State

August 12, 1933 THE STATE Page Five INTERESTING PEOPLE NORTH CAROLINA ★ SOME few days ago, on Fayetteville Street, in Raleigh, John Living¬ stone was talking to a group of friends and mode some remark obout somebody being "one of the most interesting individuals I've ever met." That got us to thinking, so we asked John to write an article on "The Three Most Interesting People in North Carolina," and here's the article. By the way, if there are people of particular interest in YOUR community, we'd like for you to let us know about them. 3M0ST IN - By - JOHN A. LIVINGSTONE The throe most interesting people in North Carolina ? If I had mv choice, I had rather write about the three million moat interesting. For I have found that every individual has interesting points. But I am confined to three by limitations of space. I must also rule out those with whom I am closely associated in my daily work. For the same reason as I must rule out the three million. For my work brings me in contact with many people. Frank Graham ia the first name I pick at random from thousands of interesting Tar Heels. Not because he is president of the State Univer¬ sity. Nor because of any of the vari¬ ous roles that ho is called upon to play in a strenuous life. He is inter¬ esting to me because he allows none of the roles to prevent him from liv¬ ing life to its fullest every minute of every day. If Frank Graham were marooned on a desolate island, he would waste not a moment in getting acquainted with his surroundings, lie would at once occupy himself in finding oui all about the island. He would find so much of interest that he would for¬ get that he was marooned. He would have a sure* faith that everything would work out all right. I recall a hot summer day when Boh Madry, Frank Graham and I started on a motor trip from the coast to Chapel Hill. Ten miles out from Morehead City, the motor went dead on us. The more we tried to get it started the deader it appeared to be. Presently two pickaninnies came down the roud to help us. The four of us pushed the car to a filling station. While further efforts were made to start the ear, Frank Graham found out their names, what grades they were in at school, bought a water¬ melon and served it to the loafers at the filling station. It was necessary to have the car pulled to New Bern. While it was being fixed, Frank Gra¬ ham visited six alumni of the Uni¬ versity, comforted u widow whose hus¬ band had recently died, bought a box of candy as a remembrance for the daughter of tin* editor who had taken him to New Bern the previous day, swapped yarns with the soda fountain jerkcr and between times got a bite to eat. He failed to meet his engagement that night to make a welcoming ad¬ dress to the North Carolina Bar As¬ sociation at Chapel Hill, hut the after¬ noon was not wasted. Far from it. The widow remarked to her son, an alumnus of the University, when Frank Graham called: "I knew when I saw Frank was speaking at More- head City that he would come by to see us.” If the automobile hadn’t broken down, she would have been disappointed. Quite different from Frank Gra¬ ham in many ways is my friend, Charles W. Tillett, Sr., veteran Char¬ lotte lawyer, but like him in one re¬ spect: Time never hangs heavily upon him. If he is trying a lawsuit, he is all there. He walks the fioor at night, after others have gone to sleep, get¬ ting his speech in shape for the jury next day, and when delivered it is a masterpiece. If he has a brief to pre¬ pare for the Supremo Court, he ex¬ hausts the authoritii**, and it is n de¬ light for tho court to lu*ar him be¬ cause he knows all about his ease. When the day’s exhausting work in the law office is done, then Charlie Tillett will take his pen in hand to write his views and observations for publication. It is then that lie feels completely at home. He lets his mind roam through poetry and literature. As he writes the ideas come faster, and there breaks over his face a smile of joy. To express himself fully and completely, that is for him the great¬ est satisfaction. It is when Charlie Tillett presides over a luncheon or dinner for two or three or a half dozen friends that he shines brightest. Then he can engage in repartee, and whet his mind to a sharp edge. He delights in making his friends at home, and does it best when he is breaking bread with them. But it matters not whether it l«* in the dining room, drawing room, parlor, law office, court house, on the street, on the train, a cross road station or wherever he may be, Charlie Tillett will bo at home and making his as¬ sociates feel the same way. Now I come to the third and last selection, and that must go to a woman. Г can think of a lot of other men deserving of a place on my roll of honor, but they must wait until another time. I can name many women, too, deserving of such recog¬ nition, but I am now limited to a single choice. All things considered. I think Miss Beatrice Cobb, editor of the Morganton У cut- Herald, most nearly approaches the standard I have set. She started life :i> just an ordinary woman and would doubtless have con¬ tinued so if it had not happened that all the boys in her family were* girls. Even then she might hove been just an ordinary woman, if she had not been the oldest in her family. When her father died, there was no man in the family to take his place as editor and manager of the weekly newspaper he was publishing. With fear and trembling she took charge. The story of the intervening years is too long to relate here, hut suffice to sav she modernized the newspaper, establishing it in a large, commodious and permanent home, with modern equipment, and making it one of the leading papers of the State. Not only that hut for ten years now she has also been secretary and treasurer of (Continued on page fourteen)