw that the alfalfa made their horses swift and strong so they began to take alfalfa themselves. Alfalfa became known as the Father of All Foods.

As a nutrient tonic; alfalfa contains eight essential amino acids, vitamins A, E, K, B and D. It also contains phosphorus; iron; chlorine; sodium; silicon; magnesium; and beta-carotene.

Alfalfa is a natural diuretic and laxative, that eases water retention and cleanses you system. It improves digestion and keeps your intestinal tract in fit condition. These values make alfalfa a very useful aid for weight loss.

The vitamin K in alfalfa is necessary for blood clotting, carbohydrate storage, liver vitality, and longevity. Vitamin K is a normally manufactured by your bodies intestinal floral as a by-product of digestion and stored in the body for use. Your body needs a small amount of vitamin K, and there is rarely a lack of it, except in certain circumstances such as a habitual use of aspirin, alcohol and drug abuse, which can destroy you vitamin K supply. Also lingering intestinal disorders like colitis hampers your body’s ability to make vitamin K and the friendly flora. Antibiotics also have been known to destroy vitamin K and the friendly flora of your body. In these cases alfalfa tea can be beneficial and give your body the tune-up it needs.

The beneficial parts of the alfalfa plant are the leaves for vitamin and protein. A word of caution, alfalfa is not recommended for people with autoimmune disorders.

ALFAFAL-MINT TEA
This is a superb brew for energy and stamina. The peppermint brings flavor and synergy to the tea. Use one teabag of alfalfa and one tea bag of peppermint and steep them together. Serve in a tall glass over ice.
A tea bag usually contains 1 ox of tea. For every ounce of tea use one cup of water. So this recipe would require two cups of water.

Be Blessed
~~Willow~~

***

CRYTOQUOTE
RVZTLFR
EXAMPLE

To solve the puzzle, one letter stands for another. As in the word "EXAMPLE" above "R" stands for "E". Sentence structure and grammar rules and sentence structure are another clue.

QSZBZKZJ X DXB VZZG XPYNHZ, SZ MZBZJXCCL VZZGZ ORTJ EXNVZ. -

CRJP HSZVWZJFNZCP

Last Weeks Answer
We are all in the gutter, but some of us are
looking at the stars. -- Oscar Wilde

Here's a tip on this weeks puzzle: Z = E

DISCLAIMER:
The Articles written here do not necessarily reflect the opinions of all the writers or the owners of this publication. The articles are the opinions of each individual writer. They are not meant to cast judgment or take away from anyone else's opinion. If you would like to have your open stated here, submit you article By e-mail alittlebit@willowenterprises.net,and state your own opinion. It will be printed according to content, language and availability of space. All articles must be signed by the writer.
Also, the staff of A Little Bit News Publ. does not claim to be experts in the topics they write about. No one claims to be in the medical field. The herbal and medical articles written here are what we personally have found to work for us. We write these articles for your information and to pique your curiosity. It is up to the individual to critique the information and decide what steps to take.

January 9, 2009

2009-01-20T18:47:00.002-06:00

THE HUNT FOR THE CRIMINAL

A man in a restaurant handed these two stories to me a few months ago. He didn’t know what paper it was from, and said they were found in an old dresser he was clearing out to get ride of. The only thing hand written on the copy paper was the date, September 1926.

Ohmer L. Stewart, former Warren County Sheriff and member of the Weinhardt Detective Agency of Lafayette was on the scene a few minutes after the shooting. As soon as it was evident nothing could be done to revive Mr. Dutcher the matter of hunting down the criminal was given immediate attention.

DOZENS OF CITIZENS volunteered to scout the country. Men armed with guns and fire arms of all kinds were sent out to watch the roads, bridges, and all possible avenues of escape. The National Guard of Attica were summoned. Member of the Horse Thief Detective Association responded to the call. Within two hours of the tragedy guards were on duty for miles around.
A kennel of blood hounds was ordered from Decatur, Ill. This arrived about six o’clock Sunday morning. The utmost precaution was taken that the tracks of the fugitive should not be duplicated before the dogs go the scent. Unmistakable evidence was found of where he had gone down the hill into the ravine near the Wabash depot. At this place the blood hounds were started on the trail. The followed it with eager zest for only a short distance. Then it seemed they became lost in hopeless bewilderment. After several hours of futile effort all hope of accomplishing anything with the blood hounds was abandoned.

A GREAT NUMBER of men then invaded the river bottoms through which Ratcliff is supposed to have fled and where it was thought by some that he might still be hiding. Every foot of ground was carefully gone over without finding any trace of the slayer. Armed me by the dozens were now in evidence everywhere. Every highway in western Indiana was being patrolled Sunday and motorists were being halted by uniformed guards. Automobiles were being searched for Ratcliff to prevent his possible escape from the state. The vigilance was kept up all during the night on Sunday night.

The discomfort and suffering of some of mosquito bites were something terrible. In several cases swollen hands and faces nearly made the persons unrecognizable. Their suffering was something terrible. Hamilton became sheriff by law upon the death of Avis Dutcher until his successor was named. The Warren County Commissioners were in Williamsport Sunday morning by daylight and in conference with the county auditor J.W. Franklin and county attorney Ele Stansbury. Their first action was to offer a $1,000.00 for the capture of Claire Ratcliff, dead or alive. This reward did not concern the local searches but of it was a duty to offer it in that it might stimulate interest in the case a distance in case the fugitive might make his get away.

An S.O.S. call was sent out all over the country to police officers, detective agencies and others. A thousand postal cards have just been printed with a picture and description of Ratcliff and are being mailed out. Instead of interest in the capture of the fugitive abating the determination to get him is growing. Men with set jaws and piercing eyes are saying, "we must get him."

***

POSSEE CONTINUES UNRELENTLESS SEARCH FOR CLARE RATCIFF,
MURDER OF SHERIFF AVIS DUTCHER

Warren County Sheriff Avis Dutcher Killed In The Line of Duty
September 18, 1926

Avis Dutcher, the courageous, honorable Sheriff of Warren County for the past three and a half years was shot to death Saturday night about 11:30 o’clock on the main business street of Williamsport by Claire Ratcliff, a desperate character whom the sheriff was attempting to place under arrest. Ratcliff was out of the reformatory on parole and was not conducting himself as a decent law abiding citizen. Sheriff Dutcher had made previous plans to arrest Ratcliff and his appearance in town Saturday night aroused considerable excitement in anticipation of his arrest.

THE SHERIFF net up with his man about eleven o’clock at night and they engaged in a conversation. Ratcliff demanded to know what charges were against him and who it was that had filed the complaints against him to the grand jury and that he was ready and willing to pay any fine that was against him.

Sheriff Dutcher informed Ratcliff he did not know how much of a fine was against him. While the two men were in conversation over this matter, day Marshall, Lee Brier came upon the scene. The sheriff asked the Marshall to search Ratcliff for fire arms. Marshall Brier passed his hands over the back and hips, and breast of Ratcliff and reported he was not armed.

It was then they agreed they would go up to the McCabe law office and look up the probable fine. The three men walked about 30 feet when Ratcliff protested he would not go up the stairway and declared he would not submit to arrest but would shoot it out with them. He backed up his claim by pointing the barrel of his pistol out through the front of his trousers which was a warning to the officers that they had been mistaken in their examination for fire arms on him.
RATCLIFF PROPOSED that he would go to McCabe’s residence and fix up any charges pending against him. The three men walked to Ratcliff’s Ford Roadster which was parked just in front of Spear’s Grocery. Ratcliff to into the car and Sheriff Dutcher got in next to him. Marshall Brier next got in.

Just then Sheriff Dutcher threw his arms about Ratcliff and said, "Now we’ve got him, com on Lee." The two men struggled in the car for a few moments and Ratcliff threw himself over the car and jerked himself loose from the sheriff who was holding him by the wrist. Marshall Brier reached over Sheriff Dutcher and struck Ratcliff with his club.

When Ratcliff struck the ground he jumped up and exclaimed, "No you haven’t go me," and pulled out his gun and fired at Sheriff Dutcher who was still in the car. Several shots were fired one of which passed through the sheriff’s abdomen and the other entered at the base of his arm and possibly penetrated the heart. Mr. Dutcher rolled out of the car and exclaimed, "get him, he got me; send for the doctor." He walked up the side walk and sank down on a cushion prepared for him on the side walk and died in a few moments.

RATCLIFF RAN DOWN street; ran around the rear of the bank and was seen no more. Marshall Brier fired a few shots at the fugitive as he was rounding the corner but none of the took effect.
The scene at the Dutcher home when the news reached there of the shooting was most heart rending. Mrs. Dutcher had retired and was not aware of the awful tragedy until messengers arrived and informed her that her husband had been shot. She dressed hastily and ran out in to the street without putting on her shoes. She was not aware that her husband’s life was ebbing away as she was fleeing to his side. Sympathic friends did all that was human aid could do to alleviate her grief.

WHEN ALL HOPE WAS gone that the life of Avis Dutcher had departed, loving hands carried his remains to the house where he had been but a few hours before the loving father and husband of the home circle.
The remaining family consists of Mrs. Dora Dutcher who had made the race for Sheriff in the primary last spring; Lola, who just began teaching school the Goodwine school near Five Points last Monday; Thelma, who is a freshman at the Williamsport high school; Arnold, ten years, Dorothy, 5 and Samuel 18 months old.

***

According To Big Al...

"Listen to what I mean... not what I say."

BOWLING

When I moved to Chicago in 1954, I was a newspaper delivery boy. I delivered about 100 papers daily. The paper was the Hearald American, a now defunct paper. It was one of the ways I earned money for my personal needs, wants and desires. My younger brother also had a paper route with about 40 papers. We each knew the others route so we could fill in for the other if the need came up.

This was one of the few pluses that I can remember for living in Chicago. We hated it. We only lived there for a little over a year before we moved to Calumet City. When we moved to Calumet City, we were temporarily out of spending money. Our buddy Marty suggested that we (Sam and I) start setting pins in the local bowling alley.

This was 1955 and there were no automatic pin spotters - it was done by pin boys. Normally each pin boy would set up the pins on 2 alleys. You would set pins for 2 leagues (early and late) and sometimes you had to set pins for open bowlers afterwards if needed. This made for a late schedule (1to2) in the morning for you to get up to go to school in the morning. Needless to say your schoolwork suffered. It also meant that you couldn't participate in extracurricular activities in school.

Marty took Sam and I under his wing and showed us how to set pins. We only set pins on one alley each at first and could cover for each other and sometimes for Marty. It was a very strenuous job - particularly hard on your back. We earned about $3.00 each night per lane for two leagues. We tried to set pins only part time, but then you didn't have a job when you wanted it, so in order to make sure you had a job, you had to set pins nearly every night of the week, especially weekdays. There was a "Relief Setter" most of the time and it was his job to give a break to the setters. Sam and I seldom need this unless we were setting doubles. Most of the time we set single so we wouldn't have to wait on the relief man, and it was a lot less strenuous on us. I was able to set doubles in short order but Sam was 2 years younger than me(13) so most of the time I didn't set doubles so Sam had a job too. After we had been setting for some time we both set doubles.

After the leagues were finished up and there was little or no open bowlers, some of the pin boys would bowl. This was normally 1 to 2 in the morning and I was too tired to participate so I sat pins for over a year before I even tried to bowl. I would always watch the good bowlers to see how they bowled, their form and style. In those days a 180 average bowler was a very good bowler. This was in the days of hard rubber balls with little to no hook. You bowled off the corner with speed into the pocket. When I finally did bowl a game, I bowled a 150 game. I never improved much from this. Later in my life when I started bowling on a league, I had a 150 plus average. I bowled for many years at this level. My buddy Marty said I need to buy a finger tip ball to improve my game and learn to throw a curve. Well I bought a finger tip with side weight, but I still couldn't throw a curve. With more practice and different balls, I finally managed to get into the 160's. Finally after bowling for many years I purchased a "Cobra" wrist support and after much practice and futility, I finally managed to throw a small hook. The problem then was and still is I might add, is I had a real problem of picking up the 10 pin.

When I worked at Cargill I sponsored and was captain of our team for at least 5 years. At this time it was very hard to get a spot on a league and especially hard to get on an early league. Once you secured a spot you didn't want to vacate it. This was in the 70's and 80's. How different it is today when you have a hard time to get someone to bowl. During all these years of bowling, I was never a very accomplished bowler. My highest average ever was a 185 at a house that was known for 300 games and stacked lanes. This means if you threw a ball anywhere between the 2nd and 3rd arrow, it was almost surely a strike. Today I have about a 165 average and have had that for about the last 20 years. I guess I should be happy to maintain that, but then one should never sit on his laurels. I have had to go to a lighter weight ball now (14 and 15lbs) instead of the old time standard of 16 lbs. I believe that I should still be able to be a 200 average bowler and one day shoot my 300 game which has eluded me my whole life - Maybe if I would learn to pick up the 10 pin consistently?

Big Al

***

Willows Garden
By: Willow

"Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food." Hippocrates

As you get to know the true nature of herbs, and the lore and legends that reveal their healing properties, you’ll find that you have a down to earth bounty in you kitchen garden and even in your floral garden.

As you become an informed consumer of herbs you find several tools you can use. Each profile of the herb contains the common name of the herb and where its appropriate, other names in common use that the herb might be called.

The Latin name of the herb signifies the official use of the herb. Such as rosemary, there are many varieties of rosemary, not all of them are medicinal, only the rosemarianus officinalisis considered medicinal herb. Seeing the Latin name ‘officinalisis’ in a list of ingredients insures you that you are getting the herbal remedy. This also protects you from false claims. Any prepackaged herbal tea or form of herbal can say it uses a particular herb, but if it uses the official name then you can check that name against the official medical variety to be sure they match.

The Latin name is very important when you are seeking additional information about herbs in scientific literature, or surfing the internet for more research about herbs, as many use do today, the Latin name is very often the only name used.

The profile of each herb gives you a picture of the herb and its first-best uses. This can save you time and confusion, because so many herbs can have similar common names and similar uses. But there are only certain herbs that have the well-rounded nature that might be best for a specific use. For example, many herbs have mild diuretic properties that will help stabilize you body’s fluid balance, but the dandelion is a diuretic that also carries potassium and protects you from the loss of potassium. When you focus on the herb’s best use, you can then be more confident in choosing an effective remedy.

Caution: Herbs are a medicine, and everyone is different. An herb may be considered effective for some, but it also has properties that can be unsuitable for certain people. Just like the warning on some of the ads, be aware of the side effects of certain herbs, and since everyone is different the herb may act differently on you than it did your friend. It is better to proceed with caution and do a taste test first. Most information about herbs will carry the side effect symptoms that you should watch for. It is as important to know the reason for not taking the herb as is to know the reason to take the herb. For instance I can’t take Melatonin. Herbs that have this ingredient help to stimulate you bodies own melatonin in the sleep center of your brain, but when I take it, it is like I have taken a very strong sedative and I have trouble waking from it. I go through the day feeling sluggish and drained. When in doubt, choose the most wholesome herb with the fewest cautions or none, or just don’t take the herb until you are surer of it.
There are only certain parts of an herb that are used for medicinal purposes, and that varies from herb to herb. Get to know the herbs that you grow in your garden and their uses and the parts used, then you can be sure you are getting the part of the plant for the remedy you need.
You will be surprised to discover the rich nutrient content of many herbs, or the properties in an herb that you might not need or want. By knowing the properties of herbs you can rely on personal information instead of the ‘word of mouth’ techniques used by so many today. By knowing the herbs you want to use you can avoid pitfalls and use your herbs for their best qualities.

So sit back, make yourself comfortable and try and invigorating cup of peppermint tea and explore the wonders of herbs around you. By the way, in England, peppermint tea is considered a cure-all.

Be Blessed
Willow

***

Herbed Chicken Nuggets

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup dried seasoned bread crumbs,
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Trim any fat from chicken and cut into 1 inch cubes.

3. In a bowl beat the eggs with the water and add the chicken.

4. Combine the parsley, thyme, red pepper, bread crumbs, wheat germ, basil and ground pepper. Stir in the oil with a fork and mix well to distribute evenly. Pour seasoning mixture into a resealable plastic bag and the chicken pieces to coat.

Place coated chicken pieces on the prepared baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 10 minutes, turn the pieces and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

***

THE MURDER OF VICTOR BRIGGS

By Donna Sullivan

On Wednesday, in October of 1928 about 9:30 in the morning the town of Williamsport was thrown into excitement b y the discovery of the body of Victor M. Briggs.

Mr. Briggs was a 64 year old wealthy farmer and stockman, he was found by and Otterbein Watkins salesman. He had been called to the home to solicit business.

Mr. Brigg’s home was located at 1/8th of a mile from the main highway. The house was partially concealed by a cornfield situated between the house and the road.

