Chaplain’s Corner

CHAPLAIN’S CORNER

By John Schaffner

I recently had a somewhat sobering experience while I was teaching a group of young 4-H boys and girls how to cook in Dutch ovens. These boys and girls ranged in age from ten (10) to about sixteen (16) years old.

ME AND MR. WAILES

I was a kid of twelve or maybe thirteen When I met the oldest man I had ever seen.

He was eighty-two or three, but healthy and tough as nails, And I came to love that man, the man I called “Mr. Wailes”.

He had lived way back when the West was almost new. That old man was a cowboy through and through.

Now, I’m not lyin’ and I’m not braggin’, I knew that man who had travel west in a covered wagon.

I could listen for hours to his Wild West tales, And I came to love that man, the man I called “Mr. Wailes”.

He helped set my cowboy way of life on course, When he showed me how the break and ride a horse.

He taught me how to love and care for pasture land, And taught me how to rope and how to brand.

When we’d try a task that seemed so unsurmountable, I’d hear him say, “Perseverance overcomes every obstacle”.

On those cold winter days we’d be together feedin’ bales, And I came to love that man, the man I called “Mr. Wailes”.

Many an hour we worked together side by side, And it broke my heart the day that old cowboy died.

One night he didn’t come home and it was gettin’ late. We went out and found his body just inside the pasture gate.

We spent the morning cooking lunch in Dutch ovens and cast iron pots for the youth and their adult leaders. We cooked a pot of beans with ham hocks, cornbread and fruit cobblers. A tasty “old fashion” meal was enjoyed by all.

After lunch, I gathered the group and talked to them about the importance of following in the footsteps of people who would lead them down a good pathway of life. I recited a poem about a cowboy mentor I had when I was growing up in Louisiana in the 1960’s. “Mr. Wailes” was born in 1882, about 18 years after the end of the Civil War, and was full of wisdom and knowledge to pass down to a young aspiring cowboy. In about 1910, he had taken his young family in a covered wagon from eastern Louisiana to western Texas. He could have purchased farm ground for twenty-five cents per acre, but the bankers would not lend him money for the “high priced” land. He had to return, in his covered wagon, to Louisiana where I met him about 50 years later when he was in his 80’s. He told me that he could have become a millionaire because the land he could have bought is now downtown Abilene, Texas.

However, because he came back to his home state and became my Cowboy Mentor all those years later, I am a millionaire many times over, not for what I have in my pocket, but for what I have in my heart and in my head that I learned from him. He taught me how to enjoy life and to appreciate what I have. One of his favorite sayings was “Perseverance overcomes all obstacles.”

After I was done talking to the 4-H boys and girls, a ten year old boy came to me and said, “he would like it if I could be his “Mr. Wailes”.” It made me think about how important it is for adults to be willing to “mentor” the younger generations. We in the auction industry could have many opportunities to pass down our knowledge and wisdom to others. That was a sobering thought to me when I realized that this young man wants to learn life lessons from me. Could you and would you become some younger person’s “Mr. Wailes?” Here is the poem I used for the lesson:

My only concilation as we laid him to rest, Was that he died at eighty-five doin’ what he loved the best.

His memory is still strong and never fails, Cuz’ I loved that man, the man I called “Mr. Wailes”.

John Schaffner© 1/10/91

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Your Colorado Auctioneers Foundation was pleased this year to present four $1,000.00 scholarships to children and grandchildren of our membership; they included Caleb Hart, Jade Miller, Payten Nichols, and Keaton Glassman. Keaton, Art Parker’s grandson, was the 1st recipient of the annual memorial scholarship which was started by contributions in honor of Art Parker who passed away last year.

The memorial scholarship will be presented annually in honor of those members who have passed, and their families have requested memorial funds be sent in their honor to the foundation. Right now, the only name on the memorial is Art Parker.

We thank everyone who assisted with the Mile High Open bid calling championship. Without the membership assistance we would not be able to handle this important event each year. The 1st place winner this year was Troy Robinett .Troy was awarded $5,000.00 of the 10,000.00-prize package. The remainder of the funds was awarded to the other runners up. The event generated over $5,000.00 for future scholarships. Thanks again for everyone’s help.

Your foundation board is working hard to improve The Mile High Open and spearheading that drive is board member Scott Alexander. He is assisted, of course, by the rest of the board.

The new foundation board president is Dean Gunter. He will be working closely with past president OJ Pratt.

Thank You,

Walt Partridge