Watauga Democrat
An Independent Weekly Newspaper
Established ^fn 1688 and Published
for 48 years by the late
Robert C. Rivers, Sr.
PUBLISHEE ON THURSDAYS
Subscription Rates
INSIDE WATAUGA COUNTY
One Year _.$1 50
Six Months _ 1.00
? Four Months .75
o Ikes ide watauga county
One If ear _ $2.00
Six Month* 1.50
Four Months 1.00
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In requesting change of address, it
ia Important to mention the Old as
well as the NEW address.
R. C. RIVERS, Jr. - Publisher
Cards of Thanks, Resolutions of Re
spect, Obituaries, etc., are charged
tor at the regular advertising rates.
Entered at the poctoffice at Boone,
N. C., as second dass mail matter.
Ha basli of our soranment Miu the
?pinion of the people, the very first ob
ject should be to keep that
rt*ht. and were It left to
me to decide whether we
should have a government
without newspapers. or
newspapers without gov
eminent. I should not heel
tate a moment to choose the
latter Bui I should mean
that every mat should re
ceive these papers and be
capable of reading them "
?Thomas Jefferson.
Thursday, jan. 31, 1946
GOOD SERVICE
v*? ' r| ,,
In connection. with the agitation
concerning the condition of the sec
j ondary roads In the state, it is in
teresting to Qrtt that so far as we
have; been abu^to learn, Watauga |
and Ashe are the only counties in i
this section of the state which have
been able to' maintain operation of
|3l th* schools during the severe
winter weather, which has damaged
the roads to a degree unknown since
the inception of the good roads pro
gram in the state.
Due to the diligence of the district
highway maintenance engineer, Mr.
C. A. Hayworth, and Mr. E. Ford
King, county road supervisor in
Watauga and Ashe counties, the
roads have, been kept open all
through the rigid weather of the
past three months, and no schools
have been closed during this period.
Working day and night, Sundays
and holidays, since before Christ
mas, local highway emjfcoyees have
b?.?y''afel? to keep the roads open,
and' maintain normal traffic in the
lata* of unprecedented weather con
iMuih. For this fine service, our
Sal' highway officials and em
ployees' deserve the commendation
Jtjf. the people of this area. The rec
ord they have made during the se
vere weather hasn't been duplicated
in the state, so far as we know.
CHINESE NEW YEAR
Saturday, February 2, will be the
first day of the first moon after the
sim shall have entered Aquarius,
which, as United China Relief points
out, means New Year's Day for
mart than one- fifth of the earth's
peoplal -
-?* "This date begins the 4643rd year
* ?f one of the oldest recorded human
ljWUllca, that of the Chinese people.
w4&jnay prove the dawn of the most
7 fcpportant epoch in all their long
?tiktory, holding as it does the prom
ise of peace, progress, freedom and
a chance for the good life for the
hiSn'dradf of millions of China.
Tl^rCBinese year is reckoned by
the old lunar calendar, which di
vides the year into twelve months,
the length of each month based on
the moon's journey around the
earth, rather than on the earth's
trip around the sun.
The moon's journey takes twenty
nine and a half days, so in China
some months are assigned twenty
nine days and others thirty, to
make a year of 354 days. The dif
ference between the lunar and our
solar calendar of 365 days is adjust
ed every two or three years when
the Astronomical Observatory of
China declares an extra month, thus
decreeing Chinese leap year.
Chinese history has been recorded
from the first year of the reign of
the Yellow Emperor (2696 B. C.)
LESSSUGAR
IS PREDICTED
FOR NATION
Washington, Jan. 29 ? Representa
tive B. J. Jonkman, of Michigan,
said today that the sugar shortage
ia about to become "seriously
won?." He blamed officials <A the
agriculture department for the situa
tion.
Jonkman, subcommittee chairman
of the Republican congressional
food study committee, charged in a
speec?h prepared for the house, that
the agriculture officials were guilty
of "gross negligence and mafleas
ance" in their administration of the
sugar program.
FOR SALE ? Farm 69 acres, locat
ed at Matney, N. C..9 mile off high
way; 9- room house, bath, good wat
er system. Poultry shed, woodhouse,
3-4 land in farming condition. Large
barn with lights; 100,00 ft. lumber
Will sell for $9,000 cash net. Known
M Howard Edmisten place. Vance
Norwood. Hampton, Tenn. l-31-3p
ARCADY QUADRUPLETS EXPECT BUTEB OB BROTHER . . Al
eight month* of age, the famous Arcad; "quads" ? three balls and > heifer
? now weigh over MO pounds and are making better than average gains
on the Dyer, Ky.. farm of Charles Lucas. They are locking forward
to March t, when at leaal one new arrival la expected In the family.
The "quads" weighed only M to M pounds at birth, bat now are above
average weight. The tender In the photograph la Miss Maoreen C^lne
I
THE EVERYDAY
COUNSELLOR
J Rev. HERBERT SPAUGH, a D. |
| The most certain thing in life is
change, and yet that is the most dif
ficult thing for most of us to accept.