The salesman did not see the body on the porch until he was inside the fenced in yard. At first he thought someone had fainted. It wasn’t until he reached the edge of the front porch and saw the pool of blood. He hurried to town and notified the Marshall, J. V. Jordon and Sheriff Sam Cole.
The Sheriff and Marshall and the Deputy Coroner, Joe Biggs, the Coroner Van Hamilton was out of town, hurried to the Briggs home. The body was ordered removed by the Sheriff and Deputy Coroner and was taken to the Boyd Undertaking establishment in Williamsport.

The body was clothed in underclothing, socks, and leather slippers, but no shirt. The front door to the house was standing open with newspapers with part of it on the porch and part of it inside the front door.

The body was lying just outside the front door with the feet about 2 feet from the screen door. It was lying at the angle from the front door with the head toward the southwest and partially on its side. The pool of blood had formed under the face and streamed down over the edge of the front porch onto the ground. Blood was still running from the nose and ears.

A .32 caliber shell was from an automatic revolver was found directly in front of the body. Another shell was found to the east end of the porch on the ground. Two more shells were found just beyond the porch. Mr. Briggs’ body was riddled with bullets. About 6-7 bullets had entered the body, one of them probably after he had fallen to the floor of the porch.

On Tuesday, the night before the murder, Victor Briggs and three young ladies attended the Messner Theater in Attica. He and the 3 ladies were seen later that nigh at 10:30 at the Cottage Inn which was a small restaurant at the south end of Attica. From the time frame it was evident to the local authorities that the shooting did not happen before 11:00 P.M. The body was rigid when discovered on Wednesday morning.

It was evident that robbery was not the motive, although the safe inside the home was found open. It was a well fact that Victor Briggs did not keep any large sums of money in the house. He also still a valuable diamond ting and there was still cash in his pocket when he found.

THE MURDER INVESTIGATION CONTINUES

Who killed Victor Briggs in 1928

Mr. Briggs was found shot to death, Wednesday, October 3, 1928. It was clearly not a robbery. But it was a well know fact that Mr. Briggs’ life was in danger. One evening about a year before he had been fired on as he was going from his barn to the house.

Victor Briggs was the son of Joel Briggs who had died just two years before. Victor was a widower; his wife had died four years before. His father Joel was a wealthy man and when he died Victor and two of Joel’s grandson’s became the sole heirs. Archie Joel Briggs lived in St. Louis and Clarence "Billy" Briggs lived in Danville, Illinois. The estate consisted of about 1700 acres of land and about $50,000.00 in bonds and cash. The grandsons received about 500 acres of land each, and the inheritance of the two grandsons was put in trust. The land that Victor received was bequeathed in a life estate and upon his death would pass to his nephews.

Victor Briggs was a familiar figure on the streets of Williamsport. He was in town practically every day unless he was away on a trip.

Although Victor Briggs was a wealthy man he never flaunted his wealth in public. He recently purchased a new sports deluxe Model Buick sedan. The car was in the shed at the time of the murder, but it was later searched by the Sheriff and then brought into Williamsport. All that was found in the car was an old revolver and some papers.

An examination of the bullets that were found at the scene and in the body of Victor Briggs were revealed that they came from an old .32 caliber Colt automatic pistol. Sheriff Cole had been in charge of training soldiers in small arms and had since made a study of guns. All the technical charts and data he had collected told him that the only .32 caliber gun had the same number of grooves and had a left twist rifling was the Colt automatic.

The Sheriff and Special Prosecutor for the investigation, Cecil Haupt went back out to the Briggs farm for another look around. It was the Sheriff’s theory that Victor had come home from his date, parked the sedan in the shed and went in the house He removed his shoes and shirt and remembered he had left something in the car. So he took a lantern and went out to the car. On returning to the house he reached for the screen door and the killer shot him twice from behind. As Victor stooped over he was shot three more times. The last shot, the killer put the gun to Victor’s head and pulled the trigger. The Sheriff told Haupt that he had several suspects but would elaborate on them.

When sheriff Cole and Cecil Haupt arrived at the Briggs farm his deputy handed the Sheriff a seventh bullet. From the markings the Sheriff knew it came from a .32 Colt. But the pullet head had different markings, so the Sheriff thought there had to be two shooters, or at least two guns were present.

At an unused gate, north of the main gate, in the sandy-clay soil, Sheriff Cole found the print of a shoe. He fenced in the area around the print and covered it to use as a comparison to the shoes of some suspect. The print was extremely small and the depth of the print indicated that the person weighed about a hundred pounds.

Outside the yard was over grown with weeds. Southwest of the house, they found two places where the weeds had been flattened and showed impressions about the size of two men’s bodies
Two separate paths led off in a westerly direction from the impressions. About fifty yards south of the lane they came to a gravel road it appeared the suspects had headed down the road toward West Lebanon. About twenty yards west of the intersection they found prints made by two opposite wheels of a car in the sandy loam. The Sheriff knew that a vehicle traveling in a straight line only leaves the prints of the rear tires. The left tire was very worn and the right had a perfect BAR-U-BAR tread. Cole said the tires were 30x3 ½ which was the tire size of a Model T Ford.

The two men searched the area, for more clues and found a small empty pack of cigarettes under an oak tree. The pack had been opened in a unique way. Instead of opening on one end, the pack had been split down the side.

The other set of prints were larger and deeper, indicating a larger heavier person. They looked like a man’s work shoe, about a size eight. The Sheriff discovered the prints and covered them to protect them until he could send someone to make a moulage.

In canvassing the local farms the Sheriff learned that three members of a local family who lived the closest to Victor Briggs had heard several shots about 11:15 or 11:15 the night of the murder.
He questioned about a dozen teenagers, who had been in Attica at the basketball game that night. They said they were returning to West Lebanon after the game and had seen an old turtle-backed Model T Ford Roadster parked under the oak tree sometime between 9:30 and 10:15 p.m. It was a 1924-25 with a torn curtain in the rear.

More Next Week

***

CRYTOQUOTE
RVZTLFR
EXAMPLE
To solve the puzzle, one letter stands for another. As in the word "EXAMPLE" above "R" stands for "E". Sentence structure and grammar rules and sentence structure are another clue.

VB ZNB ZQQ RW XKB DPXXBN YPX MSGB SJ PM ZNB QSSHRWD

ZX XKB MXZNM. - SMTZN VRQFB

Last Weeks Answer
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined.
-- Henry David Thoreau
Here's a tip on this weeks puzzle: Z = E

January 2, 2009

2009-01-20T18:21:00.003-06:00

MASTODON FOUND - 1992

By Donna Sullivan

Local Farmer Makes Giant Find
While installing drainage ditch in his field, not far from Otterbein Lake near Cranberry Marsh, a local farmer by the name of Larry Schafer discover portions of a Mastodon’s lower jaw and several teeth.

While digging in the field with his backhoe he uncovered what first appeared to him to be a pop bottle. But when he took a closer look at the object he discovered he had uncovered a section of teeth that were still in the lower jawbone. The jawbone was later identified by archaeologists who were working at a dig site in Cicott Park in Warren County as a bone of a Mastodon.
Arrangements were made to excavate the site. They hoped that the Mastodon might have been preserved and would be intact in the marsh. Experts Bill Wepler Curator of Anthropology at the Indiana State Museum and the Curator in Charge and Curator of Paleobiology at the Indiana State Museum, Ron Richard, decided after four days of hard work which had left them with little to show for that they would spend a few more days digging for the Mastodon and then call a halt to the expedition.

The dig which began on Thursday, September 17, 1992 with Bill Wepler and Ron Richard, along with volunteers from Purdue, Ball State and other schools of anthropology at the site. The dig was watched anxiously by local and not so many locals who were able to find the site that was located deep in a cornfield of approximately 300 acres, as the men and volunteers dug slowly using tools that resembled trowlers. They place the soil into bucket and then the soil was screened to allow the soil to shift through and preserve any prehistoric artifacts.
There were prehistoric rock, shells and plant material as well as an additional tooth found, this time from the upper jaw of a Mastodon, but there was no bone material of any significance discovered. This puzzled everyone and had them wondering what had happened to the rest of the prehistoric animal. As Bill Wepler explained that depended on where the Mastodon had died, on scavengers, heavy rainfall, shifting soils and any number of other things that could have caused the separation of the bones. He said, " There is always a slim chance that somewhere is a tightly clustered group of bone, but maybe not. Or they could be so thinly spread out that we haven’t been able to find them."

He was also quick to point out that as hard as it is to find the remains of this one Mastodon, evidence has been found that there could be up to 100 more in the area. But you have to know where to look. "They had to have died somewhere. After the original find of the lower teeth and jaw we had hoped to find the head or hoped it had stayed close, but we didn’t," he added.
He remember on one dig for a Mastodon they found the knee and wrists joints together so they anxiously dug for the head and found nothing more. "We almost always at least find teeth, but not that time," he said.

He also says it isn’t uncommon for someone digging on their property to install drainage tile or a pond and even mining peat to come across historic bones. It is now that people are beginning to call and let them know. "I understand that it’s tough to quit in the middle of something, especially for a commercial company and just shut down and wait."
When Larry Shafer found the teeth and jaw of the Mastodon he was very careful not to disturb the area and further. Due to the Shafer family’s enthusiasm fascination with the idea of the Mastodon quickly spread
through the community.

"We’ll document what we found and try to understand as much as we can," Ron Richards said. He also said that there wasn’t a lot of hope that anything of major importance would be found.
On September 22nd, the sixth day of the excavation, the weather had changed from the rains of the day before to brisk winds and temperatures were much below the 70’s and 80’s of the week before. Where the sun had shone brightly the week before a gray gloom settled upon the spectators who had gathered around the site hoping some mystery would be uncovered.
A lot was learned from the experience although a Mastodon wasn’t found, the curators were also disappointed but they did seem pleased with what little had been found. They plan to stay in touch with Larry Shafer as he completes his drainage ditch and resumes his farming.

Whispering Willow
By: Willow

Happy New Year everyone. Welcome to 2009. I hope everyone’s holiday was a happy one. It wasn’t just the price of gas that made this holiday more enjoyable for Al and I. Although it was great to be able to travel to Lake County twice for half of what it use to cost us of what two trips would have cost us a month ago.

First we had the trip to Hobart on December 20th for the Sullivan Christmas at my sister in laws. My sister was able to be here from Florida on that day but had to fly back before Christmas Eve, so we all got together then and had a great Christmas celebration. This year we decided as a family that we would only buy for kids under 18 years old. It made the evening seem very special to watch the kids open one present at a time and acknowledge the giver.
Then on Christmas Eve we traveled to a suburb of Chicago called Hegewish, where my oldest son and family live. Again we adhered to the promise to only buy for the kids. I have 3 great grandchildren. Since I live here and they live up there we don’t get to have as much contact as I would like. As young kids usually are they are shy around strangers and sadly I was a stranger. They would cowl in their mothers arms and peek at me. But when I would reach for them they would turn and bury their heads in their parents shoulder.

But this Christmas Eve there were fewer people around. We were all sitting around the Christmas tree as my youngest grand daughter passed out the gifts. One of my great Grandson’s was sitting on the floor in front of me. He was wrestling with a package that someone had taped tight. Finally I said, "Do you want me to help you with that Max?" He sighed and without looking back at me held the package above his head. When I opened it enough so he could pull the wrapping paper off and he saw that it was a small truck he was my friend the rest of the night.
I found my youngest Great Grandson loves to be kissed, he was laying in the floor with his belly showing, I couldn’t resist, I bend and blew a bubble on his belly. He rolled and giggle and we began a kissing and bubble battle.

The other Great Grandson was having trouble communicating his wish about a small tepee tent he had received. Everyone was trying to talk to him at once so I went into the room and sat down on the floor. I began taking the tent apart and he stopped and looked at me. All he said was "yes". What he wanted was the tent taken apart and moved into the living room where everyone was. But once we got it back in the box and convinced him he needed to wait and share it with his daddy who was home sick with the flu he calmed down and we began playing with his new trucks.

That night we spent the night with Al’s daughter and his grandkids. The next morning his granddaughter woke us up to tell us Santa had come. We went downstairs and watched them go through their stocking and they each opened one gift from Santa. The rest of Al’s family began to arrive and the space around the tree began to be filled with more presents. But they too, had decided to only buy for the young kids this year. It was wonderful to watch each one of them starting with the youngest stand at the coffee table and open his gifts and thank each giver as he opened them. Then it was his sisters turn, and when she finished it went to the next oldest.

The wonderful thing about all of this, we were a part of their enjoyment. We related to them, this is what Christmas presents are for. They are for the young. The look in their eyes as each package was placed in front of them, the look of wonder in their eyes as they tore the paper away and their reaction when the realized what the gift was.

Pure and simply this Christmas was truly a joy for me. I really felt a part of the little ones eye level view of Christmas. Happy New Year Everyone and’

Be Blessed
Willow

Willows Garden
By: Willow

"Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food." Hippocrates

St. John’s Wort - Hypercium perfoatum

The St. John’s Wort is a native of Britain, Europe and Asia. It is a wild perennial that grows along roadsides, meadows and also in woody places. It has straight stems and small pale green leaves, with a wispy look to the plant. It’s delicate bright yellow flowers bloom from June to August and are dotted with oil glands that produce a red resin or violate oil, and after the blooming it produces small black seeds that have resinous scent.

The name hyperciumid Greek and translates as "over an apparition." St. John’s Wort, according to myth, was so offensive to evil spirits that one whiff of the aroma forced them to flee.
The St. John’s Wort’s name is credited to St. John of Jerusalem, who used the wort, (plant) during the crusades to heal his knights’ battlefield wounds, and to John the Baptist when he was beheaded, and the red oil from its glands represents his blood.

Patacelsus a 16th century physician inscribed the virtues of St. John’s wort as surpassing all other medicinal herbs when he wrote, "… In all formulas, there is no medicament that is so good and without the detriment without hazard, without hazard, as the healer St.Johnswort … its virtue shames all formulas…"

It is one of the finest nerviness in the herbal kingdom to restore the nervous system after prolonged periods of exhaustion and stress. When it is taken as a routine tea, it can lift depression, anxiety, and irritability, stabilize the emotions, and ease insomnia. St. John’s wort contains hypericin, which is an MAO inhibitor and stimulant for dopamine, which eases depression. The tea is cooling and bittersweet.

IN research from New York University and the Weizman Institute of Science in Israel found that hypericin and pseudo-hypericin, two of the properties in St. John’s wort , inhibited growth of HIV virus in animal studies. There are current studies underway to test the effect on humans. It is also high in flavonoids, its antiviral, antibacterial and anti fungal to fight disease.

If the tea is taken before bed it can be used to treat incontinence. It has a sedative effect to relieve the pain and the discomfort of the menses, tensions, and the depression of menopause. St John’s wort also relaxes the muscles, reduces inflammation, and eases pains in the nerves for neuralgia and neuritis.

By using a warm tea bag of St. Johns wort as a compress to relieve localized nerve pains and inflammation to strains and sprains, including tennis elbow. The beneficial parts of St. Johns wort ate the whole plant and the flowers.

St. Johns wort has been used in the treatment for bladder disorders, lung disorders and jaundice. It also has a reputation as an external application to dispel hard tumors, through the ages.

A word of caution, regular use can make you sun-sensitive so be careful during radiation therapy since it can heighten the tendency of the skin to blister and redden. It can increase blood pressure and cause headaches and nausea in some individual. It shouldn’t be used in combination with prescription; drugs, including MAO inhibitors, steroid medications, tranquilizers or over- the counter diet pills or amphetamine-like drugs. With St. Johns wort short term use is the best.

Be Blessed
Willow

German Noodle Bake
1 C. all-purpose flour 1/2 t. salt
2 eggs beaten 2 qt. water
Cheese Sauce
3 T. Butter 1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. paprika 1-1/2 c. milk
2 eggs, beaten 3 T. all-purpose flour
8 oz Swiss chees, diced

In a small bowl, combine the flour & salt. Make a well in the center & add eggs and stir together making a dough. Turn dough onto a floured surface; kneak for 5-6 minutes and divide dough in half.

Roll each portion into a 12-in.x 9-in. rectangle and dust both sides with flour; roll up, jelly roll style and cut into 1/4-in. slices. Unroll noodles on a paper towel and let dry for up to 2 hours.

In a dutch oven, bring water to a rapid boil andadd noodles, cook for 7-9 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter and stir in flour, salt and paprika until smooth;gradually add milk. Bring back to boil; cook and stir for 2 min. or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in cheese until melted. Stir in eggs.
Drain noodles; transfer to a greased 11x7 in. baking dish, cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 - 15 minutes longer or until bubbly.

Serves 8
Taken from Country Extra January 2009

According To
Big Al...

"Listen to what I mean... not what I say."

