State

She Was Yearning for Carolina ••It was an experience» m filch I don't believe I'll ever forget.” said Hr. Cheatham. And after he told us about it. we feel exactly the same way about it ais he does. Dr thaddeus a cheat- ham is a preacher. He spends pari of the year in Pittsburgh. Pa., and the other part at Pine- hurst, N. C. He’s originally from up in Vance County. Pittsburgh is quite a consider¬ able distance from Pinehurst and other points in North Carolina. It is only at rare intervals that Dr. Cheatham runs into somebody up there who hails from this state. Needless to say. when such a meet¬ ing does take place, it always is a most enjoyable one. Some time ago. just before get¬ ting ready to leave Pittsburgh and return to Pinehurst. Dr. Cheatham got into his car and went out to pay a ministerial visit. He stopped in front of a house on Elysian Street and went in. His visit lasted about half an hour. Then he went outside again. Just as he was getting ready to enter his car, he noticed an old col¬ ored woman standing in front of it. She was bent over with age and leaned heavily on a cane. Her eyes were fixed on the Doctor's car. and her lips were trembling. She looked up and caught his eye. * "Your car?” she questioned. "Yes." "My. my. my! It sure looks good." Dr. Cheatham was somewhat puzzled about that remark. He had been driving the car for more than five years and, according to his way of thinking, there was nothing par¬ ticularly good about it. He waited for enlightenment. "North Carolina!" muttered the old woman. “All the way from North Carolina." "Yes; it’s quite a long way from Pittsburgh." “1 ain't been there in twenty years." “Oh; so you've been in North Carolina, have you?" She looked at him indignantly. " Been there!" she exclaimed. “Been there! Lawd. I was born and reared in North Carolina. Ain't no other state in this here union that can beat old North Carolina. I wish to goodness I was back down there again. Shouldn't of left in the first place. Whereabouts you live in North Carolina?” "Pinehurst." replied Dr. Cheat¬ ham. She nodded. ‘Tve heard of it. Place where the Yankees go to spend the winter. I ain’t never been there, but I knows where it is. Have vou ever heard of Hender¬ son?" ' "Yes. indeed." "Now there’s a real town for you! Ain’t never been a finer town in this world than Henderson. That’s where I comes from— and I wish to goodness I was there right now. Up in Vance County. Best peo¬ ple in the world live in Vance County. Coopers. Flemings. Faulk¬ ners — I knows all of ’em. When you gets into any kind of trouble, or when hard luck camps on your trail, thoy's always ready to help you. My. my. my! So you've heard of Henderson! Have you ever been there?" "Many times," said Dr. Cheat¬ ham. "As a matter of fact. Hender¬ son is really my home." "What's that? You say Hender¬ son is your home?" "That's correct." KemarkaMc Coincidence The old woman's hand trembled on her cane. She peered more close¬ ly at Dr. Cheatham. It was evi¬ dent that she was becoming some¬ what excited. "Lawd. God! I never thought I'd live to see somebody what knows Henderson. What might your name be. mister?" "Cheatham." She gave a sharp cry. "Cheat¬ ham! You means to stand there and tell me that you’re a Cheatham?" "That’s right." For a second or so. the Doctor thought she was about to fall. He stepped hurriedly forward and took her arm in an endeavor to steady her. She was shaking violently, and tears stood in her eyes. For a few minutes she was unable to speak. She just stood there, looking at him. Dr. Cheatham led her to the run¬ ning-board of the car and suggested that she sit down. She proceeded to do so. And then the conversational storm broke loose. It seemed that she had worked for some of the Doctor's cousins in Vance County for a number of years. She had to ask about each one of them; how they were getting along, whom they had married, how many chil¬ dren they had. Sometimes her emo¬ tions would get the better of her when the Doctor brought up some particular name, and she would sob softly to herself. He stood there, talking to her. for more than half an hour. He described Henderson to her as it is today, and he told her about many people whom she knew or had heard of. She sat there, drinking in every word, interposing a question here and there, begging him to go on an tell her more. Finally he told her that he would have to be on his way. He aided her in get¬ ting to her feet. She was evidently loath to see him leave her. "It’s been so long since 1 seen any of my folks." she told him. "I've been thinking about them for twen¬ ty years. I've been dreaming about them nights. When you gets back, remember me to—" There followed a long string of names. Dr. Cheatham promised faithfully that her messages would be transmitted. He got into the car. started the motor, and drove off. Just before turning the corner, he looked back. The old woman was standing just as he had left her. her eyes turned in his direction, apparently wanting to keep in contact as long as possible with this reminder of long ago. Then the car swung into another street, and she was lost from view. Two brothers were Confederate Generals; After the war Matt W. Ransom was United States Senator for a generation and then Minister to Mexico. His brother. General Robert, after the war. became ex¬ press agent at Wilmington. THE STATE. June 5. 1948 19