Harper Library

Some of y'all commented that not hardly nobody goes to the library for information no more. Well I do. We got a real nice little library in a room at Harper Lake Baptist Church. We don't get no government money to keep it up or nothing, so it's run on the honor system. You can take what you want to read and bring it back whenever you finish with it. And you can bring in any book you has read that warn't from the library too. This system have resulted in a growing library especially a week or so after Christmas. The books what I like to read are what I call information books. Ever now and then I will read a book of friction, but for the most part I like encyclopedias, almanacs, and old text books. When the library gets to be too full they put a bunch of the books on a table and encourage peoples to take some and don't bring 'em back. I reckon we got about the best library in the world.

5000

5 0 0 0
Today, Hollis told me we had the 5000th view of my little blog. I were real happy and when I told Dorothy she were excited. I could tell 'cause she couldn't stop giggling about it. She don't really like to read my blog 'cause of the way I telled Hollis to write it. Just like I talk. I think I told y'all Dorothy finished at Millsaps College. She uses real good English, but don't never correct me or nothing. She's always been good like that. I reckon I could try to talk better and I did go through grade seven and one-half in school so I was learned a lot of the rules of English and all. But when you go fishing and whittle and hang out with peoples what talk kinda like they want to, you kinda want to talk the same as them. Anyways I wanted to thank all y'all that viewed in over the last year. The only thing I can't figure out is why some of the comments come through and some don't. Some peoples around here tell me they make comments, but I don't see them. Anyhow, I would like to hear from more of y'all.

Yosemite

Another letter come from Leddie Sue and this time it were postmarked California. She sent a picture from what they call Yosemite National Park and it were of a big waterfall. Like always I went to the Harper Library and looked up Yosemite. I found out it were the third national park to be set up. Ever year millions of peoples come to see it. It has all kinds of things growing there, plant and animal. From what I read December are a good month to visit "cause the bears are hydrogenating. That means they is asleep for the whole winter. Leddie Sue wrote on the back of the picture: one of the prettiest places on the face of the earth.  She also wrote: The bigger they are the harder they fall. I reckon that were about her ex-husband 'cause he's about six feet four and weigh about three hundred pounds. He didn't weigh near bout that much when she shot at him. Otherwise she would probably have hit him

Snow Down South

Don't get excited. We ain't got no snow this year, but we did a year or so ago; and before Christmas too. That don't happen but once in a coon's age. This year it are sorta cool  (like in the high 50's during the day time and not a lot cooler at night.) That's what they call Fahrenheit. All y'all overseas will have to change it over to whatever y'all use.
I asked Dorothy what she wanted for Christmas and she told me nothing at all. She says we should find some poor family and give them stuff instead of adding things to our overcrowded house. She actually said overcrowded life, but I choose to change life to house cause it makes more sense to me.
The picture were taken in the woods by my house. It were shot a few feet from Harper Lake. I think it's kinda pretty. Merry Christmas to all y'all

Crater Lake

Looks like Leddie Sue may be in Oregon. Like I been telling y'all we ain't sure of her whereabouts 'cause she learnt computering in the state jail and may be faking it. Anyway we all interested in keeping up with her "travels." Crater Lake were formed when a volcano fell in on itself about 7,000 years ago. Now you can't prove that by me but I read it in a book in the library. The lake are real deep and has a little island close to one shore. The name of the island are Wizard Island. A group of Native Americans must have saw when the volcano caved in 'cause they have been passing down the story for hundreds of years and hold the lake and island as sacred. One thing what I find is funny about this lake is there warn't no fish in it until it were stocked in the early years of the last century. There was however a tree what bobbed up and down in the water for years. They said the cold water kept it from spoiling. Now they say it's just a stump. Take care Leddie Sue where ever you are.

Roswell, NM

We really wondering about what Leddie Sue are up to. Her letter home come with a picture from Roswell, NM. She ain't been gone too long from Chattanooga and we starting to doubt she all the places where she say she is. Especially since she told us things ain't always what they seems. Somebody was telling me the other day about this football player Plastico Burgess what went to prison and got into the habit of reading and has read near bout a hundred books in the last few years. We figured Leddie Sue may have got in the habit of computers and learnt how to do all kinds of things. Things like making it look like she is where she ain't.
Roswell, NM are a real familiar place to us. We had a woman what lived in Harper for several years, back in the fifties and sixties, what come from Roswell. I don't know if all y'all knows about the spaceship what they claim landed in Roswell back in 1947. Well we got to thinking about it and we kinda figured this woman might have been on that spaceship. Because:
1. She claimed she couldn't remember the first twenty years of her life.
2. She were kinda funny looking with big bulgy eyes and sort of lizard skin.
3. Nobody never saw her eat nothing.
4. She talked with what we called a mixed accent. Some words was pronounced like German and some was pronounced like French or Italian or Spanish.
5. Her hair always looked the same but she warn't never spotted at the beauty parlor.
6. She were the only person in Harper what didn't belong to a church.
7. She didn't work nowhere but always had plenty of money.
8. She never were known to go out into the sun.
9. Coon hunters was said to come upon her walking through the woods in the middle of the night.
10. This blue glow were often seen coming from her house.

