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Image provided by: Suffolk Cooperative Library System
P A G i TWO T H E WATCHMAN THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1939 ^ I Y O U R M A I N S T R E E T A N D M I N E By AL TRAHERN I WONDER IF other radio fans get real old fashioned laughs out of listening to the comedians who climbed to fame from small time vaudeville, Op’ry House shows and Tent Shows of a few years ago, such as Fibber McGee and Mol ly, Billy House, Red Skelton, A1 P ierce and his gang. They are all genuine hu man beings who make their au dience laugh at the little human touches which they are able to bring to their programs. After listening to these artists one has the feeling of actually knowing them personally—anyone who has ever tried door-to-door salesmanship, surely understands A1 Pierce, when as Elmer Burp, the low pressure salesman’s un certain knock on his customer’s door brings that sarcastic “Well, what do you want!” Elmer stam mers: “Oh don’t mind me lady, I don’t hardly ever sell anything anyway.” Elmer’s sales talk re minds me of a time when I had reached the *&dvanced age of ten —it happened at Wellington, Kan sas—I had just earned 15 cents for shoveling snow from the board sidewalks around Chenowith’s cor ner drug store—one window was filled with fancy toilet soap on special sale at 15 cents per fancy box of three bars in a box—I in vested 15 cents in an awful pretty box of soap and set out to peddle it “house-to-house”—I was sure it would be easy to get a quarter a box for the swell layout—while my first customer was digging into her purse for a quarter it oc curred to me that in order to be a good salesman I should not al low the conversation to lag, so I blurted out very confidentially: “The lady next door WAS going to buy a whole box from me and then she decided the soap wasn’t worth a quarter.” My prospective customer replied: “Well, I don’t think so myself, but I’ll take one cake—here’s a dime—you’re a nice little boy anyway.” It was then I learned that it was easier to talk myself out of a sale than to talk a customer into one. W * <1 MEMORY IS A beautiful thing. A letter from an old timer revives dozens of them for me, and surely for you, too. It says: “Did you ever— “Hook bullfrogs along a muddy bank?” “Pick spring flowers along a hot, dusty railroad track?” “Drive through the apple or chard with barrels of water for the hogs?” “Roast potatoes in the open?” “Attend box suppers and straw berry festivals on the church lawn?” “Listen to pond frogs next to the cemetery when night was close?” “Hear the tinkle of a far-away piano on a still, hot night as only a pi-airie town knows?” “Lie on a shock in the middle of a wheat field and watch the wind blow the grain like the waves of the sea?” “Escort your best girl to a quilt ing bee, a husking bee, and a hay ride the same evening?” If only life itself were as beau tiful as memory is! « « * MANY PERSONS FROM time to time ask me about various members of DeRue Brothers Min strels, the Vernon Stock Company and the Trahern Stock Company. Bobby DeRue is in Pennsylvania. Ben Vernon was in the middle west at last accounts. Jessie May Hall, retired and living in Beverly Hills, California, on the royalties from oil wells in Oklahoma. She is (and always was) part Chero kee Indian and entitled to her land rights in the Indian territory (now Oklahoma) approved by Uncle Sam apd the Dawes Com mission fifty years ago. DeForest F. Dawley, according to a recent phone call was living in New York City and has become sort of an Ely Culbertson. He is a professional teacher of bridge. The young ladies who remember him in some of his romantic stage roles can imagine the great kick some of these dowager bridge- devotees would get out of holding a hand at bridge with the-Gary Cooper like-DeForest. Some would give most anything to play dum my for him. Other Long Island favorites still going strong in other parts of the U. S. are Harold Hutchinson, pop ular juvenile leading man play ing opposite Mrs. Trahern in her Gladys Mann days, is now pro duction manager for NBC studios in San Francisco. Hal Price, ro bust comedian, is in Hollywood, often seen in picture bits, playing jolly policeman roles and the like. Bill Thompson is on the Fibber McGee program, the old timer who says “That ain’t the way I heerd it.” Paul Hoover is also in Hollywood pictures. Ralph Lewis, who rnade a hit on Long Island in “Quincy Adams Sawyer,” late^ went to Hollywood and won last ing fame in “The Clansman,” is now retired but appears only oc casionally in a revival. Harvey Hayis is now on the “Words and Music” radio program as narrator. Catherine Redfield, whose splen did voice charmed Suffolk theatre goers for many a summer, is broadcasting every Monday, at 4:30 p. m., over station WBBC. Harry Hugo, that funny little tent show comedian from Nebraska, who got big laughs out of Trahern audiences, air mail’s that he is on his way to God’s country (mean ing Suffolk County) to pay us a lengthy visit—I’m glad—because I can now look forward to at least one good