A short time ago at the home of Mr. and Mrs. L.R. Miller was held one of the most successful birthday celebrations ever occurring in that community.
For some time the relatives and friends of Mrs. Miller had been secretly planning to give her a surprise dinner in honor of her 73rd birthday. The secret was so well guarded that no inkling of the occasion had come to Mrs. Miller’s ears. On Sunday morning, as is her custom, she attended Sunday school at Edgewood, the church near her home, where she very unexpectedly saw a large number of her old friends and acquaintances. On her invitation to go out to her home and take dinner with her, they all very readily accepted, but still Mrs. Miller was unsuspecting, and it was not until she was nearing her home and saw the large crowd which had assembled in her absence and beheld the long line of cars parked up and down the road in the yards and filling every available space around the house did the truth dawn on her. To say that she was surprised would be putting it mildly indeed. She was overcome with gratitude and feelings of love and kindness of the friends who had become her guess for the day, and she greeted them with tears of joy, her happiness seemed complete.
A hastily improvised table had been prepared under the shade of the large oaks on the lawn, and this was soon filled to overflowing with the many good things which had been brought from far and near. When all was in readiness, Mr. C.C. Wright was asked to act as master of ceremonies for the occasion. He called the people together and after a few remarks asked Mr. U.A. Miller to talk to the audience. Mr. Miller spoke of his long acquaintance with Mrs. Miller and of the very highest esteem in which he had always held her. She [He?] was followed by Mr. E.S. Hendren, county superintendent of schools of Surry county, who spoke of several reminiscences of his early childhood I the home of Mr. and Mrs. Miller. He was followed by Mr. A.G. Hendren who spoke of the high character of our host and hostess and of the esteem in which they have ever been held by all who have known them. Mr. Wright then spoke of his knowledge of the hostess in his early life, and how he had enjoyed the time he had spent in her home while as a teacher in the public schools of the county and at one time boarded with them.
Mr. W.R. Hendren was then called upon to return thanks for the bounteous repast which was spread, and with one consent the assembled multitude needed no second invitation.
After all had partaken, much remained to be carried away, so great was the number of baskets brought out.
After dinner a quartette consisting of Messrs. Stroud, Gilliam, Jones and Miller sang several beautiful songs, after which quite a number of men and women gathered on the portico and rendered several songs in many of which a large portion of the audience joined.
As the shadows began to lengthen over the landscape the people bade their host and hostess adieu, expressing their pleasure at having been with them and wishing Mrs. Miller many happy returns of the day.
From the front page of The North Wilkesboro Hustler, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 1925
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92072938/1925-09-16/ed-1/seq-1/
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