Omaha daily bee., 1906-08-05

aA DSCOmo9 Expert mlIIAF.
Fewer places looked more dilapidated
than did the Red Mil Of Beohtelvilie. Pa b.
ana the farm adjoining 1t when MahIon
hsitnauer and his bride. formerly Lydia
LAhais' OF Hun's Church, took charge Of
~ as their future home. There was de.
lmAnd for repairs in every direction. Re-
nnauer was working might and main, and
the task was getting beyond him.
What about the min2" asked Rett-
nauer. one evening while the pair were
At their supper.
oh, don't bother about that mill, II
you will see to the farm work 1 win keen
that mill In good trim," was the reply
She not only said 1t, but she has kept her
word and ever since the Red Mill has been
entirely In her hands during the busy sum-
mer season and half OF the time during the
cold winter days.
she rapidly acquired a thorough know
ledge OF everything pertaining to the grind
ing or grain. and today the "ReitnaueI
Red MIL nour" 10 known throughout the
historic Faickner Swamp region. Her mill
IL brick structure, three stories high. and
every floor is filled with the wheat and
corn which the hundred or more farmers OF
the vicinity bring to have ground.
When the farmers arrive at the mill
they are met by Mrs. Reitnauer. She
Is strong and muscular. and when the
heavy sacks Of grain reach one of the UP.
per floors, hurls the burden through the
open doorway with great ease.
=, She loosens the rope and pulls the COS
70 the hopper, and with another turn Of hel
arm the open end OF the sack is thrust intc
the hopper, and the task is completed.
She has mastered her work in every re,
rrNfa ha
ping from twenty to thirty little furrow.
to an inch, a task which many male mil
lers have great difiiculty in accomplish.
ing.
When she makes flour she is always yer,
particular that the reel is in the proper
condition. She has mastered the needl,
part OF the milling industry and when tn,
nne sievelike silk fabric that inoloses the
reel gets punctured she gets to work and
closes Il up in very systematic manner
Mrs. Reitnauer is 80 years old and is tn,
picture Of health She Is the daughter o.
carpenter and was born on the farm
where she learned to do outdoor work
While her chief ingenuity lies around tn,
hopper and the milestone, she is also capa
BILE Of doing needlework, and while tn,
milestone is whirling she often sits near b.
making clothing
There are stu q great many Pennsyl
vania German people who object to tn
patent process roller flour and who win us
no other than stone ground -four In keep
ing with early customs, every farmer ex
poets to bake his bread from -four mad
OF his own wheat. In this respect they ar
very particular and they always SOW good
clean wheat, so that their -four will b
nothing but the purest article.
Mrs. Reitnauer begins her days worl
during summer time a little before 5 o. 'olocl
In the morning. When she arises she hur
riedly grinds customers grain and the
retraces her steps 10 her kitchen and get
breakfast for her husband and daughter
When her morning household duties ar
over she again goes TO the mill, and usual
spends the forenoon there, till nearly !
q. m. when she attends to her duties get
ting dinner. When the mill work is press
ing she devotes the balance Of the day Z
the latter.
She is accustomed TO grind a great del
OF buckwheat -four for during the autum
the Pennsylvania Germans OF Colebrookdal
and Douglas townships raise a great des
OF II. and are particular 10 have the fiou
OF their own buckwheat.
While her milling and domestic dutie
keep Mrs. Reitnauer rather busy. she. how
ever. ands some spare moments 10 devot
70 trade journals and 10 scan the markt
news OF the daily papers. and is raths
well posted on the prices OF grain so this
the farmers come and consult with her a