The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Greetings ta ever one in western Illinois and all readers of "The Quill."
While politics have heated up in Washington with confusion by the Democrats if'n it was a good thing fer the U.S. President Donald Trump ta eliminate Qasem Suleimani, the Iranian top General who was responsible fer killin' hundreds of Americans and supporters and his most recent bomb'n of our U.S. Embassy in Baghdad killin' a US contractor, with plans ta attack more of our military sites and embassies, our own Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has heated up state politics with his request ta John Sullivan the Director of Agriculture fer ta resign fer failing ta disclose contents of a 2012 email found in his in-box, and Sullivan resigned as he had not much of a choice.
The news report sez Governor Pritzer "holds all state employees to the highest ethical standards" which makes the boys curious about the governor's own standard after his push and approval of recreational marijuana, casino gamblin', horse bettin' and his high hopes of raise'n taxes on all his constituents.
Me and the boys had a lively discussion on those topics and more which kept us toasty warm in Cornelius remote hunt'n cabin in which we had gathered fer a visit.
As we were warm'n up from the freezin' cold, the boys talked about the freeze'n weather in Alaska where folks there have it sometimes as cold as -40 degrees or more.
One poor feller with only his black lab had been hide'n out fer several months as a loner likes ta, ended up homeless and dogless after he had put a cardboard into his woodstove and a spark went out the chimney onto the roof. He woke up in the night with his hut in flames and he grabbed what he could and told his dog ta follow him, but unknown to him his dog scared of fire, didn't, and was lost in the fire.
The 30 year old man went hysterical Cornelius said and was lucky all his ammunition went up in the fire as he was tempted throughout the next 3 weeks of survival, to use them. He wrote a huge S.O.S. in the snow and used the black ashes to make it vivid and kept redoing it as snow covered the ashes. Finally friends called in a plane to check on him and rescuers spotted his SOS.
Ya can only be a hermit so long if'n ya wanta live. People really do need good people. Not the bad ones like Iranian General Qasem Suleimani and his bunch of thuds!
Cornelius said the man returned ta his brother's in Utah who had a dog, but said he'd like ta go back someday, but next time he'd build two huts in case one burnt down.
The boys and me thinks, he probably won't go back after recall'n the howling dog he lost, and the 30 degrees below weather and the terror he often felt. "Why would ya put yourself through that fer the sake of adventure?"Cornelius said.
The boys decided on that note it was time ta head home and make sure the fire was out in the old woodstove and go check on the cattle and the dogs and see if the women were fixin' a nice hot meal.
We were all think'n about how close ya get ta your dog as if he's the only one who really understands ya. Billy Bob said the wife always takes care of the kids and tell s me ta take care of the dog so I guess we get pretty close.
Losin' his dog might have been the hardest part of that feller's three day survival torture even more than the cold.
Well here are a few poems I found that ya might like.
Consider The Hammer
It keeps its head.
It doesn't fly off the handle
It keeps pounding away.
It finds the point and then drives it home.
It looks at the other side, too. and thus often clinches the matter.
It makes mistakes but when it does it starts all over.
It is the only knocker in the world that does any good.
My Creed by Edgar Guest
To live as gently as I can
To be, no matter where, a man;
To take what comes of good or ill
And cling to faith and honor still;
To do my best and let that stand
The record of my brain and hand;
And then, should failure come to me,
Still work and hope for victory.
To have no secret place wherein
I stoop unseen to shame or sin;
To be the same when I'm alone
And when my every deed is known;
To live undaunted and unafraid
Of any step that I have made;
To bed without pretense or sham
Exactly what men think I am.
To leave some simple mark behind
To keep my having lived in mind;
If enmity to aught I show,
To be an honest generous foe,
To play my little part, nor whine
That greater honors are not mine.
This I believe is all I need
For my philosophy and creed.
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"Common courtesy is a science of the highest importance which ought to be on the curriculum of every Christian."
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"Common sense is seeing things as they are and doing things as they should be done."
That's it for this week.
Hope ta see ya in church,
Remember, where ever ya are, what ever ya be a do'n "BE A GOOD ONE!"
Keep on Smile'n
Catch ya later
Barnyard Bruke