The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1945-05-24

Down in the harbor and around |
the water front, boat and factory
whistles roared out so loudly that
people inside buildings trying to
talk on telephones could not make
themselves heard. Soldiers coming
in from overseas leaned from big
transports and shouted themselves
hoarse at the augmented receptions
which they yer so happily and fit
tingly receiving. Even the tug boats
which push across the harbor SEEM
ed to scamper just a little through
the water in their own wet exuber-
ance. In the nearby sedate section
Of the Stock Exchange, the scene re-
sembled that Of the end of the last
war. All activity ceased on the big
floor of the Exchange for two full
minutes while silence was observed
in accordance with the occasion.
Outside ticker tape cascaded down
from the towering building windows
in a virtual snow storm of needless
ness of the paper shortage.
In midtown, many stores closed
for the day and others had wooden
i rrics dies built around their show
windows 10 keep surging crowds
from breaking in the glass. After all,
people were in no mood to browse
over socks or shirts or ladies ready
to-wear, and appetites were momen-
tarily forgotten in the mad tension
of celebration, SO groceries and res
~taurants were neglected for a time
too. An Army colonel stopped at a
bakery to buy a loaf of bread, only
to find it closed and a sign up which
said, CLOSED in honor of the armed
forces. But hilarity was not the
only order of the day. Long prepar-
ed for this moment, churches al
over the city opened their doors from
early morning on and big crowds
entered TO thank their Creator for
this blessed day. Ministers appeared
quickly in their pulpits, faces glad
dened at the joyful tidings Of peace
which goes so well with the prin.
ciples Of religion. In the seats, song
D books came out and people sang who
. had not done so in years, tear.
streaming unashamed down theil
cheeks in reverent thankfulness fol
v this day, in specific gratitude at thu
o thought of some loved one in Europe
b who might now get to come home.
Newspapers came forth with thei
biggest block type b~lazoning head
lines that varied little in saying tn
same thing, and people snatche
them up, glanced at the lead para
graphs then tore them up to throI
l. as confetti at their happy neighbor:
n, From all owe radios blared With
is houses and apartments and store
j. the commentators adlibbing as es
citedly as the informal listener
n, Then as evening came on, New Yor
IS. awakened and seemed to blink il
er eyes after a sleep of three years. !
the harbor, the lights of the Statu
a of Liberty flashed on and the Lad
rs. with the Lamp put on her evenir
nd gown of brilliant raiment to gre
Tie the occasion formally and for Il
on first time since 1912. France ga,
Ier her to us years ago and o we hi
given back France some of the ligl
'or and life so wildly represented
rs. the statue. A beacon went on att
he a spire of a tall insurance buildii
re- pleasantly surprising onlookers
the dusk. And up on Broadway, tn
in g~littering thoroughfare known
lr- the Great White Way, it really b
came that again and everyone kne
of that what their ears had heard, the
cir eyes now told them SO.
-
!. Il was a great day in a great eli