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Betty’s Week

By Betty Shearer

  For the many readers who inquired about the lost Bible mentioned in last week’s column, I’m happy to report that it has found its way back home. Mrs. Mable Boles, who now has a new last name, which I failed to note, was in on Wednesday to retrieve her Bible and more of the story was revealed.

  It seems that this Bible was lost many years ago. Mrs. Boles lost her husband and is now remarried—they seemed very happy. Her new husband rejoiced with her at the recovery. The beloved Bible was lost many years ago and its owner stated that after several months she just knew that she’d never see it again. Her children bought her another similar Bible, which she has used through the years. She wondered where it had been, because it was still in excellent condition.

  Brother Bo, who is in the maintenance department of MDOT in Batesville had brought the Bible to me, thinking it has just been lost. It came from one MDOT’s vehicles, which was being cleaned. Bo says it was placed on his desk and he gave it to me to try to return to its rightful owner. When I explained to him that the Bible was lost many years ago, he says, “I’m sure it was just placed in the vehicle when found and forgotten and has ridden there through the years, being discovered only a couple of weeks ago.”

  The Herald does run an interesting, and most times successful, Lost and Found. We’ve reunited owners with many pets, sets of keys, toys, articles of clothing, and other odds and ends—and now a Bible. It’s always a joy to see faces light up, tears stream down cheeks, etc. as owners are reunited with these cherished objects.

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  Sue and Harold Hardy were welcomed visitors in the office Thursday. They were here for the Hardy Family reunion. I told them I was going to crash the party, to which I was then invited. Fully intended to get out to see all the family, but due to the funeral of a friend was unable to go. I do know and love this entire family, starting with parents, the late Ruby and Grade.

  Remembered the first time I every saw Daughter Shirley (Mrs. Don Wilder), of Georgia. Shirley was being crowned Miss WVHS (I think) in the old City Auditorium. She was a beautiful teenager and is still a beautiful woman. This was before Ed and I were married. He was the Herald photographer and it being a Friday or Saturday night we had a date so I was taken along. I remember it as being a very entertaining program, as Water Valley events always are. Then we began attending Camp Ground Baptist Church and I met, and came to love, the rest of the Hardy Family. Guess Tony has always been my favorite, since I treated him like my child for most of  his life. I‘ve probably scolded him more than I have Jim—had a few more years to do so. I’ve always though Tony said outlandish things just to rile me—well I always took the bait and endeavored to straighten him out. Still love him and his family. Talked to  him on the phone yesterday (Monday) and we had a wonderful visit. Don’t get out to the greenhouses as much as I use to, so have not visited with him in person in a long time—got to do better. Final son, Don, and his wife, Lucille, live in Horn Lake and it’s always great to visit with them—It’s been a while now, you need to stop by when you’re in the Valley.

  In addition to the reunion, Sue and Harold were making apple goodies over the weekend. On their way home yesterday Harold dropped by a jar of apple jam, which I’m looking forward to enjoying on a hot buttered biscuit this weekend—only time I have time to cook. My biscuit bowl is another memory from the Hardy family—it’s a bowl given me by Ruby when my dad died—she brought it full of her wonderful potato salad. Do have a lot of memories.

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  Several weeks ago Margaret Kinne’s daughter, Brenda, called and we enjoyed a long visit. She told her mother that she had talked to me, so one day last week Margaret called and we caught up on lots of news and also reminised about old friends. She had called to give me her new address, which I had not gotten from Brenda. Margaret, daughter Betty and her husband now live in Waxhaw, NC, which is only 12 miles from Brenda. They had previously lived in Durham.

  Then yesterday I received Margaret’s renewal payment, along with a note, which I’ll share:

  “Betty, it was good talking to you. I really miss W.V., even though so many of my friends are no longer with us. (I miss Ludie the most!) The Good Lord willing maybe I’ll get to come back for a visit. Thanks for the paper—I read it from front to back. Water Valley seems to be growing.”

  Mrs. Kinne and Jim were great friends and they worked on getting a caboose for the Valley long before anyone else thought of it. They just didn’t have enough money or clout.

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  New Main Street Manager Susan Hart brought Sam Agnew, who is with Mississippi Main Street Association, by to meet me on Monday. Really enjoyed visiting with Mr. Agnew and I’m happy that state folks are interested in the Valley. I’m also so happy that Susan has been named to head this organization—she’s just a delightful person and I know she’s going to do an excellent job for us.

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  I’m ready for the end of Daylight Savings Time and they’ve added a week to it this year. I don’t like to get up in the dark—don’t mind going home without light. However it’s not going away this Saturday, as it has in the past. We’re going to have to wait until November 2 to get that extra hour of morning light.

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  T&C Garden Club members readied their Main Street flower urns for the fall and winter months last Thursday. These women do a tremendous job of keeping the Valley beautiful—putting in untold hours of hard work. I do appreciate them and hope everyone else does also. If you cross paths with any of these women express your thanks to them for the fine job they do—might even want to pick up the phone to extend a word of appreciation.

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Woodland Hills enjoyed a visit from Bro. and Mrs. Truman Scarbrough Sunday. Bro. Truman brought messages at both services and they were excellent—very timely. Our friendship goes back many years—he married Jim and Celeste. It is always great to see the Scarbroughs.

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  More visitors in on Monday were Ray and Mary House Milstead. I’ve know Mary for many years and I always knew who Ray was, but have only really gotten to know him in the past couple of years. They have homes in Arkansas and in Picayune and were en route to the latter. Was so glad they stopped in and am so glad that they are so happy together.

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  There are many exciting events scheduled for this weekend—football, music in the park, and lots of Halloween activities. Enjoy as many of these as you can—I plan to.

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