The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-11-15
Squaring
The Circle
With
MnCREADY HUSTON
McCREADY HUSTON

place to be, whether one knows
about and admires Harriett's pewter
and other antiques or merely desires
to regale with Johnny. 1t is a good
place to be because it is semi-coun-
try and the fried chicken is in keep
ing with the Indiana literary ira
dition. The real reason for liking to
be there is because Johnny and
Harriet are such genuine folks.
CProofreader: Please do not make it
"folk')
Johnny and Harriet have daugh-
ter who reminds me of my own, in
that after making her curtsey to the
grown-ups and nibbling at her din
ner, she disappears into some part
of the rambling country house dedi-
Gated to charming young ladies,
leaving the grown-ups to their
vaporings.
Not that much vaporing is per-
mitted at Johnny's. His mind and
that of Harriet are too objective.
One should have something on the
ball to repay Johnny and Harriet for
being tolerated at their fireside.
OF course, Johnny comes from the
famous writing and editing Melletts
who, by one way and another, have
left their stamp on national jour-
nalism. Karl Hartman, when he
was editing the Red Book, used to
say that Johnny and Gerald Beau
mont turned out the best horse
story he had ever clapped an eye
on.
1t is hard to think that Karl is
dead. Next to the late Ray Long
he probably did more to encourage
young and anxious authors than
any other person in the editing
business. More, even, than George
Lorimer, because Ray and Karl
were close to the soil of the Middle
West, whence comes so much excel
lent written material.
TINE opening of the hunting sea-
u son reminds me of the unique
hunting club of the United States,
the Gnaw-Bone Hunt Club in
Brown County, of which Fred Bates
johnson, former newspaper man and
indianapolis attorney, is the leading
spirit.
Mr.. Johnson owns 5000 acres in
the hills surrounding the Brown
County state Park. The members
do not kill much game but there
are many outdoor extra curricular
activities. Indeed, these mighty
nimrods might have flushed the
deer which was found dead from
exhaustion in Indianapolis, after
policemen had chased him all over
the South Side.
A member of the Gnaw-Bone
Hunt Club who will not soon be for
gotten was the late and beloved
Gaar Williams, the artist, who was
one of Fred Bates Johnson's closest
friends.
I am not much Of a huntsman;
not that it matters. My shooting
thus far has consisted of target
practice with Jimmy and his %.
And Jimmy, the rascal, prefers to
hunt with camera.
MY secret agents tell me that
A'A Luxembourg, in Dearborn
County, has no relief problem. The
men, and many women, are working
in the distilleries. These small Ohio
River towns are booming as they
did in steamboat days.
Liquor seems to have helped in
various places. A new distillery is
in operation in Tell City, Perry
County, and Frank Mayr Jr.,
former Secretary of State, is inter
ested in one in Terre Haute.
Frank, I believe, holds the all
time record for compelling Hoosiers
to buy or rent afternoon attire. 1t
was when his lovely daughter Eliza
beth was married. The demand for
oxford gray shadbellies, striped
trousers. and minstrel show collars
was terrific. And lemon colored
gloves.
But few of the brothers who went
to Betty's wedding would go so far
as the topper. The shadbelly and
the old SLOUGH hat-that was con-
ddered a proper tribute to fashion.
Or Hoosier compromise.
This department is permitted by
the editor to be funny but not COM
PEELED to be funny every day. This
day there was the matter of a
toothache. The modern elabora-
ton of pulling tooth frightens me.
That Of my own father was quite
simple He practiced at one window