Lookout Mountain

The next picture Leddie Sue sent home were of Lookout Mountain near Chattanooga, Tennessee. On the back were the words: You the one who needs to be looking out. Another threat?? I went to the Harper Library and found a book what had pictures of Lookout Mountain in it. Did you know if you go up to the top and look out (like the name) you can see seven states. Lookout Mountain are really in  Georgia, just across the state line. But you have to go to Chattanooga to catch the little train what goes up to the top. From the picture it looks like the train goes up at almost a ninety degree angle, of course not quite, 'cause a ninety degree angle would be a elevator. Where will Leddie Sue turn up next.

Big Chicken

What Leddie Sue put in the envelope what she sent home were a picture of what they call the Big Chicken.  It are a fried chicken place located in Marietta, Georgia. I called my cousin in Atlanta and asked him about this place and he said it were more than just a place to get chicken. It are also a place what peoples uses to give directions. He said he can't count the number of times when he asked for directions and he were told to go to the Big Chicken and hang a left or go past the Big Chicken for about half a mile or some such instruction. It's what they call a landmark. Now in case y'all wondering if Leddie Sue wrote anything on the back of the picture she did. It said: I know a big chicken and I'm gonna wring his neck. We taken it as a sort of threat. Hope it warn't, but....

Your Cheating Heart

We all wondering what Leddie Sue are up to. The last picture she sent home were took in Montgomery,
Alabama in front of the Hank Williams Museum. On the back she wrote the words: Your Cheating Heart. That were a song sung and I think wrote by Hank. I kinda like Hank Williams music, but I never did care a lot about his singing it. There were also a note in the same envelope what held the picture. It said, "Things aren't always what they seem. I may not be where you think I am." None of us knows what to think.

Baton Rouge

Leddie Sue were in Baton Rouge. She sent a polaroid picture to her mama's house and on the back she wrote, "Don't try to figure where I'm at. Moving on. Moving on." I reckon she's gonna travel all over the place until she gets caught. I'm sure the law are gonna catch her, but I'm kinda pulling for her to go as many places as possible 'cause once she gets nailed again she ain't going nowhere for a long time. Baton Rouge are the capital of Louisiana and the building in the picture are the capitol building. That's the very building where Gov. Huey P. Long were shot and killed by that doctor way back when I were just a boy. That's all peoples around her talked about for months.

Pictures From All Over

I reckon y'all understand that Leddie Sue were under what they call patrol and she had this woman what were called a patrol officer she had to report to. If she didn't do this, she would have to go back to the state jail and this time she wouldn't be likely to get out again. At least not until she were a real old woman. If she were worried about this you couldn't tell from what she done 'cause she run off. And she done it in a real interesting way. She sent polaroid pictures home showing where she were at. But she figured a way to send them after she were gone. Kinda like a time exposure but not really. The first picture come to her mama's house and it were took in New Orleans in what they calls the French Quarters. It had a note wrote on the back: I ain't here no more, so no need to look. We all wondering where she's off to next.

Leddie Sue Takes Pictures

We feel a little better about Leddie Sue and her going after her ex-husband, Wilbur James, and his wife, Amy Jean, what are also her sister. Amy Jean called her friend, Amelia Doris, what lives right here in Harper about a block from Harper Lake Baptist Church and told her what had happened yesterday. Seems like Leddie had got her old Polaroid camera out of the closet where it had stayed all the time she were in the state jail and she had took it with her on her bus ride down to Pensacola. And what she done with it, she taken real up-close pictures of Wilbur James and Amy Sue while they was eating pizza on the porch of one of them places where you can eat outside. And she left the pictures in their mailbox with a note on the back of each one. One said: Any time I want to. Another: Cameras ain't the only thing I shoot. I say we feel a little better cause we figured them two would already be shot by now. Shot with a gun.

Waiting on News from Leddie Sue

While we are sitting around waiting on what's happening to Leddie Sue, I wanted to thank our friends in Russia which has become the country outside the US with the most views to our little blog. Number two is Germany, number three Canada, and number four Australia. Thanks to all.
All the countries are:

1.     USA

2.    Canada

3.     Australia

4.     Denmark

5.     Norway

6.     UK

7.     France

8.     Germany

9.     Slovenia

10.  Croatia

11.  Japan

12.  Philippines

13. UAE

14. Malaysia

15. Brazil

16. Russia

17. China

18. Hong Kong

19. Spain

20. Pakistan

21. Sri Lanka

22. Mexico

23. Saudi Arabia

24. South Korea

25. Macedonia

26. Argentina

27. Ukraine

28. Indonesia

29. Taiwan

30. Greece

31. Egypt

32. Netherlands

33. New Zealand

34. India

35. Lithuania

36. Latvia 

37. Italy

38. Sweden

39.  

Two-Timer

Amy Jean, Leddie Sue's sister, went through a short period of grieving after Leddie shot her husband, Albert. But it didn't last no longer than till Wilbur James, Leddie's husband, what she meant to shoot instead of her brother-in-law, got a divorce. Next thing you know him and Amy Jean run off together and got married. They was living in Florida last I heard. Now I ain't sure exactly what a two-timer are but some peoples say Wilbur James are one. And other peoples say Amy Jean were the one two-timing. I reckon it don't matter none. What the problem are now is Leddie Sue are apparently out to get 'em both. Ain't much you don't know about peoples here in Harper. And if there are something you don't know you can find out from Francine Farris. She found out that Leddie Sue bought a one-way ticket to Pensacola and were seen climbing on the bus last night. The woman what works at the ticket counter at the bus station reported that Leddie Sue had a real strange look on her face like somebody what had a mission to do. We all hoping it ain't a mission what were interrupted twenty-two year ago by a misplaced shot.

