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The NEW BERN
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PUBLItHID WBIKLY
IN THI HIART OP
lASTBRN NORTH
CAROLINA
5^ Per Copy
VOLUME 14
NEW BERN. N. C.. FRIDAY, APRIL 23, 1971
NUMBER 6
Yesterday was when, at one
ttane or another, there were
Oiinese laundries on both sides
of Middle Street, between
Pollock and Broad. Tlie owners,
pleasantly moon-faced, were
never stingy with the starch.
Yesterday was when men and
boys alike whistled as they
sauntered almg New Bern’s
thoroughfares. Whistling is so
unusual now that people turn
and stare, as if you’re some
kind of a nut.
Yesterday was when the high
diver at our East Carolina Fair
here accidentally did a belly-
buster into the tank. Coming
down, he was frantically
waving his arms and kicking,
and looked just like a bull frog.
Yesterday was when we Imew
our town was growing up,
because an ordinance went into
effect outlawing U-tums at the
Elks Temple comer. Uncle Gus
Ipock, or ^b Wilson, would pull
you if you tried it.
Yesterday was when us kids
on upper Pollock got an eye
opener at a morning fire on
Bum Street. It happened when a
scantily clad, full bosomed
woman leaned half way out an
upstairs window. She knocked
loose a stick that was propping
up the window, and got stuck.
She sure did a piece of yelling.
Yesterday was when the
proprietor of a popular whiskey
joint uptown always said,
“Good night, Christians,’’ when
bidding his patrons farewell.
One night he secretly murdered
an acquaintance, and placed the
body on a railroad track in a
vain attempt to cover up the
deed.
Yesterday was when juvenile
pranksters dreamed up the idea
of turning loose lightning bugs
in the prevailing darkness at
New Bern’s movie houses. They
didn’t do much flashing. Maybe
they were too interested in the
picture.
Yesterday was when fellows
who wanted to buy a publication
featuring risque jokes could
hardly wait for next month’s
issue of Captain Billy’s Whiz
Bang. Today the humor therein
would make dull reading.
Yesterday was when
Congressmen mailed small
packets of seed to some of the
constituents in their district,
and it was the feeling of many
folks that Washington was being
entirely too extravagant. After
all, for the entire country, it
maybe added up to more than a
thousand dollars.
Yesterday was when Sudan
Temple had two mascots, bear
cubs appropriately named Sue
and Dan. As best we can recall,
they weren’t around very long.
Could it be that the mystic
Shrine held less appeal than the
tall timber?
Yesterday was when New
Bernians with faulty com-
(dexions and too little energy
took to the notion of eating yeast
cakes. Mixed with a little
imagination, the smaU, foil-
wrapped squares did seem to
generate get up and go.
Yesterday was when the Rev.
John Russell, then pastor of
Centenary Methodist church,
overlooked his own grand-
(Continued on page 8)
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SPRING IN OUR COAST COUNTRY