Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-11-29
Thanksgiving Day Put to Good
Account by Neighbors Of h
S. Reed Near Owassa
HELPED IN HIS MISFORTUNE
Sixty Men With Half as Many Teams
Turn In and Husk Corn for Neigh
for Who Had Been Ill in Hospital
-EIdora's Seed Corn Contest a
SUGGESTIVE Winners.
to rimes-Hepublican.

Special to Times-Hepublican
Owassa, Nov. notwithstanding day
brings something for which nearly all
ought to be thankful, and If I am not
mistaken the Thanksgiving day of
1904 will long be remembered by A. S.
Reed. of this place.
During the early fall Mr.. Reed no.
ticed small lump on his leg, which
grew until 1t became of alarming pro-
portions. Upon counseling different
physicians it was decided an operation
was necessary, and little over two
weeks ago, just at the time he should
have begun picking his corn, they took
him to Iowa City for an operation. The
fact that his corn was not harvested
seemed to worry him great deal, as
out to his friends, as they asked after
his condition, and 1t was suggested by
someone that they have a husking bee
Two men put in a couple of days and
invited eighty-nine people in the sur
rounding neighborhood to come Tues
day with their teams and wagons and
pick his corn. If you had happened to
live In that part Of the country you
would have been awakened long before
sun up by the noise of teams, going
by, and as the sun came up, If you
had looked you could have counted
twenty-siX teams In the field, and all
hands working like beavers. The ears
of corn ratified against the bang board
like hail on tin roof. Good natured
laughter and snatches of songs were
mixed in between the throws, each man
trying to out do his neighbor in the
had three men and some two. Among
the huskers were a few men from
town and 1t was funny to see them
husking with some farmer, who, with
experience, would snap an ear, throw
it at the wagon without looking and
have another ear in hand before the
city chap had the husk torn loose from,
an ear. But it was not SO much the
ears as the willingness that counted
then.
AT half-past nine the loads began
coming to the house, and as the men
gathered at the windmill and again at
the tables one was struck with the
appearance of all of them, the smile
of satisfaction of having helped in a
good cause. Neighbor women and
friends gathered in and helped and at
the two Reeds homes dinner was serv-
ed to all, the writer included, and
know that the dinner was good. After
nool many who could not come in the
morning joined, and the crowd was
swelled to 30 teams and sixty men,
and at half-past two the corn was all
in, between so and 60 loads. While
the men were at work in the field, Mr..
Reed returned home, and with the aid
of cane was able to walk around.
While somewhat thin and pale, yet
the expression of appreciation was on
came in and the men left the loads
to come and shake him by the hand
and say they were glad to see him
home again, real affection was display
ed, not a two-flngered. wishy- washy,
but hearty grip and glad ring in
the voice.
Nearly every man there had left at
home field of corn unhusked to help
a neighbor. There were men who had
not picked corn for years, here were
gathered together sixty of the best
citizens Of Iowa, and every man went
home feeling better toward himself
and toward all mankind. And If any
one of them should finish their own
corn in the snow they will always be
glad for the days picking that helped
Mr.. Reed to sit at his table on
Thanksgiving day and look out upon
full corn cribs, and thank the Lord
he has good neighbours.
While speaking of corn, would like
to mention the great interest being
shown, in all parts Of the state in the
seed corn contests. In the one held at
Eldora on Nov. 20, there were prizes
offered for the best ten ears in four
classes, and there were over eighty
farmers who competed for the prizes.
Profesord Klinck of Ames College,
together with six students from the
same school spent the forenoon in arr
ranging and deciding the merits of the
exhibits. At o'clock In the AFTERNOON,
Professor Klinck delivered an address to
large audience in the Wisner opera
house and every one was pleased with
the program. and much benefit was de-
rived.
The following persons won prizes:
Yellow corn-First, Seward Bros,
New Providence.
yellow corn-second. Charles Nc
Claim, Union.
yellow corn-Third, Russell Reece.
New Providence.
White corn-First, Floyd Myers, Ell
dora.
white corn-second, E. w. Wolfe,
Owassa.
Mixed corn-First, j. H. Higgin-
Mixed corn-second. Ross G. Reece,
New Providence.
Mixed corn-Third, John Graham,
Red corn-First, Ed Mcclain, Union.
Red corn-second, w. ]. Moir, Ell
dora.