McCormick messenger. (McCormick, S.C.) 1902-current, January 28, 1937, Image 6
9
McCORMICK MESSENGER. McCORMICK. S.
ARY 28, 1937
Adventurers’
Chib
“Prayers for the Dead? 9
By FLOYD GIBBONS
Famous Headline Hunter
Y OU know, folks have gotten themselves into adventures do
ing almost everything under the sun, but Meyer Smookler
of Brooklyn, N. Y., got the big thrill of his life out of the one
thing you’d never suspect would get a man into trouble. Some
birds go out to meet Old Lady Adventure in automobiles. Mon
keying around with explosives has led a lot of other fellows
into first class jams. But it was saying prayers that tossed
Meyer into the most exciting ten or fifteen minutes of his life—
and if you can find a stranger thing to cause an adventure, or
even think of one, I’d doggone well like to hear about it.
Meyer is a dealer in scrap metals, and he travels all over the con
tinent buying and selling the stuff. Sometimes business is good, and
sometimes it’s bad. It was bad in September, 1928, when Meyer ar
rived in the little town of Madden, North Dakota. Meyer was broke,
and he was hungry, so he walked into a little Jewish restaurant and
asked the proprietor to stake him to a meal.
Meyer got the meal, and while he was eating it a man walked
in and asked the proprietor if he knew anybody who was familiar
with the Jewish prayers for the dead. The proprietor scratched
his head. “Maybe that fellow does,’* he said. And he pointed to
Meyer. ,
Yes, Meyer Knew the Prayers.
Meyer said he did. The man said his name was Berstein. His
father had just died and he wanted someone to sit up all night and pray
according to Jewish custom. He offered to pay Meyer well if he would
come to his house at eight o’clock that evening and perform that office.
Meyer agreed. At eight o’clock he arrived at Berstein’s house and
was met by his family. They showed him into the room where the
coffin was, and as Meyer looked at the dead man he remembers think
ing that it seemed as if he were just taking a nap, so lifelike were his
features.
About eleven o’clock, the family departed, and Meyer was
left alone with the corpse. There was a desk near the coffin
with a telephone on it. Also there was some fruit and a bottle
of whisky which the kindly Mrs. Berstein had left for him.
Meyer sat down and waited.
Dead Man’s Hand Sticking Out.
About midnight the telephone rang. It was the dead man’s son.
He told Meyer he had forgotten to shut off the steam in the heater that
produced the hot water, and he was afraid the boiler would explode.
Would Meyer do it for him?
Meyer told him he couldn’t do it. The heater was in the cellar,
and he couldn’t leave the corpse alone. But he offered to step into the
kitchen and turn on the hot water. That would keep the boiler from
exploding until someone arrived to shut it off.
“About fifty feet from the house,’’ says Meyer, “ran the Wabash
railroad. As I went into the kitchen to turn on the water, a freight train
started going by. The whole building shook and vibrated, and the
coffin, being on rollers, shook and rocked, too. As I returned from
the kitchen I noticed the DEAD MAN’S HAND STICKING OUT OF THE
COFFIN.’’
Meyer didn’t like the looks of things. Maybe it was only the
vibration—but how could vibration make a dead man’s hand
reach upward and out of its coffin? He remembered how lifelike
the corpse had looked when he first viewed it, and his imagina
tion began working overtime.' He went over to the desk and took
a good drink of whisky from the bottle Mrs. Berstein had left
him. Then, still shaking like a leaf, he went over and put the
hand back in the coffin.
He Was Grabbed by the “Corpse.”
