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Harvest Tales - Lincoln County 02

Harvest stories submitted by Kansans for the online exhibit, Wheat People.
Submit your own at kshs.kansasmuseum@ks.gov.

Edward W. Merz

"To me it was a horrifying experience"

While we were having the wheat threshing rig one summer, as I can vividly remember, being about the age of 5, Mother told me to go out to the threshers and tell them that dinner was ready for them. . . . I heard that formidable steam engine noisily chug-chugging, with its huge driving wheel moving a long belt to turn all the wheels of the separator. What intensified my fear as I approached cautiously was the growing noise and the black cloud of smoke that puffed out of the tall smokestack, but I kept gradually inching my way closer, each time adjusting to the awesome sound and sight. After I felt quite secure in reaching a point some 15 or 10 feet [away], all at once the engineer pulled the whistle. Instantly, in sudden fear, I was riding on a pair of legs that were carrying me away from that engine with a speed I never before reached. As the crew picked me up on the way to dinner, I had to endure much laughing at me for getting so scared. To me it was a horrifying experience, but to them it was a comedy!

Edward Merz also submitted Embarrassing Mealtime Incident.

"Harvest Tales" is part of the online exhibit, Wheat People:  Celebrating Kansas Harvest.