To day is news gathering day. I had planned with the permission of my rheumatism to traverse east side, west side, all around the town, for news worth while. As I haven’t a car, I foot it. But “It rains, and the wind is never weary.” However, there’s a silver lining to every cloud, and no one in this man’s town is complaining about the rain. We are truly thankful to the Lord, and Mother Nature.
Saturday night, there was a show in town. I did not attend, but form reports, Booze was the star performer. Quite a commotion, I am told, took place on the side walk in front of my home. I pay for lights, I pay town taxes, but there is no street lights near my dwelling. It is just as dark as when we had no lights. The side walk in front of my home, being dark, seems to be a kind of rendezvous for street walkers at night. I occupy a far back room in my house for quiet and seclusion. Saturday night, while sitting and reading by my own fireside, I heard short quick foot steps coming around my porch. Some one called my name and asked, “did you send for me?”
I asked “who is there?”
Answer, “Dr. O’Briant.”
I opened the door. There stood Dr. O’Briant with his medicine case, and thusly: “Mrs. Harrington, did you send for me?”
“I did not.”
“Did you holler, scream, or anything?”
“No, I’ve been quietly reading for the last hour or more.”
“Well,” he replied, “Robert Wooten came running to me saying Mrs. Harrington was hollering and screaming up at her house and was most dead.”
I said, “you see I haven’t a raging headache and am O.K.”
“Good night,” said Dr. O’Briant, and departed. Next day I heard that Mrs. Leighton McKeithen heard the screaming, and thought I’d been run over by a car Mrs. Janie Muse heard it and thought I was dying, or perhaps knocked down by a speeding car. All this excitement over me, when I knew nothing about it.
It seems there was a skirmish on the sidewalk in front of my home, between some men and a “female woman,” who was reported intoxicated. Now I do not know who was the woman, or who were the men, whether they were white, brown or black. I do not care to know. That the business belongs to the police, if there is a police. I never hear of one only when town taxes are due. But isn’t it the business of the police, or town authorities, to see that the town’s people are protected from the results of booze and poison liquor? I don’t blame the drunken woman as much as I do the bootleggers who made the poison stuff, and the men who gave it to her to drink. In the days of the open bar rooms, which God knows was bad enough, the drunks and disorderlies were arrested and put in the lock-up. There is just as much drinking going on now among those who drink. The drink is poison. The drunks are crazed, madly insane. Where are the police of the town when those drinking can go by the homes of decent citizens, stop in front of their gates, fight, scream, use all manner of the vilest of the vile language and nothing is said or done? It is said the show people said that Cameron was the toughest town they had ever struck. Isn’t that a record for a town of Sunday schools, churches and preaching every Sunday and Sunday night? I hereby petition, beg and implore the town to put a street light in front of my house.
Scotland won in the parade of nations at the Sandhill fair.
On Saturday, December the 12th, the Young Ladies Auxiliary will hold a bazaar at the home of Misses Crissie and Vera McLean, formerly known as the Greenwood Inn.
Mr. J.E. Phillips, who some time ago purchased the H.T. Petty home, is having it recovered, and rumor says he will rent it to Mr. James Rogers, who with his family, and his mother and sisters, will move in at an early date.
Mrs. B.T. Thomasson is on the sick list.
Mr. W.R. Hancock is now assistant mechanic at the Hartsell garage.
Mr. Jess Howard, who has moved to Sanford and is now employed with Makepeace Bros., spent Sunday in town.
Rev. M.D. McNeill spent Thursday in Charlotte.
Mr. N.N. McLean and little son, James Gray, of Vass were afternoon visitors Sunday of Mr. and Mrs. J.D. McLean.
Mr. J.P. Swett who has been in Florida for some time, is home on a visit to his family on Route 2.
Mr. and Mrs. Holt Rowan of Hamlet spent Sunday with Mr. Rowan’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. R.D. Rowan of Union, Route 2.
Mr. D.A. McDonald Jr. of Carthage was a pleasant caller in town Saturday evening.
Miss Annie Hartsell spent Sunday with Miss Lula Rogers.
In playing basket ball at the Sandhill fair, Miss Ethel Douglas received some minor injuries from which she has recovered.
Mr. John Wooten of Norfolk is visiting relatives in town.
Miss Lucile Rogers spent Sunday with Miss Beulah Thomas, who has been spending a week at home from her school on account of an attack of tonsilitis.
Am very proud of my Halloween card. I received only one, but that is going some for one of my age.
The judge who recently remarked in court that the indecency of women’s attire—the present mode of fashion—was responsible for the assaults committed by men of a lower order of intelligence—knew what he was talking about. Now that the winter season is here and they have to wear cloaks, perhaps they will be safe.
We are pleased to have Mr. E.L. Ray back again in town, after spending some time in Winston-Salem
Mr. and Mrs. G.R. McDermott left Tuesday for Florida.
Mr. Cameron McLean of Wilmington spent a few days last week with his little daughter, Margaret, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J.D. McLean.
From page 3 of The Pilot, Vass, N.C., Friday, Nov. 6, 1925
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073968/1925-11-06/ed-1/seq-3/
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