A young man from Wyoming will visit the Wyoming precinct and communilv soon in a search for where the name "Wyoming" originated. He is Manus Hand, 12, Laramie.
Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Ross are looking forward to his visit. They have arranged for the boy to meet Sen. Calvin Carsten and Governor Exon in what they hope will be a community event.
The youth is making the trip on money earned in a Wyoming Bicentennial contest.
Mr. and Mrs. Ross have sought the help of many in digging up the history of the Wyoming community which they will share with the boy. It's the Bicentennial year and the residents of the rural community want to make their community known.
A moment to remember
Dr. Edgar Walker, Des Moines, the Methodist pastor who will be working in Nebraska City in the fall in a financial campaign, told a group the other evening about one of the brightest moments of his life.
The youngest of the four Walker children was to be baptized. It was a solemn moment for the pastor and he planned it well to avoid personal emotions.
In fact, he explained, there were a number of others being baptized that Sunday so he had his four children and their mother standing at the end of the line at the altar.
Everything went smoothly and when he came to the end of the line, he held his infant son in his arms and as he started the baptism ceremony, he was unable to withhold the deep emotions of love for his young son and family.
During those brief moments, he was at a loss for words and just stood there in front of the congregation holding his infant son.
Suddenly, his young daughter tugged at his robe and said.
"What's the matter daddy?" she asked. "Did you forget his name?"
Hummel's store
Bob Hummel who owns and operates Hummel's Variety Store in Auburn, (the former Hested's) is back in the business he knows best.
Mr. Hummel supervised the management of Hested stores for a number of years and Nebraska City's store (it's Frazier's now) was one of his responsibilities.
The Hummels are natives of Fairbury the home of Hested's. We've met Bob a number of times in the Hested's days and wish him much success in his new business.
Fresh tomatoes
Mrs. Bertha Hinrichs, 1911 Second Avenue, has been enjoying fresh tomatoes. She picked six the other day.
We haven't had that much luck. In fact, we have the greenest green plants. They will be producing soon we hope, despite the dry and hot weather.
Wedding bells, again.
"Nick and I have something to talk to you about," No. 2 daughter Clarissa said one evening.
I looked at the little girl's mother. She looked at me and we looked at the young couple sitting on the couch. I had to be pretty dumb not to figure out the topic of the conversation.
No. 2 daughter and Nick Lemrick of Thurman, Ia., will be married August 21.
Among the many things at which I am an expert is advice on weddings. There was a discussion on summer school plans, jobs, transferring to Wayne State in the fall, and little things like . . . "how're you two going to live while you're both going to college and no moola coming in regularly?"
Well, if you've gone through this before, you know according to the bright-eyed couples that's only a teeny problem. Ha!
They had made up their minds, they weren't going to wait another semester or whatever. I kept a beady eye on the Mother of the House and could tell the "proposal" met her approval.
Hardly before I could get in a word, the conversation jumped into wedding bell plans, dresses, announcements, bridesmaids and other little items that make up the ceremony.
I started to get up and leave.
"Where are you going, daddy?" the little girl asked.
"Oh, just out to the garage to piddle around a bit."
"Aren't you going to stay in the living room and talk over our plans with mother?"
"No, honey," the master of the house said. "You go right ahead with your plans. I'll check them and make sure everything is right."
"I suppose you'll do just like you did just before Denise's wedding (Mrs. Bryan Mabie)," she said.
"Of course, chil', of course," saith the master.
"The nap, too?" she asked.
"Whattya talking about?" I asked.
"Remember, mother, just before Denise's wedding daddy laid down on the living room floor in his wedding suit and fell asleep?"
"Ummmph. Holler for me. I'll be in the garage."
Stolen
A young bride walked into a bank to cash a check. Her face reddened when the teller informed her that the check would have to be endorsed by her before it could be cashed.
"Why, it's a good check. My husband sent it to me and he's away on business."
"Yes, miss," the teller said, "but please sign it on the back so that your husband will know that you got the money."
The bride walked to the writing desk, seemed to be lost in deep thought for a moment and then returned to the teller and handed the check to him.
The check was signed: "Your loving wife, Ethel."
The Lioness club
Special recognition will be given in a few weeks to the Nebraska City Lioness club. Marv Eaton says the club is the first woman's club in the state and will be recognized as such by Lions officials.
Our friend, Harry Vondrak.
The other night we sat at the desk in the front office at the News-Press and answered telephone calls on the results of the school bond election.
We left the front door unlocked. It's a habit. Many people come in from the street to ask about results on election nights. We could always count on one person most every election night — Harry Vondrak. This time he wouldn't stop by the office. He is gone from us.
We thought several times about Harry during the evening and remembered his enthusiastic approach to living. He seemed always excited about elections and something new for the community.
Perhaps his deepest enthusiasm was the one he displayed at every moment — his wife, Kathleen and their sons, daughters, their families and those grandchildren he loved so much.
A few days before he died, we saw the real Harry Vondrak as we knew him best.
We were driving by as he was crossing a street. He waved to us in his always friendly manner and we heard him call to the stranger as he crossed the street.
"My gosh," he greeted the person, "I haven't seen you for a long time. How are you?"
That was Harry. Always friendly. A true ambassador for his community and a man who loved people.