More Ghosts
No. 21 June Th, 1938
Emile R. Paillou
When "Home Town Sketches" came out, I got several indignant letters protesting that I had ignored prominent citizens of Boonville. My reply was that the said citizens, while greatly esteemed and the very salt of the earth, did not lend themselves to my purpose which, whatever else it might be, was not to write a directory or a catalogue of tax-payers. I think I failed to convince any of these critics.
I had many Boonville friends who were "dealers in groceries, glassware, queensware, hats, caps and shoes," but few of them owned a protuberance upon which I could hand a story. Thus I used some lowly citizens and "Ignored" a governor and some people of great substance, and did I hear from them!
AT THE OLD POST OFFICE
One of our daily thrills was going to the post office, ostensibly for mail, but really to see and be seen. True, we enjoyed peering through the old fashioned glass "boxes" at the postmaster and his clerks distributing letters, papers and packages, and our hearts beat faster if a letter or package was thrust in our particular compartment. It was interesting to watch those important folks who had metal lock boxes so they did not have to wait until the last letter was placed.
The postmaster and his clerks were wonderfully patient with little folks who must have been a nuisance. I recall Chris Newman for his smiling urbanity. Not all officials were tolerant, however. Once in Col. Eppstein's regime, Charles Swap1 Walter Williems and myself were ejected by the Colonel. Charles and I went out quite 1amblike, but Walter fought every inch of the way pro-claiming his rights as a citizen (he was about 9 years old), and kicking the shins of authority during his trajectory to the sidewalk. The post office was then on Spring Street next to Arn's Gun Shop, if memory serves me rightly.
THESPIAN HAL L
Of tremendous importance to the early life of two counties. A distinctive building of noble proportions, bearing a unique name which made instant appeal, especially to the artists on its stage. We little boys and girls were impressed by the stately columns, not knowing or caring about the meaning of "Thespian." But we got a big thrill at the late arrival of the aristocracy, silken and bejewelled --- a part of the Show, then as now. We howled in at the chorus girls, "cracked" at favored ones in the audience from the stage, thus knighting the chosen beaux as if they had knelt before royalty. One of my earliest recollections of stage divinities was Minnie Polmer, beautiful in a cartwheel picture hat of brown velvet. Later artists who left an enduring impression were the lecturers, Rabbi Sonneschein and George R. Wendling.
THE BOONVILLE TOPIC
Walter Williams, the boy reporter, salary, one dollar a week! One day I brought in for publication what I in my fatuity called a poem. I recall the long look of pain on his race as he read. "Umph!How nicely you have made it rhyme," he said. I had sense enough not to press him, so in mercy to me he did not print the atrocious "poem." Do you recall how he interviewed Adam Forepaugh, the big mogul of the circus world? No one had done such a thing, So Walter considered it the thing to do. The great showman was captivated by the audacity of the boy reporter and gave him a big story which was duly spread throughout the nation and Walter got a raise in salary and prestige.
THE BOY WALTER WILLIAMS
It is not my intention to create an impression that Walter was an angelic being; he was far from that undesirable state. In fact he was often a bit "difficult" when he could not have his own way. He had no patience with those, who, as I did, loved the gentle art of Isaac Walton. Sports, as such, did not appeal to him. Frankly, I loved him much more as a man and my affection has grown with the years, so much so that his passing was a crushing personal loss.
We are too near to get Walter’s perspective, that will come later. Suffice to say that Walter Williams was a great man who, directly and indirectly, furnished the flame for a million torches and left the world a better place in which to live, because he passed this way.
Uplinked 03/22/01