h "CE LO RR REE CC EE 2 4 PV da ™§ Re VE TAIT. nS co A CE EL rrr ' Slr A ® & f { f | The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Tuesday, December 21, 1993 5 Tax/rent rebate deadline Dec. 31 The deadline to file 1992 property tax/rent rebate applications is Dec. 31, according to Rep. George C. Hasay. Eligibility for the program is limited to individuals age 65 or older, widows, and widowers age 50 or older or permanently disabled persons with total house- hold incomes not exceeding $15,000. Total income received and property taxes or rent paid in 1992 are used to determine eligibility. Detailed eligibility information is included in the application booklet available at Hasay's office in 3752. Sweet Valley next to the Post Office, telephone 477- The maximum rebate is $500. The property tax/rent rebate program is funded by proceeds from the Pennsylvania Lottery. | As | was saying... Damon Runyon: a colorful literary legend By JACK HILSHER * ' The Martin Beck theater in NYC -is new featuring a smash musical that is not new...the fifty-some- ; thing hit “GUYS AND DOLLS". Its ‘author, were he still on this planet, “would be tickled to learn that ticket prices are scaled at $45 to $60 and - bookings run into May of next year. "For author and ex-columnist ‘Damon Runyon, money would always tickle him because he al- ways needed more; horses took some, he wore expensive clothes and his wife wore a ton of good jewelry. Plus, they dined out a lot and he stabled racehorses, prizefighters and hunting dogs. + -Ex-columnist? You bet. His syndicated Hearst column, called “The Brighter Side,” was full of shady characters with names like “Harry the Horse" and “The Lemon- Drop Kid,” who were patterned after “actual gang members - racketeers really - and who were also his friends. > 'So it is not surprising that the Runyon philosophy, as found in a column, went like this: “You will hear that money is not everything and-that is true enough. It is only 99% of everything. If you do not believe that there are millions of senior citizens you can ask.” And this: “Get the money. Get rich if possible. It is my observa- tion that the rich have the best of it in this nation, and my studies of American history fail to disclose anytime when this same situation did not prevail.” In the thirties Runyon moved from sports reporting to columns of short stories, all for more “cab- bage.” (That's the way they talked then.) He next sold to magazines like the Saturday Evening Post over thirty stories at up to $5000 each. Hollywood bought some because he had stopped writing “tough” and was cranking out the senti- mental junk they wanted for mov- ies. He sold a single script for $100,000; *Lady :: For _A Day"brought Frank Capra an Oscar; “Little Miss Marker” made Shirley Temple a star; then came “Guys and dolls,” still running after all these years. About his work Runyon said “My measure of success is money. I have no interest in artistic triumphs that are financial losers. I would like an artistic success that also made money of course, but if I had to make , choice be- tween the two, I would take the dough.” Sam Goldwyn needed a story for Eddie Cantor's next picture. Damon said, “I need thinking money. My mind doesn’t work very well until I see a check.” Goldwyn gave him $5000 “think- ing money”: and Damon wrote a three-paragraph “idea” for Cantor to be a hotel clerk who owned a trained seal. This pleased Sam who paid $15,000 more for a “treat- ment.” The film was never made and nobody asked for any money back! Damon wrote in longhand at first. His son said “Dad did his final polishing on the typewriter but called him an “agony writer,” saying that it was “heavy labor for Dad and each word hit the paper ‘bathed in sweat.” Gene Fowler said Damon typed rapidly with his forefingers, like a woodpecker searching for worms. “He seemed aloof and alone; in some respects he seemed alone always, everywhere.” | Of his fiction, Damon Runyon said, “To hell with plots, because nobody remembers much about the plots of Dickens. They just remember the characters.” And that may be the way to remember him. He wrote about characters. He was one. ‘Reporter's notebook Two CHristmas traditions, By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff Christmas, a season of lights, comes when it's needed the most, during winter's darkest days. ' ' Of all the stories