Leddie Sue Takes Action

Looking back on Leddie Sue growing up, I don't reckon she ever done nothing to hurt no person. She were a hunter and fisher when she were young, but she were as nice and kind to peoples as anybody you ever seen. I figure she put up with Wilbur James and his drinking and running around with other womens as much as she could. She went to his friends and some aunts and uncles and you know what they done; they just laughed and said "that's Wilbur James for you." I keep thinking how maybe one of them uncles could've straighten that noodle-head out and maybe stopped what happened from happening. As y'all know Leddie Sue taken her 44 and went looking for her husband. And where she found him were the Dew Drop Inn. Him and Leddie Sue's sister's husband was hanging out with two loose womens what come from out of town. When Leddie Sue taken aim to do away with her wayward husband she were shaking so hard she hit Albert, her brother-in-law, right in his heart and he were the one what were done away with. The judge throwed the book at Leddie Sue and she got what they called the maximum sentence. Now after twenty-two year she's back in town and she's looking pretty good considering. Next time I'm gonna talk about how Leddie Sue's sister done her wrong.

Pickpockets and Loose Women

Wilbur James and Leddie Sue was real happy. For about a year. They went on a honeymoon at the Gulf Coast Inn where a lot of locals went and come back all ready to settle down to a nice, quiet life in Harper. But Wilbur James were attacked by what I call the one year itch. He had always had a eye for womens and I reckon his mama were to blame somewhat, but that don't carry much slop to the pig pen as far as I'm concerned. He started hanging out at the Dew Drop Inn where it were known that loose womens hung out. It were costing him money what Leddie Sue needed to pay the rent and buy groceries, but for a while she took his word about him helping out a few peoples in need. But one night he were visiting this woman at the Dew Drop and when he awoke the woman,his wallet, and all his money were disappeared. This time he couldn't explain to Leddie Sue what happened. And she done some investigation and found out a lot of what he were doing. That's when she went out and buyed a gun. It were a 44 Magnum. She seen it in a movie about police in San Francisco and seen it were powerful enough for the shooter to put a big hole in the shootee. Next Wilbur James pushes the wagon too close to the cliff.

Mama's Boy

After they found Wilbur James Jr.'s daddy dead with that smile on his face, things went a little haywire in the McLemore household. Wilbur's mama, Hazel, went through a real short period of grieving due to the nature of where they found Senior. Her attachment to Junior come to be real strong. There were talk that she nursed him till he were nigh on to four year old. But them was just rumors, I ain't got not proof or nothing. One thing what were real clear is the hold she had over her boy. He were a good-looking kid and the girls was always trying to get close to him, but mama warn't gonna have none of that. She kept him well under control until he were a senior in high school and then all of a sudden she dropped dead. Now imagine you're driving a car and you got one foot on the gas and the other on the brake. And all of a sudden you pull your foot off the brake. That's what happened with Wilbur James. He took to smoking and drinking and running around with womens older than him. That were about the time Leddie Sue were turning toward beauty on the scale of life. Wilbur were smitten and within in a year they was married. Turned out Leddie Sue had her eye on him all the time she were in her plain, homely state and when he started noticing her she were ready for action. Next time we gonna look at how Wilbur couldn't quite shake his old ways.

About Wilbur James, Jr.

I reckon the best way to tell about Wilbur James, Jr is to start with his daddy, Wilbur James Sr. Now Senior were well known in Harper; a land owner, cattle raiser, farmer, merchant and deacon. He were known as what they call "a good man." Back then, in the town just down the road from Harper, they had this hotel what was known to house special ladies for the entertainment of men. Nobody really knew who went there 'cause they had a back entrance and the head bellhop were given tips not to tell nothing. Well, that didn't work out too well for Senior 'cause he died in there. They said he had a heart attack from over-exertion. I reckon they could have hid all this too except for one really strange thing; Senior died with a smile on his face. It warn't no Mona Lisa smile, but a "I won the lottery" smile. Mrs. Senior let out a scream when she first seen him and spilled the beans right there in front of about half of Harper what had come to view their prominent citizen. The undertaker taken him back and tried to fix it, but it warn't no use 'cause it kept snapping back. They even called in a plastic surgeon from New Orleans. He wouldn't touch Senior. Not because he were afraid of dead bodies, but he said he couldn't change the look of happy to somber. All this affected Wilbur James, Jr. Not directly 'cause he were too young, but through his mama. Tomorrow I'll take that up.

Leddie Sue the Tomboy

Like I told y'all, Leddie Sue are home from spending twenty-two years in the state jail. Y'all can read back about all that. Now, I wanted to tell y'all a little more about Leddie Sue so you could maybe put a little sense to what all happened. Leddie Sue were a tomboy growing up. She went hunting and fishing with the menfolks in her family and were real good at sports. She were a good shot what makes it hard to understand how she missed her husband and shot her brother-in-law. But that's what she done. Now I'm here to tell y'all all that tomboy stuff come to a screeching halt when Leddie Sue entered into the age of accountablity. She not only blossomed; she come to a full-out bloom. Instead of hanging around the gun store she were spending her time at the cosmetic counter. And it paid off in some regard 'cause she turned into a real beauty queen. She won the Miss Harper contest and come in second in the Miss Mississippi contest. Turned out they just couldn't accept her talent part. They said she were the best whistler they ever heard, but there never were no whistlers in the Miss America contest. All this is when Wilbur James McLemore set his sites on Leddie Sue and determined to marry her. Next time I'll tell a little about Wilbur James and the hold his mama had on him.

