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Page Four
THE NEW BERN MIRROR, NEW BERN, N. C.
Friday, October 2, 1959
n
THE NEW BERN MIRROR
Published Every Friday at 111 King Street,
New Bern, N. C., by the Sole Owner
j. GASKiLL McDaniel
-Editor and Publisher
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
One Year $2.50 Six Months $1.25
Entered as second-class mail at New Bern April 4, 1958,
unJer the act of March 3, 1879.
NO LONGER TRUE
None of the classic remarks made by the incomparable
Mark Twain surpassed this one—“Everyone talks about the
weather, but no one does anything about it.”
Twain, in his day, was factually correct, but his whimsi
cal observation is no longer applicable. A great deal is done
about the weather in this modern era. We still can’t control
it, but the ability to chart it well in advance is an accomplished
achievement.
Ignorance is bUss, but little could be gained by having a
hu^icane like Gracie sneak up on you without warning. Devas
tation can’t be eliminated when high winds lash an area, but
advance notice can minimize damage and save lives that might
otherwise be lost.
Grim proof of this was provided in the recent past when
stubborn residents along the Louisiana coast refused to heed
repeated warnings to evacuate from the path of an approach
ing'hurricane. Because the warnings were ignored, many per
ished.
This turn of events must have been exasperating to those
who worked around the clock to keep the public informed.
Particularly exasperated, we imagine, were the Navy pilots
who flew into the center of the hurricane time and time again
to obtain accurate data on its trend.
Notwithstanding the fact that newspapers, radio stations
and television stations have a field day on such occasions,
they render a service in bringing reports of the latest devel
opments to the eyes and ears of apprehensive citizens.
A hurricane is a good news story, and some reporters and
broadcasters are inclined to exaggerate. In fact, anyone who
takes the excited exclamations of some announcers seriously
is apt to be scared out of his wits.-
There have been instances too where a newspaperman
stretched the truth rather badly in an effort to provide a wait
ing editor with something pertinent enough to print. In that
respect, they behave just like other humans always have and
always will.
Historical
Gleanings
—By—
FRANCES B, CLAYPOOLE
and
ELIZABETH MOORE
.1..
OUR TOWN IS YOURS
We take pleasure in welcoming the South Atlahiic Re
gional Conference of the National League of American Pen
Women to New Bern. Any time a group of talented writers,
composers and artists chooses this or any other city for such
a gathering, it’s a great compliment.
Because the women from Alabama, Georgia, Florida and
the two Carolinas who are here this weekend are both dis
cerning and appreciative, they will recognize the charm of our
historic first State Capital.
Our past culture, reflected by the landmarks still stand
ing in this 249-year-old community, will inspire them no doubt.
However, their impressions will be enhanced and their memo
ries of the Regional Conference more pleasant if we who live
in the present exhibit the genuine hospitality that was char
acteristic of our forefathers.
Our historic shrines, in all their fortunate profusion, could
never offset a lack of warmth in our welcome. Just as a lovely
mansion has no appeal to a guest if its host and hostess don’t
make you feel at home, our town for all of its charm can’t
measure up unless we’re hospitable.
'That we are indeed hospitable will quickly be apparent to
the visiting Pen Women. No one could possibly be more gra
cious than New Bern’s own Pen Women. Elizabeth Moore and
Frances Claypoole, along with the others, will make this an
event to remember.
Aside from the efforts made by these two public spirited
New Bern women to bring the South Atlantic Regional to our
city, we would like to commend them in passing for their note-
tvorthy work in the field of geneology.
Readers of THE MIRROR are quite familiar with their
column—Historical Gleanings—since it appears each week in
this publication. What many readers don’t know and should is
how much delving into past records has been done by these
two New Bernians.
Thanks to them, many rare documents have come to light
and will be carefullly preserved. To them and to all local and
visiting Pen Women, we look with pride.
THE MAN WHO CAME DOWN
THE CHIMNEY
State of North Carolina
Craven County
This day personally appeared be
fore me, Alexander Gaston, one of
the Justice for Craven county, Mar
tha Hays, who being duly sworn,
declareth and saith than on the
evening of the 24th instant, a cer
tain person who calls himself John-
Brunny came into her house in
company with two other sailors
and drank some rum and water and
went away. She further saith that
in the dead time of night, she was
alarmed by the barking of her dog
and a noise in her chimney, and
the falling of pieces of bricks from
the same, that she went out and
called William Hales an'd Mr. Lu
cas, who entered her house with a
light, and found the above men
tioned John Brunny, who sat down
on a chair and said he was sleepy
and drunk, and that she afterward
found a fish gig on the hearth and
further this deponent saith not.
New Bern, 25 May, 1778. S. Martha
Hays, Taken by Alexander Gaston.
