Growing Up Wallace-Remembering Mr. Levering

Mr. Levering was an imposing figure. No, he was not tall, nor was he heavy or muscled, but he was imposing. With his head of white hair, and  his starched white shirts and ties, he was impeccably attired. His walk was the walk of one who was on a first name basis with pride and dignity. There was also one other very interesting thing about him, He looked identical to former President Harry Truman.
I was told that during the end the days towards the end of WW2 that Mr; Levering had to be very careful because he could have been easily mistaken for the then President .Oh, and one other thing. He lived only a few doors up from our family home on Cedar Street.

The Mining Museum, now located in the former  Rice's Bakery, used to be in a much smaller spot adjacent to the current location. Mr Levering was the head of the museum as well as the Chamber of Commerce. One day, my best friend and I were walking down Bank Street munching on some candy bars that we had purchase at Elders Variety Store..Not thinking, we threw the wrappers from our candy bars on the sidewalk . Just as we reached the corner of 5th and Bank, a stern, commanding voice halted us in our tracks. " You boys get back here right now "

We stopped , looked back, and there was the angry face of Mr. Levering. There was no choice but to obey. In those days, there was still respect for others, and there was certainly respect for those older than us. We walked back towards the scene of our crime with our heads hanging low. When we got there, Mr. Levering told us in no uncertain terms that we were to pick up the wrappers that we had thrown down and place them in the garbage can. We were then lectured about littering and told that he knew who we were and who our parents were.

I left there feeling like I had robbed a bank or something more sinister. I can tell you this much, I never littered again. When Mr, Levering passed away a few years later, the entire town must have turned out for the funeral. Cars were parked for blocks away from the Congregational Church on Cedar Street. I did not go, but as i sat on our porch on Cedar Street, I watched the procession pull away, and to myself, I said goodbye to Mr.Fred Levering, and smiled.