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The NEW BERN
PUBLISHED WEEKLY
•H THE HEART OP
■■—■■■ -^^0
VOLUME 16
NEW BERN, N. C. 28560, FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 1973
NUMBER 5
Yesterday was when Dr.
Oscar Haywood, probably the
most dignified pastor that New
Bern’s First Baptist church has
ever had, displayed a different
side of his normally austere
personality when we paid him a
visit.
Hie purpose of our call, at the
local hotel where he stay^, was
to get an dcay on certain
aspects of an article written
about him. He was arrayed in
pajamas and lounging robe, and
the light of victo^ twinkl^ in
his eyes.
“I think I’ve got him,”
whispered the eminent
theologian in hushed but om-
nious tones. Clutched tightly in
his hand was a small paper
sack, containing a number of
the minister’s favwite parched
peanuts.
The him referred to was
obviously a hungry mouse.
Together we subjected the sadk
of vigorous jostli^, with nary a
sound or wiggle from the inside.
It took a single peep to reveal
the mouse had done a disap
pearing act.
However, even a mouse story
can have a happy ending. Dr.
Haywood told us a few days
later that the tiny rodent was
still around. “He’s getting
tame,” the pastor said proudly,
and seemed pleased ^th his
roommate.
Yesterday was when one of
the regidar passengers on the
Seashore Transportation bus
fi*om New Bern to Morehead
City each night lived near
Riverdale. There’s no point in
mentioning his name.
He constantly chewed
tobacco, so he always sat on the
back seat, where he could roll
down the window when occasion
demanded it. That was back
during the Depression, and
humoring the few passengers
you had was a good idea.
On a never to be forgotten
run, with no moon in sight, the
bus was cruising along at close
to 50 miles an hour when the
driver felt a sudden rush of cold
air from the rear of the vehicle.
He stopped the bus as quickly
as he could. Investigation
revealed that the tobacco
chewer, possibly half asleep,
had open^ the emergency door
instead of the window, and was
swept out into the pitch-black
ni^t.
Naturally, the bus driver
figured his chomping friend had
been killed, and fearfully
walked back along the road in
search of the body. Quite some
distance away, along the
shoulder of the highway, he
found the passenger, not dead
but trying to find his hat.
If you think this is a wild tale,
made up to help fill the space in
this column, call C. H. (Shoot)
Hall at the main office of the bus
company here, and he’ll verify
the story as absolute truth.
Yesterday was when William
Jennings Bryan, three times
defeated for the presidency of
the United States, delivered one
of his eloquent speeches at New
Bern’s fair grounds, then
located on upper George street.
Born in 1860, Bryan was only
36 when he was first nominated
by the Democratic Party for the
(Continued on page 8)
THE PAST LIVES ON AT TRYON PALACE.