Leddie Sue Gets Out

Leddie Sue come home today, home to Harper. She been away for twenty-two years; in the state prison. She were supposed to stay for thirty but got out on the 'cause of good behavior. What she were in for, were right interesting. She killed a man. It were a accident. Sorta. She meant to shoot somebody else. She went into this bar 'cause she learnt her husband, Wilber James, were in there with another woman. And he were. Leddie Sue took aim at Wilbur's heart but she were shaking so hard her shot were misplaced right into the heart of her brother-in-law, Albert, who were sitting in the same booth. He were with a woman other than his wife. His wife were Leddie Sue's sister, Amy Jean. Amy Jean refused to testify on her sister's behalf and the judge gave her the maximum sentence. Later on, Amy Jean claimed she were sorry and Leddie Sue had done her a great service by getting rid of her two-timing husband. She warn't all that grateful 'cause while Leddie Sue were in jail, Wilbur got a divorce and ended up marrying Amy Jean. Now we all waiting to see what's gonna happen with Leddie Sue back in town. We all on pins and needles because it seems to always be the innocent bystander what gets nailed. Even though Albert warn't all that innocent.

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Frying the Turkey

For my part of helping with our Thanksgiving dinner, I'll be frying the turkey. I bought me one of them turkey fryers down a Lowes and got it all set up in the back yard. Then I seen all this stuff on TV about how dangerous turkey fryers can be. They can tip over and spill hot grease all over an innocent bystander. You know what Will Rogers said about innocent bystanders. They is in the most danger of anybody. You always reading in the paper about a innocent bystander getting shot or run over by a speeding car or something. Anyway, another thing what can happen with a turkey fryer can happen when you drop the turkey in the hot oils. They showed one man drop one in and the hot oils come down upon the flames and a ten alarm fire broke out. I got my fryer all propped up with bricks and concrete blocks so it can't tip over. And I created this block and tackle machine over it so I can slowly lower the turkey into it. I hope all y'all will be careful however you cook your turkey. And I hope y'all all will have a happy Thanksgiving.

Hotel in McComb

Back when I were just a young fellow they had a hotel in McComb what they called the McColgan Hotel. They had bellhops dressed in uniforms and a lobby with leather couches where peoples would sit and read newspapers. And they had a real good restaurant. My daddy like to take us all there for steak sandwiches. I still remember how good they was. Now, I been hearing stories about things what went on in this hotel involving ladies of the evening. I guess I didn't know about it back then 'cause I never had no need to find out. Them steak sandwiches was good enough for me.

Old Coal Chute

Y'all know trains use to run on coal. And, of course, they had to pick up more coal along the way--they couldn't carry enough with them to make them long journeys they went on. One of the places what held coal for them to get along the way were McComb. When I were just a boy the old coal chute catched on fire and burnt up. It took more'n two weeks for it all to burn. I were crossing over the bridge called the overhead bridge and stood there to watch the flames. A fellow standing beside me got a hole burnt in his britches when a hot cinder come flying out (about 50 yards) and landed just above his knee. The hole were bigger than a 50c piece. Now they got a new coal chute made out of concrete. Ain't no trains using coal no more though.
Note from Hollis: Several people have told me they left comments that did not come through. If you want to comment or just straighten Uncle Harvey Lee out, he has a Facebook page under: Harvey Lee Whitmire. Please leave a message.

Cowboys at the Palace

Me and Dorothy been riding around McComb, a bigger town in the next county. I taken a few photos with my new iPhone and I'm gonna be talking to y'all about them over the next few days. Today I'm talking about the Palace Theater, what were a great place to watch picture shows particular on Saturday. You can see from the picture how bad it's done got. A lot of McComb are like that today. But back then (in the 1940's) on Saturday some of the cowboys what were in the picture show, they were showing that day, would show up and put on a little show themself. Sometime they would just talk but other times they would twirl their guns or crack their whips or spin their lassoes. One day we was having high school football practice and I looked up in the stands and seen Don Red Berry, one of my favorites, sitting in the stands. He stood out 'cause of his cowboy outfit and pearl handle guns. I went over and talked to him and all this led to him coming down into the shower room after we finished and meeting all the players. He were just wandering around while the movies were showing; biding his time till he went on stage. He offered us a ride in his car, what were one of them station wagons with wood on the side, and about twelve of us piled in. Some even rode on the running boards. He got us in back stage and we seen his little gun-twirling act from back there. A lot of other stars, peoples like Lash Larue, come to the Palace. Now, as you can see from the picture, ain't nobody coming.