The task unnerved him completely. “I was still trembling,’* he
says, “and I went over to where the whisky was and finished the
whole bottle. By the time it was gone I was a little unsteady on
my feet, so I decided to say the prayers while sitting down. I pulled
a chair over to the coffin. Right then and there my stomach took a
turn and I felt my heart sticking in my throat. For the dead man
was trying to get up out of the box, and his glassy eyes were looking
straight at me’’
All at once, Meyer’s senses left him. “I staggered toward the
box,’’ he says, “and without realizing what I was doing, I tried to push
him back in again. HE GRABBED ME BY THE NECK and hand and
began motioning to me to take him out. I felt my knees giving way,
and I was trying hard not to lose consciousness. For a full minute I
didn’t know what to do. Then I realized that the man was not dead.” •
After that, Meyer’s wits came back to him. He took the man
out of the coffin and sat him down on the couch. “He tried
to say something,” Meyer writes, “but he couldn’t open his
mouth. Finally I realized that he was pointing to the empty
bottle on the desk and I understood that he wanted some water.
I squeezed some orange juice into a glass, and using a dull knife
to pry his mouth open, I poured the juice down his throat and
made him lie down on the couch.”
Train Shook Him Out of Coma.
When the relatives came in, they began to scream and faint, and
Meyer had a tough job getting them calmed down. He found out then
that the man had been in a coma for nine weeks and the doctors had
finally pronounced him dead.
Later, Meyer talked to a doctor who was interested in the case,
and when he told about the trafn that went by, shaking the coffin,
the doctor said it was that vibration which had probably brought the
sick man back to consciousness. Meyer says that the old man’s son gave
him a job in his store, but he had to quit it. He got tired of having
people come from all over the countryside asking him to tell the
story over and over again until it almost drove him crazy. About four
years ago, when he was in the neighborhood, he went to see the old
man, and found him in the best of health and planning a trip to Palestine.
©—WNU Service.
Irregular Spelling
Centuries ago countless books,
manuscripts and personal letters,
owing to irregular spelling, almost
required an expert to decipher
them, states a writer in Collier’s
"Weekly. Sometimes a single word
would be spelled differently several
times on a single page. Even fam
ilies could not agree on their names.
From recorded documents, it has
been found that the members of
one famous family spelled theirs,
Mainwaring, in 131 different ways.
Wearing of Swords
In colonial America swords were
worn by the better class of people
when in full dress; cocked hats,
broad brim hats, and, as luxury,
a sort of hat called a black beaver-
ette. The coat was long, straight,
coming below the knee, with a low
collar showing the white neckcloth
fastened with a silver buckle be
hind. The shoes were square toed
with enormous buckles, sometimes
of silver. The lower classes wore
knit yarn caps of bright colors with
a heavy tassel.
Gold Found Under Sea
That a gold reef running into the
sea on the south coast of Natal has
been discovered was reported in
Vryheid, Natal. The reef is believed
to be rich in the yellow metal, and
more discoveries along the coast
are expected. A movement has been
started to ask the government to
finance underwater boring on the
reef, and many prospectors have
started to search for other reefs
on the sea bed or along the shore.
Mining has been waning in Natal
for many years, but the reported
new find is expected to revive it
speedily.
The Name “Hunyak”
The slang appellation “Hunyak”
is not usually applied to emigrants
from northern Europe. They are
generally termed Polacks, Dutch
men, or Swedes (or Squareheads),
with a supreme disregard of actual
nationality. So, also, says Literary
Digest, Hunyak is applied indiffer
ently to emigrants from the Balkan
States—Hungarians, Serbs, Bulgars,
Turks, or Greeks.
I STAR !
! DUST |
★ ★
$ JVxovie • Radio $
★ ★
★★★By VIRGINIA VALE★★★
O NE of the trade magazines
of the motion picture in
dustry startled the workers in
the business recently by pub
lishing a report on the popular
ity of the screen stars. For
months, people had been told
that Robert Taylor had climbed
to the very top: that he got
more fan mail than Clark Gable
did, that his name above a thea
ter was magic, because it drew
so many paying customers;
that, in short, Mr. Taylor was
tops.
But — according to this report,
Clark Gable is the screen's most
popular actor!
Last year Shirley Temple held
that position. This year she is sec
ond. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rog
ers as a team come third, Robert
Taylor fourth, and William Powell
fifth.
