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Vol. 22, No.6
"He held me with his glittering
eye–
'There was a ship' quote he"...
Samuel Taylor Coleridge was writing about the Ancient Mariner, of course, but he could just as well have been writing about Billy Beal. In my
time I have spent hours under the spell of Billy's glittering eye, and have heard some of the the most fascinating tales
imaginable. The curious part of it is, most of the tales take place in and around Harrisburg, Illinois. Now, Billy is about the only person I know who feels
uncomfortable when he gets too far from Harrisburg. He lives, eats and breathes Harrisburg. If the town's shakers and movers don't hurry up and erect a statue to this man, they should at least get a plaque. Springhouse is doing its part by reprinting one of Billy's memories in the current issue (Vol. 22 No. 6) and topping it off by using one of his recent photographs. "The Incident at the Peach Orchard" is the name of the story and it is not one soon to be forgotten.
Equally memorable, though far different in nature, is the section devoted to a poem that is
little known today but which in its time got all kinds of attention, Francis Thompson's "The Hound of Heaven." Weighting in on the pros and cons of "The Hound" are Ben J. Brinkley, Roger K. Lyons, David Nelson, and Gary DeNeal. All four men have strong opinions about the poem. Best of all, Springhouse reprints "The Hound of Heaven" in full.
Gary DeNeal's "My Very Own Lincoln Discovery" recalls the time DeNeal stumbled on a piece of Lincoln lore that somehow escaped the countless biographies about the man. The author latches on to the mantle of "scholar," never mind that the discovery was sheer accident. The lesson here seems to be: when the gold ring is presented, make a grab for it.
Dixie Terry has been writing for Springhouse since Vol. 1, Issue No. 2. That was early in 1984 and her
recipes have grown no less tasty over time. In this issue, she mentions the common dandelion, a plant
with all kinds of good
qualities table-wise yet greatly despised by many people. Sometimes things just don't make sense.
The Rebel Without Applause sings the praises of Rutherford B. Hayes, in his opinion the greatest president never
to get his face on Mt. Rushmore. G. Edgar Hall writes about an encounter his grandfather had with outlaws in the Cave-in-Rock country in Hardin County, Brian DeNeal recalls the dark side of being a movie extra on the set of "U.S. Marshals," and there are too many other surprises to mention here.
Springhouse Vol. 22 No. 6 happens to be our 133d issue. (Actually,
it's individual issue 130, Vol. 21 Nos.
1, 2, 3 and Vol. 21, No. 4 and 5, having been combined due to the editor's absence caused by a medical emergency.) Anyway we have published a goodly number over two decades and
counting. So much so, anyone wishing to lift a complete set of Springhouse should probably consult a physician first.
We would happily compare Springhouse with another magazine except such a comparison is impossible.
We really, really hope you enjoy the latest effort, Vol. 22, No. 6, better known as the one with "The Hound" on the
cover.
Gary DeNeal Return
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