THE PEANUT BUTTER KID

Our first born was a son and my wife was an excellent mother. She was very patient with him and had him potty trained by 9 months old. He was walking at 10 months and was a very inquisitive child. It seems that he was always looking for something to snack on. At a very early age he was trying to make himself something to eat. We did not usually have snack foods around the house. One of Blane's favorite foods was pancakes (or panny cakes as he referred to them). He was less than a year old when he got some eggs out of the refrigerator and cracked them on the floor and was going to make himself some panny cakes. I was at work when he did this so our neighbor Charlie bought some more eggs to replace the ones he cracked on the floor. I was kept in the dark about this episode until later on. We had a wooden kitchen table and the legs were secured with some large square headed screws. Blane would get under the table and manage to work them loose with his little fingers. I don't know how many times I tightened them up with a wrench, but it wouldn't be long and Blane had them loose again. I know this sounds impossible but its true. I don't know how he was able to do this at such an early age without the use of any tools, but I do know that he has an incredibly strong grip today which he uses while he plays his drums.

Our second son Eric was born when Blane was 2 years old so they shared many things together and were constant playmates. Prior to Eric being born, we placed Blane in a bed of his own so that the crib would be vacated and Blane wouldn't feel like Eric was taking his bed. Blane and Eric slept in the same room when Eric was only a few months old. Blane was a big help in the training of Eric – He was the ideal older brother. One day when Eric was about 6 months old, and was sleeping in his crib, Blane got into his crib with Eric. For some reason Blane started pulling out the cotton stuffing in the mattress. When we heard Eric screaming we went to their room and there sat Eric on a little piece of what was left of the mattress in the corner of the crib. Of course Blane was back in his bed but Eric was afraid he was going to fall because there was nothing left of his mattress. It was at that point that we decided that they would sleep together in Blane's bed.

One day when Blane was about 3 years old, we heard a disturbance in the kitchen and the kids bedroom. I got up to investigate. When I got their bedroom, I found Blane sitting in the corner with a big jar of peanut butter between his legs and a packet of crackers and a knife. He was having a snack at 3 A.M.. I got out the camera and took a picture before Blane was aware that we onto his little scheme. Now the amazing part of this story. The peanut butter jar was kept in in a cabinet above the refrigerator. It was one of those super duty jars and weighed about 5 pounds. We had stools in our kitchen, but that wasn't nearly tall enough to get to the top of the refrigerator. How he managed to get to the cabinet above the refrigerator and get out the huge jar of peanut butter out and get it down without dropping it we never could figure out. It was not an easy task for my wife to get out and we put it up there so Blane wouldn't get to it, but he fooled us. We let him finish his snack before we put the crackers and peanut butter back – we thought he deserved it for what he went through to get it.

When Eric got older, Blane and Eric were always getting into something. I found out that if I gave them something do while I was working that it would help to cut down on what they got into. One day I was working on a 1950 Ford in our attached garage. It was a very small garage so there wasn't much room to work let alone have space for Eric and Blane to be able to work with me. I was working on an engine and was using a head gasket compound. When I got home from work that evening they had painted their camel "Clyde", a rocking horse with the compound that I had been using. Now you can't wash off this material with soap and water, nor can you wash it off with kerosene, you have to use lacquer thinner. Well, I got a little lacquer thinner. A rag and took Clyde and the two boys outside to clean up their rocking horse. It was a pretty nasty job which they didn't like to much but they got most of the compound off Clyde before I finished it up for them afterwards, but it was the last time old Clyde got a paint job. The moral of the story was this – when you are doing some work let your kids get involved in some way or you will pay for it later.

If you think that was the end of their painting? Wrong. Later that summer I was doing some outside painting on the front of the house. I was in a hurry and neglected to let the two boys help me. When I got back from work the next day the front end of the 50 Ford had a new coat of white paint from a can and stick I had been using the day before. I'm not sure sometimes who was teaching who?

I learned to give the boys a little project whenever I was working. Buy them real tools not fakes so they can do some real work. Give them the leftover wood and nails so they can make something. I couldn't keep nails in my garage as the two boys were growing up. They made a little play house in the back yard and later another one in the nearby woods. It brought back memories of when I was young and did the same thing. I always encouraged them - maybe that is why they are both carpenters today?

Big Al

CRYTOQUOTE
RVZTLFR
EXAMPLE
To solve the puzzle, one letter stands for another. As in the word "EXAMPLE" above "R" stands for "E". Sentence structure and grammar rules and sentence structure are another clue.

BX JXQGNPZQRDC NQ RMZ PNHZJRNXQ XK CXVH PHZTLF.

DNWZ RMZ DNKZ CXV’WZ NLTBNQZP. - MZQHC PTWNP RMXHZTV

October 31, 2008

2009-01-06T15:27:00.002-06:00

MIRACULOUS ESCAPE

Ford Coupe Hits Wabash Near
West Lebanon And Overturns In Eight Feet of Water.

Taken From the Williamsport Pioneer
April 21. 1922

Among the hair-breadth escapes from serious injury which grew out of the cyclonic escapes of Monday, one of the most miraculous was experienced by Charles Dick, a local young man. Mr. Dick had been in the vicinity of West Lebanon on Sunday night and had started for Williamsport about two o’clock, after the Monday morning storm had broken. He was driving north from West Lebanon in his Ford Coupe and was running as fast as the machine would go. As he approached the bridge across the small creek about a mile north of town he noticed quite a large body of water across the road. Thinking that it was just water that was standing in the road after the heavy rain, he did not slow up at drove into it at top speed.
There were two washouts at this place and a great body of water was running across the road. The first washout his machine jumped entirely and Charley did not know it was there until the next morning. When he came to the second washout, which was about nine or ten feet wide and probably ten feet deep, his front wheels jumped it all right, but the rear wheels caught on the north bank of the washout. The impact was so terrific that his machine was thrown into the air and turned one-half around, lighting wheels down and starting back towards West Lebanon. When the car lit, it skidded into about eight foot of water at the east side of the road and sank.
Just what to do for a little while was somewhat of a mystery to Charley. He said he was squirting water and blowing bubbles like a whale, and thoroughly realized unless he did something and did it quickly he would soon drown. About that time the top of his car raised out of the water until the glass in one side was partly out of the water. Charley saw that his only hope of getting air was to smash the glass which he did with one blow of his fist. He then poked his head out of the hole and his arm broke the rest of the glass. Through this opening he crawled out on top of the floating coupe, wet and cold but glad that he could breathe.
The night air was quite chilly to a man whose clothing was thoroughly soaked with water and Charley’s next thought was to get something around him to keep from taking cold. He thought of his overcoat in the car and reached in and fished it out of the car, together with his hat which he had lost in his scramble to save his life. There he sat on top of the floating coupe until daylight.
Finally a young man came down the road and with much effort Charley finally made him understand that he wanted a rope. But while the man was gone for a rope a telephone pole came floating by. One end of it hit the coupe which swung it around along side the car. Charley saw his first real opportunity to escape from his perilous chilly seat, so he climbed astride the pole and rode it to shore.
`He then started for Williamsport, catching a ride part way, but on account of the trees which had been blown across the road he and his companion were compelled to walk a good share of the distance. They got here (Williamsport) about six o’clock and Charley soon had some dry cloths on. A little later Van Reed’s service truck was sent down to get the coupe out of the pond. In taking the car out it was found it had been resting on the top of a wire fence, which probably accounts for it not sinking entirely below the surface of the water and which allowed Charley to make his escape. The car was full of mud and rubbish but was put in condition with a hose and several gallons of water and a little work by mechanics, and Charley seems little the worse of the wear now, although he says he is not hankering for another such experience. He declares that had his car jumped a foot farther he would have cleared the second washout and come on home safely. He also says that had he been driving slowly he would have tumbled off into the ten-foot washout topside down and drowned. It is probably that this is one incident when driving fast saved a life.

Whispering Willow
By: Willow

Trick Or Treat?

Long before October 31st was acknowledged as a time for kids and their merry making, the Druids celebrated the festival of Samhain (pronounced in Gaelic sow-an) or summer’s end to honor the dying sun. It was a season of prayer, and ritual. They believed that spirits of the dead of the past year walked. In the forth century Allhollows, a mass for Christian saints, supplanted these pagan ceremonies, and another six hundred years elapsed before the Druid celebration finally became All Souls’ Day ad the day of prayer departed.
Allhallows E’en, a night of pranks and fun in homes in the North Country was celebrated with many wholesome games. The roasted chestnuts, bobbed for apples and flung snakelike apple parings behind them to learn the initials of their future mates. This old folk practice was brought to the new world by our British ancestors, where generation of adolescents have observed them on the night that witches traditionally ride broomsticks and hobgoblins venture out.
But how did the practice of Trick or Treating start? During the Reformation Days there was an old English custom of ‘soul-caking". This was when singers went about on All Saint’s Day and All Soul’s Day, November 1 and 2nd, to beg for cakes in remembrance of the dead. Souler’s as the singers were called droned out their song repeatedly, tonelessly, and without pause or variation. Soul cakes and souling customs vary from country to country, but souling practices always flourished on the Welsh borders. In most places this custom is dying out. But in the small hamlets such as Cheshire, parts of the Midlands, and Lancashire sometimes you can still hear the chants of soulers chanting old rhymes such as: Soul! Soul! For an apple or two! If you have no apples, pears will do. If you have no pears, money will do, If you have no money, God Bless you!

In Ireland a chant would be something like this: Soul, Soul, a soul cake! I pray thee, good missus, a soul cake! One for Peter, two for Paul, three for him what made us all! Soul cakes, soul cake, please good missus, a soul cake. An apple, a plum, a peach, or a cherry, anything good will make us merry. One for Peter, one for Paul, and Three for him who made us all.
Sometimes if no fruit or soul cake was given then a prank was played on the villager. A rotten tomato, or egg thrown at the house. From this here in this country it evolved into free candy for the kids, dressed as their favorite mythical or fictional, or other character.
Halloween has always been a favorite of mine. When I lived in the city all my son's friends came to my house for me to do their costumes. I even had a Halloween tree. After the kids went trick or treating they would all come back to the house for a late snack and if parents agreed to pick up the kids they were allowed to stay until midnight when scary movies played on the VCR all night. I made finger sandwiches with rolled tortillas, and sausages, and red veggie punch made with tomatoes, and other veggies. I don’t remember the recipe. But on the recipe page of this paper there is a recipe for soul cakes. So have a safe and happy Halloween all you ghost, ghouls, and gobblins.
Be Blessed
Willow

Willows
Garden
By: Willow
Nature never did betray the heart that loved her. Wm. Wordsworth

We have used herbs for medicine, cooking, beauty aids, and crafts. But did you know they were once also used ( and in some cases still are) for hunting and fishing?
The Indians of the Great Lakes Region were among some of the finest hunters of North America. It is well known by hunters that deer carry their scent between the toes and whenever a the foot is impressed into the ground another animal or another deer can tell that deer has steps there. This scent was successfully duplicated by the Indians, with roots and herbs. The root of the Blue Wood Aster was one of nineteen that was used to make a smoke to attract the deer near enough to shoot it with the bow and arrow. It is said that white men drive the deer away when he smokes cigarettes or cigars, but the Indians bring them closer with their mixture. Other plants used to attract the deer are, large leaf Wild Aster, root smoked: Canada Fleabane, Philadelphia Fleabane, disk florets smoked and Swamp Persicaria, flowers smoked. Other roots, seeds, bark and flowers were used in mixtures for smoking to attract deer.
The sharpen their powers of observation, the Indian hunters drank a tea made of Heal-all root. For good luck they drank a tea made from dried leaves of the Pyrola, or carried the black stems of the maiden hair fern.
They also used botanicals for trapping and fishing. The root of the alternate-leaved Dogwood was boiled in water to make a wash for muskrat traps. This particular scent attracts the animal. The cool scents leaves of the Mountain Mint was used as traps to catch minks. A wash made from the roots of the Kidney Liverwort was used to attract other fur bearing animals. After the hunt the traps were boiled in water with maple bark to deodorize them so that the animal could not detect the scent of the last animal caught in the trap.
The sweet scented root s of the Calamus, mixed with the root of the Wild Sarsaparilla, were boiled in water to make a lure for fish. The nets were soaked in this decotion just before being used. It is said that the scent of this decotion was still on the nets after being in the water for many hours.
Be Blessed
Willow

RECIPE

Soul Cakes

6 Cups All Purpose Flour
½ Cup Sugar
1 envelope active dry yeast
¼ Cup lukewarm water
1 egg white, slightly beaten
1 t. sugar
2 cups milk
2 t. salt
4 t. cinnamon
1/8 t. nutmeg
Cream butter and sugar. Dissolve yeast in ½ cup lukewarm water to which a teaspoon of sugar has been added. Set aside. Scald milk and add to the creamed mixture. When cooled add yeast mixture and stir until thoroughly blended. Sift together flour, salt and spices, and add gradually to other ingredients, kneading into a soft dough. Set to rise in warm place in greased covered bowl.. When doubled in balk, shape into small round or oval buns. Brush tops with slightly beaten egg white. Bake in moderately hot oven (400 degrees) for 15 minutes. Drop temperature to 350 and bake until delicately browned and thoroughly done.

Recipe source: Feast Day Cakes from many Lands by Dorothy Gladys Spicer, Hot Rinehart, and Winston, 1960

According To
Big Al...
"Listen to what I mean... not what I say."

Dumb Animals - Ground Hogs

When Donna and I lived in Dyer, we had a mama ground hog who had a litter of 6 young. I don't know where they came from or where they lived, but I did know they were trouble. This came about just a day or two before we were scheduled to leave on our trip to Alaska on our '96 Gold Wing. I was bent on getting rid of the varmints, but Donna said "You can't kill them, they are so cute". I had to admit the little balls of fur were very cute, so I relented to Donna's request.
We were gone for a month with no one in the house. When we got back from our trip, there were cobwebs all over the inside of the house. You had the feeling that the house was abandoned . There was a gallon of milk we had left in the refrigerator and my twin girls who lived across the street from us at that time were supposed to come over and get it - well they didn't because they said the best to be used by date had expired. When we got it out of the refrigerator when we got back home, it was not soured the way milk is suppose to, but it was in a solid plastic-like condition. It made us wonder why we should be eating something like this. Donna was busy cleaning up the house while I was busy getting things unpacked from the Gold Wing and busy in the garage. As Donna was vacuuming in the bathroom, she noticed some sand behind the commode, but as she vacuumed it up, more came in from the small hole for the water inlet. She got me and made reference to the fact that she couldn't get the sand cleaned up. I begrudgingly came in the bathroom to see what she was talking about.
In our house in Dyer, there is a space between the kitchen wall and the bathroom wall of about 18 inches by 8 feet. It is where the plumbing and water pump was originally housed. It has access to the plumbing fixtures of the bath and kitchen. There is an access door located on the outside to get entry to this area. When I opened this access door to look into this area, what did I see? It was filled to about 2 foot high with sand! I called out to Donna, "Donna get your camera". Investigation revealed that those cute little balls of fur had undermined our house and were in need of some place to get rid of the sand they were evacuating. This happened to be in the access space in our house! They gained entry to this area in the opening around the drain for the tub. WHEN WE MOVED OUT - THEY MOVED IN!!!!!
Our first thought was to take pictures of this, which Donna did. Then I called our insurance agent. The bad news is there was no coverage for this kind of thing because the ground hog is a rodent. Checking around the outside of the house I found a hole where they gained access to our house. My first thought was to drive them out. After some thought I figured if I hooked up an hose to the motorcycle and ran it, the carbon monoxide were drive them out or suffocate them. This I tried but after running the bike for a while, the plastic hose I was using melted down and the ground hogs left out another exit they had. Two of their exits was under the deck on the side of the house. It was at this point that I decided it was time to get rid of these little intruders.
I got my single-shot 22 and laid on top of the roof. Mama came out and was looking around the back yard. When I got a clear shot, a bullet severed her spine and she died instantly. She was the first, now I had only 6 more to go. One by one I got them picked off from my perch on top of the house. One of them that I shot made it back under the deck.(This necessitated removing part of the deck). The more of the varmints I got, the smarter they got. When it was down to the last one, he would not come out until he heard me leave in "Big Red". When he heard me come home at night, he scurried back under our house. When Donna told me this, I was in amazement.
The next day I left in "Big Red", but I only went a couple of blocks and walked back to the house and took up my position on top of the house with my 22 rifle. Sure enough in a few minutes out comes the last of the ground hogs, very warily he stuck his head out from under the deck. Then he came out a little further, finally he came out a little further from the deck and while I had a bead on him, I whistled and he looked up just as I put a shot between his eyes and he fell over backwards with his front paws in the air as if to say "I give up".
After I made sure all of the hogs were accounted for, I filled in the holes with ammonia and dirt the best I could, but to this day I can't help but wonder where and how many voids are under the concrete slab of the house caused by these "Dumb" animals? I Know the next time we had varmints in or under our house Donna did not object to getting rid of them - such as the coons under our house where we live now -
but that's another story.
Big Al

