Mrs. Weigel's Date and Nut Loaf

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup boiling water
3 1/2 cup sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon melted butter
1 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:
     Sprinkle soda over dates - add boiling water - stir well - let cool. Beat egg yolks - add sugar - nuts - butter and vanilla. Add to date mixture. Add flour - then fold in beaten egg whites with baking powder.
     Pour into greased and floured (use Pam) loaf pans. Recipe does not say, but I suggest 2 large or 4 smaller pans.
     Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees F.

Notes:

Mrs. Weigel was Paul Weigel's wife. He owned and operated the "mill" at the intersection of the railroad and Commerce Street (Rt 42) in Kenton.  Two houses sit on the property today. The Kenton Chair Factory is behind. The mill was very close to the railroad track so that grain could be loaded easily. My father and Mr. Weigle (Paul) were great friends.

Mr. Weigle supplied the wicks for lighting the Forth of July fireworks. The wicks were leftover from a time when something had to be lighted at the mill. He may have bought them with the mill. I guess Mr. Weigel had lots of them. They were about 5 inches long and maintained fire even though they burned very slowly. I can still remember (almost feel) the year I graduated to being able to carry a wick around at the Forth of July party. I felt so grown up with that glowing wick jauntily perched between my index and third finger.