Hershey

I had a lot of dogs over the years and ain't bought nary a one. They come up to see me and I can't help but to feed 'em something and they seems to want to hang around. I reckon I know what's causing them to stay but like I say I can't seem to help myself. One time I had eight dogs hanging around; all shapes and sizes and all dispositions. Some liked to bark and cause a disturbance and some was a quiet as could be. But they all had one thing in common; they was loyal. Hollis give me this new, what they calls, a iPhone and I been taking pictures with it. One of the shots were of Hershey, a dog what come up last year. Hershey warn't nothing but a bag of bones when he walked up into my yard. You can see from the picture I got him in real good shape. Now that dog won't leave my side. One of Willie's daughters come to stay in the big house while me and Dorothy was on our honeymoon and she telled us, when we got back, how Hershey wouldn't hardly eat nothing and walked around like he were wondering what had happened to his world. Now we back and he's happy. Yesterday, another dog come up. I reckon he'll stay too. You understand I don't do no advertising. It's all word of mouth.

Hi-wa-ya

Me and Dorothy went on another cruise; this time in Hi-wa-ya. We went to a bunch of them islands. I reckon y'all know this whole place were made when under-the-sea volcanos erupted. It were a beautiful place but my favorite part were the memorial at Pearl Harbor where so many of our boys got killed by the Japanese air raid. I personally knew a couple of 'em: Old Lady Hardy's boy, Virgil and Mr. and Mrs. W W Jackson's oldest son, Leslie James. My cousin were at what they called Scofield Barracks which was also hit, but he made it through without a scratch. He remained there during the rest of the war and married an island girl. They come back and settled over in Natchez where he had his own carpenter business. The food over there were tolerable but I wouldn't want Dorothy to bring any of them recipes home. Y'all know I don't drink nothing no more since my days getting over Korea, but ever thing I ordered them peoples stuck a umbrella in it. I mean pineapple juice and such, don't ya know? Our next cruise were way over in Australia. I'll talk about that later on.

Muir Woods and the Wine Country

Deer in Muir Woods

Grapes what they makes wine with

One of the tricks we brung with us to California is we left our watches set to Harper time. That way we was always two hours ahead of all them peoples out there. I had heard from somebody what went out there a year or so ago that the best place for breakfast were a place called Sears. I told him that's where I bought my tires in Jackson and he said it warn't nothing like that Sears. Anyway we got there bright and early with our watches set the way they was. I just got what I were use to eggs and bacon; they didn't have no grits. Dorothy are more adventuresome so she got a seafood omelet. She give me a taste and I will say it were good. Next we drove up to this place called Muir Woods. They got trees in that place that look like they reach the sky. And they is about as old as dirt. We would have stayed longer but we had a late night flight to Hawaii. And we still had to drive through the wine country. Now I've had wine but I ain't never had none made with grapes. We make it with strawberries and muskadines. They have what they calls wine tasting counters and these peoples what seem to want you to think they know what they're doing, take a big slug of wine, swish it around in their mouths, and spit it in to this big bowl. Nasty. Kinda glad we was in a hurry.

Them Peoples What is Called Mimes

One of the things I found strange in San Francisco (I ain't got time to mention all of 'em) was peoples dressed up kinda like clowns and walking around without saying nothing. They would act like they was caught in a invisible cage and was trying to figure the way out by moving their hands up and down and all around like it was a window or door or something in front of 'em. And you know what? They was a lot like them beef eating guards in London. You couldn't get 'em to smile or laugh or nothing unless it were a part of their act. I'm glad Dorothy were with me 'cause she knew all about them and could fill me in on what they was doing. She said she were a big fan of this French mime named Mark Selmarso. I reckon you could understand what he were saying even if you couldn't speak no French. The next day on our trip we went up to the wine country. I'll tell about them happenings next time.

First Stop on Our Trip

We's back. Me and Dorothy had the time of our life on our wedding trip. I'm gonna tell y'all all about it over the next few weeks. I ain't gonna be able to come on this blog-thing ever day like I use to do, Hollis being in school and all. But we hope to post ever week or maybe more often.
Our first stop was supposed to be Los Angeles. But I didn't care much about going there. They said I would be able to see Hollywood and I said ever body I wanted to see in Hollywood were dead: John Wayne, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Jimmy Steward, Betty Grable. I wanted to go to San Francisco to show Dorothy were they taken me after I come home from Korea with froze feets. And I hadn't got to see none of it anyway 'cause all I seen were the inside of a hospital room. Dorothy had already seen Hollywood, so off we was to San Francisco. My friend, Willie, told me if I were going to San Fran. I had to try the Rice-A-Roni. He said, "After all it is the San Francisco treat." Me and Willie is always funning around like that.
San Francisco is a beautiful place, one of the prettiest places you'll ever see, but the peoples out there is about as strange as they come. Next time I'll tell y'all about this man we seen on the street what was acting out things without saying a single word.

Note from Hollis

How This Works by Hollis

It was I who prompted Uncle Harvey Lee to give me material for this blog. He has a reputation for storytelling and people in and around Harper are often seen in groups of four or more prodding him for another tale. I go to school five days a week and work a part-time job on Saturday and two or three evenings each week. It is easier for me to meet with Uncle Harvey Lee two or three days each week and gather the material for posting. As you can see I try to divide the stories evenly, not making any one day too long. I have promised my uncle to write everything as close to his words as possible. This is not an easy task and occasionally this difficulty may show in my work.

It is my wish that everyone will enjoy reading about Harper and Uncle Harvey Lee's life here. Your comments are appreciated. Please be frank. I will not show anything to my uncle that could cause him concern. If you enjoy reading about our town please tell your friends. Uncle Harvey Lee can't believe the response and asks me every time I see him for the numbers.

