Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1919-11-20
o by ROYALTY.

U'-s'SstTIn III
The distinction OF shaking hands
with King Albert Of Belgium and of
being the subject OF a royal mes
cage belongs to a former Mansfield
boy, Steve Burch Of Americas, Kan,
whose lto:ary contributions have
gained for him an International rep
utation.
Oct. 20. King Albert. Queen
Elizabeth and Prince Leopold OF
Belgium arrived in Belgium and
the Empor a Gazette in reporting
the event says. in part:
The King hook hands with Steve
Burch, OF Americas. Two years ago
Mr. Burch sent n poem to his majesty
and received a letter from King
Albeit thanking him for his senti-
ments expressed in the poem. The
letter was signed by the Belgium
prime minister. II follows:
am commanded by his majesty
to thank you for the kindly senti-
mcnts expressed in your letter OF the
9Th OF October last, and in the lines
which accompanied them.
We n-e in receipt OF a letter from
Mr. Burch. in which he says: Last
week | attended the state grand
lodge and the four state conferences
OF the Anti-HOrse Thief Association
A II. T. A. at Independence-met
there and became real chummy with
Brother Charles w. Fear, editor Of
Trades-Unionist OF Joplin. He
wants to visit you and Mansfield and
have your Influence in organizing a
lodge OF this worthy order there. /
nm serving my second term as pres
ident of Americas Local No. All. A.
II. r. A. and because of my %acquain-
lance there requested me to do the
"John-the-Baptist" act by a fore
unno. correspondence I'm function
ing now you see. The idea is this.
He is a very busy Mainline is lin
tied that he can devote, and he
wants the ground plowed and some
seed sown. He is an able speaker
as you know, as you also know his
standing: I've said enough. You, |
know. will do the rest: write him.
Now, to myself, My friends rejoice
with me when | am glad. They
mourn with me when I'm weeping,
else they're not my friends, So /
send you by this mail a marked copy
Of the Emporia Gazette that the
Lends of my boyhood and earlier
manhood in Douglas and surround
ing counties may rejoice with me in
this new honor that has been won
BY me. The poem referred to, yor
printed in the Mirror--the one begin
ming. THE mailed fist struck and
rocked the world" l had received
the kings letter of appreciation be-
fore | visited Mansfield last year.
believe / mentioned it to DR.. R. NJ.
Rogers, my friend of many years
stand'ng-truc as Damon and Pyth-
ias-and now I have seen the King
hold the letter in his hand, nod his
acknowledgement and publicly thank
me, as he gave me what l guess was
a military salute. in the presence OF
all that great throng of my fellow
citizens-and Mansfield shares tLat
honor. The association Of such men
as DR.. Rogers, and John w. Brazeal,
and Uncle Bob Young Of blessed
memory. and ]. B. Freeman-but
why count EN- all? They all help
ed, unconsciously, perhaps. to mould
my life, and whatever good there Is
in me or what I may have accom-
plished in life, | owe in very great
part to my associations in EARLIER life
and the rugged sternness of those old
Ozark hills among which l spent 10
years OF joy and sorrow at a time
VIXEN my life and energies were be.
ing poured into the mould Of charac-
ter, and I thank God now that there
during that fccmulative period, the
critical time of every mans Or wo-
mans life. Dear Brother Black par
don the unusual length of this COM
bination. nonstop, but not patent"
letter. Steve Burch. Americas, Kan.