Death of Old Rip Well Known Bird Dog
Sabine Index Aug. 1929

Old Rip, known to every bird hunter within fifty miles of Many, is no more, having met his death under the wheels of a speeding car Tuesday night in front of the home of his owner, J. Reuel Boone.
A car driven by Byron P. Belisle, loaded with members of the Many Fire Department, and Sidney Gibson, who assists in pumping water for the city waterworks, was proceeding at a rapid speed to the fire station. Old Rip was on top of the dump formed by covering the recently laid sewer line�he knew something was wrong�the siren was screaming, Old Rip was barking, the oncoming car was blowing its horn. But just as the car came within a few feet of the dog, he leaped in front and was run over by both right wheels of the car.
Old Rip will be missed not only by its owner, but by Mrs. J. H. Boone, who raised Old Rip for Reuel, and every bird hunter in this section. Every man in the car regretted the unavoidable accident.

Folklore In A Spanish Community
by Mary Lucille Rivers

Before the Weather Channel, Doppler radar, radio and television news bulletins, weather sirens or whistles, no one knew when a storm was approaching. Primitive peoples were highly afraid of storms, some more so than others. Leatha Rivers tells the story of her mother Lucy Sepulvado Ebarb who must have had a “storm phobia� and was so afraid of storms that if a storm was “coming� during the night they had to stay up, burn palm leaves, bless the house with holy water and pray until the storm passed over. Some people would get in a closet and stay there until the storm passed over. They could only see the consequences and the after effects of these “acts of God�.
Ernest Rodriguez related the story about what his grand mother, Nancy Remedies, who was a full-blooded Choctaw, would do in the event of a storm cloud on the horizon. It was called “go cut the clouds.� It was a way of keeping a storm from passing over your home and causing damage. First determine the direction from which the storm is coming. It usually comes from the north or southwest, less frequently from the northeast and almost never from the southeast. Then get an axe and go to the corner of the house. Take the axe and with your back to the corner of the house make a vertical cross in the air facing the storm. Next make a horizontal cross in the air. Then make a cross on the ground using the ax handle as part of the cross. Place the bottom of the axe handle in the intersection of the cross, and lean the blade against the corner of the house; the blades have to face the stormy clouds. The storm will then pass on either side of your house without causing any damage. This procedure was supposed to protect the family from storms and other acts of nature.

Was She a Man, or Was He a Woman?

The Question Settled

Among the prisoners who arrived at the penitentiary last Saturday was an individual whose Patronymic struck everyone as being somewhat singular, it being no less than Ben Jane Jones, and the person hailed from the parish of Caddo.  Jones had resided in that parish ever since the year of Our Lord 18163, and up to the time of being sent to the noble state Institution, wore the garments particularly appertaining to the feminine sex.  Jones left

After enjoying the hospitalities of the gay metropolis of

As we go to press, the excitement is not a whit abated in the minds of the penitentiary employees, and there is some talk about looking after the officers of the court in

“Midgets Wedding�

1921 Natchitoches Times

One of the cutest and most delightful entertainments given in Natchitoches was the Midgets Wedding given for the benefit of the starving children in Europe, at the Amusu Theater on Wednesday evening when, a the title states, the entire entertainment was given by the “Midgets� of Natchitoches, who in spite of their tender age, the majority being from three to five years old, portrayed their parts with the ability of professionals.

The program was as follows:

Prenuptial concert.

Prelude, during which guests are announced – Miss Ava Pierson

Ushers – Jimmie Webb and Robt. Rusca.

At Dawning – Miss Kathryn Brown.

Oh Promise Me – Mr. Talford Jones.

Because – Miss Frances Hendren.

Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin – Choir.

Wedding Procession

Bride – Miss Edna Poleman

Groom – Mr. Henry Pierson

Brides Maids and Groomsmen

1. Eleanor Rusca and Robert Harmanson.
2. Dorothy L’Herisson and Gene Edgerton Pierson.
3. Revere Johnson and Sammy Hicks.
4. Glenna Dale Furnish and Paul Whitehead.
5. Marguerite Bordeaux and Aubrey Crawford.
6. Lilly L. Scott and Bill Wemp DeBlieux.
7. Lisa Payne and Henry DeBlieux
8. Lucy Paxton Shaffer and Charles DeBlieux
9. Gretchen Ortmeyer and Z.T. Breazeale.

Flower Girls – Eleanor Hughes and Isabelle Willliams.

Ring Bearer – Ruth Estelle Alcock.

Maid of Honor – Roemary Payne.