laugh a day—during the melancholy days which are almost here. SOUTHOLD EARL P. HAGERMAN Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Fick- eisson have returned home after a two weeks visit with their daughter and family in East Will- iston, L. I. Miss Beatrice Hodgins of New York City and Miss Joyce Hodg ins of Great Neck, L. I., spent the week-end with Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hodgins. Dr. and Mrs. H. E. Stevens have been in the city this week, spend ing a few days at the World’s Fair. Mr. and Mrs. Carlisle Cochran left Wednesday for a few days stay in Washington. The local Scout Troop at their regular Monday night meeting made arrangements for a hike this Saturday. They are forming a basketball team and expect to play the Mattituck Scouts in the near future. The local Board of Review will meet on Nov. 2 to examine candidates for advance ment. Mrs. Whalen’s daughter, Mrs. Lown and family, from East Jef fries, N. H., are paying her a week’s visit. Reidar Carstensen is recovering at his home from a severe illness. Verna Petty, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Petty, is seri ously ill at the Eastern Long Is land Hospital from the effects of a ruptured appendix. Due to conflicting dates the White Elephant sale, under the auspicee of the Ways and Means Committee of the Southold Tree Fund has been postponed to Wed nesday evening, Nov. 8. The sale will be held in Community Hall. Through the agency of Clyde Bailey, the property of Arthur Gordon on South Harbor road has been sold to W. Goodell Hill of Garden City. Mr. Hill will make some improvements to the property and use it as his summer residence. The card party at St, Patrick’s auditorium on Tuesday evening drew a large attendance. Hostess es at the party were Miss Cath erine Grattan, Mrs. John Cogan, Mrs. Harry Cusack, Mrs. Edgar Douglass, Mrs. Lawrence Shan ahan and Miss Katherine Furey. Southold Lodge, I. O. O. F., has accepted an invitation from the Mineola lodge to meet with them on Friday evening, Nov. 3. Those wishing to make the trip should notify the Noble Grand, John James Kramer, so that arrange ments can be made for transpor tation. Mrs. Pat Rooney presented the Southold Fire Department with a beautiful American Flag during the past week. Mr. and Mrs^ Tom Currie-Bell, Mrs. Lucy Folk and J. N. Hallock attended the World’s Fair on Sat urday. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Cardinal announce the arrival of a baby daughter, born last Thursday at the Eastern Long Island Hospital. Mr. and Mrs. James M. Grattan enjoyed a visit from their daugh ter, Alice, last Sunday. Miss Alice is teaching at Manhasset, L. I. Captain William Krai’s team de feated Captain John James Kra mer’s team in the domino tour nament at the Odd Fellows rooms in a sort of pre-season series cov ering the last six weeks. The losers are expected to put up a ^G 4 M in > U e Special Dish Hight Every Monday Sfeaks and Chops a Speciolty Boulevard Inn Peconic Bay Blvd. JAMESPORT BRUNO S. McKAY, Prop. Phone 8978 CLEAN NOW for Winter Wear Br-r-r-r! Now’s the time to get .out those warm, winter robes and sweaters! We wlli dry clean them in two days’ time and return them, ready to wear — smartly. VOJVODA GREENPORT 595 RIVERHEAD 2387 ENTERPRISE 4222 (No charge on these calls) big feed for the winners at the next Monday night meeting. Mr. and Mrs. William H. Raf- ford and family will move into the Corey residence on Beckwith avenue. The proposed meeting for those interested in a community basket ball league took place on Monday evening in the Southold Fire House, and was well attended. Plans were discussed for the form ing of a league and for a com munity night at the Southold High School auditorium. The members of the Board of Education and Principal Blodgett approved the use 6f the auditorium for that purpose. It is proposed to ' have a four team league and to have two games played every Monday night throughout the winter. There will probably be opportu nity for men to indulge in games of volley ball, hand ball and other gymnasium sports. All men and boys of the village who no longer attend school are expected to be on hand Monday night, Nov. 6, opening night. Henry Williams of the high school faculty, has con sented to take charge of games every Monday night. The pupils of Herbert Studier, director of the Southold Branch of the Suffolk Conservatory of Music and Arts, gave a recital at the high school here on Wednes day evening, Oct. 18. HEADQUARTERS FOR ( NEW FALL STYLES | Ivans Shoe Storej At R. R. Station RIVERHEAD Beautiful Brides COME FROM THE WEDDING DRESSES and VEILS e o C AA < Complete from ^ BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES and HEADPIECES e o AA Complete from ^O .U U • 156 ROANOKE AVE. (Cor. First St.) RIVERHEAD • Open Evenings Phone 2634 When making a Purchase present this Ad and Receive a G i f t ! RE-ELECT Harold D. Price REGULAR REPUBLICAN NOMINEE FOR s DT I Jll TOWN OF SOUTHOLD His Ten Years of Experience as Highway Superintendent of Southold Town Merits the Support of Every Taxpayer!
