The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1941-06-19
II5,lnlE l||sg1 !
IoThIs,s
new YORK
BY NORTH CALLAHAN

miniscent OF the country store OF oy-
gone days when the cracker barrel
was a favorite stopping-place for
those entering and leaving. On GER
tain side-streets of New York are
little stores where men from the
neighborhood sit around in their Off
hours-which seem amazingly plenti-
ful-and gossip about various things.
At one of these grocery clubs" not
long ago, the usual group was as
sembled. Among the members was
slow-witted, langy young man who
was the stores most frequent visitor.
Now in this particular place is an
eccentric old clock that hangs on the
wall and always seems to do the un-
expected. As the lanky one yawned,
this clock suddenly struck 49,.
Scrambling to his feet, he looked long
the clock and then said, "Well
fellows, | guess I'd better be gettin'
along, because it's later than ] ever
moved it to be before"
The other day | aaw a really hap
by man. His name is A. c. Hunter
and he was in the big Polytechnic hos
pital here, recovering from a dread
throat infection. In fact, he had suf-
fered from double infection of strep-
tococcus and staphylococcus at the
same time. For months, specialists
lowered over him with little hope.
His case was one of those rate types
from which few have ever recovered.
Every new medicine for such an af-
Fiction was used Finally, to the
surprise of those attending him. he
pulled through 1t was his staunch
and courageous heart that did it, the
doctors said. Now the sunshine Of
aapriness shines through his eyes. He
joyously realizes that he can live
gain and go back to his work which
is with an oil company. Yes, this is
pretty good world to be alive III,
even with all it's war and sorrow, he
firmly believes. And in all his AZ
year. he has never been so thankful
for it.
In ASCERTAIN local printing plant
was going through one day, MOTTO
cd group of Woodworking women
seated around long table in the
rear of the large building, wrapping
packages for mailing. Though they
were busy as proverbial bees and on
some foreheads perspiration shone,
there was a spirit about this group
which made me stop and watch them.
Seeing me standing by. they raised
heir faces from their work. maybe
he can tell u.s." one Of them said
eagerly. l could not imagine what,
but-"Yes", chimed in another. "Can
you whistle the tune of Schubert's
'Serenade? 'Serenade?' l was so
surprised, l could hardly make the
note but tried. They thanked me
gratefully Then l asked why they
wanted to hear this classical piece.
"Well you see," one of them replied
smiling. eve hum music while we
work here and he had just forgotten
now that tune goes. Thank YOU a.
gain"
xJohn Kieran of the New York
Times and Information Please" Is
one Of the most unusual of news
paper men. His whole family have
made names for themselves. Once
when went to interview Mayor La
Guardia, found that his private
secretary was another of the Kieran
boys But John has come to be
known not only as a sports writer
but as a walking encyclopedias"
ms fact was not always recognized.
however, as witness the time when
ne was invited to speak before the
students Of an exclusive prep school
near this city. The headmaster in
introducing Kieran, quoted some La
lin IN his remarks and then apolop
lied for having a sports writer to
speak TO his students. Whereupon
Jom arose, politely acknowledged
the introduction and then proceeded
TO correct some of the Latin express
sions the professor had used. Then he
made his speech, all 80 minutes of il.
entirely IN Latin. 1t is said that this
headmaster no longer apologies to
ms students for speakers. But John
hleran was prodigy when but a
child, in spite of the fact that his
father was president of Hunter Col
iege and his mother a teacher. The
son learned French while riding the
subway to and from school. He
graduated from Fordham in 1912.
started law and then decided to teach
school. This lasted for one year. He
joined the staff of the staff of the
imes and has been there since. Soon
after starting on the paper, he met
the chief telephone operator there