Smyrna times., 1950-04-20
Enjoying America

KoOmellmeS 1eel dlSloyal 10 my
family, am having such a wonder
full time in America, confessed
Mrs. Gwilym Roberts with twink
. ling eyes as she chartered in the
s Drugstore with her hostess, Mrs.
Owen Jones, and other "coke club
bers."
Mrs. Roberts arrived Tuesday a
week ago aboard the Queen Eliza
beth from Bangor, North Wales,
Britain, and visited with the Rev.
and Mrs. Jones for a week before
leaving for Portland, Oregon, to
join her husband. It is her first
trip to the United States and the
Roberts will make their home in
Oregon where Mr.. Roberts is pro-
fessor of psychology at Louis and
Clark Presbyterian College.
'T Dragged about our Duke of
Sutherland's Estate which is now
public park, but it is nothing
compared with Longwood Card
ems, she continued. 'The flowers
the orchids and azaleas, were beau
tiful, everything was just lovely
there"
Mary, as she preferred to be
called, revealed the history of the
Duke of Sutherlands Estate. The
Duke was very dissatisfied with it
since its waters were polluted and
fishing was worthless. Hence he
gave it to the public for park and
moved elsewhere.
I'VE thought that was the most
wonderful thing a person could do"
she said.
Mrs. Roberts did industrial nurs-
ing during World War II in Britain.
She did her training at Manches-
ter Royal Infirmary where she
worked at her profession until her
marriage to Mr.. Roberts, who is
Presbyterian minister. For time
following their marriage, they
lived in the "Potteries", sometimes
called the ''Black Country, part
of the Midlands where the famous
English chinas are made including
Wedgewood.
But when the war came all wo-
men without children had to go to
work, so went back to Manches-
ter where 1 did what we called in
dustrial nursing, she related
After her husband came to the
States eight months ago, Mary re-
turned to Bangor to stay with her
parents until sailing on the Queen
J Elizabeth. ~
Mrs. Roberts was particularly
impressed with the colorful clothes
worn by Americans. ''The babies
look so cute in their bright frocks",
unused the petite black-haired
young woman as she watched Roz-
anne Laggner, Tony owens and Jed
Williams caper around the drug
store. 'Tn Britian we wouldn't
think of dressing little boys in any
thing but navy or gray with white
shirts. The men wear beige, gray
or black-with-spots-of-white ties
usually. If sent your colorful
ties home the boys would not wear
them because they would be so diff
ferent from everyone else.
'I want to take my husband a
gift, but 1 don't know whether he
has become accustomed to wearing
your gay colors as yet or not" she
continued.
Mary, attired in trim black
dress with tiny white ruffle at the
neck, black coat and black acces-
sories, insisted she wore colors and
confessed that Sunday she wore a
bright red print dress. She said
she was sure everyone in Britain
would like to wear colorful frocks
but they are too poor to make such
investments practical.
Things are still rationed. We
got only six ounces of bacon a
week per person and meat was
available for weekends only. Right
now I know my people have no
sugar." she recalled, enunciating
our English very distinctly. II am
anxious to get package ready to
send to them"
Before leaving Mrs. Roberts
stressed very sincerely, Everyone
is so nice to me. Aboard ship-I
hated to dock for fear would
never see them again. Even the
customs officials were extremely
helpful. And everyone in Smyrna
has been wonderful. I dislike think
ing of the rail trip to oregon but
I am sure the people will be just
as nice on the train"
Rev. Owens met Mrs. Roberts in
New York City and brought her to
Smyrna where she was their guest
for a week. -