The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter. [volume] (Manteo, N.C.) 1959-1973, 1962-03-02
By WALTER HOWARD,
late of Ocracolce, N. C.

w pis ~ A-6sAs S~
older people ten OF une sn,Dwf, -,
along the coast OF norm IsIollna'
espectNily around cape naIeelas'
and ocracoke Island where 1 was
born. Tod neip une saaiors ON .
night nKe mis! was anu 10 "
this day a nousenoid saying IN our
section OF the country.
Old Arcadia Williams, who has
been dead these many years, IS
RESPONSIVE f., tha tale | ~ bout
10 tell. We will call her "kade" as
that was her nickname. kade SLEPT
OUT; what ] mean by that Is, she
didn't sleep at home by herself, but
always slept at some neign6ors
house. Kade's people had been dead
for years and she was all alone
and afraid to sleep at home Tor
fear, as she said, OF beng taken
with the miserles ana dying WIFI
out anyone knowing a0out II.
Kade lived in an old framed en-
tirely from the beams OF old snip,
wrecks. The rafters ana SINS sun.
contained the copper bolts ana
wooden pegs used in the Original
con ,truction OF some unfortunate
derelict OF the sea. Inc STAIRS was
a companion way winch had peen
salvaged from the square r1gger:
The clock over the fireplace nad
been designed for some queen OF
the Seas" There We're wooden
windows las little glass was used
in those days. and a wooden cnim-
ney, which was always a source oI
wonder to me. could never under
stand why it never caught on IRE
with so many sparks flying up It's
Sooty exit, but 1t never dld. Aaoe
still did her cooking in the 1lre-
place. The boys wanted 10 take
UP collection TO buy her a stove
but she would have none OF IL
Her excuse was that OLD pen
Franklin was an infidel ana onas
she would have none OF ms ooangs
or inventions IN her mouse, onat 0ne
fire place had been good enough
for her folks and it would nave 70
be good enough Tor ner.
Kade could "cuss like q Iurk
and woe be unto anyone VINO l-
fled her feathers the wrong way
or should by any chance' De tne re-
cipient OF her caus1c' venomous
tongue flashing. She IS sun remem.
bered today for her Diting wal
and vitrioIlc sarcasm. Asioe lroa''
these human weaknesses sne was
a good soul and dldn,t nave an
enemy in the world. AS seory
teller her equal has never Deei'
fornd. by the writer at least.
It was my good fortune gna'
Kade stayed at our mouse 1or i've
consecutive years. AInougn sLle
could not read, or tell tne tme ny
the clock, her ARRIVAL ana oepa.0-
ure didn't vary thirty SECONDS. 9ne
also mad tne msloreui,e % s
. cripple. She was a snort, squas'
woman with a friendly round iacei
which boosted OF countless nne
wrinkles. She parted ner nalr -
the center and drew II INTO a tisns
knot Terminating IN rne nape Oh
her neck where she fastened II
with two wire nails whose proeruo-
ing heads gave the appearance
that a carpenter had been Trying
to naal her head fast 70 ner DOuy
without any marked success.
In the Days OF Red Flanneis (,
She wore suit OF req 1iannel
underwear, seven or eight unoer.
skirts and leg-of-mutton SHIRT waist
buttoned down the front, a STAT Don,
net of dark grayish material ano
a black dress whose hem always
touched the ground. A cane MADE
from a broom handle served une
sa ~ 2@es as 2 cenfra-noaro
land at the same time accelerated
locomotion.
A deep pocket was made on tne
insides Of tho outer dress TOR .
snuff box, which was a haifpouno
size baGng-podwer can. Last Du,
n n. aaay