The circumstances of life and our
attitude towards them change daily.
Some months ago I related a beau
tiful old Jewish legend which was
given me by a correspondent, which
I am giving again by request.
Shortly after his coronation, King
Solomon announced a great banquet
for his chief officers of state and
military leaders. Two weeks be
fore the event he called in his most
trusted advisor and gave him a
strange assignment. The King said
he wanted a ring to wear on his
hand, for a double purpose. Should
prosperity, popularity and success
come upon him to such an extent
that he became proud and forgetful
of God, a glance at this ring should
remind him of his danger. Should
trouble and adversity so descend
upon him that he would despair,
then by looking at the ring, he
would be reminded that God is "a
very present help in trouble.
The more he thought of the im
possibility of the task, the more
frantic Solomon's advisor became.
With only a week left, he turned to
an old jeweler in the city of Jerusa
lem. He explained his assignment.
The old man told him not to worry,
that he would provide the necessary
ring in one week's time.
True to his promise, on the open
ing <ia,y oJ_the feast the jeweler de
livered to the King's advisor a ring
on which was this inscription, "This
Too Shall Pass Away." The King's
request had been met.
All of us could profitably wear
such a ring, because we need its
message. It will give balance to
life. j
This old story reminds me W a
poem in my scrap book by Lenta
Wilson Smith:
When some great sorrow, like a
mighty river, Flows through your
life with peace-destroying power,
And dearest things are swept from
sight forever, Say to your heart each
trying hour: "This, too, shall pass
away." When ceaseless toil has
hushed your song of gladness, And
you have grown almost too tired to
pray. Let this truth banish from
your heart its sadness. And eases the
burdens of each trying day: "This,
too, shall pass away." '
When fortune smiles, and, full of
mirth and pleasure, The days are
flitting by without care. Lest we
should rest with only earthly treas
ure, Let these few words their full
est import bear: "This, too, shall
' pass away." When earnest labor
brings you fame and glory. And all
earth's noblest ones upon you smile.
Remember that life's longest, grand
est story, Fills but a moment in
earth's little while: "This, too, shall
pass away."
BUSINESS SUIT?
ONCE * shop owner, this Greek
war victim now hat only broken
baiketl to hold hii (mall stock. He
needs clothing at he prepare* to
build i life and business again. Give
your tpare clothing, ahoea and bed
ding to the Victory Clothing Collec
ction for overseas relief
TODAY and
TOMORROW
I By DOM ROBINSON |
TALK meetings
"What do they talk about at
these conferences?" my wife asked
me.
She was reading the front page of
a newspaper which headlined one
conference after another about
strikes.
"I don't know," I said, "I sup
pose they discuss labor's demands
and try to see if they can come to
same agreement."
"But," she complained, "these
headlines always say just about the
same thing. They either say that
no agreement was reached or that
another conference is being planned.
In some of the strikes people have
been meeting for months and noth
ing seems to happen. I can't see
what they talk about all the time.''
My reaction ? a sort of defense of
the male ? was to try to point out
that men of importance don't sit
around together by the hour with
out discussing subjects of weighty
concern. Women might, yes. But
not busy business executives. But
as I tried to build my case, I too,
began wondering what on earth did
keep the conversation rolling at
these long-winded conferences.
? ? ?
CONFERENCE delay
After struggling with this myste
rious problem for some time, I final
ly came to the conclusion that one
of those many conferences between
Mr. Anderson of General Motors and
Mr. Thomas of the United Automo
bile Workers must have gone some
thing like this:
Mr. Thomas: Well, are you going
to give us 30 percent?
t :Mr. Anderson: No.
Thomas: What's your best offer
today?
Anderson: 13 percent. And that's
final.
Thomas: You know we won't ac
cept that
Anderson: You know we won't go
any higher.
(Thomas lights a cigar 30 percent
longer than the average cigar. An
derson lights a short pipe. They sit
at the conference table glaring at
each other. After an hour of silence,
Mr. Thomas clears his throat im
patiently.)
Thomas: Any change yet?
Anderson: Nope.
(Each get out a newspaper and
begins reading. After another hour
Mr. Anderson breaks the silence.)
Anderson: Ready to take 13 per
cent yet?
Thomas: Nope. Still 30 percent.
Anderson: It's getting late. Shall
we call off the conference?
? Thomas: Okay. What will we tell
the papers?
Anderson: I've just written out a
statement. Here.
Thomas: (reading) "After con
ferring until midnight, no agree
ments were reached although the
union representative indicated that
he would be willing to consider a
compromise proposal."
PUBLICITY repetition
Of course, if Mr. Anderson did
hand Mr. Thomas a statement like
that, the conference would continue
in a more explosive veiy. Like this,
perhaps:
Thomas: Whatdoyuh mean, I am
willing to compromise?
