The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1941-06-05
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BY NORTH CALLAHAN

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| A statue of man was placed
alongside those Of other great AMI
orleans in the Hall of Fame here
this week. His name was Stephen
Collins Foster. The statue is the
only one of composer to be placed
in this famed Hail. Which is quite
fitting, | think, for Stephen Foster
has been enshrined in the hall of
fame of our hearts for many years
now. What happened this week was
only formality 1t is the gesture
that comes to most great men
after they are gone. But Stephen
Foster will never be gone from US
Every day the voice of his genius is
heard round the world in that most
popular of all songs, "Swanee River
Below the bronze bust of his gentle
likeness, the first lines of this song
are inscribed. To most people these
lines bespeak a beautiful song. But
have lived near the Swanee River,
they mean even more. Tenderly and
really, they express. the spirit of the
real South more than any book or
movie. can approach.
From my window now, l can look
out and see the great buildings of
Bellvue Hospital, the place from
which Stephen Foster went to join
The Old Folks at Home" 1t does not
resemble Kentucky or "Alabamy" or
any Of the places of which he wrote.
But then ne did not stay long in any
one place. He only remained on
this earth for 3S years. Eventful
were these years, however, and this
sad, kindly man of inspiration gave
more to our happiness than most
people do in longer lifetimes. His
songs We're not Of war and strife but
of peace and happiness. This week
mis- children rose up and called him
blessed. A granddaughter, Mrs. Jes-
sic Welch Rose of Pittsburgh, the
Mace where he was born, unveiled
his statue. Around her there on
the placid banks of the Hudson
River were clustered many kinsmen.
And around those too in fancy were
millions of others the world over
who feel that in a way they also are
children Of Stephen Foster.
One of the biggest things in Man
hatten, it seems to me, is its tele-
phone direcory. This bulky volume
of 1140 pages is far cry from
he slim little book l used back in
the home town. Within these pages
are many wonders. For instance,
there is "Jone Doe" listed for a
number on 57th Street. After try
ing to call the ubiquitous gentleman
and getting no answer and even GO
ing by to look him up and finding
there hotel where no one knew
him, decided the name was a "gag"
probably used to publicize the NOV
ing picture with that title. Over Iii
the Is, there is a Mr.. Luther
Orange Lemon, which is a colorfui
name with flavor, must say. The
last name in the big phone book is
"Zzyzo' which / feel you will agree
is about as near the end of the al
phabet as one can go. Upon inves-
tigation, l found that is exactly the
reason for this name being there. 1t
is opposite the number of an apart
ment on West 23d Street where
live bunch of former University of
Minnesota boys with a sense of hu-
NOR. They coined this name and how
whenever anyone asks them what
their phone number is they simply
answer, Last one in the phone
book" Which is something, consider
ing the size of the directory. And
nobody has yet had name that
can after this one, so their scheme
still works. These boys also give
parties, invite strangers from all
walks of life, then deliberately don't
introduce any of them to each 9TH
er but have fun watching them fumb-
ling over getting acquainted.
Now on subway trains are signs
stating, Don't give to beggers."
These explain further that New York
City provides for its unfortunates
and that giving to them is unnec-
essary Yet many buns frequent
the streets and when you get near
them, humble request for dime
or something. A friend of mine
offered this suggestion: he believes
that these men should be given, in
stead of food or money, shave, a
hair cut and a. change of clothes.
Then they could be directed where
to look for work and would have
much better chance of getting a
job than appearing as they do row,
dirty and bedraggled
=
Manhattan Musings: young xo-
man here asked ody uo1;fox st. -,