Overheard, out and about, Mrs. Grundy sees all, tells all

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Published Saturday, January 30, 2010

Peeping through my Venetian blind, I saw a sure sign of spring although, officially, spring is two months off; the Kiss-Me-at-the-Gate was a-bloom. This is a medium-sized bush that “falls” like a skirt and blooms before it leafs. Its woody stems are first dotted with small, yellow-white, fragrant blooms. Win Murphy first introduced me to this pleasant plant.

Today is the birth date of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the only American president elected to third and fourth terms, who thus served as President longer than any other person. “F.D.R.” presided through the end of the Great Depression and most of World War II, dying in Warm Springs, Georgia. One may visit the house where he died, which has been left as it was that memorable day in l945.

Tomorrow is the birth date of Franz Schubert, Austrian composer.

This past week has brought the birth dates of Robert Burns, Scottish poet; Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (“Lewis Carroll”), author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There; Amadeus Mozart, Austrian composer; and Thomas Paine, who wrote Common Sense, propaganda for the American side during the Revolution.

The Covingtons had me to their annual Robert Burns dinner Monday night. Miss Cora prepared Scottish dishes. The Colonel wore his Scottish garb. Miss Dora played Burns songs for us to sing. Miss Flora talked about the life of Burns. Several of us shared favorite poems by Burns. We even tried some Scottish dancing. The Colonel likes to sponsor or attend a Burns dinner each year out of admiration for the most famous of Scottish poets. Such dinners are held all over the world.

The Covington Schools Federal Credit Union, located on River Falls Street here in Andalusia, sponsored its annual meeting January 20 at 4:00 p.m. over in Opp in the Conference Center of the MacArthur Campus of the Lurleen B. Wallace Community College.

Following refreshments, catered by Angie Cotton, a business meeting was conducted. Fifteen drawings for deposits of $50 each into accounts of fifteen lucky members followed with one drawing for a $l00 deposit. Margie Thomasson won the $l00 deposit; her husband, Curtis, won one of the $50 deposits. Their motoring over to Opp in a heavy rainstorm certainly paid off.

Esker and Ann Thomasson had as their houseguest their granddaughter, Beth, from Texas.

Seen at Perry’s for the seafood buffet were Gracie Davis, Larry Killingsworth, Hubert Sullivan, Jimmy Ponds, and Robert Lee Holley.

Seen at Tabby D.’s for lunch were Martha Dixon, dining with her long-time friends, Mickey and Joyce Sharpe.

The Covington Rifles Camp (chartered locally in l992) of the Sons of Confederate Veterans celebrated January 2l the birthdays of General Robert E. Lee (born January l9) and General T. J. “Stonewall” Jackson (born January 2l) in the Dixon Conference Center of the L.B.W.C.C. (Andalusia campus).

Margie (Jacques) Thomasson, a member of the local United Daughters of the Confederacy, played a number of old Southern songs on the piano as attendees gathered.

Curtis Hampton Thomasson, commander of the local camp, presided.

Jimmy Barlow, SCV member, worded the invocation.

Vaughn Bowers, SCV lst Lt. Cmdr., led in the pledges to the American and Confederate flags.

Jimmy Mitchell, SCV member, led in “Dixie,” as the attendees stood.

Jimmy Cobb, SCV camp adjutant, presented certificates to new members, Jimmy Barlow and Chase Waller.

Tammie Evans, president of the T. R. Thomasson Chapter of the UDC (chartered in l983), presented certificates to new members, Eleanor Williamson and Irene (Davis) Butler, and the Cross of Military Service for the late James “Jim” E. Williamson, husband of Eleanor.

Joseph C. Wingard, SCV member, read “The Sword of Robert Lee” by Abram J. Ryan (l839 – l886), the Catholic poet-priest famous for his loyalty to the South and his poems written in the decade following the War. Wingard said that this poem by Ryan is the most famous poem ever written about Lee. Ryan, who long lived in Mobile, is buried there in the Catholic cemetery. Ryan’s other famous poem is “The Conquered Banner.”

Roger Braxton, SCV member, known for his letters to the editor, supporting truthful history about the War, introduced the program, a film about the lives of Jackson and Lee, called Warriors of Honor. This film emphasized the Christian faith of Jackson and Lee. The film was most touching, beautifully told, and left eyes and hearts filled with tears.

Refreshments followed. Popular, as usual, was the fried salt pork prepared by Gracie Davis.

Jimmy Cobb provided a large, birthday, sheet cake with white icing and an image of a brightly colored Confederate flag.

