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The NEW BERN
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NEW BERN, N. C., 28560, FRIDAY. OCTOBER 27, 1972
NUIVIBER 33
Yesterday was when New
Bern had an 88 year old shoe
shine boy at one of its downtown
barber shops. Foscue Mitchell
not only held down a full-time
job, but did extra work for
several stores.
“I was a railroad fireman for
40 years," the dapper oc
togenarian toid us, *Wrting
with those old wood burners on
the Atlantic and North Carolina
iine.” His run from Morehead
City to Goidsboro was an all-day
aff^r.
In fact, sometimes the train
left the Carteret town at 7 in the
morning, and didn’t arrive at its
destination until far into the
night. Not the kind of work that
w^d appeal to today’s com
plaining clock watchers.
Mitchell, who we found to be
an interesting talker, fmdly
remembered that Mr. Jim
Bryan was president of the
railroad, and Mr. Joe Green the
mast^ mechanic. Retirement
for the elderly black, at long
last, didn’t please him.
"I felt like a throwed-out
mule,’’ he said. “A man won’t
get in trouble when he stays
busy.’’ Shortly after he was
pensioned, the retired
railroader ceased to be
“throwed-out.’’ He became the
town’s best shoe shine boy.
Mitchell liked to quote from
the Bible, as he wielded his rag
and brought brightness to dull
shoes. Naturally, he was partial
to the observation that man is
expected to earn his bread by
the sweat of his brow.
There aren’t many Foscue
Mitdidl, black or white, around
nowadays. Maybe he was a fool
to love work, and get joy from
laboring to the point Of
exhaustion. But he did stay out
of trouble, and stayed young
^ _
Yesterday was when, in the
summer of 1968, one of New
Bern’s better eulogies was
delivered by a small boy at the
City Recreation D^rtment’s
Joy Comer in Rivenride, where
Elizabeth Cotten was director.
Th^ Rowing words, spoke for
a decked bird that had been
run over by an automobile,
would have served well for a
departed king or potentate. AH
the other kids in the group of
moirners were tremendously
impressed.
Prior to the last rites, a nave
had been dug, so that mings
would go off without a hitch.
Instead of a hymn, those in
attendance made up some
appropriate lines, and sang
thm to the tune of Old Ned.
The tiny bird, carefully
wrapped in leave's,
was much too small to need
pallbears for the funeral
procession, so he was gently
B aced m the basket of a
cycle.
Hiey buried him underneath
a tree, and a tombstone was
fashioned out of construction
paper. Flowers were placed
upon the mound. Having Mid
their respects, ,the children
went back to their play.
As long as there are kids in
the world, a fair percentage of
the expired cats, dogs, squirrels
and birds they encounter will be
(Continued on page 8)
Now Where Do I Go To Round Up
A Few More Votes, Just In Cas8....