Editor's Corner

By Mary E. Adair

I met, not long ago, a young man who aspired to become a novelist. Knowing that I was in the profession, he asked me to tell him how he should set to work to realize his ambition. I did my best to explain. 'The first thing,' I said, 'is to buy quite a lot of paper, a bottle of ink, and a pen. After that you merely have to write.' -Aldous Huxley, novelist (1894-1963)

Greeting April with hopes of a joyful month, yet this issue is somewhat of a serious toned melody with "Always Looking - Infant Mortality," John Blair's column and our own tribute to a beloved aunt.

When hearing that she had passed away in her sleep this March, we couldn't help but think of her one time comment that all her important dates saving Christmas and sometimes Easter were in the month with hers, her husband's, and daughter's birthdays and their wedding date also. This year that would have been their 72d anniversary. Our uncle, Dr. Edgar Burks, and her daughter Alice Ann were present to welcome the family and celebrate her life, not mourn her passing. Many a poem was penned by this lady Linnie Jane Joslin Burks and her bio can be found with a list of some we've published here.

Having served as a missionary with her husband in Nigeria for 30 plus years, and worked alongside him at the several churches he pastored in Missouri and Arkansas, she was well known and loved for her twinkle of eye and laugh and her ready song which she cheerfully played on piano. We will cherish the memory of her accompanying Uncle Edgar and his violin for some songs during our visit a few years ago. The funeral was held in Springfield, Missouri, and the burial the following day in the Pineville cemetery where our brother in law Rod Cohenour took these pics of the stones remembering the three brothers of Linnie Jane and Mother, facts which underline John Blair's column.

William Henry Joslin - Infant born 7 Feb 1915 and expired 8 Feb 1915.

This second son was born a mere nine months following the death of the first boy child in February of 1915. Onas Ray Joslin - 20 Nov 1915.jpg

This third boy child lived less than one month, a mere three weeks before he, too, lost his battle to survive. James Arthur Joslin Jr. - b. 18 Nov 1916 - d. 8 Dec 1916.jpg

One of two sons born after Mother then Aunt Linnie Jane was present for the services, driving up from Texas with his wife. The other son, a WWII veteran passed away in Austin several years ago. Many friends and associates and several other family members were there as well from both her and his side of the family lines.

This issue also features several poems, one by Bud Lemire, "The Funeral Poem," which sounds sad but is filled with hope and reassurance. His other poems for April are "The Beauty" and "Life Review."

John Blair's poems are: "Aylee," "Caliber," "Doors of Time," "Great Grandpa Buck," "My Little Secret," and "Time/Life." Bruce Clifford has eight poems in this time beginning with "Nothing Left in the Way." Others by him and a co-author to be introduced next month are: "Common Ground," "Crawling Out of My Skin," "Dreaming as Dreamers Do," "In Touch," "I've Got You on My Mind," "We Know This in Our Hearts," and "What's Been on Your Mind."

LC Van Savage displays one of the poems from her book of published poetry, "Nun and Chappie, Her Rainbow," and her column "Consider This" dwells on etiquette, past and present. Peg Jones shares the Angels' message for April in "Angel Whispers." Leo C. Helmer gives us the lowdown on Easter history and a neat breakfast recipe to use up some of those Easter eggs in "Cookin' With Leo."

"Irish Eyes" by Mattie Lennon brings a tribute to the late David Farrelly, a countryman composer of many songs. Thomas F. O'Neill ("Introspective") muses on the differences in minimum wages and the resulting life styles in China and the USA.

"Eric Shackle's Column" takes note of the celebration of the residents of the English town of Sandwich in the county of Kent. 68,000 of them will be marking the 250th anniversary of the 'invention of the sandwich' by their earl of that time.

The article by David Van Os touches us in both heart and pocketbook and includes some trends to keep an eye toward. Eric Shackle's article also voices a warning to heed well when traveling to "Wrong Sidney."

Mark Crocker adds Part A of the fantasy "Rabbo Tales II, Chapter 4 - Names" with sophisticated main character, Rabbo.

See you in May.