PREPARE FOR WINTER

Ok you've checked the furnace, stormwindows, weather-stripping around the doors. You've chopped the wood, a stocked up the larder.
Are you done - are you all set for winter. What about your vehicle. Did you check your antifreeze, inspect and change your windshield wipers? Don't forget your engine oil, air pressure in your tires and how about the reliability of your battery. Vehicles are kept closed up in this kind of weather so better check your exhaust system while your at it. And one last thing about your vehicle, in the winter it is always best to keep the gas tank filled. You never know when you may be stranded on the side of the road and your only source of heat is your car heater.
Speaking of getting stranded now is the time to purchase a personal emergency kit or prepare one with what you already have handy. You may not think this is really necessary if you aren't traveling but take my word for it-you will thank yourself if you need it.
Your kit should include:
•first aid kit
•flashlight
•jumper cables
•screwdrivers
•adjustable wrench
•pliers
•duct/electrical tape
•tow rope
•funnels & extra fluids
such as oil, windshield fluid, & etc..
•flares
•reflectors
•shop towels
•candles & matches
•water
•snacks
•warm clothing
•blanket
•gloves & hat
•bag of sand or cat litter
•shovel
•ice scraper
•cell phone or CB

I know you think this is over kill, but if you have ever been stranded in the cold you wouldn't think so. I know!
Be Prepared,
Willow

TOWN CRIER
Your Community Events

WEST LEBANON -Community Clothing Room - Free Clothing. Nazarene Church 503 High Janet Booth 893-4989 Margo White - 762-6319.
WARREN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: - meets the second Tuesday of every month at the Warren County LEDO office in Williamsport at 4:00pm. For more information call Jamie White at 762-6055. chamber@warrenadvantage.com
VEEDERSBURG - Food Pantry Operation Ministries (Church of God Ministry Center), 702 W. Second t. (765)294-5740. Food Pantry and Thrift Store Hours - Thursday & Friday 2-6 pm, Saturday, 9 - noon.
Fountain/Warren County - Fountain/Warren Co. VFW hold Bingo every Friday at 7pm., and AYCE Fish and Chicken Fry the 2nd Friday of each month from 4:30 - 6:30.
COVINGTON - Fountain County Clerks Building/Museum - Open May 1 until the last Saturday of October. Open 1:00 - 4:30
Special arrangements for special program can be made. Call Carol Freese 765-793-2710

COVINGTON - Covington United Methodist Women Fall Luncheon & Bake Sale - Friday, November 2nd.at 419 Washington St. at 11am to 1:30 pm. Menu - Chichen & Noodles, mashed potatoesm green beans, cranberry salad, assorted cakes, rolls & drinks Tickets - $6.50 adults - $2.00 children 6-12 no charge 5 & under. Advance tickets call the church 765-793-2007 - Millie Grogg 793-3422; Peggy Enos, 793-3441 or any UMW member. Tickets May also be purchased at the door. Eat in or Carry Out. Delivery can be madeavailable when purchasing tickets ( no drinks with carry out.) Noodles and homemade baked goods available in the fellowship hall.

CRYTOQUOTE

RVZTLFR
EXAMPLE

To sale the puzzle, one letter stands for another. As in the word "EXAMPLE" above "R" stands for "E". Sentence structure and grammar rules and sentence structure are another clue.

BX JXQGNPZQRDC NQ RM PNHZJRNXQ
XK CXVH PHZTLF. DNWZ RMZ DNKZ
CXV’WZ NLTBNQZP. -
MZQHC PTWNP RMXHZTV

Last Weeks Answer
A hearth of your own is worth gold.-- German Proverb

Here's a tip on this weeks puzzle: Z = E

Vol 17 Ed.15 October 17, 2008

2009-01-06T15:05:00.002-06:00

THE HISTORY OF VEEDERSBURG

The first Native American tribe in Fountain County is said to have been the Shawnee. They were a peaceful tribe who mostly fished and hunted. The first American settlers found hundreds of small troughs made of hollowed logs for drawing sap, so the Shawnee knew about making maple syrup and sugar. From time to time the Miami and Delaware Indians appeared in the area, but at the time no tribes were known to dwell in this area.
The first white settlement was south of Veedersburg. The names Birch, Colvert, Cochran, Board, Osborn, Dice, Coats, Riley, Bowling, Smith, Stevens, and Button Hoabler were some of the early settlers to this area. The families of William White, Hiram Jones, Abner Rush, John Simpson, John Course and Leonard Lloyd settled in the area between 1824 and 1830. These families came mostly from Ohio, Virginia and Maryland. There were also a few from Delaware.
Some of these families settled in a community known as Osborn’s Prairie and others settled southeast of today’s Veedersburg.’ It is said that the first wagon tracks made in this area were made by Jonathan Birch and his son Jessie was the first male child born in the area.
For their mutual protection families formed companies and assisted each other in felling and rolling logs for the building of cabins and barns. An axe and maul was brought by each man, and the "raising" started at sunup and the men worked until the building was chinked and daubed. The woman worked all day feeding the men on trestle tables set up outdoors.
The entertain and family life centered around the home, church and school, with a bit of singing schools, husking bees, taffy pulls, box suppers and dances. Old time fiddlers, a harmonica or jew’s-harp furnished the music.
A report of a Shawnee uprising was rumor in 1825, shortly before the organization of Fountain County. This created great excitement and the settlers met to talk of building a blockhouse. But the rumor was proven false. From 1863 until 1866 Milo Gookins served as Indian Agent.
According to an Act of the Indiana Legislature, Fountain County was organized and approved December 30, 1825. The county was carved from what was then Montgomery and Wabash Counties and was named in honor of a Major of Kentucky volunteers that was killed in a battle with the Indians on the Maumee.
When Fountain County was formed in 1825 there was no VanBuren Township. Through the efforts of Jon G. Lucas, Dr. Isaac Spinning, and Daniel Glascock, Van Buren was crated from parts of Cain, Shawnee, Richland, and Troy Townships. The name Van Buren was given the township much to the spirited opposition of the members of the old Whig Party. For 5 years after entry the lands of the settlers were free from taxation.
The first road of the County was over the trail from Crawfordsville to Covington, this later became a plank road. There is a story about Abraham Lincoln walking this road on his way home from Springfield. He stopped along the way at a home and asked for a drink of water and sat under a shade tree to rest. This part of this road that passes through Veedersburg is now known as State Street, and for several years it was known as State Road 34. For many years the residents along this road would sit on each side of the road and watch the cars returning from the Indianapolis 500. During this time the races lasted longer and the cars were slower, the road was not improved so it was after late after dusk when the cars passed through Veedersbug. Then later the right of way was moved to Second Street and then became Highway 136.
More Next Week

Whispering Willow
By: Willow
As a youngster I remember living in the coal mining towns in Blount County, Alabama. I remember the little row houses on the hill. I remember my Daddy and my Popaw coming home with dirty faces and hands. These are just vague members of a child of no more than 4 years old. I don’t remember being "poor". But I guess we were from the stories I heard. But I do remember being hungry. I remember how my mother swallowed her pride enough to take us kids to a relative’s house and ask them to feed us while she sat on the front porch. My dad also worked in the commissary. That I didn’t remember until my mother told me a few years ago.
As I said my memories of vague of this time, but I do remember sitting on the front porch of these small wooden structures looking out over the dullness that was in front of me. To see this place now you wouldn’t know that it was once a mining town. There are huge trees and the under growth is lush and green. I have been back and walked the road that lead to the mine, and walked within the ruins of the commissary’s foundation.
One story my grandfather use to tell about when he was about 15, was that his dad had made him quit school and go to work in the mines. He hated it. One morning when he woke up he just didn’t want to go to the mines. So he told his step-mother he didn’t feel well. His step-mother knew his Dad would be angry with Popaw is he didn’t go to work so she made him eat his breakfast and go on to the mines. So his dad or the boss wouldn’t see him, Popaw went in the back, through the end opening to the mine. As he approached the mine his apprehension about going into the mine grew stronger and stronger and he "dragged" his feet a little more. Just as he reached the opening of the mine it caved in. He choked on the dust and luckily backed away.

If he had of gone to work that morning as he was suppose to he would have been in the cave in. If he had not "dragged" his feet before entering he would have been crushed. He never told me how many men were killed or if any survived. He just said that someone was looking out for him and that I should learn to listen to my "gut feelings". Soon after that my grandfather ran away from home. He walked for hours, and was found by a couple of boys who took him home with them. The boy’s mother took my grandfather in. Popaw said she made him feel "right at home". She didn’t ask any questions, just fed him and gave him a place to stay. Many years later Popaw wrote a poem about his life, called Coal Miners Boy Always on The Roam.
I didn’t know my Popaw wrote poems until just shortly before he died in 1987. But he was an important figure in my life. He was more than a grandfather, he was a friend I could sit with and talk to about anything. He never found my "why" question too much. He didn’t always have the right answer but he would always listen.
Be Blessed
Willow

Willows
Garden
By: Willow
Nature never did betray the heart that loved her. Wm. Wordsworth

Beauty is Only Skin Deep
I know we’re not accustomed to thinking of our skin as an organ of our body, but it is. In fact, the epidermis is the largest organ on the human body. As blood is pumped by the heart, 1/3 of it courses through the skin. Thousands of dead skin cells are shed daily and thousands of new cells take their place.
Skin is not just a pliable shell that holds the body together; it is a complex, self-replenishing, breathing life-preserving membrane.
Even thought we know that "beauty is only skin deep". We understand that good character endures for longer than good looks. Every culture in history has prized perfect skin as a symbol of youth. So, skin care secrets that have been handed down throughout the ages are the most guarded in the world.
The best thing for your skin is to keep it clean. Your face should be washed (at least) twice a day with plain water and a mild soap. Remember to apply skin products gently, especially around the delicate eye area.
Skin experts recommend using a toner, a facial scrub or exfoliate about once a month.
There are many natural preparations that you can use to do the same thing as those expensive products available on store shelves and in beauty shops.
Finely grated almonds make a natural cleanser for those with oily complexions. You can add buttermilk, cucumber or rosewater for a soothing and refreshing facial wash.
Never scrub make-up off with just soap and water. Use sweet almond oil to dissolve it and then wipe off the excess oil using a cool infusion of chamomile or elderflower.
Cucumbers can be used to keep oily skin under control. An excellent cleanser can be made by grating a cucumber into a pint of milk. Boil for 3 minutes. Let cool then strain the mixture through muslin and refrigerate. After a week -if the milk has soured discard the mixture and prepare another batch.
Cucumber juice also makes a great natural toner. Cucumbers have a cooling effect on the skin and eyelids.
To tone the skin on the throat area first moisturize and then cover the throat with a washcloth soaked in an infusion of hot water and lemon juice for 2 minutes - replace it with a washcloth soaked in ice-cold water for two minutes. Alternate this method of application 4 times and then apply a firming mask.
Honey has the ability to trap and hold moisture. This is why honey is an excellent moisturizer for dry rough skin.
The most popular European treatment for wrinkles caused by dry skin is an application of mayonnaise. The common potato also contains minerals that are good dry skin- especially your hands. Boil a potato, then mash it with a little milk and a few drops of glycerin and rose water. Then rub the mixture into the skin.
For a natural exfoliate and scrub make a paste from a bit of honey and 2 tablespoons of oatmeal. Gently rub the mixture into your skin for a minute or two and then rinse off.
Mash up half an avocado and smear it on your face. Then make a soothing eye treatment with the other half by slicing and chilling, place the slices on your eyelids for about ten minutes while you lie down and relax.
Simply mashing a banana and applying it to your face make a quick and easy mask.
The humectants properties of honey make it a great firming mask. It attracts moisture to the skin so it is perfect for dry skin. Honey also plumps the skin and makes it look young and supple. Leave the honey on until your skin feels taut, then rinse it off with warm water.
Be Blessed
Willow

Crustless Quiche
(Taken from Dr. Atkins New Revolution Diet)

4 oz. Bacon
1 yellow onion thinly sliced
6 eggs
¾ heavy cream
2 boxes (10 Oz. Each) frozen chopped broccoli or spinach, thawed squeezed dry
½ pound Gruyere Cheese, Shredded
½ teaspoon sal1/4 teaspoon pepper
Heat the oven to 350 degrees and butter a 10-inch pan or 9-inch deep pie plate.
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towel, coarsely chop.
Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings from the skillet. Add the onion and cook 5-minutes, until softened but not brown. In a large bowl, combine eggs, cream, broccoli, (or spinach), cheese, salt and pepper. Stir in the bacon and onion.
Pour mixture into the prepared pan. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes (tenting with foil, if necessary, to prevent over browning) or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes before cutting into wedges.
Total Carbs per serving 6.5 grams (Count only 4 grams "digestible" carbs when doing "Atkins"); 17 grams fat: 27 grams; calories: 329.

According To
Big Al...
"Listen to what I mean... not what I say."
PHYSCIANS ACCOMPLISH
A "TOTAL CURE"
Bruce West - Health Alert
August 15, 2008 Issue 8
When an elderly person experiences an adverse drug reaction (side effects) it may be mistakenly attributed by the patient and the doctor to a new disease or, even worse, "old age." Parkinson’s syndrome, all types of skin conditions, all types of heart conditions, vertigo, fainting, "failure to thrive" or "sarcopenia," and on and on are frequently not diseases, but rather side effects from prescription drugs. And when an elderly patient presents him- pr herself to a physician with an unfailing downward health spiral, there is a gold opportunity for a total cure.
And just what is the total cure for these hundreds of thousands of annual cases? According to the British Medical Journal, it is the "stopping of the offending drug." And just how is this presented to physicians reading about it in a medical journal? It says the physician has "an uncommon opportunity to effect a total cure by stopping the offending prescription or lowering the dose." And that the physician can stop the "seemingly inexorable trajectory towards institutional care" in the same way. If is a fancy way of saying that physicians can save a patient who has been drugged into a stupor (by them), whose health is irreversibly spiraling downward (thanks to them) and who is rapidly headed to a nursing home (because of them). And the physician can end this mess and enjoy the "uncommon opportunity" to actually cure someone - all by taking away their prescriptions!
Could even I have said it better? The truth is that physicians are not getting this message. Every week I help at least a dozen new patients whose disease is their prescription. And their doctors steadfastly refuse to recognize this fact - and therefore are unable to enjoy the uncommon opportunity to actually cure their patients by eliminating the poison they have prescribed. And who suffer? You, the patient.
Wean is the term I use to slowly, carefully, and observantly withdraw from prescription drugs with the full knowledge of the prescribing physician. According to Webster’s unabridged dictionary, another meaning is to "withdraw from some object or habit." The public generally considers weaning (other than infants) to mean withdrawing from a bad habit (like to many sweets). And today, given the discussion of this article, weaning for older patients takes on another, dire meaning. You may need to wean from one of more of you prescription drugs - or die!
Now even the "experts" have joined in. Without doubt, tens of thousands of people over the age of 65 who fail to wean from prescription drugs die each year. And the extremely useful medical recommendations that "any new symptom in an older patient should be considered a possible side effect (from prescription drugs) until proven otherwise" couldn’t be clearer. The importance cannot be overstated - it can mean your life.
Physicians Instructed To Apologize
It is ironic, given the information in this article, that a new paradigm is taking hold in American hospitals. Hospital administration officials have instructed physicians to apologize to patients for botched surgeries, debilitating drug reactions, and more. This is wonderful change in patient care. Imagine how much better you might feel if something happened in your surgery, and as soon as you came out of anesthesia, the surgeon was at your bedside apologizing for the problem.
He might say that he has performed hundreds or even thousands of these procedures, and nothing like this has ever happened. He is very sorry and will do everything in his power to make everything right. Then all of your out-of-pocket expenses are forgiven.. Now that is the right way to do things. But the instructions to apologize do not come because it is the right thing to do-or it would have been done decades ago. Rather, it is now being ordered because hospital administration officials have discovered that it cuts down on lawsuits.
Whenever I hear that only FDA-approved drugs are "scientifically proven," or that treatment is only safe and effective if it has been proven by the "medical gold standard," I shudder. The lessons here are absolutely critical and life saving.
They are.
1. If you are over 65, no matter what you illness or disease, you must consider it is caused by your prescription drugs until proven otherwise.
2. You may never get better if your drugs are causing your illness. You won’t know until you wean off drugs with your doctor’s knowledge
3. Drugs and surgery should always be relegated to treatment of last resort,
4. Evidence-based and time-tested phytonutrient protocols should always be employed in your treatment plan.
Slight change is happening in the medical profession, but it is slight and comes grudgingly. Thank goodness fundamental change is availed.
This is a monthly report I get in the mail. I feel very strongly about this article and wanted to share it with my readers.
Big Al

Halloween Fest
By: Larry Hastings

Frankenstein, Egor, Jekyl and Hyde
Hopped in the car to go for a ride.
Dracula, Wolfman, and Freddy joined in.
"To the Haunted Barn," they said with a grin.
"The Warren Group is at it again!"
It’s annual fest on Halloween
Of witches and monsters to make you scream.
Spiders and snakes, horrible sights/
Ghouls and goblins, mayhem and frights.
The Warren Group’s scariest nights.
We’ll see you there the 25th/
When the moon and stars begin to shift.
When zombies and bloodsuckers rule the land.
Beware of scares that we have planned.
Come one - Come all - at our behest
You’re invited to the Halloween Fest.

