The NEW BERN
In every town there ought to
be a local Hall of Fae, where
so-called unimportant folks could
have inscribed their name.
For instance, Albert Crabtree is
a man we won’t forget, the many
joys he brought to us are pleasant
memories yet. We kids all dubbed
him “Crabby”, but he never was
that way. In fact, with youngsters
hovering ’round, you’d-always find
him gay.
As generous as the morning sun
that shines on everything, this
little man with legs quite bowed
was like a breath of Spring. We’re
sure no one will ever know, there’s
no one who could measure the
hours and dollars that he spent
for other people’s pleasure.
Many’s the time he knocked off
work, and closed his little joint,
to slave at fijdng up the club we
had at Union Point. He built a dock
and put up swings, and what a div
ing board. Yes, Crabby shelled out
money that he had a chance to
hoard.
A new suit never crossed his
mind, he stuck to cover-alls, he
passed up swank occasions and
evaded social calls. He gave his
heart to boys and girls, they came
down by the score to get the recre
ation that they never had before.
Those boys and girls are grown
ups now, and |scattered every-,
where. Some of the gang have ev
en died on battlefields out, there.
But scattered though we know they
are, we hope each grown-up kid
remembers all the kindly things
that good old Crabby did. r ..d ;
These are the rhyming T!nes,
written years before, that we read
at Albert Crabtree’s funeral. The
lines fitted him, just like the sim
ple epitaph on his modest grave
stone that reads “He lived his life
for boyhood.”
Not only boys but girls as well
were blessed by the great generosi
ty of this grand little man. We
thought of him particularly during
the recent Father’s Day because he
was a second father to every kid he
knew.
To us. Crabby was Santa ClauS
without the red suit, white whisk
ers and reindeer. A bachelor, he
nevertheless had the biggest adopt
ed family in town, and did more
for New Bern younstefs than any
man of his era.
His gang—not to be confused
with present-day punks who lean
toward lawlessness—had its unplan
ned inception in Crabby’s tiny
machine shop. Kids dropped by to
watch him work, in much the same
manner that kids once watched
Longfellow’s Village Blacksmith.
Crabby was kind to them, and
they returned again and again.
He shared their joys and sorrows,
forgave them for their pranks,
and gave them advice when they
asked for it.
Included among others in the
original gang were Shoot Hall, Tom
Davis, Buzz Mitchell, the Patterson
brothers—Harry, Bill and Robert—
Reid Fuller, Bill Gwaltney, Earl
Harper and. The Mirror’s editor.
In due time there were still
more, including a contingent of
girls headed by Sarah Meadows.
The little machine shop, located
on the Meadows property at the
foot of South Front street, was on
ly a short distance from pn aban
doned riverfront warehouse.
That’s the spot he fixed up at his
own expense for a recreation room.
It was turned over to the kids for
their exclusive enjoyment. Their
dogs were charter members of the
Union Point club, too—dogs like
the Patterson airdale. Rusty, and
Reid Fuller’s Peggy.
A wonderful man was Crabby—
a wonderful man indeed. -
WELL ARMED—For a gentle, peace loving
man, Joe Anderson Sr. keeps plenty of^uns
in the den of his attractive home on Trent
Boulevard. Actually, they’re prized relics-
that any museum would be happy to latch
onto. Most of his marvelous collection of
ancient w«apbi»^
store, located at the corner of Broad and
Fleet streets, along with a “torture chair”
that dates to way back when.. Aside from be
ing an excellent druggist and widely known
sportsman, Anderson is a real authority on’
historic fireams. ,
Local Men Have Turned Sad
Sacks Over New Sack Styles
Politicians can offer lame ex
cuses, but it doesn’t take an alert
public long to catch up with the
cripple.
Many a corny joke has been
cracked around town about sack
dresses, but do New Bern males
really dislike them?
' Knowing that all men of approxi
mate health take notice of the op-
positd^ sex, we picked 50 at random,
got them off to one side and pop
ped the question.
Just to make certain that there
would be no hedging on this sub
ject of draped shapes, we promised
to keep their identity a deep dark
secret. No two men were question
ed together.
Some of the guys were tall and
skinny, some short and fat, some
young and some old. All of them
had very definite opinions, especial
ly when we told them that what
they had to say was strictly confi
dential. •
Not one of the 50 displayed en
thusiasm' for the droopy ; dresses
now in vogue. Six of the 50 shrug
ged their shoulders, and said they
Elyis Holding
Own, Despite
Army Service
You don’t hear much about Ellvis
Presley these days, now that he is
serving in Unele Sam’s Army.
Don’t let the lack of commotion
fool you, however. An up-to-the-
minute check on record sales in
New Bern reveals that he is still
holding his own, and then some.
Few people thought that Pres
ley’s popularity would be lasting.
Fewer still thought that he would
remain among the best sellers after
induction into the service.