Last week I shared some of the information given me by Sue (Bass) Wilson about the homecoming at First Baptist November 8. I promised to complete that report. Here’s how “Miss Sue” put it.

“The service concluded with hands across the aisle, extending to all the church family, singing the familiar ‘Sweet, Sweet Spirit’ before dismissing to the covered-dish luncheon in the Fellowship Hall.”

Miss Sue speaks of “long lines of those who chose to partake of a real Southern-style, ‘soul-food’ feast! The dessert tables were incredible, and a host of diners returned for seconds! Every dish in the F.B.C. cookbook must have been cooked, baked, boiled, roasted, basted, stirred up, sliced, chopped, blended, and then devoured. Jerri Stroud, Sandra Davis, Judy Armstrong, Mary Avery, and Jean Jones headed up the ‘kitchen brigade,’ led by Culinary Chairman Angie Cotton. Shannon Glenn was seen, serving iced drinks at the outside tea table. Troy Jones’s Family Ministries Committee scurried around like ants getting ready for winter. Members include Dodd Riley, Laura Pass, Mary Thomas, Gary Castillo, Ashley Eiland, Brett Mack, Shannon Glenn, and James Mitchell. Steve Thomas’s Recreation and Fellowship Committee, consisting of Judy Weant, Joe Parker, Jennifer McMath, Joe McDanal, and David Marcum, made sure that every detail was attended to in the way of serving and ‘feeding the five thousand!’

“Following the meal a concert by Southland was held in the sanctuary, which performance could have been aired on PBS’s ‘Gaither Homecomings.’ Also, an autograph party for Donna (Bush) Taylor was a popular place in the library. All of the Robert and Kate Bush family were present to introduce Donna’s newly published book, Coming Home on Highway 84. Donna and her family live in Mississippi. Reared in Andalusia and at F.B.C., graduating in the l960’s when the church building out on the main street was very new, Donna recalls when early morning and evening revivals were routine, spring and fall, and when the number of dedicated teenagers was many. Children were plentiful, running and playing as the adults sat, ate, and enjoyed fellowship on this grand homecoming celebration.”

Thank you, Miss Sue, for your excellent, detailed report of that special day.

(“Miss Sue! She runs this town; she do!”)

More than one person has asked me to publish the list of members of First Baptist who have been on the rolls for 50 or more years: Patricia Blanton, Diana Bledsoe, Gwen Bonner, Grace Brogden, Judy Buck, Robert Bush, Janette Carroll, Loraine Carter, Sybil Chesser, Allen Cook, Cindy Cook, Glenn Cook, Nobie Daniel, Genia Dorman, Margaret Eiland, Peggy Eiland, Jenelle Ennis, Lamar Everage, Allene Ezzell, Grover Findley, Merle Findley, Agnes Fowler, Jackie Gantt, Louise Godwin, Bebe Greene, Betty Greene, Mattie Lou Griffith, Jo Ham, John Hill, Mary Hill (“the Belle of Excel”), Sara Hobson, Edwyna Ivey, Norma Jackson, Becky Johnson, James D. “Nick” Johnson, Rebecca Johnson, Jean Jones (Mrs. Fletcher), Larry Jones, Mike Jones, Myrtle Kervin, Rebecca Kinard, Hugh King, Johnnie King, Mamie Ruth Lane, Ronald Lane, Jill Little, Lamar Locklier, Lucy Martin, Jacob Merrill, Mary Clyde Merrill, Warren Merrill, Bea Miller, Marjorie Moore, Voncile Newman, Kenneth Nichols, Sally Carter O’Neal, Carlos Padgett, Marilyn Palmer, Darwin Pippin, Abner Powell III, Wynona Powell, Margaret Prestwood, Ellen Rose, Larry Shaw, Louise Simms, Margaret Smyly, Rexford Stokes, Jr., Bill Tadlock, Romaine Tadlock, Abbie Taylor, Luther Taylor, Jr., Mary Frances Taylor, Ward Taylor, Anne Tipler, John W. Tisdale, Polly Waits, Sidney Waits, Jr., Rosa Nell Walker, Frances Ward, Roy Weaver, Jr., Sybil Weaver, Myrtle Ruth Welch, Ashton Wells, Jr., Katy Sue Wells, Ralph Wells, Hinton Wiggins, Linda Wiggins, Roy Windham, Louise Yeargain, and Pat Yeargain.

The stories of all these would probably tell the story of Andalusia.

This being Saturday, gentle reader, let me encourage each of us to be in his place of worship this weekend.