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Durham, Andrew Everett, 1882-1954

"Epistles from Pap: Letters from the man known as 'The Will Rogers of Indiana'"

"
I quit reading. They weren't intended for Executors. I took off
my glasses and sifted all the remaining letters one by one into a
handy banana hamper. Some had snapshots in them. I took
everything out and burned it. Somehow, I felt pretty bad. . .
As ever,
"Pap"

THE HAY AND FEED RACKET
April 19, 1944
Dear Sarah Jane:
. . . While we're on the "racket" subject, I think I have
partially solved the "hay and feed racket" at the Indianapolis
Stock Yards. We trucked the heifers to Indpls. Sunday afternoon.
The buyers (a commission firm) insisted they get there the
evening before--"to rest, get a good fill and good weight next
morning, and be ready to be re-loaded alive in stock cars to go
to New York." I've been skeptical about ever coming out even on a
feed and hay bill. . . I had too bad a cold to go up Sunday
afternoon in one of the trucks and stay overnight, so I got up
Monday morning at 4 a.m., and got to the Yards. I found the
cattle and just about stayed with them until it was all over.
Eventually the hay wagon came along. They threw out two bales for
our cattle and then distributed them in the hay racks. I watched
the cattle. They weren't eating any of the hay, just none at all.


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