Elvis has set his critics back on
their heels, and those platters of
his, including a brand new one, are
selling at a merry pace right on.
reckoned they could stand the
things if that’s what the gals Want
ed. The remaining 44 voiced a
hearty dislike.
As one man put it, “A woman
with a nice figure is a fool to hide
it under all that drapery. If she
doesn’t have a nice figure, nobody’s
going to take that second look any
how, regardless of what she wears.”
Another proud judge of feminine
pulchritude said he figured that
wrapping up adequate and attrac-
ON HER WAY—Can Anita
Slater follow in the royal
footsteps of Pat Simonds
and Connie Hobby, and win
the State Dairy Princess
crown? Already selected as
tops in Craven County and
Area 9, comprising Craven,
Jones, Carteret, Pamlico
and Onslow, the recently
graduated New Bern High
school Senior is as happy as
she looks here.—Mirror Pho
to by Wray Studio.
tive dimensions in a sack was just
as bad as giving somebody an orch
id or a rose that is crammed into
an oversize paper bag. The quality
is there, but the wrappings spoil
everything.
One guy came up With a reason
able answer. “Women don’t buy
dresses to impress men,” he insist
ed. “They want to impress other
women at teas and other social
gatherings. A woman would rather
be stranded a million miles from
nowhere than show up at a party
out of style.”
The men we questioned were
husbands, so as an after thought
we asked each of them if his own
wife had gone sack happy. In ev
ery instance we got a sad affirma
tive response.
Safety Award Gets
Launderers' Award
George Burnette, down at Brad-
dy’s, takes pride in the laundry
and dry cleaning he turns out.
But he is even prouder at the
mdment of the lOb"? Safety Award
that his plant has received from
the North Carolina Department of
Labor.
North Carolina’s association of
launderers is proud of it too, and
has presented him an award for
getting the ^ard.
Playgrounds Open
Over Town Monday
New Bern mothers can hardly
wait for Monday, when the play
grounds of the City Recreation De
partment get under way with their
summer programs.
Strategically located all over
town, they afford a good place for
Junior and little Susie to use up
all that energy.
PUBLISHED WEEKLY
IN THE HEART OF
EASTERN NORTH
CAROLINA
5^ Per Copy
NUMBER 12
Unseen Guest
At Wedding
CouldHave...
Everybody agreed that it was a
perfect wedding, when Robbie Ken
nel and Jean Hargett got married
last Sunday afternoon at the Taber
nacle Baptist church.
The organist, Althea Marshbum,
played sweetly, and the vocalisl,
Dr. Roy Miller, was in excellent
voice. Rev. K. Alvin Pitt perform
ed his duties flawlessly and impres
sively, while the bride and groom
were at their best.
But, as the old saying goes,
there was a fly in the ointment.
Except in this case the fly, for lack
of ointment, flew back and forth
between Robbie’s nose and Jean’s
nose, as they stood before the al
tar. He never did light, and as
sembled guests were unaware of
his presence. Robbie and Jean were
very much aware of it, but man
aged to speak their vows without
muffing a single word.
Both laughed about it later, as
they stood in the receiving line at
the reception.
New Bern Student
PJC Valedictorian
Add the name of WiUiam Rus
sell Blake to the list of college
graduates, past and present, who
have reflected credit on New Bern.
William was valedictorian of the
195R class at Presbyterian Junior
college at Maxton. Those who
heard his valedictory address say
it was as exceptional as the ^s-
tinguished young man who deliv
ered it.
Bobby Bollard Gels
Mike Job on T.V.
Bobby Ballard of Bridgetdn, who
started out as a local radio an
nouncer, is headed for a mike job
with Washington’s television sta
tion, WI'TN.
While in school at East Carolina
college, he has continued his air
work at a Greenville radio sta
tion. His creditable and depend
able performance there is respons
ible for his chance in the TV field.
A Weekend Prayer
Dear Father of mankind, we
realize that Thy task is an extreme
ly difficult one—that of producing
the wholeness and harmony which
can mean happier living for all
of Thy children. We confess with
sorrow the part which we have
had in complicating and hindering
Thy work. How often we have re
fused to be whole, in body, mind
or spirit! How often we have pull
ed apart into a camp of isolation
and selfish will! We need Thy for
giveness, and through the mercy
of Jesus Christ we know that we
have it. May we accept this offered
forgiveness with a due sense of
awe and respoftsibility.
If we know our own hearts,
Father, we want to join with Thee
in the work of fashioning an honest,
friendly and powerful world. In
vade our hearts with Thy Spirit of
Truth, that we may be rescued
from the easy wrong, and transfer
red into persons who know Thy
will and are eager to do it. Help
us to say “Yes” to the clear call
of the Divine. Then strengthen us
as we search for the proper tools
with which to answer that call.
And may we not grow weary in
weilding the tools. Lead us through
our cooperative work to a harvest
of righteousness, joy and peace.
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
Rev. M. Elmore Turner, Pastor
Broad Street Christian church
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