TOWN
CRIER
Your Community Events
WEST LEBANON -Community Clothing Room - Free Clothing. Nazarene Church 503 High Janet Booth 893-4989 Margo White - 762-6319.
WARREN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: - meets the second Tuesday of every month at the Warren County LEDO office in Williamsport at 4:00pm. For more information call Jamie White at 762-6055. chamber@warrenadvantage.com
VEEDERSBURG - Food Pantry Operation Ministries (Church of God Ministry Center), 702 W. Second t. (765)294-5740. Food Pantry and Thrift Store Hours - Thursday & Friday 2-6 pm, Saturday, 9 - noon.
Fountain/Warren County - Fountain/Warren Co. VFW hold Bingo every Friday at 7pm., and AYCE Fish and Chicken Fry the 2nd Friday of each month from 4:30 - 6:30.
COVINGTON - Fountain County Clerks Building/Museum - Open May 1 until the last Saturday of October. Open 1:00 - 4:30
Special arrangements for special program can be made. Call Carol Freese 765-793-2710

HASITINGS HAUNTED BARN - VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED! Volunteers are needed to man the many rooms of fright he designs, but each year there are fewer and fewer people are willing to donate their time to provide a safe atmosphere for children to enjoy this holiday.

CRYTOQUOTE
RVZTLFR
EXAMPLE

To sale the puzzle, one letter stands for another. As in the word "EXAMPLE" above "R" stands for "E". Sentence structure and grammar rules and sentence structure are another clue.

ZJQ HVBXKQP WZ WVSPW,
ZJQ RZZQ WZ NSVK, ZJQ TSWMZP
WZ VXTQ. - HVTKDBP NTGZK

Last Weeks Answer
Ask me no questions and I’ll tell you no fibs.
Oliver Goldsmith from She Stoops to Conquer

Here's a tip on this weeks puzzle: Z = O

Vol. 7 ed 13 A Little Bit News Publ. Oct. 3, 2008

2009-01-06T14:45:00.002-06:00

1912 FIRE IN INDEPENDENCE

by Donna Sullivan

Early Friday morning on December 27, 1912 Independence experienced major loses in a fire that nearly destroyed every business in town. Just after midnight the town was swept by one of the worse fires of the history of the town to date.

Many business’ and residents suffered irreparable and unregainable losses. The fire was first noticed by 3 men, Mil Stafford, Grover Steadman, and Henry Marvin as they left Marvin’s pool hall where they had been enjoying a game of pool. When they stepped out of the establishment they were astonished by the bright lights being reflected off the buildings.

Upon farther investigation they discovered the rear of the Fred Buck Livery barn ablaze. It was currently being operated by Jasper McClatchery. The men sounded the alarm as they ran to the barn to awaken Mr. McClatchery.

But when they reached the front of the barn it was being consumed by flames from the inside bursting out. The fire quickly spread from one frame building to another, consuming each one and moving on to the next. The squeals of the horses inside could be heard as the flames spread so quickly it was useless and dangerous to attempt to rescue them. Among the horses destroyed in the fire was the Independence Company’s fine station. Only one horse managed to escape.

Other buildings destroyed by the fire was the fine residence of John Heischman, the post office, the barber shop, Dr. Jones’s office, McFerrin’s Hardware store and residence, the blacksmith shop of Smith and Gray. The poolroom also caught fire but was only partially damaged in the blaze.

The Hieschman residence stood near the livery barn. The fire spread so rapidly in so many directions the people helping were spread so thin there wasn’t much help for the Hieschman’s in removing their personal belongings from the house, only a few things were saved.

The barbershop owned by Charles White was destroyed. All of his equipment was removed before the fire completely destroyed the building. Dr. Jones’s office was next to the barbershop. Dr. Jones’ had just moved to Independence a month before from Rainsville to begin his practice. The doctor’s horse and buggy were destroyed in the livery barn but everything in his office was saved. The building that housed the Doctor’s office and the barbershop were owned by Wallace Steadman. Mr. Steadman had no insurance on either building.

The post office was a small frame building that was owned by Clara Buck, the postmistress. When Mrs. Buck was notified of the fire she rushed into the smoke filled building and saved as much of the mail and stamps as she could. She succeeded in saving all the registered mail and most of the stamps. But over a thousand stamped envelopes, between 600 and 700 postcards were destroyed.

The telephone pay station was located in the post office. Before they flames reached it, someone managed to call Pine Village, and then all the farmers in the vicinity of Independence. The farmers rushed into town to help fight the fires.

The Attica fire Department was called about 2:00 AM and asked to help. The fire company felt the fire was past its height and they knew they couldn’t help since water was so scarce.
Then Williamsport was called, and fire fighters such as Ohmer Stewert, Lew Hess, James McLaney, tom Livingston, William Lindsey and William Cowgill, loaded up cars with fire suits, axes, buckets and in 14 minutes they were fighting the fire in Independence.

The residents, merchants and town suffered a heavy loss. It was know after the fire that Hieschman’s would rebuild their house and the blacksmiths Smith and Gray would rebuild. But Dr. Jones, McFerrin, McClatery, the Barber Charlie White didn’t have any insurance so no one knew if the town would ever be the same again.

Some of the losses included a pair of draft horses worth $450.00, 2 stallions named Standard and Luke lll valued at $1300.00. The total loss of the fire amounted to around $12,000.00.

Whispering Willow
By: Willow

Potawatomi Park v/s Downtown

The Potawatomi Festival was a few weeks ago and ever since then I have heard one comment after another about how the festival should be downtown. That is a great idea, if it would work. Things have changed a lot since the Potawatomi began 38 years ago.

It got larger, the equipment used by the vendors changed. No longer do the vendors bring tents to camp out in. Most of the food vendors need 2/20 electric line hook-up, they need electric to hook up their campers, some of them the size of a small house.

There isn’t sufficient if any electrical hookup for the equipment of the food vendors of this magnitude in the downtown area. This is a three day event, folks. These people set up and stay with their booths, otherwise they would have to break it down and reset them up every day.

They are not going to set up and then leave this expensive merchandise and equipment unguarded while they go camp somewhere else. Imagine living in the home around downtown and having vendors set up on your street for three day and two nights. Your street is blocked off. Where do you park? Do you want to park blocks away and walk to you home?

The law says that there has to be so many feet of fire lane. This is a requirement by city ordinance. You have a booth and a large camper setting in front of your house and you or your neighbor need fire or rescue. They have to park across the street to get to your house.

So we keep the whole festival in the downtown area. Ok, you’re a merchant on Perry St. and you are open on Friday and Saturday. Yes, you will get foot traffic and walk ins. But what about that handicapped person that parks in front of your store or the person that just don’t want to walk that distance to visit your shop. What about folks who have to park to visit the festival? Sure, it’s free parking in front of stores and businesses and side streets near downtown. But now people visiting the festival have parked in front of a business like Uncle Champ’s, Robbie’s, Craft Appliance.

They line the streets all around downtown in front of homes. Where are the customers going to park, where do the homeowners park or their visitors. The visitors to the festival have taken up all available parking for a three - four - five block radius. Now I don’t know if the Perry Street was blocked off downtown during the whole three days of the event or just during the parade. But I do know that if we lined that street with venders, campers and automobiles then there would be no where for visitors or customers to walk let alone park.

Ok let’s use McDonald Park or Ravine Park. It’s no longer downtown is it? Besides, there isn’t enough electrical hookups in these places. The Potawatomi Festival Committee has already spent money to provide adequate electricity down in the park by the river. Where is the money going to come from to redo this, if it were possible in the downtown area or in the parks near downtown? It was tried. The local electric company was asked for electrical hookups downtown - in the park. But they would not or could not leave these as permanent hookups. That means the Committee would have to pay every year to have temporary hookups installed. Or maybe the local merchants would just let these vendors "borrow" electricity from their stores. You think so? Then the sidewalks are blocked or with booths and campers.

Where I first moved down here, during the festival there was very little happening downtown. I have noticed an increase in downtown activity and participation these last couple of years. This year, there was an antique tractor show, a car show, a free kiddie tractor pull, a hoola hoop contest and the fireman’s water-ball in the downtown area. Seems to me that it is becoming more of a town-wide event rather than in just one place or another. Many merchants had their own vendors parking downtown.

On another note. The Potawatomi Committee charges a small fee for entrance to the park during the festival, $2.00 for adults and $1.00 for children and the very young are free. This helps to pay for the water and electricity that is used during the festival and the entertainment that is free on stage by the river. Other comments like the committee charges too much for vendor space. I have found that the fee is higher than some but lower than most.

And, if the vendor is willing to pay it then isn’t that between the vendor and the committee?
I have served on a lot of committees over the years. There are always those (not members of the committee) who "know a better way", but they don’t appear at the meetings and offer their advice or offer to work with the committee to incorporate their ideas. At least I have seen no one other than the hard working committee members at the meetings. The ones that are there year after year, some of them taking on 2-3 or more duties and doing them. This happens in every committee, there is no way to please everyone, but it sure is easy to displease a lot. I have listened to both sides of this argument for a few years now, and I just can’t see how a festival of this magnitude could be held downtown and serve the needs of the merchants and the residents. I just recently joined this committee (so I won’t presume to take credit for the success of this event.

I came on board at the tail end of the planningand the work effort), and I can tell you that these committee members take this festival seriously, they work hard (physically and mentally) to make it the best it can be. These are hard times, economically that we are living in and everyone is suffering financially one way or another, from some big businesses, to the local merchants, to residents all over the country. These festivals are done on mostly the donation of time and effort, these members make no money for devoting their time and energy to these local events every year and many of them go above and beyond what is expected of them.

I think we should be thanking them for their efforts instead of complaining about things that just can’t or won’t be changed. I’m sure in the beginning it was wonderful having a main event like the Potawatomi in the downtown area, but it due to many aspects it just outgrew those boundaries. It still brings folks into town and the local merchants are the ones to benefit. The campers need supplies, the need groceries, gas, medications, paper products, and many other items that are available in the area. Then there are the folks that come to the event, they stop for gas on their way in or out of town, the shop at the local IGA before going home or stop at a local restaurant, if they aren’t to full from all the food at the festival. These events bring a lot of commerce into the are for the time they are here.

Just last week West Lebanon held it’s Patriot Festival min the center of town, and already there are complaints about the main street being closed down for one whole afternoon, and parking and noise. You just can’t please everyone no matter how hard you try. If you start trying to please everyone then the next thing you know nothing gets done, and eventually the people trying to do ALL the doing suffers and massive burnout and then soon you have no event at all.

I know that many of you will disagree with me, but you are entitled to your opinion just like I am or anyone else. That is what makes this country so great. We can have opinions and express them without something like Gestapo knocking on our doors. It’s still a free country folks and complaining is part of who we are. But don’t you think those that work hard on these committees deserve an A for effort?

If you think you have a better idea of how things should work then I suggest you become more involved - My Daddy used to tell me, " you can’t make changes in things you don’t like by sitting on the outside, changes can only be made from the inside - out." He said to make a difference you have to become a part of the system, then and only then will your voice be heard. I have learned that this is a TRUE statement. Think About It!
Be Blessed
Willow

RECIPE
Japanese Miso Soup
Sauté pealed, sliced burdock in a little vegetable oil for 5 minutes. Add sliced onions and other vegetables such a bok choy and carrots. Add 1 cup re-hydrated hiziki or wakame seaweed to the vegetables, then stir in 1 ½ cups of water for every serving of soup, simmer, uncovered until the vegetables are tender. Combine two tablespoons of the soup liquid plus 1 heaping tablespoon o for each serving in a bowl and stir until miso dissolves remove the soup from the heat and stir in the dissolved miso. Serve hot.

According To Big Al
"Listen to what I mean... not what I say."

LOSS OF INTENT

When I was a young boy growing up in Wsconsin, my broithers and sisters and I always walked to school. When I was in the first grade, this meant walking a little over 3 miles (one way) over pretty bad road. This was especially tyrue in the spring of the year when the first frost came out. Consequently, 7ears were a little better, but we always had a minimum of 2 miles to walk.

Later on it was made a law that an7 child would not have to wallk more than 2 miles. In a small one room school this generally meant that the parents became responible and were paid for transporting thier children to school.

Still later when I was in the 7th grade there were seceal families with children that lived over 2 miles from schoo. Rather than have the parents responsible for transporting their children to school, it was decided by the local school board, that they would pay a bachelor to take care of this task.

When I moved to Chicago, the schools were much closer and everyone walked or was given bys passes. It is still that way today. When I started high school I was iven a student pass and used public transportation. When we moved to Calumet City, Illinois, again only the students that lived a distance away were provided a ride. Now, however, you ride a school bus, especially used for school children and professionally driven.

When my children started enteree school it was mandatory that they use the bus. The one school my children went to was about a block away, but they were mandated to ride the bus for about 45 minutes to get to school. You see, by this time the Federal Government was subsidinzing the bus program, and the more students, the more moinies.

You see, what started out as a good program, slopwly but surely turned into a "boondoggle". This os especially true of the government is envoled in it. Local things should be taken care of by local people and local monies. If a politician looks to the federal or state government amd amswers to them, he will not pay ,ucj attemtion to the local people, except to be elected.
The good amd welfare programs today fall into the same trap. Churches and organizations like the Red Cross used to take care of people who were destitute, now thanks to our politicians and government we can get on a government program and hold our heads high? IN the city, the biggest contributors to oir drug problem is the government abuses to give away programs like the food program and aid to unwed mothers.

The only thing we have to give up is our dignity and our individual rights. Slowly but surely, our rights are being taken away, one by one, and they all start with what seems to be honorable amd sensible intentions.

Look what happened to our gun laws. Where are our second ammendment rights? What is happening to our smoking laws? You are now considered a crimminal if you smoke.

The list goes on and on. Five the Federal Government more and more authority and you will lose one or more of your rights. (For your own good, of course! haha) In the eyes of the polititions, we are too stupid to think for ourseves - maybe they are right. Let's show them they are WRONG!

LOSS OF INTENT – Follow-up

This is a reprint of an article I wrote in Little Bit in September of 2004. I think the message is as important today as it was when I wrote it – maybe even more so especially in light of our political situation today and the mess our Federal Government has put us in with the promiscuous use of low income home financing to people whom should never have been given loans. But then how would these people in charge of these programs be able to justify the huge salaries and bonus's given to them to run such a program. Why aren't these people held accountable and prosecuted for these actions? I think it is high time people get off their butts and and demand a lot more from their politicians don't you? Sit down and think, and yes talk about what is going on today and get the lazy, dead, wood -do nothings out of office and push for more local control on things that affect each and every one of us. I believe it is high time that our representatives start representing us, not their own welfare, don't you?
Live On!
Big Al

Letter To the Editor:

Dear Editor:

I would like to thank a lot of people for all their help with the Potawatomi Festival.
The City Workers; for all they do to help us get the grounds ready. Harrison Steel, Neumayer Lumber, Attica Fire Dept., Attica Police Dept., Attica High School FFA, the sponsors of the Kiddie Tractor Pull. Bill Craft and staff for putting on the Car Show.

GretaBrown for organizing the Karaoke Contest, Karmen Freeman and Kim Phillips for organizing the Baby Contest. Donna Sullivan of Willow Enterprises/A Little Bit News for all her help with advertising the festival, Irene Harmeson for all her hard work on the flower beds at the festival grounds and helping with anything that needed to be done. We wouldn't have this festival without her.

Rocky Rothrock for his help every year, Cindy Mendoza and staff for parking cars. Cindy Brown and family for keeping the restrooms clean and all the other work they did. Bonnie Ruskin for all she does every year, working with the flea market. Sandy Sundt for all she does and taking care of the food court. To Bobby Schriber for making sure the stage is set up for us every year, as well as all the other work he does. Raleigh Molden, Charles DeSutter, and Don Opperman for their help every year. Dianna Molden for getting all the volunteers to help at the gate every year and all her other help. To all the people who worked at the gate. Linda Brown, for putting the Gospel Show together every year. Donna Brier for organizing the Jogawatomi Walk, Dianne Hysong for the Heritage Crafts, Fred Evans for Home Improvement and Treasurer, Stelia VanDamel, Secretary, Harold VanDame for making sure we have electric and water and cleaning up the trash. For all the help we get from other people, to numerous to mention . Everyone did a great job. We couldn't have the Festival without all the help and hard work from all these people every year.

