Cedar
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Joined : 15 May 2007
Posts : 966
Localisation : Always Texas
|  Subject: Hart Stilwell  Tue Apr 08, 2008 7:26 pm | |
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I found Texas writer and journalist, Hart Stilwell, in a clipped and yellowed article from San Antonio's old 'The Light' newspaper,* where he penned an article called, "Texas Trails." The day was Friday, February 21, 1969, and Mr. Stillwell was writing about the fishing merits of "retarding structures" ~ aka "all those thousands and thousands of small dams they [Soil & Water Conservation Service engineers] are building in South Texas." A new retarding structure was going up, as Mr. Stilwell pounded his typewriter keys, on the little three-county Leona River, and there was "a real big one"on Plum Creek, near Lockhart. But there were hundreds more, with each reservoir "calling for a dozen or more retarding structures." Hart Stilwell proclaimed these "fishy, and no wonder, considering the guy's track (reel?) record:
http://tinyurl.com/6zldqc
A consummate outdoorsman, Mr. Stilwell was as proficient with a kettle as he was with the other tools of the trade:
http://tinyurl.com/5dvnyn
His upbringing had been a challenging one, which he exorcised in his autobiographical novel, 'Uncovered Wagon.'
http://www.amazon.com/Uncovered-Wagon-Hart-Stilwell/dp/0877190186
Likely, his past nurtured within him strength, as his other fictional works were not centered around 'safe topics.' And, it must have pressed him to observe the humorous in life. In 1969, he noted:
"Each month the Devine PTA members discuss what they term a hot topic.
"Hot topic at the last meeting was marijuana.
"So they called it a hot pot session."
Is this a punch-line? --
"At Crystal City Oscar Rice has been elected president of the Mexican Chamber of Commerce."
By neither fault nor gift (?) of Hart Stilwell, a mystery was left by the one who tore and preserved his column from 'The Light.' The article beneath February 21st's "Texas Trails" begins ~
"RETIRED PRIEST MAY SEEK POLITICAL OFFICE .... The Rev. ..." and then falls silent and invisible.
http://alkek.library.txstate.edu/swwc/archives/writers/stilwell.html
http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/SS/fstbs.html
* http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/SS/ees5.html
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The woman of the frontier made the best of her situation, for she had developed a respect for the land that gave her freedom as well as the courage to live in it.
~~~ from the perspective of Anne Seagraves |
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