and legends surrounding this special time, my two favorites concern our four- legged friends. ~+Judy Forster shared these sto- ries with me ‘one particularly dark ‘Christmas season ‘ten years ago, when losing the job that I had held for more than a decade had left me devastated. Judy never knew how much her companion- ‘ship ‘and understanding during ‘those cold, dark days meant to me. My husband, Matt, worked the night shift with her at the SPCA as his second job. Often I went to work with him, helping to clean Kennels, keep up with paperwork and answer the phone. > ‘Do you know why all tabby cats’ have that funny M-shaped mark on their foreheads?” Judy asked me one night while we were putting up Christmas decorations. Since I didn't, she shared this beautiful legend with me. The night that the baby Jesus was born, his mother had to make His bed in a manger full of straw. As babies often do, baby Jesus cried, no matter what Mary did for Him. _, After trying all of the mom-type things which she had learned would quiet fussy babies, Mary was ready to give up. Suddenly a large, wise, old mother tabby cat hopped up into the manger. Settling down in the straw next to baby Jesus, she began to purr. The purring soothed Him and He soon fell asleep to the mother cat's song. Thanking the wise old cat, Mary said, “I will give you a special gift. You and your children will forever wear my mark on your foreheads.” She gently traced an M-shaped pattern on the mother cat's head, right above its eyes, which all and wishes colors of tabbies wear to this day. Judy's other belief, which I share, is that at a magical mo- ment at midnight on Christmas Eve, the animals can speak. Okay, haven't field-tested this theory. Usually I'm celebrating Christmas Eve with my family or snuggled all safe in my bed. But I certainly believe that our furry friends can speak, for I have learned from my father how to understand them. The four- leggeds probably aren't discuss- ing the national debt, health care reform or free trade, but what they say is important to them. Because I treasure these two legends as part of my personal holiday tradition, 1 have two Christmas wishes for my readers: If you're feeling lonely or sad, may you find comfort as soothing as the song of a wise old purr- person. And at that magical midnight moment on Christmas Eve, may your favorite fur-person speak to you. 5-G MEN'S WEAR 601 MARKET ST., KINGSTON GREAT GIFT IDEAS FROM .. . 5-G! NAME BRAND MENS SPORT COATS MADE IN U.S.A.! Values to $165.%°. 100% Worsted Wool or Wool Blends. 95 Herringbones, Tweeds, Plaids or Blazers NOW $99. © MENS SWEATERS By Carmel or California, Lavane' or Sir William. Values to $45.00 NOW FROM $21 35 ALL MENS DESIGNER WooL Top CoATs Reduced to $129, VAN HEUSEN .DRESS.SHIRTS Values to ¥28.% 5-GS SALE PRICE $15.% NAME BRAND MEN'S SUITS MADE IN U.S.A. Sizes 36 to 52 - LATEST STYLES Values to $285.% NOW 1 59.% OLEG CASSINI TRENCH COATS Values to $159.9 5-GS SALE PRICE 99.9 DESIGNER SILK TIES Values to $45.% NOW 1 4.% STORE HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. ~ Sat. 10-6 » Sun. 12-5 « Phone 287-0347 y| visa Geisinger names Kryston director of lab medicine John J. Kryston, Jr., D.O., has been named director of the depart- ment of laboratory medicine at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center. A member of Geisinger team for six years, he has been serving as acting director of that department for six months. A cum laude graduate of the Pennsylvania State University with a bachelor of science degree in biochemistry, Kryston earned a doctor of osteopathy degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteo- pathic Medicine. He completed a rotating intern- ship and a residency program in family medicine at the Community General Osteopathic Hospital, Harrisburg, a residency program in anatomic/clinical pathology at the Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, where he served as chief resident, and a cytopathology fel- lowship at Medical College of Penn- sylvania, Philadelphia. Certified by the American Board of Pathology with a special qualifi- cation for cytopathology, Kryston is a Fellow of the American Society of Cytology and the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, and amember of the American Medical Association. He resides in Shavertown with his wife, Jill and children Court- ney, Brook