When Mr. Hansen and Mr. Reavis dissolved partnership, they sold the present Red Bud building to Howard Miller where he established the Battle Creek Hardware Company. Mr. Hansen went to the lot west of the Battle Creek Co-op Creamery and erected a large frame blacksmith shop. The writer, as a boy, would enjoy visiting the blacksmith shop when Mr. Hansen was at his forge and watch the sparks fly when he pounded the red hot iron into the shape wanted. also he watched him work at the emery wheel with sparks flying, which was about as near to fireworks as it could be with a gasoline motor furnishing the power with a popping noise. But when it came to shoeing horses we had to stay out of the way.

Now back to the Battle Creek Hardware and the hardware business established by Howard Miller. After Harry Reavis had "proved up" on his homestead in Cherry County, he returned to manage the hardware store for Mr. Miller. Arthur "Tick" Clark was for a long time the harness maker for this establishment. Tick weighed 350 pounds and some of his friends won a wager with a stranger who came to town bragging about his weight, wagering that he would out-weigh anyone in Battle Creek. He lost his bet when Tick got on the scales. On the second floor of the building where Dr. Rudloff now has his offices was the Miller Opera House. This was before the room was partitioned and many of the road shows stopped here. The first movies, first silent, then "talkies," were shown here. Many of the other community functions and dances were put on here also. At the end

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