Uncle Harvey Lee will be home from his extended honeymoon this week and will begin posting soon.

October 2 Harper Bee Lo-Lytes

News: Last Thursday there was more excitement in Harper than we are used to. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Felix Monroe was rolled with toilet paper. That's a thing usually done by teenagers where they take rolls of toilet paper and throw them high into trees. Lucky for the Monroes and not so good for the teens,  Mrs. Mildred Sojoiner lives across the street. Mildred is well known to the local authorities for bringing to their attention situations of crime, both felony and misdemeanor. Thursday night she not only witnessed the vandalism but with the aid of her field glasses she was able to see the license tags of all three cars driven by the culprits. Sheriff Mendale Wylie turned the matter over to the parents of the children and they planned a cleanup of the Monroe property for Saturday. One of the teenagers, who will go nameless because of age, got the bright idea to try to burn the toilet paper from the trees to avoid a day of hard labor. He and some friends purchased BIC lighters at the Toot and Tell It Store on Harper Lake Drive. The Friday night blaze was spectacular according to various eyewitnesses. Mrs. Sojoiner saw the action before the flames reached the first low-lying limb and notified the Harper Volunteer Firemen, all of whom were on her speed call. By the time the volunteers arrived Mr. Monroe had extinguished the flames with his garden hose. Saturday cleanup went off as planned except Mr. Monroe provide a list of yard chores he was planning to do over the next few weeks. The group got them all done before sunset.

Cooter

Back yonder in the 40's and 50's I had this kinfold name of Cooter (his nickname) what drove locomotives for the Illinois Central railroad. He had been on trains since he were a young boy back in the first part of the 20th century. And he never had had no troubles until around 1953. He were coming south through a town north of his home when a deaf man walked out in front of the train and were killed. Then a few months later one night he were coming around a curve close to Amite, La. and a car were stalled on the track. Several peoples was killed. Cooter were hurt by all this but he kept on going. But within the year a school bus had its brakes to fail and come down and run into the side of the train. Nobody were killed but one child had to have a limb taken off. Cooter were wounded real bad by this one. He would sit around and cry and blamed hisself even though it warn't nothing he could have done about none of these accidents. He died before the year were out. God bless Cooter.

The Depression

I were a little fellow during the depression, in fact, I were borned right in the midst of it, 1932. Now we was lucky because it didn't change the way we lived much at all. We was used to growing our own food and we always had a milk cow or two and a whole bunch of chickens for eggs and Sunday dinner. There was some peoples, most of them lived in town (we never thought living in Harper was living in town) who had a rough time. Especially them what worked for the seat cover factory or in the railroad shops. They didn't have no gardens for the most part and needed money to buy food. And they didn't own the place where they live at so they needed to make payments to the bank or to their landlords. The depression hurt them a right smart. Grandpa tried to help 'em as much as possible and let some of them come by and do odd jobs for food. He never did give nobody nothing for nothing. They had to do some work. I asked him about that one time and he said he warn't doing it for hisself but were doing it for the poor fellows. They needed to know how to work for what they got. I reckon he were right.
Like I said the depression didn't have much of a effect on us. But now you take them millionaires like in New York and such. Why they was jumping out of buildings and doing all kind of foolishness 'cause they lost so much. I reckon that's why I live so humble even though I got all that oil money.

Worrying Whitaker

Note from Hollis: Uncle Harvey Lee and Dorothy are still on their round the world trip. I found a few notes Harvey Lee had given me and will share a few with you while he is away.

There were a old man Whitaker, Josephus Whitaker, what lived in Harper a few years ago. Back in around 1950 he heard a fellow talking about all he had to worry about and Whitaker told him for a dollar a month he would do his worrying for him. And you know what that fellow taken him up on it. So ever time anybody passed by the Whitaker house they could see Josephus sitting on the porch in his rocker with this real worried look on his face. I mean winter and summer. Now I reckon y'all know the term "word of mouth." Well that's what happened and before long Whitaker were getting twenty-one dollars a month from folks what wanted him to do their worrying. I told him he ought to take a ad out in the paper and no telling how many peoples would pay him to do their worrying too. He told me he didn't care to do that. He said twenty-one peoples was about all the worrying he could handle.

Sept. 11 Harper Bee Lo-Lytes

Local News:
-The Saturday "Clean Up Harper" event was canceled due to perfect weather. It was so nice everybody went fishing.
-Mary Merkle has her sister visiting from Op, Alabama. It's her first time back in Harper since she lost her footing and fell in the lake. Welcome back, Monica. We quit laughing long ago.
-Harper Drugs will continue to give a gold fish in a glass fish bowl with every purchase of Super A-Z Vits. Mr. Wilmer, the druggist, says they over-bought the fish and will continue till all are gone. Any of you whose fish died can come in for a replacement. Please do not bring in the dead fish. He will take your word for it.

Travel News:
-Dorothy Whitmire called from Asia last week to say she and Harvey Lee are having a good time. They are on a cruise in the South China Sea. She says Harvey Lee is a little disappointed about all the tall buildings everywhere. He says if he wanted to see tall buildings he could have just gone to Houston or Atlanta. He is also disappointed that nobody knows a thing about sweet tea.

