June 15 '02
Volume 312
The
Octogenarian First Published - June
1997
More than half the
number
of present subscribers have never read an issue of
Ridge Rider
News from 1997, and it's likely those who have won't remember
all of the issues. Therefore, I've decided to select four articles from 1997
and reprint them during the month of June. With any luck in remembering,
I'll do something similar in June of next year. Here is the second in a series
of four first published in '97:
The newborn girl-child emerged from her mother's womb on June 18, 1917, in
the farmhouse of John Franklin Graves located near Walnut, MS, in Tippah
County. The third child in a family of two boys and six girls—her parents
named her Lillie Belle.
Years later she would meet and marry Marshall Crouch and bear three children
of her own, Virginia, Gene, and Barbara. This writer met and married the
youngest child of this union, Barbara Crouch, in Ripley, MS, 1967. A number
of years after the death of Marshall, Lillie married a then widowed childhood
sweetheart of hers, George Paseur, and relocated to a home in Walnut, MS.
She has remained unmarried since the death of George in 1989 and now resides
in the Wayne Carter home in Pontotoc, MS.
On Saturday June 21, 1997, a surprise 80th birthday celebration was held
in Ripley, MS to honor Lillie Paseur. The surprise party was hosted by her
surviving children, Gene Crouch and Barbara Carter.
Around mid-morning on Saturday, Lillie Belle rode with Barbara to Ripley,
under the pretense of visiting her son, Gene, and a couple of relatives.
As part of the plan, I stayed at home allowing that chores had to be done.
Actually, I was to pickup the birthday cake from the local bakery and transport
it to the party along with Sarah and Felicia. Brett reneged on our plans
at the last minute, and my #1 son, Jason, had spent the night away from home
without first asking where the party would be in Ripley. He did not make
the scene.
Barbara Anne, ever inventive of excuses to use her cellular phone, called
her brother prior to arriving in Ripley and asked him what he knew about
a particular type of fishing line that Wayne used. She pretended to know
that a sportsman's exhibition was at the Tippah County Fair Grounds and asked
Gene to meet her there to shop for the fishing line. A few minutes later
as Barbara turned off the highway onto the Fair Grounds, Lillie asked," Why
are you turning in here?"
Folks, her short-term memory is fading fast. Remember, it was less than ten
minutes earlier that Barbara had phoned Gene to meet them at the Fair Grounds.
"Mother, we are going to meet Gene here," replied Barbara.
"Oh! Yeah," said Lillie.
Surrounding the building adjacent to the one Barbara had rented for the party,
a number of cars were parked, and people were milling around outside. All
of this helped conceal the surprise.
As Barbara and Lillie entered the building for the party, Lillie discovered
the building empty, except for her and Barbara. She noticed that tables and
chairs were set up and even observed one table had a floral arrangement with
helium filled balloons strung nearby. Lillie Belle does not know much about
sport-fishing equipment, but she had seen enough to know that she must be
in the wrong building.
"This is not where we are supposed to be," she told Barbara.
"Yes, this is the right place," Barbara replied, just about the time Gene
emerged from the kitchen area of the building.
The surprise event was then revealed, and the children of Lillie Paseur rejoiced
in the success of their deception. For several weeks, Barbara and Gene had
been contacting area relatives and friends of Lillie, notifying them of the
surprise party.
My group arrived about thirty minutes later and quickly began the last minute
work required in setting food on tables, breaking bags of ice for drinks,
etc.
Approximately 35 people attended the birthday celebration and enjoyed visiting
with Lillie and family. By some standards, the turnout was small, but the
sweet spirit of those attending was refreshing. Among those attending the
event were several of Lillie's grandchildren and great grandchildren, a few
friends from the Walnut Baptist Church, two of Lillie's sisters along with
many of their respective families, several relatives of her first husband,
and a couple of relatives of her late husband, George Paseur.
There was food aplenty for the covered dish luncheon. Most everyone visited
with one another after the meal, staying until around 2:00 p.m. when, as
relatives sometimes do, they all discovered it doesn't take a lot of visiting
to do 'em.
