The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1943-11-04
(By E E. Patton)

Wy
/ have lived in the heat and dirt and smoke of this
man-made town until / am ready to scream. l have heard
the braying of horns and jackass politicians until / want
to get back on the farm and hear the bray of a real simon
pure Jackass. The change would be sweet music to my
ears. Here the land is all kivered with bricks and con-
crete and the hearts of many of our people are as hard
and fiinty as the sidewalks.
Yes, l want to go back to the country where the air
Is SOFT and pure; where the %neighbors will come and "set
up" with the sick and help dig a grave and shovel the dirt
on departed friends, dropping a genuine tear of regret at
their passing, where they go to meetin' and pitch the
tune with a tunin' fork, and sing through their noses
with the fervor and spirit of the faithful. All church
services were held at early candlelight," if in the
evening.
l want to trim the lamp wicks again and fill the
lamps with oily, or lie, carried from the country store in
a can with an Irish later stuck in the spout. l want to
eat some food cooked on the old "step-tove"- the old iron
witch stove sweet taters baked in the oven on the
heath over hickory and red oak Goals. l want to see
the small boy swing the fly brush to keep the pesky devils
or the table. And right here it might be said that a
family rated according to the kind of fly brush it had.
Inc very poor used a limb cut from a mulberry tree;
the middle class had one cut out of newspapers; the upper
rlcn mad one OF a peafowls tail; that family rated high,
brother.
| want to go back where all of the common, every
day towels were made of salt sacks, and where there was
only one "store" towel which was put out onlv when the
preacher came. | want to see the man of the house take
ms table-nike Of chilled steel and whet it on his fork
tines before ne carved the SOW belly that had been cooked
with the beans. Did We ever eat I've hominy or "shuck
beans ~ II not, you have never really lived; you have
l want to see the housewife reach into the salt gourd
ana get q pinch or two of salt to season the beans and
au;ns. al. ana VINO mas not seen soft soap put into a ter
rapins SMELL with grandpas initials cut on the side?
Let's go into the "big house, and set by the fire and
seem the oid.fashioned dog irons and the wrought iron
snovei and tongs, made in the country blacksmith shop.
Ana od you ever see yer daddy heat the old shovel, on
a bitter cold day, and hold in front of the old Seth Thom.
as clock to thaw out the frozen oil so the old timeniece
could go to tickin' off the hours? And do Won rememher
the Ola sunmark on the back doorsill when they had no
FLOCK! +h ahere was no such thing as daylight saving time
men; they got up at three o'clock in the mornin' and
went TO bed at seven unless it was apple-butter maxim
time then they stayed up until around eight.
nut the parlor' was the sacred place: there was
where all the sparkin' was done; there was the he'd the
preacher slept in; and what a bed! Two straw ticks one
thgs leather lea bed, with fat holsters, and pillows. When
ne ou was not IN use-and that was seldom-the pill
lows were covered with what was known 90 Chang
s ~mc dra naa mottoes on them. | remember one: Il slept
NE was duty" That was calculated to hold YOU for some
On the Center table was the old family a,buu with
plush backs. 1t held the pictures of the family datinn
PACK to the Civil War and, in some instances the likeness
u a great uncle who fought with Scott in Mexico. Those
IL ~ WI ciothes always had one hand on their knee and
49, ue oen Dn Ioloed over the stomach. l want to 90 back
WI all the shoe boxes were saved to make spirits for
'ne Womens oonnets; remember 'em?
l want to go back and carry a few lapGnks in INV
pocket Just in case the boss bust a trace chain. T want
70 te the coon hide hame-string once more and GOT the
colter deep by hiking the backband up lust behind the
noss winners. l want to spend Christmas in the country
ana get OFT the Christmas tree one stick of candy. one
oiange, ana one penny pencil. The rich ones gave their
ennoren a french harp and the night was filled with
music Tn and the cares that infest the day folded their tents
IKE ARABS and as silently stole away.
l want to go back where they make SAUSAGE and
SuGta meat; where the pumpkin is sliced and hung on the
audn frames TO dry. That was before germs, vitamins,
ahu termltes had been invented. | want to carry tho old
barrow arr I KNIFE once again and white red cedar and soft
p y s:. i want to see the yaner "thundermugs" drying in
II sun oack OF the kitchen; / want to 90 back where only
graz. a|h;nL ma smoked, granny used a long stemmed clay pine
W. sne 1lred by dipping it into the ashes on the heath
chimbley. '""D = lie chi"hey-
4 want TO go back where the geese are picked every
Mohtn, where the ROSTERS are permitted to run with the
~ mems; openly and brazenly; where corn is planted
an9 soap Is made by the signs of the moon; where walnmts
amu HICKORY nuts are gathered in the fall for the winter
m; a. wneIe the boys still sell peach seeds to buy their
shaen - o1ots' ana where said boots are creased with
sheep or 1eef taller; where the peggin' awl is still in mse.
r IL Arouckie's coffee is still parched in the stove and
the broo m 8 VII" wbe on the new wall Of the kitchen; where pap ties
s srono Two wads in them; where they still order sticknins
tanned fo m:f tb ana &C. Company; where squirrel hides are
borrow the flutin' irons? ""i VI" We ever
Zoo : l want to go back where they drink sassaf.cl
Yea 70 "thln" their blood in the sprinptime. whars ian
the cre @nn ~ old up and down churns; where they turn