I was recently going through a large pile of old newspapers when I came across Mrs. Gertrude Ellis Skinner’s account of her first glimpse of George Hormel.

The story was printed in the Centennial Issue of the Austin Daily Herald on April 17, 1956. Gertrude was the daughter of Allen V. Ellis for whom Ellis Middle school was named. The story she told occurred in roughly 1887 or 1888, soon after George had come to town.

“The first time I ever saw George A. Hormel was on Evergreen Farm when I was a young girl.  It was a spring morning.

Hearing the rattle of a wagon passing our window, we lifted the shade to see who had come so early to the farm. We saw a shabby light wagon, drawn by a white horse or mule and the driver in work clothes was George A. Hormel.  We did not know we had seen a great man whose name would later be known nationwide. He had come to buy chickens or a pig for his meat market in Austin. Having corralled the livestock and finished his business transaction with my father he said, ‘I’ll say hello to Mrs. Ellis.’”

Upon finding out that George had not eaten breakfast yet, Mrs. Ellis invited him to join her husband and the farmhands.

Gertrude said that for years after that meal, George would describe the breakfast to his friends. According to her he would tell it like this:

‘Do you want to know the best breakfast I ever ate? It was at Evergreen Farm when I first came to Austin. There were big baked potatoes, just ready to pop out of the skins, a platter of salt pork cooked to a turn-crisp on the outside and tender on the in, and the best gravy I ever tasted. And then Mrs. Ellis began bringing on relays of hot soda biscuits and big bowls of strawberry jam. I’d hate to say how many biscuits I ate or how many cups of coffee I drank, but I have eaten in some of the finest restaurants in the country, but I never had a breakfast that tasted as good as that.’

When the Ellis kids arrived at breakfast later that morning they asked who the guest had been.  Mrs. Ellis answered and told them that Mr. Ellis thought a lot of Mr. Hormel and had described him as “one of the finest men he ever had any business dealings with.”

It is obviously true that first impressions can last a lifetime.

Theory of Mind Theater

7 and 8 p.m., Tuesday

Portrayal of a young man with Asperger’s Syndrome and his insightful look at the tugs, shifts, and about-faces found on the autism spectrum. Free event. Please call to let us know how many seats you would like to reserve.

 Hearth & Home Series

10 a.m., Tuesday, May 3

Austin native and author, Peggy Keener, will present stories and insights from her second book called “Wondaful Mammaries.” Free event. Books will be available for purchase from Mrs. Keener.

 Spring Card Party

12 p.m., Thursday, May 5

Lunch then card game of your choice to follow. $10 per person. Call HHH to reserve your table at 507-433-4243.