In case you’re interested, the oth
er leading stars are listed in this
order; Myrna Loy, Claudette Col
bert, Norma Shearer, Gary Cooper,
Fredric March, Jeanette MacDon
ald and Nelson Eddy as a team,
Lionel Barrymore.
—*—
It is nice to report that James
Cagney’s new picture, “Great Guy,”
is one of his best.
It had to be. He
made it for Grand
National you know,
a new organization,
and if it hadn’t
turned out well we
might have had no
more Cagney on the
screen for a while,
at least. After all
his troubles with
studios it is pleasant
to know that he is
once more on the
big time and that
his comeback is really a triumph.
James
Cagney
Have yon listened to that new
radio program, “Do You Want to
Be an Actor?” If you haven’t, do!
It’s very entertaining. People who
are in the audience are given roles
in scenes that are done before the
microphone, and after each per
formance the best woman perform
er and the best man are given
movie tests by Warner Brothers.
It’s quite possible that some of our
future stars will be developed in
this way.
If the radio programs given by
“Myrt and Marge” for so long
were among your favorites, you’ll
be glad to know that a new series
done by that popular couple has
started. It’s a family affair, for
“Myrt’s” son is now on the pro
gram, and “Marge” is her daugh
ter. The son, George Damerel, used
to go to the University of Southern
California, but he left college to
tour with his mother and sister
when they went on the stage. Looks
as if “Myrt” had built up a pretty
good business for the family by
writing those sketches, doesn't it?
Grace Moore has had to abandon
her career on the concert stage
and on the air, temporarily, in
order to take a much needed rest.
She has been working hard in pic
tures—in fact, she has turned into
a real trouper, and the tempera
ment that used to cause so much
trouble is well under control.
In “Stowaway” you’ll see Shirley
Temple doing imitations of Eddie
Cantor and A1' Jolson and doing
them well. The funny thing about
it is that the child star never has
seen either of them; just worked
the imitations up from what she
she was told about the two gentle
men’s work.
—*—
Hollywood is still shocked over
the suicide of Ross Alexander, al
though his friends
knew that he had
never ceased t o
grieve over the
death by suicide of
his first wife, Aleta
Freile, a little more
than a year before.
It was said that she
killed herself be
cause, coming t o
Hollywood from the
New York stage, she
could not seem to
get ahead in pic
tures. Young Alex
ander was doing very well with his
career, and his second wife, Anne
Nagel, is one of the screen’s pret
tiest young actresses.
ODDS AND ENDS . . . Remember
M The Shiek, n with Valentino? Nino Mar
tini will appear in a picture based on a
similar story . . . Jean Harlow and Rob
ert Taylor will appear together in “The
Man in Possession" ... It isn’t supposed
to be know that Joan Fontaine is Olivia
de Haviland's sister, but everybody knows
it—and the fact was announced here in
"Star Dust" months ago, when she signed
with Jesse Lasky . . . Once again "Mad
ame X" is to be screened, this time with
Gladys George in the stellar role.
£ Western Newspaper Union.
Ross
Alexander
A Mental Inventory-
Wishes Are but Wasted Thoughts
Unless We Work to Attain Fruition
IT is well in these early weeks of
the New Year for us to take a
sort ef mental inventory of our
selves, and see if we are foster
ing any of the good things which
we openly spoke of, or silently
wished would materialize during
1937. Have these things already
gone into the dump heap of futili
ty? Have they been scrapped be
cause of no effort on our part to
further their becoming realities?
Are we aware of this scrapping?
Or do we still vaguely suspect
they will materialize or be fulfilled
just becuse we think of them with
desire?
Action Essential.
Most of us remember the Ma-
cawberism “Name a wish and
gratify it.’ There have to be things
set in motion before a wish can
come to fruition. Unless we actu
ally want a thing enough to try to
get it, we cannot want it very
much. Our New Year wishes if
they are to be fulfilled should be
more than thought-seeds by now.
They should have been planted
and tended and perhaps have be
gun to show tiny sprouts.