Thanks to Everyone,
Dema Freeman
Potawatomi Festival Committee Member
Head of Entertainment

Willows Garden
By: Willow
Nature never did betray the heart that loved her. Wm. Wordsworth

BURDOCK
Burdock is also known as Beggar’s Buttons, and Coltbur. It is credited by the Hawaiians known there by its Japanese name gobo, with the ability to increase strength and endurance. Hawaiians who need stamina to perform some arduous task have been known to repeat the popular expression, "I need gobo." The Burdock is a sturdy plant, its Latin name Actium derives from the Greek work meaning "bear," is found in many countries all over the world. Various cultures have discovered its versatility in culinary as well as medicinal.
The burdock plant is alternately despised as a troublesome wee

d and sought out as a cherished healing herb. As far as troublesome is concerned it not only can take over a garden when introduced, but when you dog comes home with the little hitchhikers tangled in their fur, it is a real problem untangling them. It was introduced into North America by early European settlers, it grows along roadsides, in ditches, hedgerows, and waste places throughout most of the United States and Canada. It also grows in Asia, and particularly Japan where it is cultivated as a healing plant.

For medicinal reasons, treat the burdock as an annual by harvesting its roots at the end of the growing season in the plants first year of growth.

Follow the drying procedure I have given in the past for the drying of roots. The leftover tops make an excellent mulch and compost ingredient.

Be Blessed
Willow

TOWN CRIER
Your Community Events

WEST LEBANON -Community Clothing Room - Free Clothing. Nazarene Church 503 High Janet Booth 893-4989 Margo White - 762-6319.
WARREN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: - meets the second Tuesday of every month at the Warren County LEDO office in Williamsport at 4:00pm. For more information call Jamie White at 762-6055. chamber@warrenadvantage.com
VEEDERSBURG - Food Pantry Operation Ministries (Church of God Ministry Center), 702 W. Second t. (765)294-5740. Food Pantry and Thrift Store Hours - Thursday & Friday 2-6 pm, Saturday, 9 - noon.
Fountain/Warren County - Fountain/Warren Co. VFW hold Bingo every Friday at 7pm., and AYCE Fish and Chicken Fry the 2nd Friday of each month from 4:30 - 6:30.
COVINGTON - Fountain County Clerks Building/Museum - Open May 1 until the last Saturday of October. Open 1:00 - 4:30
Special arrangements for special program can be made. Call Carol Freese 765-793-2710

Please join the Chamber of Commerce for
BUSINESS AFTER HOURS
and meet the Learning Center's new director, Lisa Cruea. Tour the Learning
Center and see what classes are coming up in this beautiful facility.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008 5-6 p.m.
Refreshments will be served
Warren County Learning Center
QUESTIONS? Call Jami White, Chamber Coordinator, at 765-585-6906

CRYTOQUOTE
RVZTLFR
EXAMPLE
To sale the puzzle, one letter stands for another. Aas in the word "EXAMPLE" above "R" stands for "E". Sentence structure and grammar rules and sentence structure are another clue.

XNRBR ZQ MJ TZPZX XJ XNR VPJHMX JG

SJJK XNVX DRJDTR WVM VWWJPDTZQ,

VWWJPDTZQN, ZG XNRC KJM’X WVBR FNJ

SRXQ XNR WBRKZX. - VMJMCPJHQ

Last Weeks Answer
For an impenetrable shield, stand inside yourself. - Henry David Thoreau

Here's a tip on this weeks puzzle: Z = I

Vol.7 ed.14 A Little Bit News Publ.Oct.10, 2008

2009-01-06T14:21:00.002-06:00

THE BATTLE OF KICKAPOO

Brigadier General Scott of Kentucky was ordered by General Knox, the then Secretary of War to send an expedition of 750 men against the Indians in the Wabash Valley. General Knox issued this order on March 9, 1891, because the British were providing the Indians in the Northwest Territory with weapon and offering them money for white scalps.

General Scott left Kentucky and began to march his men toward the town of Quiatenon. Just east of West Point at the foot of the Round Top Hills General Scott divided his men. He and Wilkenson and 360 of the men rode northwest and destroyed the town of Quiatenon where about 15,000 (?) Indians resided in the Wea Village there.

The remaining 400 men under the command of Colonel John Hardin of Kentucky and Captain McCoy rode southwest. There they surprised a hunting party of Kickapoo Indians. When the Indians saw the troops they immediately started toward their permanent camp on Kickapoo Creek in Warren County.

The Indians crossed the Wabash about a mile north of the town of Warrenton at Kickapoo Ford. Warrenton, once the county seat of Warren County was located close to the intersection of State Road 55 and the Independence blacktop. Kickapoo ford was the best and safest place to cross the Wabash between the mouth of the Tippecanoe River and the mouth of the Vermillion River.

The battle of Kickapoo started about 5:00 in the afternoon. And at 8PM that evening Colonel Hardin and Captain Scott returned to the West Point and met General Scott at the foot of the Round top hills, bringing with them about 52 prisoners.

Years later a creek bank caved away in the location of The Battle of Kickapoo and uncovered a large number of bones that appeared to have been buried in a trench like mass grave. The numbers of prisoners in this battle and the number killed and in the battle don’t seem to make sense, since it is believed that these Indians were experienced warriors and fought under the cover of bush and would fight to the last man standing.

DINKY
RAILROAD

The Dinky Railroad was a short narrow gauge railroad, that was built by Wabash Clay Company for hauling shale from the shale pits to its factory. The railroad crossed Coal Creek immediately south of the highway that was known as the "Dinky Bridge". Then the road proceeded northward, on the west side of the gravel road, which is directly west of the plant, where the shale was dumped. A wreck occurred in 1914 on the Dinky Railroad and engineer Elbert Gillis was killed.

VEEDERSBURG
NAMED

Whispering Willow
By: Willow

It seems to be the time of year for festivals. We have had Earl Park Festival, Dan Patch Days, Potawatomi Festival, Patriot Festival, Apple Fest, Antique Hill Climb and many others. Now it is nearly time for the Halloween Festival. This isn’t entirely a new event.

The Warren Activity Group will be presenting the Hastings Haunted Barn again this year. But there are more events planned than just this huge haunted barn. This year the National Guard will be there with humvees, a rock climbing wall, and bounce tent. There will also be games and a cakewalk will be staffed by the Seeger Film Club and proceeds will go toward helping them with future needs. The Patriot Festival Committee has volunteered to assist the Warren Activity Group in this event by selling food at the Halloween Festival. The Warren County Rescue will also be on site again this year. Beedle Towing will also be providing us with the wrecked car that Larry uses his experetice to ooooohh and awe the crowd. There will also be a free fright movie and fortune teller.

This is the 11th year that Larry Hastings will entertain us all with his extraordinary haunted barn. This year it is bigger and better than last year. Larry is a master in his craft of producing an atmosphere that will both delight and scare the wits out you. But this gets tougher for him each year. Volunteers are needed to man the many rooms of fright he designs, but each year there are fewer and fewer people are willing to donate their time to provide a safe atmosphere for children to enjoy this holiday. We are concerned that if we don’t have enough volunteers to have an adult in each of the haunted rooms this event will have to be cancelled next year. This is only a one-day event, a few hours to provide entertainment for children in a safe and controlled area.

The games and food booths will be sponsored by the Warren Activity Group and staffed by the Seeger Film Club and Patriot Festival Committee, respectively. The proceeds from the food booth and cakewalk will be donated by The Warren Activity Group to the Seeger Film Club for their future needs. The proceeds from the food will be donated by W.A.G. to organization such as the Seeger Scholarship, the monetary donation to the Food Pantry or other organizations.
The rock wall, and bounce tent are also free attractions for the kids from the National Guard. And there are many other attractions in the planning stage to entertain and delight the young and the young at heart.

So help us to ensure that we can provide a safe and happily scary atmosphere this year and next year for your kids, Call Larry Hastings at 1-765-299-5653 and volunteer to give a couple of hours at the haunted barn.

The Halloween Festival will be at the Hastings Farm at 1691 W. 550 S. in rural Williamsport, just about 4 miles south of West Lebanon. No Scare for the youngest participants will begin at 6:00 pm and scary time begins at 7:00 pm until the last little goblin wanders through. All other events and concessions will begin at 6:00. It’s going to be another howling good night!!!!!

We want your help me little pretties!
Willow

Willow'sGarden
By: Willow
Nature never did betray the heart that loved her. Wm. Wordsworth

Picking-Leaving Some and Replanting
American ginseng

The American Ginseng (Panax quinquefaluim) is very similar to its Asian relative. The American Ginseng is most common in Beechwoods. According to the Fox Fire Book3, " It grows mainly in well-drained upland hardwoods in mixed stands of maple, basswood, butternut and rock elm, or on the shady side of deep gullies where there is a transition in timber and vegetation mixes.

It first came to the attention of Europeans when a plant similar to the American Ginseng was recognized growing near a Mohawk village in Canada by a former missionary to China, Father Joseph Lafitare. By 1717, the Fox Indians were bringing it in from as farm away as Greenbay, Wisconsin for trade and it was being shipped to Hong Kong via France.

In 1784 George Washington wrote of meeting a number of people with back pack horses going over a mountain with their packs loaded with ginseng. In 1793, ginseng was the only product of Kentucky that could be shipped overland to Philadelphia.
The gathering and selling or trading of Ginseng became so profitable that the plant nearly died out. As early as 1913, it was noted that the ginseng had been almost completely exterminated everywhere except the wildest of regions.

Even today in this area ginseng can be very difficult to find. This great medicinal plant that can be used for anything from upset stomachs to increasing your stamina is being harvested in the worst of ways. When it is picked is very important. It should not be picked until the fall of the year when the berries are red and ready for planting. When you pick the plant replant the berries. It takes 7 years for the American Ginseng plant to reach maturity. Harvest only what you need for you and your family and replant the berries. Help preserve this unique plant. As the old saying goes "leave some for the gods" and make sure that future generations will be able to benefit from this resource.

Be Blessed
Willow

Old Fashioned Noodle Pudding

1 Lb. Bread Noodles
1 Lb. Cottage Cheese
¼ Lb. Butter or Oleo
1 Pint sour Cream
Salt and Pepper to taste
Sugar to taste (1-3- Tablespoons
Cook Noodles and drain. Add the rest of the ingredients. Put in a casserole dish and bake 1-1 ½ hours at 350 degrees. Sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon on top before baking if you wish.
For a moist dish keep covered and remove cover for the last 20 minutes.

According To Big Al
"Listen to what I mean... not what I say."

FROGTOWN

Parties are a very good way of drawing people together. The Martin family has always been the host to many a party, this was especially true while we lived on Larry st in Dyer, Indiana. Our little subdivision where we lived was affectionately call "Frogtown". This is aptly named because of the low-lying land that most of the houses were seated on. Our house, fortunately, was seated on a hill and we never had to worry about flooding, this was not the case for most of our neighbors. This little subdivision was home to about 40 houses and a lot of kids. It seems that there was always a party going on somewhere in "Frogtown" nearly every weekend and we held more than our share of them. We bought a house in "Frogtown" in 1962 while my 2 boys were newly-born, so they grew up in "Frogtown". This was our home for over 30 years so we developed a good re pore with most all of our neighbors and certainly with all the kids.

I worked for Cargill during the early years in Dyer so I didn't have the intimate contact that I later developed with the younger people in our subdivision. Indeed, we never really were part of the crowd until my 2 boys got a little older and started high school. Then their friends came over frequently and we became better acquainted. About this time I started riding a motorcycle and I became known as that crazy "Biker" on the hill, of course the kids loved me because I was known as a little bit of a maverick. This however was far from the truth, but I guess the label still follows me. Sometimes just speaking your mind and standing up for what you feel is right gives you that title.

Later on when my boys graduated high school, I quit working for Cargill and I went into construction business for myself. This is when my re pore with the young people in "Frogtown" blossomed. It seems that nearly every young man worked for me or my son who also was in the construction biz., at one time or another. After working for me or my son Eric for long enough to learn a little, they would get a job with someone else or get into the union and earn good money. We were well known as a good place to get started in construction. This was particularly important because if you lived in the subdivision, you need not have a car to be able to work. Now don't get me wrong, I am not the easiest guy to work for. I expect a lot from my workers, like being on time, putting forth your best effort and being honest and treating the job like it was your own. Now I don't want you to think that all our workers came from "Frogtown". Only the better ones.

When it came time to party, we put forth an even better effort than we did when we worked, and everyone knew it. Music was always a part of our parties. My oldest son has become one of the better drummers that I know of, and I have always played some kind of instrument at this time it was the guitar and piano. To say that this solidified my position in my family and and "Frogtown" is an understatement. This is also a strong factor with my relationship with my younger daughter and later with my identical twins - but that's another story. A daughter needs someone to look up to and this is especially true when you go thru a divorce, but it is equally important not to criticize each other for shortcomings in the marriage. The children in a divorce tend to somehow feel responsible for it and to criticize each other only adds to the quilt and confusion .

In the later years in "Frogtown" it became an annual event to have a summer event that became known of as "Frogfest". It was a huge party with a keg or kegs, fireworks and music and a lot of people and everyone in "Frogtown" participated it seems. It was a drawing together of all the people. An alien couldn't say or do anything bad about a fellow "Frogger" without getting into some kind of trouble. That's the way it was and when I moved down here after 30 years of being a fellow "Frogger", I sure missed the togetherness and commemorate of "Frogtown". Donna and I have Lived here now for seven years and it is only recently that I feel some of the togetherness that we felt living in "Frogtown". I think that one of these days we will have a party and we will get the participation that we had in "Frogtown".

The party we had at my sons house last weekend brought back many of the feelings I have had while living in "Frogtown", and I say that with warm feelings. Some of the participants were actually wearing their Frog Hats which now have become collector items. What did I do with mine?

Donna Here: He didn't ask me where it is?

In all due respect to the residents of West Lebanon, I feel that this past Patriot Festival generally and the "Out House Races" in particular are a big step in the right direction for togetherness in our local area. Keep up the good work.
Big Al

Old Fashioned Noodle Pudding

1 Lb. Bread Noodles
1 Lb. Cottage Cheese
¼ Lb. Butter or Oleo
1 Pint sour Cream
Salt and Pepper to taste
Sugar to taste (1-3- Tablespoons
Cook Noodles and drain. Add the rest of the ingredients. Put in a casserole dish and bake 1-1 ½ hours at 350 degrees. Sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon on top before baking if you wish.
For a moist dish keep covered and remove cover for the last 20 minutes.

Natural Weather Predictors

Ø Swine usually grunt loudly and retire to their pens upon the approach of rain.
Ø Dogs become drowsy and show a loss of appetite.
Ø Cats lose their vivac ity and seek shelter.
Ø Clover, wood sorrel and wild licorice close their leaves be fore a storm.
Ø The closing flowers of the Dandelion, Pimpernel and sev eral other flowers in dicate the coming of rain.
Ø Expect rain if the chickens roll in the dust.
Ø Swallows fly low be fore a storm, because their prey - insects - fly low at such time.
Ø Bees are sensitive to the increase in hu midity just before it rains and will return to their hives to keep from getting wet.
Ø If a cat washes his face, look for fine weather. If he/she sits with his tail to the fire look for bad weather.
Ø It is a sign of a rough winter when the Wooly Caterpillars are dark
from "stem to stern".

When hornets have triple insulated nests.

When cattle get rough coats and when rabbits and squirrels have un usually thick fur.
Other signs of a hard winter: When there is heavy moss on the north side of the trees. An unusually heavy crop of nuts and acorns. When the sap in the maple and sassafras go down in early fall. When the husks are thick on ears of corn. When the grape leaves turn yellow early in the season.

TOWN CRIER
Your Community Events

WEST LEBANON -Community Clothing Room - Free Clothing. Nazarene Church 503 High Janet Booth 893-4989 Margo White - 762-6319.
WARREN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: - meets the second Tuesday of every month at the Warren County LEDO office in Williamsport at 4:00pm. For more information call Jamie White at 762-6055. chamber@warrenadvantage.com
VEEDERSBURG - Food Pantry Operation Ministries (Church of God Ministry Center), 702 W. Second t. (765)294-5740. Food Pantry and Thrift Store Hours - Thursday & Friday 2-6 pm, Saturday, 9 - noon.
Fountain/Warren County - Fountain/Warren Co. VFW hold Bingo every Friday at 7pm., and AYCE Fish and Chicken Fry the 2nd Friday of each month from 4:30 - 6:30.
COVINGTON - Fountain County Clerks Building/Museum - Open May 1 until the last Saturday of October. Open 1:00 - 4:30
Special arrangements for special program can be made. Call Carol Freese 765-793-2710

HASITINGS HAUNTED BARN - VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED! Volunteers are needed to man the many rooms of fright he designs, but each year there are fewer and fewer people are willing to donate their time to provide a safe atmosphere for children to enjoy this holiday.