and Joshua. DR. JOHN J. KRYSTON, JR. Library news Dolls bring 'Precious Moments' to library By NANCY KOZEMCHAK The display case at the Back Mountain Memorial Library is fea- turing a heavenly choir of Precious Moments Dolls borrowed from Kiley and Erica Harvey of Dallas. Ifyou should happen to get close enough to the display case, you might be able to hear the dolls singing Christ- mas carols. Kiley is 15 years old and in 9th grade at the Dallas Senior High School; Erica is 10 years old and in 5th grade at Dal- las Elementary. These are the collectible cloth dolls from Precious Moments. Most of the dolls are on their own stands and sitting on two yellow benches, back to back, are Erica's first doll, a boy in blue and yellow pajamas, which she received from her Dad on her 6th birthday and sitting with the boy is a first Holy Com- muniondoll, alimited edition. Kiley received her first doll at 6 years also from her Dad for Christmas; a ~ large baby doll in pajamas with curly bangs. Both girls receive dolls for birthdays, sometimes the Doll of the Month, and Christmas and other occasions. Included in the display is a bride doll, a Confir- mation doll. There is a limited edition, doll of the month for Octo- ber, holding a pumpkin with curly boinging hair. Erica's newest doll is a Christ- mas doll dressed in red and green. Most of the dolls have lockets around their necks with messages inside. Some of the messages are: ‘A loving heart is a wonderful gift’; ‘Wishing you joy and happiness’; ‘Today begins your life of sharing’; and ‘Kindness brightens a day’. There are 20 dolls in the display, large dolls and small dolls. Every girl's Christmas wish. They will be at the library until January 12. A very warm thank you at this Christmas season to Alice and Edward Wodaski for their dona- tion of the beautiful Christmas tree which stands decorated in the library foyer. The library staff, Martha, Nancy, Marilyn, Jennifer, Jane, Millie, Scott, Barbara, Tami and Ronald, express warm wishes to the library patrons, friends and neighbors for avery Merry Christmas with peace, good will and happiness in the world. : New books at the library: “The Castle” by Cynthia R. Field, Rich- ard E. Stamm and Heather P. Ewing is an illustrated history of the ' Smithsonian Building. The act of Congress that authorized the Smithsonian Institution, dated August 10, 1846, was a legislative comprornise devised to fulfill mul- tiple functions. The building, which we have come to know as ‘the Castle’ was originally designed to house a library, a museum, a gal- lery of art, and a lecture hall, and torealize the multiple expectations of the founders. A super chronol- ogy beginning with 1829 and con- tinuing through 1992 with re- pointing of the exterior. e PERSONAL INJURY e PROPERTY DAMAGE * WORKERS' COMPENSATION e TRIALS AND APPEALS e WILLS, TRUSTS AND ESTATES e ELDER LAW PLANNING e TAX e LABOR CONGRATULATIONS TO | THE DALLAS AREA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM WE UNDERSTAND THAT SUCCESS REQUIRES COMMITMENT AND TEAMWORK! 2 | Rosenn, Jenkins & Greenwald "A TRADITION OF QUALITY LEGAL SERVICES" FORTY-FIVE ATTORNEYS PRACTICING IN THE AREAS OF: e BUSINESS AND FINANCE e REAL ESTATE AND ZONING e EMPLOYEE BENEFITS AND | | EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION | * BANKING AND INSURANCE e BANKRUPTCY AND CREDITORS' RIGHTS I e ENVIRONMENTAL LAW 15 SOUTH FRANKLIN STREET 82 6-5600 WILKES-BARRE, PA 18711 Friends like physicians, physician assistants and nurses, all specially trained in the skills needed to ensure you and your baby receive A Geisinger hibw Road life with lots of special friends. The Special Delivery Program at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center features prenatal and sibling classes, as well as Labor/Delivery/ Recovery/ Postpartum rooms, the best of care SPECIAL to help make the birth of your from the moment DELIVERY baby an experience your you know you're ® family will always treasure. expecting. Special Delivery Information: 826-7324 Even after you're home and settling into a routine, your Geisinger Special Delivery friends - are just a phone call away to answer your questions about infant care. Call our Special Delivery Hotline today for more informa- tion about your baby’s first, and special friends. Geisinger. ie vs: mamas iokam a
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers