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Posey is one of the small unincorporated towns of Clinton County, and is located on the Southern railway midway between Bartelso and Hoffman. It has a population of about 65 inhabitants. Among the business concerns are the following:

Two general stores, one saloon, one elevator and one blacksmith. Of the stores, C. H. REDEKER operates the largest one in the little village.

C. H. REDEKER

This store was established in 1898 by C. H. REDEKER and has been doing business at the same stand ever since. Mr. REDEKER carries a complete line of general merchandise, including dry goods, groceries, hats, caps, shoes, hardware, implements, flour, feed and produce. He buys and sells produce of all kinds and does an enormous business annually in that line. He carries an exceeding large stock of general merchandise and does a very large yearly business. The post office of Posey is located in the store of the above named and Mr. REDEKER is postmaster. He was appointed under President Wm. McKinley in 1899 and has filled the office successfully ever since. The average receipts of the post office yearly will amount to $200.00, and for a small village that is quite a great deal.

Mr. REDEKER was born in Hoyleton, Washington county, in 1872, and has been a resident of Clinton county since 1898. His parents are dead, having died several years ago. Mr. REDEKER is married and has five children. A son, C. H. is the oldest child and assists his father in the store during the father’s absence. Mr. REDEKER is cashier at the Farmers’ and Merchants’ bank of Hoffman, and spends the greater part of his time in that town, going over to attend to business every evening between trains. He is the most progressive business man in Posey and the little place can well be proud of such a man.

BACK Brothers

The above named brothers conduct the other general store in Posey and are among the most prominent business men in the little village. The brothers are A. G. and Louis BACK, and have been associated together in business for the past fifteen years.They handle a complete

line of general merchandise, including dry goods, clothing, hats, caps, shoes, hardware, flour, produce and groceries. Of the latter they are the exclusive agents for the Pilot Brand of groceries and canned goods. They carry a stock of merchandise valued at $1,500.00 and do a yearly business of approximately $7,000. The brothers were born in St. Clair county and have been residents of Posey for fifteen years. There were seven children in the family, and the two boys are the oldest. The parents of the brothers are dead. The store is one of the oldest business institutions in Posey and one of the best patronized. It is located opposite the Southern depot.

PLANTING NUT-BEARING TREES.

Listen to this, boys and girls, and see if it will interest you. About fifty years ago, two old gentleman (they called them old men, at that time, because each of them was over fifty years old) planted a long row of walnut and hickorynut trees on the outskirts of their farms. One of them planted his along the front of the farm, along the country road. The other old gentleman told him that he had made a mistake; that when the trees began to bear he would have no end of trouble with people clubbing his trees to get the fruit; so the second old gentleman planted his nuts along the back of his farm, for a windbreak. The woods were at that time full of nut-bearing trees, and any one could have a wagon-load for picking them up. So people laughed at these provident old gentlemen, and said that they had their pains for their trouble; that they would neither of them live to eat the fruits of their trees, and that there would never be a sale for walnuts or hickorynuts - the woods were full of them.

Now, that was a long time ago, and there were not nearly so many people in Missouri as there are today. But both of these old gentlemen lived to see their trees fruiting abundantly, and a young city grew up at their doors; the country road became a great thoroughfare, and the trees flourished wonderfully. There were nuts and to spare, for a long time, and the farmers sold quite a lot of them, and when they passed away, their children, grown to men and women, and their children's children, feasted on the abundance of fruit. Now, don't you think it paid these old gentlemen to plant the nuts? Don't you think it will pay you young people to do a little planting on your own account? Not now; for this is not the planting season for nuts; but this fall, when the nuts are falling, select the best nuts of the best bearing trees and plant them where you want them to grow, before the nut-meats dry. Just as soon as you can, after the nuts ripen.

Four states, Minnesota, North Dakota, California and South Dakota, have an average acreage of barley in excess of 1,000,000 acres each.

The acreage of all cereals in 1879 was 119,000,000. It advanced steadily until by 1899 the total acreage was 184,000,000 acres.

Anglo-Saxon civilization has carried its flag every clime and defended it with forts and garrisons; American civilization will imprint its flag upon the hearts of all who long for freedom.