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Show JANUARY 1952. 19, THE JOURNAL No Happy New VETERANS' NEWS Year Here VA Highlights 0 From acres of weeded land that nobody wanted to a smooth-runnin- g g farming operation and all in five years time. Thats the record made by Elmer D. Johnston World War II combat d veteran, thanks to a The old year is gone, A new one is here. No cheering, no song, No word of good cheer. . money-makin- For this year we fight, In a grief stricken world, Where might against might, At each other is hurled. recently-complete- course of GI Bill training and endless hours of sheer hard work. Back in 194(5, Johnston and his There is reason for this, wife rented some land at $3(H) a As well we all know, d of the crops. year, or There are sorrowful hearts, That may not sound like much, Wherever we go. Johnston recalls, but it seemed like a fortune at the time. There is longing for loved ones The land was barely worthy of Who are now far away, the term, farm. Much of it had reverted to greasewood and weeds. Fighting desperately on, The soil was worn out from years In the thick of the fray. of the same crops. Fences were They are fighting for freedom, down. There was no pasture. Which now threatens thfc The house, once a handsome ranch home, had deteriorated sadly. world, For the' flag of our country, Windows were broken, plaster was on-far- m one-thir- 5 off the walls, door knobs were gone, and rats had gnawed holes through the woodwork. The water supply formerly came from an old cistern which was now heaped with in cans and dead rabbits. There was no electricity. All in all, the place was a far cry from what he had dreamed of during the months he spent in Army hospitals after being hit with mortar fragments on Okinawa. The family had scarcely any equipment. They bought a cow and a little furniture a secondhand coal range, a bed, table and three chairs. These made up all their household goods. The first spnng, Johnston borrowed farming equipment from his father and planted 24 acres of barley and C of alfalfa. The grain brought $900 and some hay was sold for $200. The Johnstons paid their $300 rent and bought a second cow,. In January, 3917, a daughter was born. Mrs. Johnston had few conveniences to care for the infant. Which is ever unfurled. She prepared meals in the dining Or something we can do, For their Fathers and MothThat might save our Son. room because the kitchen wasnt fit to use. On wash day, Johnston ers. would drive two miles to a hot Their sweet hearts and Lets each do our bit No matter how small, wives, spring to get water. His wife did the lanudry on an For their innocent children, To make this world fit, washboard. Two gasoline lanterns To protect with their lives For one, and for all. furnished light in the evenings. In 1947, Johnston seeded five Now what are we doing? Let us all hope and pray, For the boys over there, Keep in faith and good more acres to alfalfa and planted 30 acres of wheat. That years inAre we fully united? cheer, to-da- y, come was nearly $2,000, but there Are we doing our share? That a year from Is a happy New Yer. were expenses this time: a used Or is there yet something, pickup truck and small caterpillar M. C. SANT. tractor that ate up every bit of the That we might have done? income. JoJhnston realized there was a lot he didnt know about farming. So in the Fall of 1947, he enrolled in a course of institutional training under the GI Bill. The work course consisted of class-rooat a local vocational school, plus the actual experience of putting into practice what was learned in school. By the following spring, Johnold-fashion- ed on-far- run on the contour. He cut brush and trees. Pastures were seeded. He installed a pressure system which piped water to the house. New Varieties Of Breads That December, the Johnstons felt they were on sound enough ground, financially, to buy the place. The purchase price was $7,000, and they made a down payment of $1,500. The final two years of his GI Bill training, just ended, Johnston continued to improve his farm, lines suggested by his instructor. lie bought a milk cow, four small calves, and four Hereford heifers. These have multiplied into a herd of 17. He cleared more land, and built more fencing. He bought a pickup tractor and in a hay baler. With all these expenses, he still has realized a profit every year. Now that Johnstons GI farm training has ended, hes had a chance to look back and do some figuring. The farm, he discovered, is now worth exactly twice what it cost. And its value will still go up, according to the veteran-farme- r, since he has even more ambitious plans for the future. By Marguerite Mickelsen Double Treat Bread 1 cup scalded milk Vz cup shortening cup brown sugar 2 teaspoons salt 4 cup cold water to cups sifted enriched flour 1 a-lo- ng half-intere- st THE OLD HOME 1 4j egg package compressed or fast gran- ular yeast'" 1 , cup quick or regular oats, uncook- ed Pour scalded milk over shortening, sugar and salt Add cold water and cool to lukewarm. Stir in 1 cup of the flour. Add egg and crumbled yeast; beat with rotary egg beater until blended, 2 minutes. Fold in rolled oats. Stir in enough flour to make a soft dough. Turn out on lightly floured board and knead until satiny, about 10 minutes. Round dough into ball; place in greased bowl; cover and let rise in warm place until double in bulk (about 1 hour). a-b- TOWN By STANLEY "I EMMY CAVE IT TO ME DO INT MIND IT TADJNG ONT& MY WHISKERS BUT THE DANG COLORS "(GLOW N THE DARKAND I CANT GET AMY SLEEP,' YEAH-AU- NT m m stons training started to pay off. With the help of his instructor, he used his tractor to clear brush from seven more acres; put in irrigation ditches, and planted more wheat. Despite a hail storm that damaged part of his crop, his income for the year was well over$2,000. Meantime, electricity had come to the farm. The Johnstons bought a washing machine, electric range and refrigerator. And for the first time, they had electric lights. The year 1949 was a big year for change. Johnston changed all the irrigation ditches, making them S7AJ1CW AGEMT DAD KEYES SAY- S. "AUNT EMMY IS NOT ONE YOU EASILY FOQOET cort mi. NOAH fluwsmi. ktwc rtATuiet tmwcATf. . . . i. world rwetr rcscrvcd With Distinction! ' i THOSE NUMBERS LOOK Better upside Down Wedding invitations announcements under Rio Grande's new You save up to 26 fare plan. Start your trip bargain round-triany Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday and return any day within 25 days. Tickets are good on all Rio Grande trains except the California Zephyr and to all points on Rio Grande's entire system. . 25-da- y and printed by us have an indefinable p For information on ail travel bargains 9 consult the Rio Grande agent air of grace and beauty. - WHEN! DEAR NOAH A WOMAN GOES ON A PIET, ie SHE JUST TRYING TO CHANGE HER WEIGHS? GEO RGE GAMBLER. . BETHLEHEM, PNN IF YOU DEAR. NOAH WANTED TO SAVE TIME, WOULD VOU DEPOSIT YOUR INT THE WATCH BANK? BUNN BuRSESS CVMARLOTTg , SENE YOUR MUMNoTiOW Distributed by King Tiwm T SyrxfleaU N.C. Inland Printing Co. Phone 10 -- Kaysville |