>i
This day personally appeared be
fore me, a certain person who calls
himself John Brunny, who saith
than on the evening of the 24th
instant, he with some other sea
faring people, came to the house of
Mrs. Mays, and drank some rum
and water, and that he bargained
with a girl at the said house to
come and visit with her that night;
that he came accordingly, and the
doors being shut and nof finding
admittance and being in IJquor, he
went down the chimney iiv order to
find the girl, that he had no inten
tion to steal at iiijure any person
in said house and further saith
not. New Bern, N. C., May 25, 1778.
S. Alexr. Gaston.
« ifc «
This day personally appeared be
fore me, one of the Justices for
Craven county, William Hales, who
being sworn on the Holy Evange
lists of Almighty God declareth
and saith that he was called up in
the night of the 24th instant by
Mrs. Hays and he and Mr. Lucas
went armed to her house, and
there found a man sitting, who said
he came to see a girl and that he
stuck a fish gig, there found, in the
top of the chimney to let himself
down, that it gave way, which
made him come down too fast, that
he had no intention to rob or in
jure any person in said house, and
pretended to be much in liquor,
and further this deponent saith
not. New Bern, 25 May, 1778. Alex.
Village Verses
A HUSBAND'S CONFESSION
I must confess I like your eyes
On April nights when starlit skies
Cast furtive shafts of light down from above;
And I’ll admit I like the way
You drawl the many things you say,
To tell the truth 1 crave your kind of love.
I’m sold completely on your smile,
I find it cheers me all the while,
In little things that count you take the cake;
Yet, all these thrills but count as naught.
For I know, deep down in my heart.
You snared me with the biscuits that you bake.
—JGMcD.
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Gaston.
♦ * * !H
This day personally appeared be
fore me, Alexander Gaston, one of
the Justices of Craven county, Elias
Justice, who being sworn on the
Holy Evangelists of Almighty God,
declareth and saith that he was
called up by Mrs. Hays in the night
of the 24th instant and went to her
house where he saw a man sitting
who said he came down the chim
ney to see a girl, that he had no
intention to do any mischief, what
soever and further this deponent
saith not. May 25, 1778. Elias Jus-
ticte.
sjs #
Appearance Bond. Be it remem
bered than on the 26 day of June,
1778, Geo. Fulford, David Marshall,
freeholders of the county afore
said, and John Brunny came before
lis, Alexander Gaston and William
Tisdale, assigned to keep the peace
of the said county and acknowledg
ed themselves to be indebted to the
State aforesaid in the sum of 400
pounds, that is to say the Geo. FuL
ford and David Marshall in the
sum of 100 pounds each and John
Brunny in the sum of 200 pounds
to be levied on their several goods
and chattels, lands and tenements,
on condition that the said John
Brunny do' hnd shall make his per
sonal appearance before the Judge
of the Superior Court of Law for
the District of New Bern to be
held in New Bern on the fifteenth
day of November next, then and
there to answer to the State for
and concerning the breaking and
entering the dwelling of Martha
Hays of Christ Church Parish in
the county of Craven on the 24th
day of May in the night time,
wherewith the said John Brunny
stands charged and do and suffer
what shall then and there be en
joined him by the said Court and
not depart without leave, acknowl
edged before us the day and year
above written. S. John Brunny,
Geo. Fulford and David Marshall.
Before William Tisdale and Alex.
Gaston.
November 1778. This bond was
forfeited. Evidently John Brunny
skipped the county.
* * >|8
Dr. Alexander Gaston, ‘a native
of Ireland and a man of letters’
was one of the most determined
patriots of his time. He was killed
on the 20 of August, 1781, under
the most painful circumstances. He
was retreating from the attack of
the Tories, with his wife, and two
small children, when a party of
Tories appeared. Mrs. Gaston was
left on the wharf, while her hus
band pushed off in a boat, one of
these monsters leveled his gun over
the shoulder of Mrs. Gaston, and
her patriotic husband fell dead,
leaving her and two children—a
son. Judge William Gaston, and a
daughter Margaret, who afterwards
became the wife of diief Justice
John Louis Taylor.
MIRROR
MEDITATION
“As a man thinketh, so is he.”
What a truth this really is. What
are your concepts of yourself? Do
you place certain limitations on
yourself?
There is no limit to man’s mind
and what it can do. One can never
perform a single act, unless he be
lieves in it and his ability to ac
complish it.
To visualize yourself performing
any task or deed is to reach down
and find that this talent already
exists in your inner being. This is
a part of God’s creative process,
available to you. It is yours to use
at will., .
You are what yoa think you are.
You can be the person you want
to be and confidence will come
with pursuit of desires. Practice
arising from desire brings perfec
tion in any field of endeavor.
It will also render you an ex
pert. What is more, you will find
joy in what you are doing, because
it is in tune with God.
—Emmit L. Brinson.
WOODROW
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