Newspapers / The Waynesville Mountaineer (Waynesville, … / March 31, 1955, edition 1 / Page 20
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My Favorite Stories By CARL GOERCfl - ? . * - . ' _ I This story was passed along to me by Attorney General Harry Mc Mulhn, who read It In a book deal ing chiefly with the Ross family of the Eastern part of North Carolina. Some time during the early part . of the eighteenth century there lived a gentleman In the eastern part of the state who was a large landowner and a man of consider able means. He was very popular with the people in that section and visited around considerably. In those days ships used to ply the waters of the Pamlico River. Some of these came from overseas, while others traded between East ern North Carolina and the West Indies. There used to be a large amount of shipping in those waters during that period. The gentleman in question ?Harry told us his name, but we've forgotten It. so we'll just call him Mr. Harrison. Mr. Harrison drove up Into the Martin County area i one day to visit some of his friends in the community which later be came known as Williamson. Peo- j pie thronged about him and asked . him the news from other towns in that section. "Folks around Bonner's Planta tions inow Washington! are all stirred up over the arrival of the ship from England a few days ago," he told them "But, of course, you've heard all about that." They said they hadn't. "Well, then," he continued, "per haps you'll be interested in the tale. The captain of the vessel an nounced shortly aftpr his arrival ? that a peculiar situation had taken place in England. Some kind of an epidemic had broken out among cats and had resulted in the death of everv living cat in the kingdom. "Naturally, after all the cats bad perished, the rats and mice in creased in large numbers and are doing untold damage to property in England The situation has be come critical. His Majesty, King George III, has dispatched this ves sel to our land wiht instructions to fcrtttg back as large a cargo of cats as it is possible for him to get aboard his ship. "The vessel is now at Bonner's Plantations, and everybody in that section is now engaged in hunting for cats and is selling them to the captain." "Selling them?" someone in the crowd inquired. "Exactly!" said Mr. Harrison. "But despite the efforts of all the people in that neighborhood, not enough cats can be found, and the cargo is still far short. That is why the captain asked me to spread the word up and down the coast, and that is also why he has raised the price which he is offering for cats.' "How much Is he offering?" came the question. "A shilling for each hcaljhy cat," replied Mr. Harrison. "A shilling! That was a Jot of money in those davs. Cats were plentiful. The crowd dispersed and the news spread through the com munity. It interested all who heard it. And it wasn't long before every mind was obsessed with one thcught ?- cats! Scores of people started a des perate search for eats', in some in stances offering to pay a small amount of cash for them. They figured they could sell them to the captain of the ship at a profit. And within the course of a day or two a dozen or more wagons headed for Bonner's Plantations, loaded down with cats of every descrip tion They drove to the waterfront and asked where the British ship was moored. "What British ship?" "The one that is h ading with a cargo of cats." ' A cargo of what?" "Cats." The conversation continued and finally?to the intense delight of the people of Bonner's Plantation* and to the equally intense chagrin of the folks from Martin County, the truth became known. There was no British ship in Washington. There had been no epidemic among the cats of England. No money was being offered for American cats. The whole thing was a joke, ton j cocted in the fertile mind of Mr Harrison. And w hen the people' frptn Martin county realized this fact they wen- as mad as hops. However, there Was nothing they ' could do about it. The niaioiity of them immediately kicked their cats > out of their wagons. The people of Bonner's Plantations objected to this, but it didn't do a'ry good, and for many years after that there was a superabundance of cats in :he neighborhood which later be came the progressive little city of Washington. Bess Truman Serves Up Her Famous Ozark Puddial By'JANE EADS WASHINGTON ? Local party-r goers had a chance once again to taste Bess Truman's famous Ozark pudding when it was served at a recent shindig at the Woman's Na tional Democratic Club. The concoction, served in little bite-size squares topped with a dab of whipped cream, is the former First Lady's fuvorite recipe and Is included in a cookbook of recipes put out by wives of members of Congress to earn money for their owt. Congressional Club. The recipe gained a lot of pub iicity when housewives all over the nation set about whipping it up for the family after seeing preliminary reports on the cookbook. In a flood of letters to the White House, they complained it didn't come out so well as it should. The White House explained the ) recipe is a very old one and the beating of eggs and so forth in those days was done with a fork, or ; >e whisk, which took a long th.-c and a strong right arm. People using modern mechanical beaters wouldn't get the same results. However the recipe was tried out both ways by the U. S. Bureau of Human Nutrition and Home Eco nomics. "It doesn't matter how you mix it, the pudding turns out well," the bureau researchers announced at the time. "Did you have trouble following the recipe?" I asked Mrs. Helen Var Allen, club manager, who had charge of refreshments at the i party. I had sampled the sweet, a chewey nougat-like cake filled with chopped fruits and nuts, and found it delicious. 'bW' lik' Odum V? . q1 Mrs. Ti us . ptisoniM BEST VALUES ? ? i GROCERY BUYS Plantation Selecto FLOUR PURE LARD 25 lbs $1-69 4 'b Ctn. 03c JEWEL SHORTENING 3-89? I lb. FREE! Marigold oleomargarine ... 2 lbs 35c Garner's grape jelly 12 oz 19c premium crackers J lb 23c Duke's MAYONNAISE 29c Sweetheart Camay SOAP SOAP 4 Bars 27c 4 Reg. Dial ' QOAP Maxine ^ d x - toilet soap 3 ars 35c -a Bars CQc (2 I lath Size & 1 Iteg.) A V Balentine's Superette Emmett Kalenline. Owner Corner Kranner Ave. and Depot Street Iesso fuel oil I DIAL GL 6-5612 I S. W. Whidden RESIDENT DISTRIBUTOR FOR Waynesville ? Hazel wood and Vicinity Serving the area from Clyde to Balsam Metered Truck Delivery I Office riant Located on Sulphur Springs Road HK9E9 t $ ? r' ? ? H For Dry g |Q^ 1 ,v We're blooming with Spring Sale Savings for you in every^^P^^^u^j M oiiy ^0,r 1 '?= department throughout our store. See our garden of values El Norma' \0^w J on stores of your favorite health and beauty aids at low. ^CaFy3 rC^ '> 'ow Pr'ees. Be an early bird. 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Rat and Mouse SEAFORTH Wind & Weather FOUNTAIN BAIT SHAVE LOTION LOTION SYRINGE (Contains Warfarin) 2 lors^.oo 5Qc .98c 75? HI 1 FOR YOUR MONEY! t III 100 tablets . . . only % vjr I 1m zwm mm mmm wmm mmm mm mm mm mm mmm mm wmwmmm i ?? 2 Cell (with batteries) FLASHLIGHT 0 Reg. $3.98 (3 heat) HEATING PAD $2 Reg. 79c RUBBER GLOVES 3 Special Sale! Tussy Afier-ltalli Lotion big 12 ounce bottle...regular $1.75 sizo now only ^ E \ * ? JLpf?/.4 ? Refreshing as an alcohol rub ? Smooths the skin like, a cream ? Eases that dry, after-bath feeling ? Helps girdle glide on easily i * Ends nylon-catching roughiiess ? Leaves a lovely all-over fragrance Buy several bottles of this luscious creamy oti..n, at this J N>ec?al {trice. If, ? bi/s bottle...on sale for only a tW time. Get a supply today!
The Waynesville Mountaineer (Waynesville, N.C.)
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March 31, 1955, edition 1
20
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