It's getting to be that time of the year when things can really get hectic and that's true for newspaper people as well. In fact, it's been so busy lately that I haven't had time to learn much about the goings on of our local folks. With a couple of minor exceptions.

Last week I shared a story from the June 3, 1954 edition of the DD that was given to me by Vivian Helton. The particular story was a column by Whit Thrower about plank sidewalks in beautiful downtown Kennett.

This week I got a letter from Sybil Alsup who recalls having read Whitney Thrower's articles in later editions of the newspaper.

Mrs. Alsup doesn't recall any such sidewalks in her lifetime, although she concedes Mr. Thrower was older than she and suggested he might have been remembering his own childhood days.

She seemed to think the square was paved around 1925.

The reason she is so certain about that is because of the 1929 Armistice Day Parade that began just off the courtsquare on South Main Street.

"I remember how sad it was with the crippled veterans meeting there and walking around the square," she wrote.

Mrs. Alsup does remember the street sweeper from that time period. According to her, his name was Charlie Brown and his wife was named Minnie. He worked at night with a big broom.

The confusion was probably mine for not sharing the beginning of Mr. Thrower's column. He began talking about the virtues of high button shoes.

"The era of the button hook was contemporary with wooden sidewalks and the plank thoroughfares were just as handy as the shoes.

"At one time it was a considerable mark of affluence to have a well boarded walk that stood above the muddy streets and in the downtown section the sidewalks were a major civic project."

Mr. Thrower does mention concrete sidewalks later in the article.

"The old boards kept the sweeping skirts out of the mud for a long time and then when they finally started to pouring concrete, the public being what it is, raised a big beef.

"When Pa come home limping after his hard day at the saw mill he had an iron clad alibi for his aching feet, 'It is them D--- new concrete sidewalks ruining my feet.' One group was against concrete on the outspoken theory 'You might as well throw your shoes in the grist mill as to walk on them things.'

"Mr. Carmean, who built some of the first concrete sidewalks in Dunklin county was threatened by a barefoot swamp angel with a bump in the puss. The sun was shining mightyhot and the concrete was radiating the heat, the old boy's feet were about to scorch. 'I have enough hell without you piping it up to where I am walking.'"

So apparently there were planked sidewalks, but those were "back in the day" as thesaying goes.

* * *

Smart dog?

Pets can teach us a lot and the following is a prime example.

Folks that know Lynn Poe also know that he likes to take his buddy with him just about everywhere he goes. His buddy is Bandit, a border collie, and from the impression I got pretty much has things just about the way he wants them around the Poe manse.

Whenever Lynn goes out Bandit is usually right there with him in the pickup truck. By Lynn's account, Bandit is very friendly and wouldn't hurt anyone. However, that doesn't mean Bandit won't break out into a pretty loud bark given the right motivation.

Most of Lynn's buddies know Bandit and will come up to the truck and pet him almost like he was their own buddy. Most of them, that is.

There's one fellow that seems to set Bandit off. Every time Mike Hunter approaches the truck, sticks out his hand to pet the pooch Bandit breaks out into a fearsome sounding bark. Mike, proving he is as smart as he looks, backs away.

The very next guy might step up and pet Bandit until his arm falls off, but let Mike approach the truck and Bandit goes off again.

Well, the secret's out.

Whenever Mike approaches Bandit, Lynn will get behind Mike and begin making hand signals he's taught the pup over the years that basically mean, "Speak." Bandit "speaks" and Mike backs up. The other amazing thing about all this is that Lynn has been able to keep a straight face the entire time and not tip Mike off.

Then again, there's always the possibility Lynn doesn't even have to tell ol' Bandit to bark whenever Mike comes around. Bandit might know Mike better than we think and knows that Mike's really a cat person trying to put one over on him.

Then there was the time one of Lynn's friends found out Bandit will bark without his owner coaxing him along.

Lynn had a white pickup truck and his friend, who shall remain nameless to protect the guilty, also had a white pickup truck although it was a different manufacturer. As is usually the case they were both at McCormick's on the same morning.

Lynn's unnamed friend left the restaurant went out and jumped into his pickup. Or so he thought.

About the time he got behind the wheel Bandit broke out into a bark like it was Mike Hunter trying to pet him. Needless to say he got out of Bandit's truck pretty quick. Lynn doesn't need The Club to protect his truck as long as he's got Bandit.