Licking Valley courier., 1921-09-29
Butler, Mo-, Aug. 20, 1921

Butler, MO-, Aug. ~, 192l.
Editor Courier,
West Liberty, KY.
Gentlemen:
Will you allow me a little space in
your paper for a few items to my old
Kentucky friends?
We get the Licking Valley Courier
regularly and 1t is very welcome
visitor We left our old home at Ebon
on the third day of November, 1921.
Went to Mt. Sterling and visited our
brother and sister, Mr.. and Mrs. J. M.
Mcguire, two night and landed at
Butler Mo-, November Z.
We located in a small village 10
miles west Of Butler and 6 miles east
of Amoret. We are in the extareme
west-central part of the State, in about
@ miles of the Kansas line. / like the
country as 1t is smooth and reasonably
fertile. Farming is done here alto.
gether by machinery, and corn crops
are good, but owing to the wet spring
and summer small grain was very poor
| embarked in the mercantile business
and trade has been very satisfactory
even beyond my expectation. The peO-
pie are real sOciable and clever, and Of
Industrious habits, and there are so
many Kentuckians here that one can
hardly realize that he has left Ken
lucky.
Yesterday was Kentucky day. There
was reunion, Kentucky dinner spread
on beautiful lawn belonging to DR.. G..
A. Tusk, and it was estimated that
about 400 people ate of the fried chick
en-, cake and other good things, and like
the multitude of old that Christ fed on
the loaves and fishes, many baskets
full were taken up Next t here was
about $50 fine water melons cut and
every one ate to his satisfaction and
Still they could not eat all.
Take 1t all In all 1t was most joy.
full occasion, both for the Kentuckians
and Missourlans. Like Ruth we could
say to the Missourians: "Your peO-
pie are our people and your God our
God"
And as I said before. like the
Missourians, and they have treated me
so kind that they almost feel as kins-
folk. But I believe that Kentucky has
the cleverest people, finest horses and
the prettiest women in the world. OF
course there are some people In Ken.
lucky that are not what they should
be, but we find taht everywhere.
I think Kentucky .hascbeeu nIisrep-
resented to some extent. The people
of other states have read Of Breathitt
eounty's troubles, and few murders
in the mountains of Kentucky and
they measure Kentucky people by these
incidents instead Of the better class.
1t is not uncommon for a travelling man
to come into the store and ask me
where am from and when / tell
him l am from Kentucky nine times
out of ten he will say: "They have
plenty of moonshine whiskey down
there haven't they?" As though Ken
tucky flowed with whisky, like the Ca
naan land with milk and honey. And
then my Irish rises and 1 ome
to her defense. ] do not mean to up
hold crime or criminals who moon
shine, bootleg and commit all kinds OF
crime. To the contrary, / am I'm favor
of rigid enforcement of the law, IL
order to maintain the good name and
reputation of the grand old state wher,
I first saw the light, and where Henr!
Clay and many other of our great mel
were born.
Perhaps some of the blackest crimes
ever committed were committed in Kel
lucky. but 1t is not fair to measure he
citizenship by the blackest iiends with
in her bounds. And / find that man!
who are trying to cast stigma upol