The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1916-10-27
R. V. PEARSON CELEBRATES
81ST BIRTHDAY,

On Thursday, October 10, Mr.. R.
V. Pearson, living at a beautiful and
modest little home just one mile
southwest of town, celebrated his
Slst birthday and the writer had the
good fortune to be one of a com
pany OF eight, besides the immediate
family, who enjoyed the hospitality
of this home in honor of this event.
C~onveyances were provided out of
town for the invited guests and when
the home was reached, this man of
four score and one years, erect,
handsome and commanding looking,
gave all a most happy and a most cor
dial greeting and turned over the
inequalities of his household to them.
A blazing fire added cheer and COM
fort to the occasion and heightened,
it possible, the genuineness of the
welcome. In a few moments, the
matron of the home and the wife of
the one in whose honor the day was
being celebrated, appeared and added
the graciousness of her presence and
her cheer to the already cordial
greeting that had been extended, ex-
cusing herself in a few moments, to
look further after what had been
prepared in the culinary department
in honor of this happy day. In due
time an invitation was given to re-
pair to the dining room where a most
lavish and b~ounteous menu was
spread. Each and every item, from
the turkey, the o'possum, the chick
en- to the custards and cream and
cake, showed the very cleverest skill
and the greatest care in preparation,
and to undertake to tell how these
Veterans showed their appreciation
Of what was before them, would per-
haps be a breech Of etiquette and a
violation of their confidence. How
ever, when they had finished and re-
turned to the reception room for an
after-dinner smoke, there was still
enough left to have satisfied the APP
petites of twice that many more.
Mr.. Pearson first saw the light Of
day at Halifax, Halifax county,
North Carolina, October 10, 1885.
He came with his parents to Missis-
sippi. settling between Coffeeville and
Water Valley, in 1889. His life has
been a somewhat eventful one. Dur
ing the Civil War, he was regarded
as n of the best shots in his regi-
ment and accordingly was often de-
tailed for special duty as a sharp
shooter. 1t was thrilling to hear
him and his comrades in arms go ov-
err some of the incidents of the war;
at times the smoke of battle could
almost be seen and the echo of the
roar of musketry and cannon heard
from distant hills.
Of those, besides the writer, Mr..
j. K. McCracken and the family, that
were the fortunate guests of this oc-
c%asion, were soldiers of the Confed-
eracy: j. w. Vance, who was a
member of Stanford's battery; d. S.
Amyette, Co. F. 18th Miss. Regi-
ment; L. c. Majet, Co. E.; w. T.
Knox. Co. G.; 7. B. Keeton, Co. K
all members of the celebrated 18th
Miss. Regiment. Mr.. r. Doak was
q member of Co. X. 18th Miss. Regi-
mentr 1t is impossible to appre-
ciate the real Joy and satisfaction
these honored men got from ex-
changing IA experiences and the
writer considers himself fortunate,
indeed, to have been with them and
to have at least gotten a glimpse of
the vision as they alone see it and
above all this, he feels proud of the
fact that he can claim such men as
his friends.
Returning again to the one whose
life and health made the day posi-
BILE, The Sentinel joins hat group
of friends that were with him, as well
as many others, when he passed the
eighty-frst mile post, in wishing him
yet many years more. He has been
q useful man and is one whose integ-
rity is of the highest and who has
rendered to his family, to his state
and to his country a good service.
In times of extreme trial, he was
faithful and efficient; as a private
citizen he has borne his share of the
burden and is now full of years, but
fortunately there is yet that vitality
of mind and vigor of life about him
that makes him all the more inter-
esting and warrants the belief that
his advice and counsel as we'll as his
activities are assured for a number