The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1949-02-10
Gaping
the CAPITAL
With BEN HAYES

popped into my mind this week.
Let the first hint of spring ap-
pear and Duck Creek valley ma
tives-no matter where they are
begin to think of home. Spring
in Noble county once meant
Joseph K. Hall would soon ar
rive. Joe seemed to come out of
Information with the groundhogs.
Joe, dead many years now, will
always be remembered as a
dancer, singer and poet.
The sun is too, hot,
The corn is too tall,
For Joseph K. Hall.
That for corn-hoeing time, and
this for corn-cutting time:
The corn is tall and I am small
So l will cut no more this fall.
Brag on Joe all you please, but
you can't honestly say he was
orkbrickle.
One evening long time ago,
Joe arrived at the home of a
widow at supper time, and sug-
gested he cut wood for his sup
per. Joe gorged himself at the
table, got up and headed for the
woodshed. He hi-balled right past
the woodshed and disappeared.
Joe's home was at Birds Run,
near Cambridge He lived with
Drummond Hall, his brother,
who shaved with a case knife
sharpened on a milk crock. Joe
rambled up and down the c & M
railroad. He was the clown of
the countryside. He wore many
vests covered with silly badges.
His pants bottoms were tied tight
of his shoetops with string. He
carried long cane, really staff,
with chain running around his
neck. Many said Charlie Chaplin
copied his shuttle from our be-
loved Joe. Joe sponged meals as
he shuffled. He always stopped
at the farm of Ike Hayes, my
grandfather, south of Middle
| burg-for Grandpa liked Joe's
antics and never threatened to
make Joe work.
"Gathering up Seashells from
the Seashore," was Joe's theme
song. l also recall hearing him
sing: "Goodby Pa, Goodby Ma,
Goodby mule with the old hee-
haw."
Joe ended every song with a
Shuffling dance and his running
bow. He would scamper six
quick, dainty steps, bow his head
and bring his right foot up be-
hind his left knee, then doff his
old battered hat Then Joe passed
the hat. If Joe's songs produced
no coins, he would fake a heart
attack. He would collapse and
play possum. A 50-cent piece laid
over one Of his eyes never failed
to revive him.
Up around Cambridge they
called him The LeatherWood
Warbler. Warbling was a good
word for his singing. Once the
men of Cambridge rented Joe an
admirals uniform and put him in
a minstrel show Another time,
Joe was at NeWcomerstown wait
ing to board the train for Cam
bridge. He told a man he needed
just a nickel more for his fare,
The man said the smallest he
had was a $4,000 bill, Joe counted
the man out $19.95 in change.
The story about Joe leaving the
rhymed note on the cornshock
usually claims this happened
near NeWcomerstoWn l have
been told Joe pulled it on Willie
George and also another farmer,
b1 uCG I'LL.
Roy Klein, lat Arden road, is
Mr.. Hills grandson. He said Joe
came shuffling up a dusty road
to the Hill farmhouse and asked
to hire on as a corn cutter. 1t was
Friday evening, and Mrs. Hill in
tended to start cutting corn Mon
day morning.
Mr.. Hill hired Joe, and Joe put
his feet under the table at every
meal. He ate enough to last him
month. By Monday morning
Joe was real fat. Joe went to the
corn field, cut one shock. Then he
disappeared. Mr.. Hill found the
note on the shock:
The corn is tall and I am small,
So l will cut no more this fall.
Joseph K. Hall
He really was a character, too
bad he can't come back this
spring.
Ohio farmers produced 3.5 per-
cent more eggs in 1948 than in
1947.