The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1892-01-21
ONE HUNDRED

leans, grandmother OF our fellow
townsman, MIR. J. j. Rezeau, cele.
brated the one hundredth anniver>
sary of her birth on Tuesday, the
10Th inst. We make the following
extracts from the Picayune's &C,
count of the occasion:
"The birthday reception was
held at the residence of her
daughter, Mrs. Palmes, at lao
Prytania street, where the old la
dy also lives. Above the lounge in
the corner of the front parlor were
festoons of ivy, and beneath the
garlands sat the gracious old lady,
smiling in response to the congrat.
uIations aud at the many pretty
little souvenirs, joining in the gen
eral JOY and proud of all the little
attentions shown her. She sat
erect, talked pleasantly, recalled
old memories, her sight still sery-
ing her without the aid Of specta
cles, and altogether she impressed
the beholder as a remarkable old
woman. Three generations of her
descendants moved about her as
hosts and guests, and the reception
lasted until 8 O'Clock. There were
music, refreshments, decorations
and brightness, and the scene was
a gay picture that impressed itself
pleasantly upon the active mind of
the centenarian.
"Mrs. Rezeau came of sturdy
stock. Her father, Joseph Oak
den, was the first branch pilot in
New York and rowed Washington
from jersey City upon the occasion
of the great patriots Inauguration.
Her husband was Huguenot, who
escaped from France and settled
on Staten Island. He carried on a
hardware and copper-smithing
business, made the boiler for Full,
tou's first Hudson steamboat and
forged the first bell for Tammany
Hall. She saw every president
until Andrew Jackson's term, had
vivid recolections of Burr and
Hamilton, who filed the public's
eye for quite space, and was a
keen observer of affairs in old New
York. !"
Mrs. Rezeau moved from New
York to New Orleans in 1S47. This
grand old lady has been a member
of DR.. Palmer's church since 1854,
and thoroughly enjoyed the con-
gratulatlons Of her pastor, and her
old friend, Rev. DR.. Mark ham.
Mrs. Rezeau Is still in the enjoy
ment of good health, and bids fair
to live several years longer.
When we read accounts of those
who reach such ripe and honored
old age, we are constrained to be-
lieve that they were good children,
and reverenced their parents, for
the oh commandment says:
"Honor thy father and thy moth
er; that thy days may be long upon
the land which the Lord thy God
giveth thee"
The cold wave struck us last
Thursday and continued striking
for several consecutive days. We
had no snow, but the ice was thick
Ell in this locality than has been
seen for some years. Snow fell in
New Orleans for the first time in
eleven years. and also along the en-
fire coast. The Times Democrat
says that the snow astonished
grown people, amused the children
and bewildered the brute creation
The weather was so severe at Gin
ton, La, as to necessitate the ad-
jOurnment of court. In speaking
of the blizzard the Pearl River
News says:
at was so cold last night that
when we went to bed we tried to
blow out the candle, but it didu't
blow. The blaze was frozen and
we had to break it off and throw 1t
out the window"
The Jackson Clarion says:
sowing to the fact that the ink
freezes in our pen before it breaches
the paper these cold days, we can
not write locals with our usual
rapidi;y."
We also had a disagreeable and
we'll nigh fatal experience. Failing
to make our appearance at break =
fast Thursday morning, search was
instituted, and when found our
friends had to cut us out of Red
with saws and axes. On account