Lo-lytes From the Harper Bee

From this week's Bee:

County News- The bridge over the spillway of Harper Lake will be closed through next week. Some             boys from out on Route 3 got the idea of having a bar-b-q right in the middle and burnt a big hole in it. Felix Maine, road department head, said they were working on it and would have it open as soon as possible. The boys who will go unnamed by the Bee were turned over to their parents who will issue the proper discipline. One of the boys was heard to say he wished he could have been put in jail instead.

Travel News- Word came today from Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Lee Whitmire who are traveling around the
                        world on their honeymoon. They were cruising around Australia on a cruise boat.

Weather- Look out the window. Need we say more.

Daily Distraction- Beat Upon Nursery Rhymes

By: Scottie Lee Purvis

Mary had a little bear

As black as he could be

And everywhere that Mary went

You could see her bear behind.

Wedding Writeup From the Harper Bee

                                  W  e  d  d  i  n  g  s

Last evening at 6:30 PM on the shores of beautiful Lake Harper, Dorothy Smith and Harvey Lee Whitmire were united in holy matrimony. Rev. Hershel Holliday, pastor of the Harper County United Methodist Church preformed the ceremony.

The bride wore a fabulous yellow pants suit of her own design and making. The three button, two pocket design was the delight of all those attending.

Hollis Wainwright, the groom’s great nephew served as best man. Ms. Sarajean Smith, the bride’s sister was maid of honor.

Music was prerecorded by Mr. Wainwright and consisted of the overture from The Marriage of Figaro by W. A. Mozart and the Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni.

After the lovely, but short ceremony the crowd was directed up to the old Whitmire house, 1 Harper Lake Road, for a superb reception. Food was provide by Dorothy’s Café on three sawhorse and ply board tables delicately adorned with white table cloths and the flowers brought hurriedly up from the services. The center table had punch bowls, one on the far right with lime sherbet punch and on the far left an orange sherbet punch. Mrs. Jacob Overmeyer and her daughter Sally Beth poured from both ends.

The happy bride and groom are off on a honeymoon trip consisting of several cruises in far away places such as Germany, the Mediterranean, Australia, and Alaska.

They will reside in Harper where Dorothy operates Dorothy’s Café and Harvey Lee is resident fisherman and storyteller.

Me and Dorothy's Big Day

In a couple of hours me and Dorothy is gonna get hitched. Ever thing is all set and Hollis are gonna put in the article what are being written for the Harper Bee, our weekly paper, by Marilu Jean Spinner. You can read all about it tomorrow. Well like I said this is my last daily posting. I hope to give Hollis some stuff ever now and then to tell y'all. Me and Dorothy plan to do some traveling over the next few years. We may go on tours, but I feel real comfortable about traveling on our own since me and Hollis taken that trip to England last year. I don't think I'd get lost on the Underground now. So I reckon Hollis will want to tell y'all some of my travel stories. I want to thank all of y'all who looked in on my Harper stories over the last year. I am pleased that peoples from 36 different countries tuned in. Hollis says the blog will stay up even if we don't post, so peoples can look back over the last year. Bye for now. Hope to be talking to y'all soon. And remember to check tomorrow for the Harper Bee story.
Bye,
Harvey Lee Whitmire

This picture were take awhile back. I reckon it were winter 'cause now there is more leaves on the trees. But it's the exact spot where the wedding will take place. So put some green in your imagination and you'll get the idea.

Methodist

My first wife, Bethel, were a Baptist; so I become a Baptist. My second wife, Mary Kate, were a Catholic, so I become a Catholic. Trixie, my third wife, were the one what went just to revivals, so we was always going to different churches or in one case a tent. So I guess I ain't been nothing since Mary Kate. Dorothy are a Methodist. And I reckon I am too. That's kinda the way it works around here; a man becomes what his wife is, as far as churches go. I like the Methodist minister, Rev. Hershall Holliday. He is a good preacher and tells it like it is. I don't reckon I'm gonna mind being a Methodist. Tomorrow me and Dorothy get married out on the lake. The wedding's gonna take place at 6PM when it gets a little cooler. On Sunday Hollis will print the report from the Harper Bee, our newspaper.

Gotta Wear a Tie

I don't hardly never wear a tie. And I only got one to my name. Hollis were after me about my wedding suit and he said he reckoned it were okay. And then he seen my tie, the one with a cowboy on it. He said
that just warn't gonna do so he brung me one of his own. It's red and blue stripes and I reckon it'll do. What I can't see, if Roy Rogers could wear a cowboy tie when he married Dale Evans, why can't I wear mine. Dorothy said I should listen to Hollis since he's a real up-to-date guy. Well I'm feeling better. Got over my aches and pains what I woke up with yesterday and I'm ready for the big day. We gonna meet on the shore of Harper Lake. That's on Saturday and that's the last day I'm doing this blog on a ever day basis. It will be number 365 and that's one year worth. From then on it will be done either weekly or ever other week. Hope y'all don't forget me.

