Columns

Yes, spring has indeed sprung, and with it came all our barn swallows.  Many generations back they built nests under the porch eaves, and their offspring have used the same nests each year.  They come suddenly.  One morning we hear their cheerful cheeping and see their glossy, blue-black wings.  They swoop like Purple Martins, and we're told they can eat many times their weight in mosquitoes each day.  This is a great boon to first husband and me, since we have a lot of buckets filled with water for the dogs to drink.  We haven't had a mosquito around here for years.

We may also have bats.  They eat mosquitoes too, and with all our trees it seems logical that they would find refuge.  Ever since Bela Lugosi, people have given bats short shrift.  They're actually a good animal, very helpful with the mosquitoes and other swarmy bugs. 

Why we eat ham on Easter

                 Have you ever wondered why Americans eat ham on Easter Sunday? Well, the answer is one of practicality. In the early days, people slaughtered pigs in the fall. Since there was no refrigeration, they cured all the leftover pork not consumed in the wintertime to avoid waste. Because the curing process was lengthy, the first hams ready for consumption coincidentally occurred around Easter. Therefore, ham was the practical choice for Easter dinner.

April 6, 1961-Canton Herald- Canton Sales Barn too open Today: Canton’s newest business at its new barn today beginning at 1 p.m. Owners of the local sale barn, Dee and Russell Priest, told the press that some of the largest livestock buyers in East Texas will be on hand to buy at the first sale.

Russell Priest said that no special activity is planned, but that a good sale is in the offering. A modern restaurant operated by Mrs. Raymond Fincher is a part of the livestock building.

Choose to make your own choices

The experts say that between 80 and 90 percent of everything we do is by habit. We are born with no habits, so our care givers choose our habits for us. Unfortunately, many of those habits never change. Many people never move, change political parties, religious views and are content to choose someone else to make choices for them. One of those habits is smoking cigarettes. They cause people to die and it practically says that on the label. Some people knew the risks, chose to smoke, get cancer and die. Those folks chose to let others make a poor choice available to them.

Feb. 23, 1961: Mr. and Mrs. L. F. Pruitt will be honored at open house Sunday, Feb. 26, at their home in observance of their 50th wedding anniversary. Mr. Pruitt was born in New Marker, Ala. and came to Texas in 1904. Mrs. Pruitt, the former Sarah Hobbs, was born at Martin Mill. They were married Feb. 26, 1911. They have resided in Canton since 1914. Mr. Pruitt is a retire mail carrier, having served as carrier on Route 3, Canton for 39 years. Hosts for the reception will be their children Dr. B. H. Pruitt, of Athens and Mrs. W. W. Ashworth of Mineola.

March 16, 1961-Tires Stolen Last Thursday Morning in Grand Saline – Theft of 14 large truck tires was reported to County authorities by C&R trucking firm of Grand Saline last Thursday morning about 1:30 o’clock. The tires six 10.00x20 were taken from the Grand Saline firm hauling salt from Morton’s Salt Company. Sheriff J.W. Burnett reported Wednesday morning that his office has a good lead on the culprits.

The children of W. J. McCaffity will honor him on his 93^rd birthday with open house Sunday, March 19, at his home in the Dawson community. His friends are invited to call during the hours of 2 to 5 p.m.

You just got to do a 5k

Several weeks ago, the Brookshire’s 15K was held in Tyler. This 9.23-mile run is the premier running event of its kind in the USA. At the same time and place the Fresh 5K, my favorite run in the whole wide world, was also ran. It was closed out early because it is so popular.

It ran in five waves with the fast-serious runners, including world class speedsters and top amateurs starting first. Then the fun and party atmosphere got underway. The announcer got the wave going. He asked how many repeaters were ready.  About 50 percent gave hollers and cheers and two more waves of excited people took off.

Recently, I received a message from an angry reader who told me that I shouldn’t “write about people that kill others,” and that I “added your thoughts and someone you did not really know,” regarding our article on the sentencing of Joe Gilmer of Canton. 

Here’s the kicker, I didn’t write it, the criminal district attorney’s office of Van Zandt County did. The angry reader went on to tell me to “never cover a murder of the case when a young girl’s life is taken unnecessarily.”

I had to ponder and scratch my head at that one, because I thought we were still talking about the sentencing of Joe Gilmer. I guess we had switched gears. I’m just sad that six years of college and multiple degrees are null and void.

Suffering at times comes in our ways

Which we sometimes mention

Sometimes our Lord lets happen

To gain our full attention.

Jesus suffered the perfect example

And He is the Son of the Father

He shed His blood, His precious blood

Destroying Satan’s sins that bother.

His love for us is so precious

He knows when we have pain

He lets us stop and talk to him

Each time we hurt again.

God’s word says we must suffer

He waits for our attention

If we have sinned or have bad thoughts

To Him we should always mention.

Repentance is a magical word

And reaches to Him above

He hears when we ask forgiveness

And covers us with His love.

LB

March 9, 1961

County 4-H Clubs Celebrate National “4-H Club Week - Van Zandt, accounting 4H’ers observing National 4-H Club Week March 4-11. The local 4-H club members will join more than two and a quarter million boys and girls in rural urban and suburban areas throughout the United States.