The Diogenes Club
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Sunday, January 5, 2014
The Dwight D. Eisenhower Song
"He's like the country's grandfather,"
My Mother said to me
When I asked about that old bald guy
On our black and white TV.
And all these decades later
I realize when it came to Ike
She was right.
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Here's a Sweet Little Mystery, My Pretties
I found this oddity many years ago among some McDowell family papers. It dates from the 1950s and originated from the Centralia, Washington area.
A quarter was placed next to the envelope to give you an idea of the scale here.
The only part I can read says: "Mantracarman of the 3rd Caraka Mantra," and "B. Gopila."
Inside the envelope was yet another envelope, and a photo of some people standing around a vintage auto. I am reasonably sure this photo was taken around 1956-1958 in Centralia. One of the people in here is a relative.
OK, so now inside the smaller envelope is a waxy strip of paper with inscriptions on both sides.
My question is: What in the world is this? I've heard a lot of stories, but nothing verified. Rather than color any first impressions, I'll hold off on telling those tales. I'm wondering if a fresh and educated set of eyes can interpret what all this means?
Rose McDowell
Rose M. McDowell was born in 1880. Her first husband, Hugh Carney, was a miner in Ouray, Colorado. His fate is unknown. Husband number 2, Demmit Miller, died as a result of drinking bad booze at party in Denver during Prohibition or so the story goes. Husband number 3 was Harry Nash, a coal or oil company executive, they say.
Details on her life are rather sketchy. They say she had some association with Mamie Eisenhower's father, John Sheldon Doud. She died in 1951 and is buried in Centralia, Washington.
The James Knox Polk Song
James Knox Polk
Accomplished everything he promised
In one term
And then died a broken man
Right after leaving office.
This demonstrates
That sometimes
It pays to be a goof-off
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Morty Comix # 2685
Mortry Comix # 2685 was slipped into a gap between the floor molding/trim and the wall in a dark corner in the upper loft of the dining area of Centralia's Olympic Club. My grandfather, Bryan McDowell, pretty much made this joint his second home back in the 1930s-1950s. He basically "owned" a pool table that was closest to the big woodstove.
The Ronald Reagan Song
Before Ron the Con took office
I never saw people standing on offramps
With little cardboard signs
Rube Goldberg on National Public Radio
[Above: co-author Paul Tumey with The Art of Rube Goldberg]
Nice coverage by our favorite radio network, National Public Radio, on the new book The Art of Rube Goldberg.
Here's the Link!
The John Tyler Song
John Tyler was a guy
Who didn't like to fly
Fortunately for him
The airplane had not been invented yet
Ellen Snyder
The young woman on the left is my great-grandmother, Ellen Snyder, the compiler of this album. This looks like it was taken before she married Ben McDowell in 1879.
The Jimmy Carter Song
God bless you, Jimmy Carter
You're the best ex-president
This country's ever had
Friday, January 3, 2014
Allie Miller
Handwritten on verso: Allie Miller
Printed on front: Stevens, Chicago, McVickers Theatre Bldg., Extra Finish
Printed on verso: Children's Pictures a Specialty, J.K. Stevens & Son Co., Portraits, McVicker's Theatre Building, Chicago. Duplicates can be had at any time.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
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