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08/14/2003 Archived Entry: "THE SCHEME, DUANE BILLINGS AND A& E"

THE SCHEME, DUANE BILLINGS AND A& E

Son Dane sent this to me this evening and I'd like to share it. I think you'll find it interesting . Duane is the son of Roger Billings from Delphos who was a good friend of ours in banking for many years.

I often eat lunch on Thursdays at the Scheme, 123 N. 7th, a unique little upscale Pizza and sandwich restaurant. Duane Billings is the owner. All of his pizza and sandwiches are made from scratch. His pizza is considered to be the best in Salina. While you are waiting for your pizza, you will enjoy Duane's music selections from over 3,000 CD's and tapes which fill a huge wall near the bar. Don't ask for the music to be changed or a special song to be played. The music, a broad range of classics, show tunes, opera to light rock depends on his mood, and his alone.

What will make your visit more interesting is what is bringing A&E television to his restaurant this Sunday and Monday. His great grandmother was Grace Billings. In 1860, at the age of 11, Grace wrote a beautifully penned letter to Presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln from her home in New York expressing her feelings that he would look much more Presidential if he would grow a beard. As all of us know, Lincoln did grow that beard. After being elected President in 1860, he visited Grace while on a trip to New York and told her that she did convince him to grow the beard for the election. Thus began a series of letters back and forth between this young girl and the President of the United States at the start and during the Civil War up until his death.

A&E television is producing a special series "Presidential Letters" to be shown later this year or early in 2004. Grace Billings letters from President Lincoln have been passed down to Duane. The originals he holds in a safe, climate controlled location. However, copies of some of the letters from Grace to Lincoln and Lincoln to Grace are on display on the south wall of the restaurant. Grace died in 1936, having moved and homesteaded in Delphos, Ks. from New York after the Civil War. Articles of her death and her childhood friendship with President Lincoln were front page news in 1936 throughout the United States..

A&E will be filming at the family farmstead in Delphos as well to capture what this one small child's influence was on one of our greatest Presidents.

The Scheme is open Thursdays and Fridays for lunch, and Thursdays-Saturdays for dinner. Reservations are recommended. Yes, you heard me right--you often will need a reservation to get a table at this pizza restaurant. Duane stocks a full service bar as well as his pizza. The music and the history come with no additional charge. (785) 823-5125.