26 Jun 1930 – Reporter, Journal combine

The Letter Box – Leon Journal

Letter from Kate Strong

Dear Mr. Journal and Mrs. Reporter – as I see others – it seems quite a complex for me to get acquainted with the two newlyweds, as I do not know which one is democrat and which is republican as neither one is certain of the mother and misses the master mind.. I enjoyed the Maroon Reminisences by John Hurst. I knew his brother but not him, but I think he is as bright as any of them, and I think his Maroon stories caused some of the old bloods to throb in memory of events and times, especially John Penniwell’s sanctified look (but amiss.) I think of the time he was doing some carpenter work for us in the country. I read with delight the Pioneer History of Allen Scott, and other things I so well remember. My father, Jacob Hiner and I visited Dr. May who lived near Allen Scott. Dr. May came from Virginia where we used to live. He had a daughter named Mary. It was a short time before the Civil War. Allen Scott was a handsome young man and he and Miss May were great friends and we spent a delightful evening at the Scott home. I wish I could describe the Scott house he built and the genuine old Virginia hospitality it offered. He was a splendid violinist and so was young Al. Where there was a violin I was always nearby and still am as my brother-in-law, Dr. Theo Brenizer is fine on the violin and when I visited my sister, Mr. Theo Brenizer it does my old musical heart a lot of good. Mary May and young Al Scott visited us in Decatur City and the crowd went over on Long Creek to a dance at a Mrs. Hatfield’s. Well the time we had would make a Maroon one look cold. The boys killed a lot of the old lady’s duck and hung them up in the basement to mellow.

By the way, who does furnish the reading matter for Mr. Journal and Mrs. Reporter. I think the correspondents do more or less. Forty-niners, the pioneer people in describing the breaking of the prairie sod in Decatur county did not tell of all the ills following and did not speak of the scratching ivy itch that broke out afresh every summer. Stick-tights held no show to it.

There isn’t much on the monkey wagon in Oklahoma. This year the wheat is far behind the average last year when Ed Fierce and family were in Geary all day long and night double-headers passed up through Geary with the golden grain for the Kansas City market. Now one engine does all the work. As I see others, was my subject – As I came from Iowa two years ago I had so many things to tell about but the items are too old now. My daughter there did try to teach me to put more soap in the dishwater, get you another dry dish towel make your dress shorter, etc.

At the Van Wert reunion I saw many of my old friends and among the good friends of grand River and old timer, a friend of Mr. Strong, W.H. Young. I also met his wife. When I saw her I knew why he was a good man. I met with an accident at Alex Keller’s while visiting my daughter and family but I will never forget the Grand River people at Kansas City as I came home. Two new trains were put on, the Baby Sunflower and the Flying Crow. Odd names but we have the Firefly and it does fly to Kansas City daily.

In Oklahoma, the reverse of the sins of the parents are visited upon the children, here the sins of the children are visited upon the parents. Last week a boy took his father’s car, killed a woman but he escaped with a broken arm, all cause by too fast driving.

I went to Aid two weeks ago. The society meets weekly. After it closed I was walking out in the yard, tumbled over an old bed spring lying on the lawn, fell head-long on it, nearly springing my heart apart, also hurt one hand but wasn’t I glad long skirts had come back in style, also glad I didn’t live in Kobville or Decatur City.

I think these two correspondents belong to church from the comments being so nice. As the bug season in Oklahoma rolls around on the grinding wheels of time I think of old man Noah of Bible history and the greatest of all to be confined night and day in that old ark of his with all those animals, bugs, etc. Lot’s wife was lucky in looking back. There is nothing in this letter very good, but a line or two if you need it. Even yet I hope you’ll get a little pep when you read it.

MRS. KATE STRONG