Wedding Ceremony:

Preacher – Clearance DeBlieux.

Father of the Bride – Robt. Boydstun.

Old Maid Aunt – Marie Josephine Scoot.

Disappointed Lover – Jimmie Webb

Dr. Williams – Whitfield Williams

Trained Nurse – Gwendolyn Webb.

Officer Tauzin – Thomas Emile Scott.

Intermission of ten minutes occupied by three five year old four minute speakers.

Wedding Reception.

Toast Master – Dr. Whitfield Williams.

Toasts – Jimmie Webb, Robert Harmanson, Hertzog DeBlieux,

Talented Guests who entertained at the reception – Miss Mary Kathleen E… of

Bride’s Exit.

Much of the success of this charmins entertainment was also due to the painstaking training of the little people by Misses Miriam and Judith Carver and Kathrine Breazeale who are adept in planning children’s entertainments.

1850’s Horseracing
Louisiana Style or Julia Chopin’s Race Track at Derry

November 1922 – Natchitoches Times? Article A Bit of History of Other Days

I caught a glimpse of Julia Chopin with Marie Cabrera with suit cases in evidence in the car beside them. They are off for Derry, home of Julia, and Marie is to visit her for the next few weeks. Derry’s perennial hospitality is ever more and more in demand apparently. The latest charm it has to offer is unique indeed. Julia’s mother has had a race course built on the plantation, and horses are brought from miles around, to race over it. And the plantation has some wonderful horses of its own. They say that the blood of LeCompte, the famous horse of other days, the fifties (1850’s) I believe, still runs in the veins of some of those proudly stepping equine beauties.

It is very apt, isn’t it, that Julia’s family should turn to a racetrack as one of the added attractions of their beautiful old plantation. You have read in the Sketch book of New Orleans, surely, of the famous race in the fifties, when LeCompte brought LeCompte to race here, and the bets ran wildly, whole plantations in the number, so the tradition runs. Those were the days when the races rotated from Natchitoches, to Rapides, to New Orleans, to Memphis, and aristocratic old southern gentlemen ran their horses from the stables of their friends in town, away from home, and under the colors of those stables. Such excitement as that particular race brought forth! LeCompte was bred by Boston from Fleet, and from Boston, so they say, comes direct the strain of Man O’-War.

Boston was brought down by Mr. LeCompte, who was Julia’s great grandfather, and there are houses on all of the numerous plantations in that wide family connection that have a strain of Boston’s blood, and, by that token, step like aristocrats and will not brook a suggestion of a lash on Derry Plantation, on the plantation of the Hertzog’s, near by, or near Natchitoches, the Breazeals – all the connections of the family very nearly have horses descended from that famous line. Le Compte of course won the famous race and excitement ran in a wild torrent all through the South over the event. LeCompte ran from Mr. Monor’s stable on tha great day, and wore its colors. I have heard that Miss Kate Minor saw that race, a mere slip of a child at the time. And there are certain little
Silver medallions of the shoes which were fitted on the famous horse the moment before he stretched those long, slim, steel-tendon legs to his victory. They ran the horses over tanned bark, in those days, you know, and the silver shoes were fitted on just a moment before the race was to begin, and they are still cherished somewhere in the family. There are pictures of the famous horse of Fleet, of Boston, and of LeCompte’s little colored jockey done us in the drollest costume, that last, a high hat, a long cane and long trousers – and he just as big as a minute, and black as a coal! The picture of LeCompte is at Southdown plantation, I believe, and Fleet is with the Hertzogs, while Mocek the little negro jockey, adorns the walls of Mr. Prudhomme’s fine old plantation home near Natchitoches.

During this same period, MR. _______, local attorney wrote the following in his diary about horse racing in Natchitoches.

October 19 – There being a horse race to take place at the race track opposite side of the river I did not stay in the office but went to the divertissement. There were many persons present (gentleman).

November 9, Tuesday to Friday 12, 1852

We had several showers, but none to prevent the attendance at the races.

Every day there were many persons on the track, and nearly every day ladies were present to enliven the sport, and grace the stand. There being but two stables in attendance (Lecomte’s & Boreman’s) the races were not as fine as anticipated, though gratifying as fine horses were had to compete.

This being the last year of the Natchitoches Jockey Club, a meeting was held on Thursday night at Lacal’s Hotel, where many persons were in attendance, and resolutions were organized and accepted, and all the preliminary steps to the organization of a new club were taken. Many subscribers were obtained on that evening and the new club is to be on an entirely new footing, so as not to fall in several faults which existed in the old club