The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-07-27
AGED MEN
HAVE HOBBIES
Three Men of Kansas Fol-
IoW Natural Trend To
Occupy Declining
Years
roro1,. 1u1v % Tho vaca

Topeka, July 26.-The vacation
period of life-years we'll along
towards the horizon-has brought
pleasant occupations to three
aged Kansas men. Having retired
from active pursuits, each today IS
following the bend Of his incllna-
tions and declares he is enjoying
his pastime immensely-one writ
ing and printing a book, another
collecting insects, and the third as
a sculptor OF stone.
DR.. A. n. See, so, a retired
Methodist preacher, VINO, with his
wife, lives in the Methodist Home
for the Aged in Topeka, has just
completed history of the North
west Kansas conference. He not
only gathered the historical data
and wrote the manuscript for a
200 page book, but also printed
the pages on a little hand press
and bound the volumes. DR.. See
was a pioneer circuit rider in the
Northwest Kansas conference and
later for many years was superln-
tendent Of the district.
Karl Stecher, 80, OF Wichita,
artist and educator, chose to pur-
sue what he claims always has
been his hobby-collecting insects.
An extensive collection Of cater
pillars, gathered and mounted by
MIR. Stecher, recently was dis
played in the show window Of a
Wichita bank. 1t includes speci-
mems obtained by him on his trav-
els through six countries-Switz-
erland, France, Italy, Turkey,
Canada and the United States. Mr..
Stecher was born in Oberkich,
Germany. He gained most OF his
education in Paris where he re-
sided 20 years, making art his
specially. His paintings are con-
fined largely to scenes Of nature
in the various countries he has
visited, including one OF Mt. Blanc
and several of New York. BY his
brush he gained considerable rec
ognition, both in Europe and
America. He still paints, having
several canvases under way at
present Several OF his paintings
are dated 1920. Mr.. Stecher came
to America 4S years ago.
Having made comfortable for
tune farming since he came to this
country with his father Sc years
ago from his native Belgium,
Charles DeLeve Of Emmet-long
since made famous as the town
that produced Jess Willard-de-
votes much of his time to sculp-
turing and making unique stone
decorations for his house and
lawn. Some Of these, which in
clude large stone gate arch, a
decorative wall, a huge basin sur
mounting a stone base 10 feet in
diameter, are Of mosaic design Of
vaN-coloed stones, set in concrete
and decorated with the sculptor s
! chisel. The decorative wall is 127
feet long and inlaid with more
than 200 kinds Of rocks.
''In fact the most difficult job
of all was the gathering Of the
many kinds Of stones said Nj.
! DeLeye. 4 have been gathering
them for % years. Most Of them
came from within Is miles of my
! home, but some came from Col
orado, numerous other states and
even IRON Belgium
In the gate Mr.. DeLeye carried
out a design common to Belgium.
His father was a stone mason and
before they came to America they
erected numerous decorative stone
structures. such as arches, public
park bases, crosses, fish ponds
well houses and stone designs on
buildings. The gate consists OF
two pillars a foot square, sur
mounted by an arch Of solid stone,
the large keystone being carved to
resemble a grotesque skull. In
! his yard stands stone cross seven
feet high. the terminals of the
standard and the cross-arm being
rounded to resemble gigantic
feur-de-lis. He also has con-
structed a stone we'll house OF
unique design. 10 feet in height,
the top of which resembles a Chi
nese temple with overhanging
caves. In each Of the four well
house pillars he has inlaid a glass
beer bottle. They will be con-
sidered real relics in few years, .
remarked the farmer-scuiptor.