The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1944-11-30


last weeks of the year. Just about the
time he is trying to recover from the
big meal on Thanksgiving, he must be-
gin to get ready for Christmas and the
New Year. To say nothing Of attempt
ing to round out his business for the
year and take inventory with view
of what is to follow. Joe claims he
would like to have one of these holt
DAYS in the hot midsummer. Anyway,
the wartime crowds are so thick any
where he goes, it's hard to tell when
holiday arrives.
So many shows and exhibits go on in
New York constantly that it would re-
ouire volume issued frequently to
describe all of them. Whether it Is
desire for the things of yesterday or
a natural swing of the cycle to objects
of the past / do not know, but antique
shows seem to grow in popularity here.
Apparently people with money consider
it good hobby to replace their COM
Portable furniture with that which
George Washington is alleged to have
on view downtown last week, one Won
ders how anyone ever was able to sleep
in them. And the older and more de-
crepit they get, the more money these
pallets of peace bring. One lady we
know has her house so filled with
antique furniture that she is afraid for
you to sit long in any chair for fear 1T
will fall apart Her living room might
be called the house of squeaks, and 1T
is wise to take a cushion and sit on
the floor when you visit there.
One of the fathers of the antique
urge appears to have been Selba Calk-
ins, a wagon maker of Altamont, N. Y.
who also established a record for be-
ing secretive. For twenty years he work
ed in his spare time behind locked doors
in shed behind his house, making a
miniature theatre with wooden figures
that moved automatically this
ancient tableaux was brought out be-
fore the public gaze here the other day,
and hawk-eyed antique dealers paused
for a few minutes to watch wooden
what jerkily expiring in his bed while
puppet followers shed sawdust tears
over his dramatic passing
Governor Bottolfson Of Idaho has
given a certificate of exceptional serv-
ice to D. L. Toffenetti, Times Square
restaurant owner, for plugging Idaho
potatoes in his restaurants over the
past 25 years. These big mealy spuds
are one of the featured items on the
Toffenetti menus, along with straw
berry shortcake. Such restaurants
would be more enjoyable nowadays,
however, if one didn't have to stand In
line so long to get into them. soldier
home on furlough was heard to observe
recently when he sighted one of these
long lines, "Well, | might as well have
stayed in camp and in my own chow
line"
Trains are another place where lines
form for the diners. and harrassed
stewards have a hard time pacifying
their old customers who once could
walk leisurely into the dining cars and
eat in hasteless enjoyment. And some
greedy customers insist on sitting Tor
half an hour after they have finishen
eating, smoking or gossiping and ap-
parently unmindful of the long lines OF
tired people waiting to get pite' Inc
other night saw perspiring steward
firmly urge one of these table-mongers
out of his seat to make way for some
soldiers, and he was roundly cheerea
by the surrounding crowd.
local Army officer has become
somewhat embarrassed over situation
which has arisen. Every morning TINS
officer waits on First Avenue for the
car in which he rides downtown to his
office. At exactly this same time,
doorman who works at nearby apart
ment hotel passes this way Now TINS
doorman is dressed in utter splendor'
wearing bright blue trousers with
scarlet stripe, smartly cut waisteoa'
of contrasting pink and shiny UNIFORM
cap to match, fronted with slick pat
ent leather bill. His uniform is far
officer whom he passes. But TINS Is not
the worst part. Apparently super-con-
scious of the military goings-on in TINS
world. the doorman regularly salutes
the officer just as he passes. The Of
ficer hates to be impolite. Yet there IS
nothing in the Army regulations when
REQUIRES him to salute a chasseur OF
the Beaux Arts Apartments. SO the Oh
ficer lust grins foolishly and mods.
An official of the Pullman Company
told me recently that he was almost az
his wits end during the election cam
paign. A U. S. Senator travelling 10
certain town to make speech, lost ms
false teeth on the train en- route VOW
ing that he was helpless to speak WIN
ont his teeth, the Senator called or
the railroad to make good. The Pullman
man conducted a search-and fortunate
" located the plates-right under INC
seat in which the lawmaker had peer
riding.