Aulne native publishes book about life on prairie
Book signing is Monday at Marion City Library
By ROWENA PLETT
Staff writer
Don Larsen of Livermore, Calif., will be at Marion City Library at 7:30 p.m. Monday to discuss his two published books.
Larsen grew up three miles south of Aulne and graduated from Marion High School in 1944. He became an educator, teaching at Aulne and Peabody before moving to California.
His first book, I've Never Been an Old Man, published several years ago, portrays in an upbeat manner the challenges of aging.
The second book, The Prairie Tides, was published this summer.
Larsen aptly gave the book the subtitle: The Ebbs and Flows of an Era. It colorfully depicts the developments and changes that have taken place in rural Kansas from the time Larsen's 20-year-old grandfather, Andy, arrived from Denmark in 1882 to the present.
Little towns, farming, and community life rose to their height in the middle of the 20th century, only to ebb into other means of livelihood and commerce.
The book contains a lot of Marion County history portrayed in an interesting manner.
Larsen relates numerous humorous and not-so-humorous incidents which make the book fascinating to read. He also gives detailed descriptions of how things were done on the farm.
In one chapter Larsen writes about the mules used by his father, Louis, for farming. Following is an excerpt from that chapter:
"Some mules had an ornery streak. Dad heard a pig squealing bloody murder one day. He ran around the barn, with the dog along for assistance, to locate the problem. Halfway out the lane toward the pasture stood a mule with its eyes closed, holding a pig by the ear in its mouth. The pig was off the ground, gyrating, and squealing at the top of its lungs."
Larsen tells of one incident in which a farm boy trapped a skunk, removed the odor gland, and threw the gland into Marion High School's internal ventilating fan before school:
"The horrible smell filled the whole building. The culprit was caught, and although school was dismissed for the rest of the student body, he was caught and kept in school all day."
In a unique final chapter, Larsen places himself back in Kansas, driving through Peabody when he spots his Grandpa Andy crossing the street. The two take a trip through town and the surrounding countryside, where they visit familiar places and note the changes that have occurred.
Later, by himself on the return flight to California, Larsen muses:
"I suddenly wondered how John Deere would feel if he could come back for a day as Andy had
"The Prairie Tides," a soft-cover, 144-page book, is available for $14.95 at Marion Health Mart, Don's Drug Store, Peabody, Thee Book Store, Hillsboro, and The Harvey House, Florence.
The book also may be obtained at Active Books, 358 Lincoln Ave., Livermore CA 94550, 1-800-981-7638. The website is www.active-books.com.
About the author
Don Larsen grew up three miles south of Aulne and attended Tharp School District #19.
Iva Unruh of Marion was one of his teachers. He graduated from eighth grade in 1940 and from Marion High School in 1944.
He graduated from Kansas State College (now KSU) with a bachelor of science degree in agriculture.
After college, he farmed with his father, Louis, for four years, teaching at the Aulne school for the last two.
He married Jacquie Hawbecker of Marion. Jacquie's parents, Emory and Hazel, ran the Cubby Hole Café in Marion for many years.
Don and Jacquie lived in Peabody for two years while Don taught school there.
They then moved to California, where he got a teaching job and furthered his education.
He was a vice principal for 21 years before retiring at Liverpool, Calif., where he and his wife continue to reside.
"The Prairie Tides" is his second book. It is being distributed by Books Kansas.
They have three children. Larry and his wife Karen live at Peabody and are ambulance runners for Peabody and Wichita.
Daughter Karen and her husband Darrel Sweet live in California, where she is active in the California Cattlewomen organization.
Son Jon lives in Livermore, Ca., and is a house inspector.
After a presentation Monday at Marion City Library, Larsen will speak Tuesday at the Senior Fair in the Bicentennial Center in Salina sponsored by the North Central Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging, Inc.