Anderson: You made that very
clear two hours back when, after
I refused 30 percent, you asked for
my offer.
Thomas: Well, we're not giving
any statement like that^o the pa
pers. *
Andersoh: Then what do you
want to tell them?
Thomas: I want to tell them that
you are trying to stop progress, that
you want to beat down the working
man, that you won't bargain with
us, that . . .
Anderson: What I want to say
wouldn't be fit for print, but do you
want to get together on a joint
statement? 0
Thomas: I just want to give the
public the facts.
Anderson: You mean you want
to confess that the union is trying
to high-pressure us into increasing
the cost of automobiles, that you
We Hope This Hog Continue* to See His Shadow
S- V \ 1 1 , , ^ ^ \ V l>/ _ r /. /A i
State College Hints
For Homemakers
When thawed before cooking,
poultry cooks more evenly and with
greater economy of fuel.
It may be thawed slowly in a re
frigerator. A three or four pound
bird will take overnight or longer
to thaw completely, or it may be
thawed at room temperature, in
which case it should be watched
closely. Once thawed, cook poultry
without delay because thawed meat
is more perishable than meat freshly
killed.
Don't try to hurry thawing by
soaking the frozen meat in water,
hot or cold. Soaking causes loss of
good juices.
I * ? ?
Sometimes a room hides its light
not under a bushel but under layers
of dust Even a very thin film of
dust can obscure considerable light,
household management specialists
say.
If your home suddenly looks dim
and gloomy, it may need a little ex
tra dusting and polishing of all light'
centers, lamp bulbs and shades, win
dows and mirrors as well as all dec
orative objects.
Dust often clings to volatile oil
from cooking or smoke which has
settled on light bulbs, windows and
mirrors. Washing is usually a bet
ter way to remove greasy dust than
dusting.
White spots on varnished furni
ture may be caused by standing
water, hot dishes or alcohol, accord
ing to wood experts and furnishings
specialists.
If the spots are ?light, they may
be removed simply by rubbing with
camphorated oil or oil of pepper
mint ? get 10c worth at the drug
store. Or they may disappear when
the surface of the furniture is wash
ed with a mixture of 1 quart of
warm water, 3 tablespoons of boiled
linseed oil, and 1 tablespoon of tur
pentine; then dried with a soft dry
cloth, and rubbed with furniture
polish.
For more severe white spots a
mixture that may be used is salt and
salad oil. Dip the finger in oil, then
in salt, and rub. Repeat until the
spot disappears. Then dry and pol
ish. Or use a paste made of pow
dered pumice and linseed oil, and
rub over the spot with the finger or
soft cloth until the spot disappears.
Don't rub too hard ? you might re
move the varnish.
? ? ?
A good tailor does not press wool
completely dry, for it scorches very
easily. 'Rather, he lifts the wool
garment from the pressing board
while the last bit of steam is still
rising from it. Then he pats or
beats out that little whiff of steam
with his hand. This keeps the wool
from having a hard-pressed look.
? * *
It is a good idea to be particular
will admit the fallacy of seeking
higher wages when production is at
a standstill, that ... |
Thomas: Don't try to be funny. I
guess we have to issue the same old
statement. Have you got a fresh
copy?
Anderson: You mean the one
headed "Conferees Fail to Agree" or
"Conference to Be Continued"?
Thomas. Haven't we got any oth
ers? My members are getting fed
up&rith those.
Anderson (thumbing through pa
pers) : Let's see . ? well, here's one
we haven't used for a month ? "Con
ferees Explore Areas of Agreement"
Thomas: Okay, give them that
one. And next time let's go home
earlier. I've been missing out on 30
percent of my sleep.
about the cloths used for pressing.
When using new material for this
purpose, wash and rinse it thorough
ly so that not a bit of starch or
sizing remains. Keep the cloths
clean always and wash out every
trace of scorch, if by any chance the
iron gets too hot. A scorched cloth
can discolor the garment under
neath.
Absorbency depends on the
amount of pile or loop surface a
towel has. The more pile yarns to
the inch the greater the drying pow
er. Long loops make for a soft flul
ry towel, but for good wear too long
loops are not advisable. Loop*
about one-eighth inch long are con
sidered a desirable length.
A good bath towel is one that ab
sorbs moisture quickly, and doe?n't
hang on the rack soggy and heavy
for hours. That's the bather's view
point ? and a very sound ot?e. Bat
there are also other factors to be
considered when you shop for tow
els.
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PYREX WARE
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ot serve* as separate pit plate,
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PYREX CAKE DISH
Not ice th? convenient glass han
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A pair makes a lovely 1% F A
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PYREX PIE PLATE
Just think how proud she'll be
of her pies in this smart trans
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watch crusts come to a crisp,
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FARMERS HARDWARE &
SUPPLY COMPANY
BOONE. N. C.