The Dangest Thing

I ain't never sick much. But I waked up this morning with aches and chills. I reckon I had a little fever too but not too much. So I started doing what I know to do. I started taking CitriDrops (10 drops in a little water, followed by a full glass of filtered water.) The main thing I don't want in the water is chlorine. A doctor in Atlanta told me one time that chlorine warn't good for you to drink. It's good up to the point where the water comes out the tap. Then you need to filter it out. A funny story about the Harper water supply. For years and years old man Chester Dawes run the water plant. Peoples just loved Harper water to the point what peoples what was visiting in Harper would take home jugs of Harper water cause it were so much better than what they got at their towns. Well, old man Dawes died a few years back and the water started to taste real funny like. That's when we found out the only chlorine in Harper's water were in the samples he sent off to the state to be tested for how much chlorine were in it. I gotta get well 'fore Saturday 'cause that's when I am getting hitched.

Clothesline

We got a real nice washing machine and clothes dryer. I got 'em from Sears and Roebuck up in Jackson. Me and Willie went up in my truck and loaded 'em up and brung 'em home. And me and Dorothy gonna use 'em too. Except Dorothy likes to hang clothes out on a clothesline for the most part. She says the fresh air purifies 'em. I reckon she's right, but when we get married I plan to continue to wash my own clothes and use my new dryer to dry 'em. She said she didn't mind keeping up with my washing along with hers and I wouldn't mind but I'm kinda use to taking care of myself and as long as I'm able I plan to do just that. It ain't like it's a lot of trouble with the new machines to do all the work. I told Dorothy I didn't mind helping her taking clothes off the clothesline since she are still gonna run the cafe. I think me and Dorothy is gonna get along just fine.

Dorothy at Millsaps

When I were back from Korea living in Harper I run into Dorothy a lot. She were just a young girl and I were married and raising a family. She tells me she had always taken a liking to me, but just kinda an admiring kinda thing. She were raised a Methodist so it seemed like it were natural to go to Millsaps. She got a degree there in what they call liberal arts. But she never put it to no good use. Her mama needed her to work in their cafe. It were their only means of income and they done good at it. Dorothy don't talk like me, but she don't hold that over my head none. She said I could talk anyway I want to as long as she can understand me. So I ain't never seen no use to clean up my language. I figure that living in the same house with Dorothy some of her good English will rub off on me though. She said she don't care one way or the other. I reckon that's one of the things I love about her. We getting married this weekend. Hope y'all will tune in and read about it.

                                                     State Capitol in Jackson, Mississippi

Hollis Are Up At Millsaps

I think I told y'all Hollis decided to enter the writing program at Millsaps College in Jackson. His girl goes there. He said that didn't have nothing to do with his joining up there, but.... Y'all all know that Hollis wanted me to start this blog thing and have been trying to write it up in my words as close as possible. He has material for six more posts after this and then we gonna stop doing it ever day. That's 'cause of his school work and all that stuff. It were a lot of fun doing it and I still got to tell y'all a few more things before I quit. Hollis says after we finish up the daily thing he are going to leave the information up and peoples can go back and read all the days as they want to. He says he might post something ever week or so. Dorothy are real happy Hollis are going to Millsaps. That's where she went to school. I'll tell y'all all about that tomorrow.

Old People's Names

A lot of the names peoples my age has, ain't being used no more. Boys was named: Cecil, Eugene, Randolph, Leon, Leonard, and of course Harvey. Girls was even worse with names like: Mildred, Hazel, Pearl, Opal, Laverne, Beulah, Dorcas, Hortense, and of course Dorothy. My name come from a old uncle on my mama's side name of Lee Harvey Thompson. He were from Selma, Alabama. Dorothy's name come from the Wizard of Oz in the person of Dorothy Gale played by Judy Garland. For that reason Dorothy have always been proud of her name. You ought to hear her sing "Over the Rainbow." It would be nice if some of these new mamas and daddies would pick some of them old names, just so ever body wouldn't be named Brittany and Sean.

Chopping Block

One of the things what Dorothy wanted moved to the big house were a enormous chopping block. It warn't all that big, but it were unhandy and weighed about as much as one of the big hogs out at Westminster Jenkins' farm. It were about as unhandy to carry as one of them pigs too. Me and Willie had it all to ourself and we was up to the job. Sorta. It taken us several tries before we got it up the stairs and into the back door. Then Willie brung out these little plastic thing what we put under each leg and it slud just as easy as pie. When we got it where Dorothy wanted it, right in the middle of the kitchen, we took them plastic movers out and the job were done. We both taken out our handkerchiefs and wipe our brows. Willie said that block should be called "death in a table." I think he were right. Then Willie started teasing me some. He claimed that my head were soon gonna be on that chopping block, talking about me getting hitched and all. It didn't bother me none 'cause that's just the way me and Willie is and always has been. You know, teasing one another and all.

Everything White

When me and Trixie was living in the big house before she run off with the tent preacher, she wanted a lot of color on the walls: red, purple, forest green, and even one room solid black. Dorothy are different; she wanted all the rooms white. She allowed that white walls show off colorful accessories so much better. I ain't gonna argue with her just like I didn't argue with Trixie. So me and Willie, my good friend, cleared ever thing out, one room at a time, and commenced to paint all the walls white. We both pretty good painters and knew how to use a primer to the best advantage. I will say all the rooms took a bunch of coats and that black bedroom took more than I want to count. Now that ever thing is white I reckon it's time for Dorothy to start moving her things over. And she does have some nice stuff. Why some of her stuff is old enough to be antiques. Tomorrow we borrowing Jed Simonton's big truck and we gonna try to move it all in one day. Then we'll see how much them white walls show things off.