CRYTOQUOTE
RVZTLFR
EXAMPLE

To sale the puzzle, one letter stands for another. Aas in the word "EXAMPLE" above "R" stands for "E". Sentence structure and grammar rules and sentence structure are another clue.

XTJ QV BR NPVTDZRBT, XBG Z’KK DVKK HRP BR CZLT. - RKZYVM SRKGTQZDF CNRQ

TFV TDRRFT DR ERBWPVM

Last Weeks Answer
There is no limit to the amount of good that people can accomplish, if they don’t care who gets the credit. Anonymous
Here's a tip on this weeks puzzle: Z = I

Vol. 7 Edition 12 A Little Bit News Publication Sept. 26, 2008

2009-01-06T13:54:00.005-06:00

THE EARLY DAYS OF WARREN COUNTY

Something About Court Houses in General and Williamsport Court House In Particular

Taken From The Warren Review
November 19, 1908

There is one thing the inhabitants of a county most naturally like to talk about, and that is relocating the courthouse. "Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown" may be a true saying, but the uneasiness of a crowned head is a state of reverential pain. Compared with the relentless pain that invests the citizens of a county seat as soon a the fact becomes apparent that the building o long their glory and pride has become so dilapidated that it is no longer the building the court house of a prosperous up-to-date county should be. The agitation is not confined to the county seat altogether, for just a soon as the necessity of building a new temple of justice is conceded every town in the county begins to advocate relocating the county seat and to urge vigorously their own claims to the prize until the whole county is in an uproar.

The county seat of Wayne County was relocated three times before it attained a permanent residence. It was first established at Salisbury, the birthplace of Governor Morton, and from there removed to Centerville and finally to Richmond. The citizens of Salisbury formed themselves into an armed mob and forcibly prevented the removal of the records from that place until dispersed by the militia. The comparatively recent court hose agitation in Newton and White Counties is familiar to all.

The citizens of Williamsport have, in the times past, experienced "A Hot Time In The Old Town" and new town both over the "movin" of the courthouse. When the county seat of Warren was changed from Warrenton to Williamsport in 1829 a brick courthouse was soon after constructed. It was quite an imposing building and was shaped something like the present structure, only not so large or commodious, nor so well build. The offices for the various county officials were furnished with fireplaces instead of stoves. The building itself stood in a public square at the foot of the hill opposite the row of brick businesses known as "Boston Block", that still stand s in the old town, a melancholy reminder of the of evanescent character of human enterprise. The old courthouse was the scene of many interesting incidents in the judicial history of Warren but a time finally came when it was plainly apparent to all that the old structure had outlived its usefulness and most be replaced by a new building that would be safer and more suitable for the transaction of the constantly increasing county business. For a long time the citizens of Williamsport hooted at the idea that the court house was not everything such a building should be, and repairs were ordered and the old building fixed up and remodeled, but at last the end came. Judge Davidson became satisfied that it was unsafe to hold court in and condemned it.

Then the storm broke. Every town in the county had reasons, "as plenty as blackberries" urge the favor of locating the county seat within its respective limits. West Lebanon claimed that Williamsport was wretchedly located on a miserable, rocky stony ridge almost inaccessible to the public, while the capital of Pike was splendidly situated in a rich prairie country, and the most prejudiced could discern at a glance that West Lebanon was the only fit and proper place in the county for the court house, and had, in fact, the only creditable site for such a building.

Williamsport retorted by stigmatizing West Lebanon as a mud hole and impassable two-thirds of the time, and ridiculed her pretenses. Carbondale modestly hinted that as it was the most centrally located and as the county seat was sure to come there in the natural course of things it would be great caring of public money to build the new courthouse and end the strife between Williamsport and West Lebanon. Williamsport gruffly gave here to understand that as Carbondale was not a town, not even a trading pint, it had no claims to be considered; that, in short, it wasn’t in it.

Independence had a great deal to say about it beautiful scenery, elegant location and splendid springs and what a perfect love of a place May’s Grove would be for a court house square. . Green Hill was putting up her college building about that time and argued that a town with two such buildings as the college and the court house would be a county seat not to be sneezed at.

Pine Village, with her usual farsightedness and engacity, was satisfied that it would be a waste of nervous energy to may shy attempt at securing the coveted destination, and quietly signified her willingness that the new court house should be built at Williamsport and offered to furnish all the officials that should be needed to fill the new county offices just as soon as they were ready for occupants. Marshville and Rainsville were satisfied that they had real nice places for a court house square which they would willingly donate for such a purpose if desired.

While the court house war was at its height and "Billyport" to quote the Fountain County papers, was getting madder and madder. Attica being a foreign power situated on the other side of the Wabash River, offered her services as a mediator, and actually solely the purest and most disinterested motives submitted a plan calculated to prevent further effusion of gas, harmonious in the disaffected elements and produces a cosseted of hostilities. This was simply to divide the counties of Fountain and Warren Counties at a certain point south of Attica, sop that the portion of the tow counties thus divided would form one large square county, almost as large as Tippecanoe, and to end all the strife among the Warren County towns it was suggested that the county seat of the new county be located in Attica. If Williamsport was hot before, she simply boiled over at this proposition and the liveliest newspaper war occurred between the Attica and Williamsport press that ever took place in this section of the country. Without allowing any more time for debating the question the new court house was ordered to be constructed and was built at a point about midway between the old and the new town of Williamsport, where it remained until 1887, when it was torn down and rebuilt upon the site of the present court house. It was a very creditable and substantial building and would have lasted for many years but for the accidental destruction by fire early Sunday morning, January 20, 1907. The construction of the present courthouse was begun last spring and completed this fall. It is one of the most handsomely finished structures of the kind in the states and a credit to the people of Williamsport and Warren County.

Willow
By: Willow

Once again I find myself wondering where the days have gone. One day we are planning what to do with the summer and then suddenly it is gone.

I don't know why but the older I get the faster the days seem to fly by. I remember as a child I felt I was constantly waiting for something. Christmas seem to take "forever" and my birthdays seem to get farther away every year.

There were days that the clock seemed to be stuck. I always seem to be in a hurry for tomorrow to happen. Then one day the clock unstuck! No matter how hard I try to hang on to the time at hand it seems to get more and more elusive.

Al's mother had a favorite saying - "to soon old... to late smart!" The other day a friend and I were talking and the subject went to the past. I was relating stories that evolved ex's. She suddenly looked at me and said, "you seem to relate to them as if it doesn't bother you. Doesn't the hurt they caused bother you?" I told her no. It was a long time ago. And I wouldn't change nothing in my life. Everything that has happen to me happened for a reason. Those events shaped who I am now and I am very happy with myself.

I got to thinking though - what if I could do it all over again would there be anything I would change knowing what I know now. I still have to say not much. I think I would have paid more attention in History class at school - so much of my family history is connected to that history. But to change my contacts, the circumstances I still have to say NO. I honestly don't think I would be here without those occurrences. They shaped every decision I have made or will make. My only wish is that time would just slow down a little and let me catch up!

Be Blessed
Willow

Garden
By: Willow
Nature never did betray the heart that loved her. Wm. Wordsworth

I know that this week I said I would talk about the preservation of herbs. But in a conversation with a friend this week I was asked what I would do about bursitis. Since this conversation was about another friend of hers and not her I told her I wanted to be sure of my facts so the best way would be for me to write about it. I know you my readers will understand that I feel that herbs preservation can wait. As someone who lives with almost constant pain I felt compelled to do that article this week. But remember this is what I would do. I am not advising anyone to do this without more investigation on their part. Herbs are like medicine and if you are on any prescription drugs or under a doctors care I can't stress enough how important it is for you to discuss this with a qualified medical practitioner. I only write about these things here because it is what interest me and to pique the curiosity of my readers to do more research.

Bursitis is an inflammation of the bursae, small fluid-filled sacs located between the tendons and bone in various parts of the body. The help to promote muscular movement by providing a cushion against friction between bones and other tissues. When inflamed the bursa causes pain, tenderness to the touch of the afflicted body part, limitation of movement and there may be redness and swelling as well.

Bursitis can be caused by injury, chronic overuse, reactions to certain foods, airborne allergies, or calcium deposits. Thigh muscles can also cause bursitis. This condition is most common in the hip or shoulder joints. When bursitis affects the arm it is often referred to as "tennis elbow", or "frozen shoulder". Occupational bursitis is not uncommon, often referred to as "housemaid's knee", "policemen's heel" or the "beat knee" or "beat shoulder" of coal miners. On common foot ailment the "bunion" is another type of bursitis and is actually caused by the friction of an ill-fitting or shoe that is to tight. This causes a sac in the toe joint of the big toe to become inflamed.
Bursitis can affect anyone, any age. but, older people, especially athletes, are more likely than others to get bursitis. It is sometimes difficult to tell the difference between bursitis and tendentious, the inflammation of a tendon. Bursitis is usually characterized by a dull, persistent ache that increases with movement, whereas tendentious usually causes a sharp pain with movement.

I suggest that anyone suffering with these contact a herbalist for detailed treatment or other medical practitioner. This can be treated with vitamins and minerals as well as herbs.
Calcium is needed to repair the connective tissue, amino acid complex helps healing a digestive aid is needed, such as mulitenzyme. vitamin A, for tissue repair, Vitamin E & C as an anti inflammatory. As well as zinc and then cooper to balance the zinc. Boran is needed for better calcium absorption, Coenzyme Q 10 for circulation, Vitamin B complex is important to cellular repair and Vitamin B 12 should be administered by injection for proper digestion and absorption of foods and for the repair to nerve damage.

Horsetail extract supplies silica, a from of the trace mineral silicon, which is necessary for tissue repair.

As you can see this is a condition that expert advice is needed. Treatment can also include rest to remove the cause of the problem, clearing up any underlying infections that can cause the problem to flare again.

Al has had excellent results in his association with the Herb House in Covington. These folks are trained in the treatment of such problems and in my opinion to avoid father injury professional help should be sought.

The vitamins and minerals I talked about here have specific dosages and integrals of administration and I am not qualified to list these.

Though I do say that professional help should be sought I don't believe that surgery should be necessary in all these cases. I have known many people with bursitis and a regiment of vitamins, herbs and minerals accompanied by rest and clearing up any infection has worked for all those that have changed their "evil ways".

Hahaha
Be Blessed

Willow

According To Big Al
"Listen to what I mean... not what I say."

The Lost Chainsaw

We have a rather nice front yard with about 20 black walnut trees and about 10 red cedar trees and a few others, including a majestic white pine that is getting into trouble with the power lines. All these trees are on a one acre lot with our house and garage. There has been one problem tree on our homesite and that is a scraggly, ugly, dirty old sycamore. Every time it storms or the wind blows, some of it's dead limbs falls to the ground and needs to be cleaned up. The limbs of a sycamore seems to have been designed by an ugly old witch, because that is what it resembles to me. I called it our witch tree. The huge leaves of the tree resemble a small umbrella. The only redeeming quality of the tree is the fact that it was the home to a squirrel that lived in the hole in the tree about 20 feet up. Well this summer one of our cats killed the squirrel, so it was time for the tree to come down before a good wind blew it over into our house.

I began the surgery to the tree by cutting off all the limbs of the tree that I could safely reach with a 20 foot ladder. I did this alone, and cut up the limbs one by one until I had all the wood stacked up under one of the cedar trees. Then I calculated how I was going to drop the tree. I figured if I tied a good stout rope to the tree as high as I could reach and attached the rope to my trusty old blue truck, I could persuade the tree to fall where I wanted it to. I didn't figure this was a one man job however, because I needed someone in the truck to keep steady tension on the tree while someone ran the chainsaw to cut the tree. My next door neighbor volunteered to help me but I was a little nervous about this and besides my brother was coming to see me and he cuts firewood to supplement his regular work of raising pigs. I called him and asked him to help me take this tree down. He and his girlfriend arrived early Tuesday morning and I met them at Duck's restaurant for breakfast. When we got back to our place we surveyed the job in front of us. I already had the 20 foot ladder against the tree and I got my 100 foot rope out of the truck and attached it about 25 feet up in the tree. I attached the other end to the front of my truck so I could pull in reverse so that I could see what was going on. In the meantime my brother was busy getting his chainsaws ready. He wanted to do the sawing and I didn't object because of his experience. He brought his own chainsaws with him, he is very particular about the condition of his saws.

After going over our game plan as to how we were to drop the tree, Richard started to cut the wedge of the tree. After the wedge was cut. I got in my truck and put a little tension on the rope attached to the tree. While Richard was cutting I kept an eye on the treetop. When I seen it was starting to move a little, I increased the tension and called out to Richard. When it started to fall I put a little more tension on the rope and it came crashing down in front of the truck and lo and behold it fell exactly where we wanted it to. How about that for an eventful development? Sometimes things go exactly as you plan them.

I then got my chainsaw running and we started cutting up the branches. It didn't take too long before we had all the branches and the tree cut up into fire sized wood lengths. Then came the time consuming task of cleaning up the leaves and residual branches. We loaded them into the back of my truck and took them down to the back part of my property where we would let them dry for later burning. After about 3 trips, we had most of the yard cleaned up. Richard was anxious to keep cleaning up, but I said we could cut down some more trees in the back of our barn for firewood. This pleased my brother who wouldn't want to fell trees instead of cleaning up?

After we got the sycamore cleaned up we decided it was time for something to eat so we got into the S-10 Chevy truck and went and got something to eat. The girls had left earlier and were not back yet. Richard was unaware that they had even left. So me and Richard had a nice lunch together. Sorry girls.

We then got into my truck and I put my 18" chainsaw behind the window and the toolbox of my truck and headed out to survey where we would cut down the next tree. We knew that we had an old oak tree that was in need of falling. The area behind our barn is about 2 or 3 acres of woods and it has some pretty tall grass and weeds growing in the trails. We stopped near the dead old oak tree, but it was too far gone to make any useful firewood. We noted another oak nearby that was a candidate to fall. We got back in the truck and continued our survey. We located another oak that was a good candidate and was in a better position to get the wood out afterwards. We decided this would be the tree to fall next so we got back into the truck to get Richard's chainsaws. When we got back to the house, we couldn't find my chainsaw that had been behind the rear window. We retraced our steps in the truck, both of us keeping a sharp eye out for the chainsaw. After making 2 trips retracing our steps we still didn't located the missing chainsaw. Were we blind? How could we miss an 18" chainsaw? We reasoned that it had to fall out when we were on the incline behind the barn – wrong. We finally realized we needed to walk the trails to find the missing saw. After over an half an hour Richard had located the missing saw in a place we least expected.

We then got down to the business of falling the oak tree. This didn't take too long. I never fail to have an exalted feeling every time I hear the thunderous sound of a tree falling down. I know that my brother does too from the look in his eye when a tree falls. We cut a few branches off the oak and I said to Richard that I would like to drop a maple tree that was deformed and diseased. He was happy to grant my wants and in a few minutes there was another thunderous sound of the maple tree falling. Now I had plenty of would to cut up, split and dry for my wood burner. We cut up most all of the maple because it was in the shade of the forest and not in the sun like the oak that we cut down.

When we got back to the house, it was nearly supper time, so we took the girls to the Crossroads for dinner. When we got back home we had 3 games of cutthroat euchre, each of us winning one game. We figured that was a good time to call it quits to avoid any arguments, so we settled back and had some berries and ice cream to top of a real productive day.

P. S. Tuesday I got 400 gallons of propane for just under $1,000 dollars – Incentive to cut some wood yeh?

PPS Thanks to everyone who came to the VFW Sunday to hear me play.

Big Al

APOLOGY- The fact that there was no paper last week was due to a matter beyond my control. It was an electronic problem with the supplier of the ink for my Riscgraph that is used to print the paper each week. The ink was ordered in plenty of time, and the order was immediately placed by my supplier for drop shipment. That is where the problem began. The order was placed by e-mail for drop shipment to me and it wasn't until the day the shipment was suppose to be received by me that the company was informed of the e-mail problem. The company doing the drop shipment had failed to notify anyone that they were having e-mail problems until it was to late for delivery in time. I apologize for the inconvenience this has caused and my supplier has assured me that this problem has been solved. From now on all orders by e-mail will be followed by a phone call of confirmation within the hour of sending.

