The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1938-02-24
COnnmOn-tater
Author MAN.
BY Chuck Rattle

Author MAN.
Some thirty years ago an odd
red-haired youth pursued his own
way about Sank Centre, porting
hours over books in the library,
dashing off notes under shade
trees. He recited poetry in school
Then Tom Graham penned q book
Hike and the Aeroplane," it was
published. Followed then in rapid
succession such works as Our Mr..
Wren," free Air." and others of
not more than mediocre standing.
Came 1921 and the author cracked
the bigwigs of the literary world
with a smashing triumph Main
Street" It snapped out viciously at
pettiness and those who wished to
change the statue quo alike. It was
an idea, a thesis, dramatized. Sin
clair Lewis rose to fame That
was 16 years ago. And back here in
Sank Centre people who had known
the red-haired youngster were at
first overwhelmed with the popular
acclaim that the author received.
Some there were who disliked with
a heartiness the abuse they felt
the author had heaped upon their
small town. Others were perhaps
disgruntled when they could not
read themselves into more likeaIble
characters of the book. Then the
furore died and Sank Centre settled
back to lounge in the lap Of wide
publicity given them by a single son
who had not been too favored by
them That was 16 years ago. In
the meantime a new generation
was springing up who began to look
upon the Lewis more as an idol
than a reality. You see, they had
never seen him nor known him
growing up. Some had thought OF
asking for his works, but 1t was
passed off in the rush of things at
hand. Already one can see the
change working about. A few
months ago Mr.. Lewis was request
ed to send autographed books. His
reply was immediate-almost to the
point of spontaneity. He sent five
books. This was 16 years after his
rise to success. People around town
evidenced pleasure mixed with sur
prise at his gracious reply. And why
not: in 16 years nothing had been
asked of Mr.. Lewis; he had asked
nothing Of Sank Centre. A reason
able point of overlooking, we sup
pose, that bears out the fact to the
point of reality that fame Is scare
ly ever an item in the home town :.
But last week Mr.. Lewis made a
number of people supremacy happy
in this small town. It was simple
action: that of sending % books to
the local library. But it was an I'M
solicited action, and historically 1t
must deserve a place in Sank Cen
tire archives among the firsts. For
in all this time Sinclair has not
made a donation like this to the
public institution to our knowledge.
Now they're saying that Mr.. Lewis
pleasure over the solicitation of his
works 10y the library-though 16
years after his success-prompted
this last action. Perhaps 1t did. We
chose the roundabout way to tell
this story for an obvious reason. 1t
portrays, though perhaps not too
wildly, a certain transformation
that Is more evident each day here.
It shows a town, once too dignified,
or too busy with growing pains, to
make a request from this famed
son, now humble itself enough to
evidence pleasure over his simple
actions. But the humility was not
all on one side. For the author was
evidently as much pleased as the
townsfolk and his gesture shows 1t.
Memyores-Forever digging back,
snatching at pages of time is a
great source of pleasure ;. Percy
Hansen, in his youth, had one COW
to care for each day. Said Walt
Benson it took eighteen kids to
milk it In the old days OF the
horse drawn delivery wagon, habit
played strange parts in the behav-
ior of these animals. No matter
what, the delivery horse for Han
sens would move around the corner
at a clippety pace toward the barn
each noon at the sound OF the
whistle There Is scene that
today passes even in small rural
communities. Always there was the
elderly man down the neighborhood
who owned a cow to get q few
quarts of milk and something to do.
The lazy scene at shutdown as he
piled, leading the cow, his way