Diversity.
As wishes vary according to de
sires of individuals and avenues
of opportunity for them to materi-
Foreign Words ^
and Phrases ®
Ad Kalendas Graecas. (L.) At
the Greek Kalends, never (the
Greeks having no Kalends).
Bel esprit. (F.) A brilliant mind.
Compos mentis. (L.) In posses
sions of one’s faculties.
De novo. (L.) Anew, afresh.
Esprit de corps. (F.) Loyalty to
one’s comrades; the spirit of sol
idarity.
Improwisatore, improwisa-
trice. (It.) An impromptu poet or
poetess.
Mauvaise quart d’heure. (F.) A
bad quarter of an hour; an awk
ward or uncomfortable experi
ence.
Pays de Cocagne. (F.) The land
of Cockayne, an imaginary coun
try in which eveything' is to be
had in abundance and without
labor.
alize differ, it is difficult to make
helpful suggestions except in very
obvious instances.
Making Wishes Come True.
Not every fervid wish can be
literally acted upon. But even if
not, it can be nurtured. Perhaps
in the quiet of one’s own room,
one can prepare oneself for calm
er and stronger progress, making
one ready to work and see things
through to a fine and a happy
finish. Whatever the wish, it is
but wasted breath or thought un
less one makes some attempt to
attain its fulfillment.
<g> Bell Syndicate.—WNU Service.
Continental United States
The term “continental United
States” is somewhat ambiguous.
Strictly speaking, “continental”
pertains to a continent, and “con
tinental United States” should in
clude all of the United States on
the continent of North America,
but as more commonly used the
term is synonymous with “United
States proper,” and excludes
Alaska as well as the other non
contiguous territories, dependen
cies and possessions.
DON’T WAIT
FOR A COLD
1. Keep your head clear
2. Protect your throat
3. Help build up
YOUR ALKAUNE RESERVE
DO ALL
THREEL
LUDEN’S
CLASSIFIED
DEPARTMENT
FLOWERS
ROSES—Beautiful free catalog of two-year
everblooming plants. Lowest price Lang
Rose Nurseries, Bex 702-L, Tyler, Texas.
REMEDIES
overcome: constipation
In an easy pleasant way with the products
of Nature. Send 10 eents for a trial package.
Address ROVER CO LABORATORIES,
S71S Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohle.
HOME WORK
MAKE $30 WEEKLY
With your typewriter. Guaranteed inatruo.
tions 20c. GFC. SERVICE, BOX 6842, MT.
STN., LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.
MAKE MONEY AT HOME
Complete plans $1.00 postpaid. Good in
come guaranteed or money refunded.
STAR PLANS. BOX 32$, Nashville, Teas,
• The Vegetable Fat in Jewel i$ given
remarkable shortening properties by
Swift’$ special blending of it with
other bland cooking fat$. By actual,
test. Jewel Special-Blend makes lighter, mote
Under baked foods, and creams faster than the
costliest types of plain all-vegetable shortening.
special-blend
the famous
it's coffee-nerves -THAT ^
MAKES YOUR HEAD ACHE ALL ,
THE TIME —AND you KNOW IT.'
READ ABOUT POSTUM'S
MONEy- BACK OFFER l
If you are one of those who cannot
safely drink coffee... try Pos turn’s 30-
day test. Buy a can of Postum at your
grocer’s and drink it for one full month.
If ...at the end of the next 30 days...you do not feel
better, return the top of the Postum container to
Oaneral Foods, Battle Creek, Michigan, and we will
cheerfully refund the full purchase price, phis postage!
Give Postum a fair trial...drink it for the full 30 daysl
Postrun contains no cafiein.lt is simply whole wheat
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comes in two forms...Postum Cereal, the kind you
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cious. You may miss coffee at first, but after 30 days,
you’ll love Postum for its own rich, full-bodied flavor.
A General Foods product.
(This offer expires June 30, 19370
Copr. 1937, Ktne Features Syndicate, G. F. Corp. Licensee