Vol. 7 edition 11 A Little Bit News Publication September 19, 2008

2009-01-06T13:13:00.002-06:00

AN INVENTOR AMONG US

By Larry Wagner
A while back I did a story about the Town of Williamsport and how it got it's name. Then a couple of weeks ago a reader stopped me and told me he had some more information about the story he wanted to share. I told him to write it out and send it to me and I would print it here. He did so as I said I would here it is:

WillowEnterprises - Little Bit News
This is what has been told to me from history people. First the town (of Williamsport) was called Bingham from a town in Germany on the Rhine. However, two Williams brothers had a trading station by the river in the late 1700's. In time the called the town William's Port - not Williamsport. The nick name of the Bingham Bombers - high school team may have come from the first name Bingham.
Also, I have 6 inventions enclosed is a little history of my family.
This was also included with the letter but the author did not sign their name.
We have an entrepreneur plus inventor among us. Larry Wagner of Route 2, Attica, Indiana has invented a new type of mower/cutter and an anti-plug sickle developed to help harvest bio-mass for the production of ethanol. A new type of bale knotter that has only 3 moving parts, that works on a cam, compared to the old finger system that has close to 10 moving parts,a new design for straw walkers that will increase longevity many times, a new type weed eater that will not only cut grass, but brush as well.
He has also discovered a natural enzyme for herb to inject in cattle, hog or sheep feed that will eliminate scours He also makes soap that is 100% biodegradable and all natural. Some say that they have never used anything better.
A neighbor stopped by the other day ad asked him how he thought of all this? He responded, "it must be in the genes." His folks all college people. Mr. Wagner went to Purdue and received degrees in A Engineering, Animal Science and Forestry.

A Family History:

First Mr. Wagner's grandfather Frank graduated in eastern Illinois in 1898 in Mechanical Engineering. He and a person by the name of Henry Johnson opened a machine shop in Clinton, Indiana. They once made tool and dyes for Henry Ford. In the last 2 or 3 years Mr. Wagner has has met with 2 business people in Clinton, Indiana that knew them. Rusty Wilson of Ford and John Scott of John Scott Oil Company. Rusty told Mr. Wagner, "these two old Germans could make anything." He took a picture of the old shop while he was there. The shop has since been razed. Mr.. Wagner's father, Vernon Wagner, brought the state title to Attica High School during his senior year for public speaking. About that tine his mother won Warren County Queen. Mr. Wagner would also like to mention Russell Blickenstaff of Attica, IN., and Bob Swain of Marshall, IN. They were great people. The incentive he received from these people was fabulous.
Frank Wagner and Bob Swain's untimely deaths put Mr. Wagner's life in turmoil at that time. These special people will never be replaced. It was evident at their funerals. The crowds were awesome. Mr. Wagner has had some letters from major equipment companies but would like to build his own factory He has a grandson that is taking mechanical schooling and would like to help. He has one other project mind but does not have the capital to do so. It would be awesome.
This is the type of story I like to print. It is about one of our own. It contains history and imagination. It shows that we all have a story to tell. I enjoy hearing from my readers. Each time I do a story like the one of naming a town, or how Mudlavia began, or musselling on the Wabash and I hear from a descendant or someone with a story to add it makes this all worth it.
I only wish more people would take the time contribute here. There is nothing better than hearing about one of our own and their history, is there?

Whispering Willow
By: Willow

I have been an avid reader since I was old enough to hold a book by myself. There are times when I will read as many as five novels a week. And once I buy a book and read it becomes like a close friend I find it almost impossible to part with it. But that has gotten better since I started using the library more. But I will check out as many as ten or twelve books at a time.
I have no special favorite type of book; I go through stages, biographies, all kinds of fiction, history, and "how to", to name a few. When I was a youngster my favorite books were the Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys series. I read them all. The local librarian use to call me at home when a new one came in.
One of my favorite writers is a woman originally from the Danville area. Susan Wittig Albert is a popular mystery writer. Susan is a former English professor and university administrator. She has been writing full time since 1985. She and her husband Bill Albert have written over 60 novels for children and young adults. This includes books in the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys series under the pseudonym Robin Page, which I was so fond of. The Alberts are co-authors of Twelve Victorian mysteries, the latest is the Death of a Lizard. Susan is also the author of two non-fiction books, Writing For Life: Telling Your Soul’s Story and Work of Her Own: A Woman’s Guide to Success off the Career Track. Her newest mystery series features Beatrice Potter, The Tale of Hawthorn House.
Her books that I am most fond of are her China Bayles Mysteries Series, and I am thrilled at the possibility of getting to meet this wonderful writer that has given me and so many others so many hours of great reading. Susan Wittig Albert will be signing and speaking about her two latest books, one a China Bales Mystery, Nightshade and the other a Beatrice Potter book, The Tale of Briar Bank, at Glorie Bee Antiques in downtown Covington on Saturday, October 4th between 2:00 - 4:00 (Indiana time). Glorie Bee Antiques is located on the Square in Covington at 314 Liberty Street. I know I’m going to be there early, how about you?

Be Blessed
Willow

Willows Garden
By: Willow
Nature never did betray the heart that loved her. Wm. Wordsworth

Collecting and Preparing Herbs for Storage
There are a few guidelines that you need to follow when collecting herbs, whether you are collecting them to use for decoration, seasoning or medicinal.
1. Identify the plant you are collecting ( especially when you are collecting in the wild.) There are some herbs that are indistinguishable from others and have totally different purposes. Be sure and take a good illustrated guide with you if you aren’t sure about the plant you are looking for.
2. You should never pick plants that are within a mile of a public highway. There is a chance that the municipality has sprayed that area. Quite a few states and towns spay the side of the road to keep down wild growth.
3. Choose carefully the time when you pick your herbs. It is a little known fact that just as the moon’s gravitational pull affects the rise and fall of the tides, it also affects the rise and fall of the sap within plants. A plant picked at high-tide when the moon is waxing will contain a lot more sap than one picked when the moon is on the wane. Also the plant will contain a lot more sap in the spring when the plant’s water content is highest.
Time is a very important factor. By mid morning most the dew has evaporated from the foliage. This is the best time to pick the plant because dew laden plants tend to develop mold soon after picking.
Once you have found the plant that you want then it is important that you select the best specimen and defoliate the plant in the correct way. You should avoid any plants that show any signs of damage or disease. Black spots on the leaves or discoloration of the stems and leaves, or drooping foliage are some tell-tell signs of a problem with that plant.
Unless you need the root of the plant it is not necessary to destroy the whole plant and it is likely that the plants will be there next season. My ex-mother in law used to say, "leave some for God". No matter what you are picking always leave a few plants for Mother Nature to reseed with next year. Many folks make the mistake of taking the whole patch and then wonder why they can’t find the plant in that spot the next season.
Picking new growth ensures that the whole plant will not be destroyed. Besides old leaves tend to be tough and dry. Biennial plants should only be harvested in their second year.
Flower heads can be particularly prone to damage, especially from insects. The best time to pick flowerheads is early morning, but be sure to dry them as soon as possible to avoid mold and avoid flowerheads that are beginning to lose their pedals. These are past their prime.
Removing bark requires the most delicate operation. If removed in the wrong way the plant may die. The best time to remove bark in the Autumn. Carefully select the tree or bush, then with a SHARP blade of small hack-saw remove the smaller branches from the top and outer area of the plant. It is much easier to remove bark from the new stemmage or branches. Do Not attempt to remove the bark while they are still attached to the tree, you could accidentally run a strip of bark down the tree or bush and leave the tree open to infection from parasites, fungi, or disease,
Once you have removed the part of the plant that you need they should be transported in a cotton or muslin bag. But NEVER mix herbs into one bag. It will amaze you to know how two herbs that looked entirely different in the field can look so confusingly similar when you lay them out on your counter at home. Be careful not to bruise or damage the specimens in transport. A wire frame inside the bag can help to prevent this.

Next Week
Preservation and Storage of Herbs

Be Blessed
Willow

PRESS RELEASE

THREE FUN FILLED DAYS OF ACTIVITY AND FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT
POTAWATOMI FESTIVAL

Attica, Indiana
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
September 19, 20 and 21.

Entertainment - Flea Market - Arts & Crafts - Heritage Crafts - Baby Contest - Antique Tractors - Big Bounce - Pony Rides - Gospel Show - Kareaoke Contest - Car Show - Free Kiddy Tractor Pull - Firefighters Waterball Fight - and PARADE.

FREE PARKING ADMISSION FREE FRIDAY ONLY
After 5 PM. $1.00
Normal Admission
Adults - $2.00
Children - $1.00
Children 6-12 - $.50
Children 5 and Under FREE
For More Information Call
Diana Molden - 765-764-4515
Dema Freeman - 765-762-3879

RECIPE

PEACH PANDOWDY

3 ½ C. peeled, sliced peaches
½ t. cinnamon
2 ½ t. cornstarch
1/3 C. brownsugar
¼ C. butter
1/3 C. granulated sugar
1 Egg
¾ C. all-purpose flour
¼ t. salt
1 t. baking powder
1/3 C. milk
1 t. vanilla
1 T. granulated sugar
mixed with 1/8 t. cinnamon
In a 1 ½ Qt. Casserole or soufflé dish, combine the peaches, cinnamon, cornstarch, and brown sugar. Toss together. In a bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in the egg. In a small bowl, combine the flour, alt and baking powder. Stir into butter mixture alternately with the milk to make a batter. Add vanilla.
Pour batter over peaches. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture and bake at 375 degree for 30 minutes. Serve warm, rather than hot with vanilla ice-cream.

PRESS RELEASE

WEST LEBANON PATRIOT FESTIVAL
Sept. 26th - 27th - 28th

TOWN WIDE YARD SALES - FOOD COURT & MARKET PLACE
LITTLE MR. & MISS PATRIOT - CRUISE-IN CAR SHOW
SMALL PET CONTEST - HOOLA HOOP CONTEST
COW PIE BINGO - CAKE WALK - KID GAMES - WEST LEBANON FIRE DEPT. FISH FRY - FIREMAN'S WATER BALL COMPETITION - FREE MUSIC ALLEY - CORNBREAD & BEAN FUNDRAISER - TRACTOR SHOW -
KAMP SPEEDWAY CARS & DRIVERS - POWER WHEELS RACE - CASH RAFFLES - BIKE DECORATING CONTEST
OUTHOUSE RACES

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!
3 DAYS PACKED WITH FUN!

According To Big Al
"Listen to what I mean... not what I say."

Family
The last week of August Donna and I made a trip to Wisconsin to attend a Hagedorn Family reunion. As you probably suspect it was my family reunion, not Donna's. To say it was a heart warming experience is an understatement. As we get older family relations become more and more important to us, I am no exception.
We left late Thursday night or early Friday morning to avoid traffic and get past the inevitable road repair tie-ups. We wanted to get to our destination at Eau Claire lake early Friday afternoon so we could check in to our motel room, freshen up a bit before our dinner date with Robert Miley my first cousin and his wife and two daughters. Robert is more than a cousin to me, he was like an older brother to me when I was growing up in Wisconsin. It was Robert who gave me the 3 letters from my dad that enabled Donna and I to locate the whereabouts of my dad in l995 after our trip back from Washington. My dad was indeed like a father figure to Robert who grew up with his mother (my aunt Dora) and grandmother on an 80 acre farm.
As you remember me stating before that my dad played an old Hohner push-button accordion when he would visit his mother and aunt Dora and Robert on the family farm. I have many a fond memory of these visits with my dad and family. Well that accordion was actually Robert's, although I don't remember him playing it. I kind of relate it as my father's, although it wasn't his. Well sometime ago, I asked Robert if he would leave me that accordion in his will if I should outlive him. He said that was no problem, that he would be happy to do so. While we were having a drink at the bar and waiting for a table for dinner Robert said that I need not wait for his accordion, that I could have it as he seldom ever played it. What a sense of bonding that made to me, and then he said he had another surprise he had for me – three more old letters for me that my dad had sent to him and his mother back in the early 60's. Not only that, but he said he felt sure there were some more, although they were probably water-damaged from a leak that was encountered in their family basement from a water leak from the bathroom. He said he would try to get to them and give me copies of any that pertained to my dad. What and incentive to get back to see him again? As we parted and said our good byes after dinner I was trying to impress on him how important it was to me for him to be at the family reunion tomorrow. He said he would try, but they had some real important matters to attend to. I asked him to attend a part at Roger Green's on Saturday night if they couldn't make it to the reunion. Roger and Robert attended the same grade school as children.
Saturday we attended the reunion and made new acquaintances and and reestablished old ones. I played the keyboards for a while to the attendees, but my heart wasn't in it as I wanted Robert to hear me play as it is kind of like playing for my dad who never heard me play. Later that evening I went to my cousin's Roger Green's for a Green's family get-together. Roger is my self-appointed "Brother" who is the last of the Green boys left. Roger and his wife Verle celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in July. Verle is a girl whom was a good friend of my sisters and we went to the same grade school together.

She is very much like a sister to me. It it very hard to me to think that we are all getting that old. I had a very good time at their party, indeed I always thoroughly enjoy their company. After the party was nearing the end, Roger asked me for a favor. He said he would really enjoy spending Sunday we me and Donna and drive up "North" to where I lived when I was 6 years old, and he wanted to take me to where his father and brothers hunted together. I said I would be happy to do so. We agreed to meet about 8:00 A.M. Sunday.
The next morning Donna and I met Roger and Verle at his house and went to Cadott for breakfast. After breakfast we looked over the old family residences of my Grandfather's and Great Grandmother's in Cadott. Great Grama Green's family was the common relationship between Roger Green's family and mine. There were 17 children born to her and Charlie Green. My Grandma Green was the eldest in the family. From Cadott we went to Cornell to visit the Mose's Lake area that my family lived on when I was 6 years old and started 1st grade. This is the place where my Grandpa and Grandma Dudenhoeffer lived with us on the lake for about 6 months-one of the happiest times in my memory. From there we headed north to Glen Flora, a place that my dad lived for a while after the divorce. We had a little bit of a problem in finding the place as the old buildings were torn down and a new house was built on the site since I seen it last. We met a Hagedorn family relative at the little gas station in town and I gave them information for the family reunion.

From there we headed North to the Flambeau Flowage area and the place where the Green family had their deer hunting cabin. This is an area not far from Winter Wisconsin. During this time Roger was telling me about things that he recalled from the past about his father and brothers. I felt like he was treating me like one of his own. When we got to the cabin I was truly disappointed as to how the location is being overrun from weekenders setting little nests in this huge forested area that was the hunting area of the Green's. Roger told me how the area that is infested with the weekenders was available to them, but they fumbled the ball in getting the property and they now are seeing the results. He asked me for my opinion as to what should be done with it. My honest opinion is that it is an opportunity missed and that I would tend to let the property go unless the rest of the Green family felt otherwise. You see Roger is now considered the overseer of the Green family.
From there we caught something to eat before heading back to Cadott. In Cadott we went to the family cemetery where we visited the kinship's of the Green's and our many family ties and where they were buried. This brought about plenty of discussion about how our family were related. It was a very soul-satisfying day and made me feel much closer to my family ties than I have in a long time, but then the Green's have always been a strongly family oriented bunch and I am happy to be considered one of them. Why do we have to live so long to learn these very basic feelings?
Donna and I headed back to the motel and stayed another night before getting up early in the morning and heading back to home. It was at this point (2:00 A.M.) in the morning that I realized that we had used up nearly all the gas and we didn't know if we could make it to a gas station before we ran out. It didn't help that Donna forgot our pillows about 10 miles toward home and we had to turn around and drive back to the motel. We did find a gas station that takes a credit card and you can get gas at an unattended gas station. Sometimes there is something to be said for progress. In the old days we would have had to sit there until they opened in the morning.

BIG AL

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Sunday, Sept. 21st
VFW - Attica
4:00-7:00

Every Month

3rd Wednesday
Friendship Circle Senior Center
Covington
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm

4th Wednesday
Williamsport/Attica Senior Center
11:30 am - 1:00 pm

To Book Big Al at your event or business
Call
765-893-4936 765-585-6802

TOWN CRIER
Your Community Events

WEST LEBANON -Community Clothing Room - Free Clothing. Nazarene Church 503 High Janet Booth 893-4989 Margo White - 762-6319.
WARREN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: - meets the second Tuesday of every month at the Warren County LEDO office in Williamsport at 4:00pm. For more information call Jamie White at 762-6055. chamber@warrenadvantage.com
Join The Fun! Join the Girl Scouts! Open to all girls ages 5-17. Discover your full potential through learning, laughing, leading. For more information on join or volunteer contact Hollie Myer Girl Scouts of Sycamore Council at 1-800-876-0059 ext 107. Or go to www.sycamorecouncil.org.
VEEDERSBURG - Food Pantry Operation Ministries (Church of God Ministry Center), 702 W. Second t. (765)294-5740. Food Pantry and Thrift Store Hours - Thursday & Friday 2-6 pm, Saturday, 9 - noon.
Fountain/Warren County - Fountain/Warren Co. VFW hold Bingo every Friday at 7pm., and AYCE Fish and Chicken Fry the 2nd Friday of each month from 4:30 - 6:30.
COVINGTON - Fountain County Clerks Building/Museum - Open May 1 until the last Saturday of October. Open 1:00 - 4:30
Special arrangements for special program can be made. Call Carol Freese 765-793-2710
VEEDERSBURG - CRUISE -IN STREET DANCE - THIRD SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH FROM MAY UNTIL OCTOBER LIVE MUSIC BY "HOOSIER DADDY"