The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-06-03
Some Citizens We Greet |

new old acQualntanceS. lie mas re-
Gently been spending a few days
here, returning to his western home
on Thursday last, the day before
they decorated the soldiers graves
and all the rest of the patriotic
stunts. The day before he left he
came into The Citizen office along
with Henry Jennings, of Beech
Grove, and it seemed mighty good to
grasp his hand and to look upon his
face once more. He referred to
recent communication from Frank
Hubbell, of the Pacific coast, that
was published in The Citizen, and he
said he recalled the incident Mr..
Hubbell related, but that Mr.. II. was
little off in his dates.
Mr.. Welsh said that about his
earliest recollection of Honesdale
events was of the Polk and Dallas
presidential campaign. He remem-
bered that campaign because of an
event that occurred just previous to
election day. There was big par
ade in town and he saw it. Although
but about three years old, he was
wonderfully put out because he was
not allowed to go along with the
boys. His brothers William and
ulCudl VI WClO III IlC plOSOoolOh VIII
their little flags, and things looked
very good and alluring to the three
year old fellow who was held up in
the arms of some woman to see the
more fortunate paraders as they
passed by.
In those days the old Slab Cas-
tie" was a centre of uptown attrac-
ton. 1t stood just above the Wayne
County Hotel, above the "Dyberry
Forks" and the Castle" had as
much romance and local renown
clustering about it as any other
building in Honesdale, possibly with
out a single exception. There were
little porches in front Of the windows
on the second story-not large por-
pants to sit on in limited number on
Summer evenings and enjoy the
"voices of the night" along with the
aroma of a Larry Grambs cigar. 1t
was on one of these porches that the
woman stood with young Welch in
her arms, and, as the procession
passed, something gave way to the
porch and a near tragedy was the re-
suit Fortunately nobody was hurt,
but Mr.. Welch says he remembers
that he was terribly frightened. Mr..
Welch undoubtedly thinks of the
event now as being in the class of the
old lady on the sailing vessel in
storm at sea. The dear old lady ap-
preached an old salt with the in
quiry,
Good Mr.. Sailor man, is there any
fear?"
why, yes, marm," replied the old
doc tthprp'C 1ntc Of fpor h1lt n nnt
bit O. danger!"
Years afterwards Mr.. Welch's
family questioned the accuracy of his
memory and had doubts that he
could really remember the Polk and
Dallas campaign. One day he heard
his mother talking with lady visi-
tor. Calling his mother out into the
kitchen he said, Mother, that is the
woman who had me in her arms
when the stoop fell down." and when
the lady was questioned she corro-
borated the story in every detail.
Four years later young Welch, with
others, carried returns to the late
Howkin B. Beardlee's office, Mr.. B.
at that time publishing the Wayne
County Herald. And now the Herald
is also in the "late' class. Myi My!
What tricks old Time does play!
Luke Levy is the name of an old
Honesdale boy who has recently re-
turned to this town "for keeps" He
left this town many years ago, but
the charm of it's memories got it's
grip on him, and the call was so
strong that he could not resist it, and
here he is to stay. Luke Levy! Luke
Levy! That name adds another to
the list that makes Honesdale a
different " town. There are Levys
the world over, but there is only one
Luke Levy in all the whole wide
world, just as there was only one
Stourbridge Lion locomotive engine
that first turned a wheel on the rail-
road in this town. Mr.. Levy has
consulted directories and spent much
time in searching after others of his
name but he is in a class by himself
1t is said that every man has his
double, and names are generally du-
plicated. The writer hereof suppos-
ed there was no other bearing his
name, but one morning he was sur
prised to receive in his mail a news
paper from Tallahassee, Florida, with
an article marked showing that there
were other pebbles on the beach. ;"
MI. Levy believes he is the only man
named Luke Levy in all this big,
round world. If there is another
Luke Levy in existence, let him
speak right out in meeting; or, better
yet, let him stand right up and show
himself; or, better yet, let him come
right to Honesdale and open a bust
ness place. We presume, however,
that our Luke Levy would prefer
him to engage in some other enter
prise than merchant tailoring, as two
by the same name in the same line
of trade is decidedly confusing.
" That's fine picture of Lincoln, !"
remarked Squire e. B. Hollister as
he glanced across the writer's table
at large bromide print of the War
President reclining against the wall.
And then the Squire told of seeing
the martyred leader in December,
| 1861. He said that the look of care