I
MEW ®ERN-CRavEN count-'
The fHiingeitN
PUBLI8HID
IN THI
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—
VOLUME 10
NEW BERN, N. C., FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 1968
NUMBER 42
No (Mie who knows Alfred A.
Kafer calls the stocky, unas
suming New Bernian anything
but Shorty.
it was typical of him that he
didn't try to play down the nick
name, when he was elevated to
the high office of Grand Master
of North CaroUna's Masons.
From the mountains to the sea,
as the honored guest of lodge af
ter lodge, he has demonstrated
that a fellow dubbed Shorty can
command the respect, and earn
the affection of his fellow man.
Kafer performs his duties
with dignity, but even if he tried
he couldn't be aloof and pom
pous. He is no speech maker,
admits as much, but packs more
punch in a few, off-Uie-cuff re
marks than individuals more
eloquent deliver with prolong
ed oratory.
Shorty, down to earth in more
ways than his abbreviated phis-
ique, may be recemded in the
archives of the fraternity as one
of the State's bet ter Grand Mas
ters. It is safe to say, at this
early date, that few will be re
membered with greater warm
ness of heart.
On one occasion, In the hills
of Carolina, Kafer arrived early
at a Masonic function, and
struck up acquaintance ri^toff
with a man he ran into. Hold
ing out his stubby paw, he said,
“I'm Shorty Kafer, and I'm
pleased to meet you.''
The man didn't know Shorty
from Adam, but revealed tliat
this was a big night f«>r him.
"I've come all the way from
Ohio,'* he disclosed, "to have
the Grand Master pin my 50-
year membership pin on me.''
“Im sure the Grand Master
will be proud to do it,'' said
Shorty without revealing his
identity further. The 50-year
member was flabbergasted
when he learned in lodge who
the Grand Master was, but re
laxed when Kafer spotted him
and flashed that broad smile of
his.
There isn't a man in Craven
County who can run fast enough
to give us a wild goose. Have
you ever tried to pick the feath
ers off one of the things? For
us it was an all-ni^t ordeal
Just getting the stern section
denuded, so if you have an extra
gander, thanks a lot but let
somebody else have It.
This despite the fact that
Hiram Mayo, County School
Superintendent, has devised a
method of cleaning one of these
big quack-birds in nothing flat.
He will, we feel sure, be glad
to furnish detailed direcUuns
if requested. However, he
needn't worry about getting a
call from us.
What was the very first thing
you did, when you took a tumble
on the ice during recent days?
Don't tell us, we'll tell you.
You looked in every direction
to see if anyone observed you
falling on your posterior. Every
mortal, proud or humble by na
ture, hates to be caught in such
a position.
Belatedly, in print, we want
to thank Paul Cox for remem
bering us with a delicious sweet
potato pie during the Christ
mas season. It was just as good
as his sweet potato pudding, and
that's a tremendous compli
ment.
Cox is quite a cook, and
created consternation at least
once in years past by winning
(Continued on page 8)
ON TARGET—Six jjear old David Bonin, whose father,
S/Sgt. Wilfred Bonin, is serving in Vietnam, can mail
this picture overseas to prove that life on the home
front is pretty hectic too. David didn’t get punched
by a juvenile Goliath twice his size, or refuse to
switch cigarette brands. The shiner, and it’s strictly
for real, resulted when he fell downstairs. The young
ster, who lives at 601 Broad Street, naturally tooTc
the mishap in stride. Black eyes, usually stemming
from a well aimed fist or a bat or ball that goes
astray, are part and parcel of boyhood’s hazards,
along with stubbed toes, skinned elbows and teeth
dislodged from their moorings. David, if our prog
nosis is correct, won’t miss out on much of the excite
ment, good and bad, that a kid his age can look
forward to. And if you had your life to live over,
wouldn’t you like to pair up with him?—Photo by
Wray Studio.