If you did not hear about the 80th birthday party in time to attend, perhaps
you can make it to Lillie's 90th. Details will follow.
Bits Of History
Sarah Naugher Presents
A few months ago, I had some business cards made for
Ridge Rider
News. The cards were free, except for shipping and handling charges,
and included a logo of a lighthouse. A knowledgeable reader, George Rutledge,
recognized the lighthouse as one from Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia. George
emailed me a brief history on the lighthouse that I later printed in RRN.
Within a few days of the lighthouse article, another reader, Sarah Naugher,
phoned to ask if I would be at home for a few minutes and to say she had
something for me. With no hint whatsoever, regarding the gift, I was left
imaging Miss Sarah was bringing over a caramel cake or other sweet dessert.
I was in my computer room off the carport when I heard her car pull into
the driveway, so I stepped into the carport to greet her. Seeing her get
out of the car without killing the engine, I knew there was little hope
she’d be staying for coffee.
She was holding something in her hands. Actually, she had two things, but
I don’t remember which one she presented first. One was a small green
pitcher, the kind you might set on a whatnot shelf. In gold script lettering
on the tiny pitcher were the words Peggy’s Cove N.S.
"I’ve had this for years," she began. "None of my children care anything
about it, but I thought you might like to have it."
Soon after she and her husband David retired, Miss Sarah and David began
a series of extended vacations traveling around the country in the comfort
of their motor home. The pitcher was but a souvenir to remind her of having
visited the lighthouse years before, but I was touched that she would share
it with me as a memento of
an RRN
article.
The book, she explained, was a work produced by her father, H. R. Carter,
as he pursued a Master’s Degree in college. His keen interest in history
had led him to choose for his Master's Thesis a subject dear to him, namely
the influence of the Chickasaw Indians in shaping the history of the Lower
Mississippi Valley of Colonial America. Unfortunately, Mr. Carter died before
having the opportunity to submit his Thesis for college credit.
Miss Sarah felt the subject of the Thesis important enough to have it published
in book form. The book she presented to me is titled "the chickasaws –
Unconquered And Unconquerable."
Mr. Carter limited the bulk of his Thesis to narrating the three expeditions
the French waged against the Chickasaws during the early and mid seventeen
hundreds (1725 - 1752). He was kind enough to include a chapter at the beginning
of the book that described the simplistic lifestyle of the Chickasaws, citing
accounts written by such notables as the English naturalist William Bartram,
James Adair, as well as Pontotoc's own E.T Winston.
Mr. Winston wrote "Story of Pontotoc" in which he quoted Rubert describing
the Mississippi Indian to the administrative council of Louisiana, "The Indians
are savages only in name. They have as much discernment and shrewdness as
can be expected from people without education. They talk little but very
much to the point. They have a regular government among themselves after
their own fashion, no injustice, no quarrels, a very exact subordination
and great respect for their chiefs, who they obey spiritedly. They love war.
They are brave. They despise those who show no indication of being brave.
They suffer resolutely hardships, hunger, and even death."
Mr. Carter provided ample documentation to show the respect given the Indians
of Mississippi regarding their civility. The following is credited to Bartram:
They are just, honest, liberal and hospitable to strangers, industrious,
frugal, temperate and preserving. I have been weeks and months amongst them
and in their towns, and never observed the least sigh [sign] of contention
and wrangling. I never saw an instance of an Indian beating his wife, or
ever reproving her in anger. In this case they stand as examples of reproof
to the most civilized nations, as not being defective in justice, gratitude
and a good understanding; for indeed their wives merit their esteem and the
most gentile treatment, they being industrious, frugal, careful, loving and
affectionate.
One cannot read the book without developing a grand appreciation of the fighting
spirit of the Chickasaws, and one cannot help realizing that without the
defeats the French army suffered in warring against the Chickasaw Indians,
Mississippi might be as Canada’s Quebec is today, a French speaking
province or state. Their resistance weakened the strength of the French foothold
in Mississippi and Louisiana.
As France became embroiled in other conflicts, monies needed to support
France’s territorial claims in Colonial America dried up. While I’ve
never researched the question, I’ve a feeling the unconquerable Chickasaws
played a role in France’s decision to abandon plans for colonization
and sell their territory west of the Mississippi River to a fledgling United
States of America in 1803.
