Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1939-08-03
SILAS THORLA MAKES HIT
WITH N. Y. CORRESPONDENT

Inc MONDAY evening Columbus
| Citizen states ''Our New York COR
respondent is hostess to Mr.. SiIas
| Thorla of Noble county" Mr.. Thor
La is the Democrats correspondent
from Renrock. The correspondent in
New York, Helen Worden, gives her
impressions of Mr.. Thoria, which
appeared in the Columbus Citizen.
| as follows:
New York, ~ Y, July 31:-silas
Thorla, who is 80 years old and lives
at Renrock, tiny country settle
ment in southeastern Ohio. is visit
ing us. This is his first trip to1New
YORK. He runs sorghum milf and
column in country newspaper
which make it hard for him to leave
nome. His hobbies are history and
nddllng. He wants to see Fraunces
Tavern, where George Washington
said. farewell to his officers, and he'd
IKE to hear some fiddle-playing. His
favorite tune is Speed the PIow.
which was also popular with Patrick
He1V. he also thought he might
take look at the Worlds fair.
y he is thin and straight. sSparse."
ne calls himself, with keen, clear
blue eyes, white hair and the quick
movements or grass-hopper.
when the doorman announced in
a dlgnif1ed tone that a "Surprfse
from Ohio" was calling, we had mo-
IDEA who, or what it was, until we
saw Mr.. Thorla. He was nicely
dressed In pepper and salt suit, q.
Wnlte shirt and black bow tie. He
carried Panama hat, cane and
Two quarts of sorghum.
Il thought you might enjoy a lit.
tie syrup" he said. I'm going To-
Flushing, but l wanted to see you
folks first
My mother and I begged him to
stay with us for few days. He is
FAMILY acquaintance of many
years. My mothers people knew
MIN in southeastern Ohio. =
We finally talked him into stay
ing, but even when he agreed, you
could see the doubt and yet longing
on his face, as he glanced out the
window on Park-av.
New York's mighty big city,"
ne said. "Thcy tell me Flushing
isn't half SO large
And then he added, "Wen, +
wont be like Ernest Nichols. At
ter him catching the rope of the
that Navy dirigible
that busted over Sharon, and tying
It to his fence and wrecking his
Dacns,~ne was offered free trip to
New York He'd nevec-been out of
before. He talked
about 1t for days. Mr.. Thorla's
ayes tWlnKled. DO you know he
got as far as Newcomerstown and
turned back? Was scared. Chick
en-hearted, call it. Once you get
going you mustn't STOP"
Mr: Thorla is living up to his phi
osophy.
DRAW me map SOS 1 won't get
lost,' he said, "and I'll run out af-
ter dinner and take a look at Gen.
eral Sherman's statue over on the
Square,
Saint Gaudens' statue of William
Iecumseh Sherman, the Civil war
general, stands at Fifth-av and
o9th-st, few block away from our
apartment
Mr.. Thorla didn't want us to go
With him. Better let me get lost
md found alone" he said. 'IyI
earn my bearings that way"
eff he isn't back by midnight,
Vell send out an ALARM I told my
mother.
But he was in by II. He'd TAX
n a bus ride to Washington Square
S we'll as seen General Sherman.
This morning he went to Grants
omb. 'Td kinda like to see that
ecause I stood right near Grant in
Philadelphia at the Centennial in
876," he said.
AT luncheon we asked him what
e thought of it.
ut was bigger than I thought it
5ould be- he said but yet it put
1e in mind of Tom Stockwel. the
ombstone carver that married my
Camillas sister. Tom
Tore a long beard, n he could carve
he prettiest lambs in southeastern
'hio, play the best fife in the band
nd drink the most liquor. l never
id appreciate Tom till he died.
low | can see what a great artist
e was
After lunch Mr.. Thorla leaned out
he parlor window and scanned the
ky. "Looks like a good afternoon
Or going to the top of the Empire
tate" he remarked And then,
ute casually, as if he'd lived here
II his life, "Mebbe I'll drop in on
'adio City, too"