Doubtless the book will be more interesting to those of us who’ve grown
up with some knowledge of the history of the Chickasaws, but for casual as
well as educational reading, the book should appeal to persons not geographically
connected to the land once defended by the Chickasaws.
Neither the book nor the pitcher bore the slightest resemblance to a caramel
cake, but they're certainly appreciated and are likely to have a life expectancy
that far exceeds that of a caramel cake.
Where's RRN
Been The Space Needle
We appreciate the interest expressed by several readers in a new feature
of Ridge Rider
News, namely "Where’s RRN Been?" Readers are encouraged in
their travels and vacations to take along a copy or RRN and have their picture
made at a vacation spot, scenic landmark, or other place of interest.
This week’s photo was submitted by Bob Jackson of Gig Harbor, Washington.
Bob and Mitzi are pictured with grandchildren atop the Space Needle in Seattle,
WA. The occasion was Robert's seventh birthday. That's Robert's sister, Mary
Morris, in the lower right.
Bob is sporting page one of Volume 304 and Mitzi holds page two, both taken
from the website of
Ridge Rider News
Online.
Bob tells me there will be more pictures to come as his family prepares to
relocate once again, this time to an area near Colorado Springs, CO.
Bodock Beau
Airline And Medical Humor
With increased airline and airport security in the aftermath of 9/11, the
following does not sound so absurd as to be completely unrealistic:
As a guy takes his seat on an airplane, he is surprised to find a parrot
strapped in next to him. After taking off, the flight attendant comes around
to serve the passengers on the plane. The guy asks the flight attendant for
a coffee and the parrot squawks: "And get ME a coke...NOW!"
The flight attendant, flustered by the parrot's attitude, brings back a coke
for the parrot. However, she forgets the coffee for the guy.
As the guy points this out, the parrot drains his glass and screams: "Get
me another coke or I'll really create a scene!"
Quite upset, the attendant comes back shaking, with another coke, but still
no coffee.
Irritated at her forgetfulness, the man decides to try the parrot's approach.
"I've asked you twice for a coffee. Go and get it right now, or I'll create
a scene that will make HIS look like a Victorian tea party!"
The next moment, both the guy and the parrot are grabbed and thrown out of
the emergency exit by two burly security guards.
Hurtling towards earth, the parrot turns to him and says: "You're pretty
cheeky for a guy who can't fly!"
Contributed by Larry Young
The following medical humor was passed our way by Bob Jackson. I don't trust
the correctness of the Doctors' names. Maybe, they've been changed to protect
the innocent. In any event, to avoid possible legal action, "Any reference
or quote attributed to said individual bearing the same or similar name is
purely coincidental and should not be considered otherwise."
A man comes into the ER and yells, "My wife's going to have her baby in the
cab!"
I grabbed my stuff, rushed out to the cab, lifted the lady's dress, and began
to take off her underwear. Suddenly I noticed that there were several cabs,
and I was in the wrong one.
(Dr. Mark MacDonald, San Antonio, TX)
At the beginning of my shift I placed a stethoscope on an elderly and slightly
deaf female patient's anterior chest wall.
"Big breaths," I instructed.
"Yes, they used to be," remorsed the patient.
(Dr. Richard Byrnes, Seattle, WA)
One day I had to be the bearer of bad news when I told a wife that her husband
had died of a massive myocardial infarction.
Not more than five minutes later, I heard her reporting to the rest of the
family that he had died of a "massive internal fart."
(Dr. Susan Steinberg, Manitoba, Canada)
I was performing a complete physical, including the visual acuity test.
I placed the patient twenty feet from the chart and began, "Cover your right
eye with your hand."
He read the 20/20 line perfectly.
"Now your left."
Again, a flawless read.
"Now both," I requested.
There was silence. He couldn't even read the large E on the top line. I turned
and discovered that he had done exactly what I had asked; he was standing
there with both his eyes covered. I was laughing too hard to finish the exam.
(Dr. Matthew Theodropolous, Worcester, MA)
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