Columns

Have you e v e r given thought to what a Sunday afternoon date would have been like during the “Depression years”? Well, just imagine how two young boys and girls reacted during the 1930’s when no one had money or cars or other modern day things.

Bill and Ray, good friends, had been flirting with Maria and Ann Davis, sisters about one year apart in age. Bill, almost one year older and taller than Ray, had chosen Maria and Ray picked Ann. The two boys rode their bicycles to the Davis home at 2 o’clock after some strict rules of not putting their feet in the river and being back at 4 o’clock the girls were instructed by their mother to go to the outhouse before leaving.

Look around. The world is trying desperately to skew God’s symbolism of the rainbow.

Even most children’s clothing lines are now pushing another meaning of the rainbow by providing rainbow-colored “pride wear” for innocent children and babies.

Even pet stores have entire sections of rainbow pet items.

Old Navy now offers a “Gender Neutral” line of clothing which features kids wearing “pride” rainbow clothes and other apparel. The gender of many of the children featured in the Old Navy ads is not discernible.

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There are some stories of old that should never be lost. They should be told to our children and grandchildren. The following true story that occurred following the Battle of Mansfield is just such an incident that sheds light on a familiar subject possibly in a different respect. During the Battle of Mansfield, one of the bloodiest in the war and last major victory of the Confederates, General Taylor ordered the La. Crescent Regiment forward to attack the 130th Illinois led by Major Reid. The Yankees were behind a rail fence and as the rebels charged Gen. Mouton, Col. Beard, Lt. Col. Clack, Major Canfield and seven of the ten Captains were killed along with 55 Rebel soldiers and 150 wounded. Prince Camille de Polignac, a French born aristocrat, took charge and defeated the 130th Illinois Regiment.

Homemade Ice Cream Showdown!

Churn until you drop - Let’s Rumble! Memorial weekend I whipped up a bucket of homemade ice cream from a recipe I’d seen on the Internet. It sounded so good that I made the mistake of not going back to my tried and true recipe from Ms. Shirley Golsan who lived right here in Mansfield (& Grand Cane), LA. I’ve written about this great simple little recipe before and, don’t worry, I’ll be listing it again at the end of this column.

Several of our early DeSoto leaders have been spotlighted in this article; however none have surpassed today’s individual – Mariah Martin Davidson, born in Nova Scotia in 1799 of Scotch parents. She married James H. Davidson who was born in 1805 also in Nova Scotia. The Davidsons moved to the Grand Cane area where they begin buying land northward.

James H. Davidson died in 1853 at the age of 48 years leaving Mariah with 5 children and a plantation with 21 slaves. This was a situation where few women could have succeeded but there were few women with the ability and determination of Maria (changed her first name). Maria Davidson had lost her husband several years before the Civil War but she became adept at managing a plantation. She educated her children and held her real estate and livestock in spite of the misfortune of wars and drastic misfortunes and loss by fire of two homes.

“Diddy” is the name my younger sister Ann gave to our dad when she was around five years old. It stuck.

Diddy is the one who brought us ice water before bed in a gigantic Coca-Cola Mega-Mug when we were little.

He took us to Wag-a-Bag in Mansfield almost every Saturday morning in the 80s, letting us buy a sack-full of penny-candy and an ICEE.

Diddy “skated” with us on our frozen pond in the winter.

He faithfully lugged a humongous old-fashioned video camera around, attempting to capture all of our childhood.

Diddy built us the coolest red treehouse, see-saw, and gymnastics balance beam when we were kids.

He loved to take us to Baton Rouge when he worked the Legislature, always fitting in time for dinner at Phil’s Oyster Bar in our favorite corner booth and a root beer at Frostop in their famous frozen mugs.

‘Afternoon Tea’ just sounds so elegant. I bet you are envisioning a table covered in white linen. Silver and china serving pieces. Trays and towers laden with delicate savories, scones and pastries, sitting demurely on white doilies.

Do you also ‘see’ ladies dressed in finery? Beautiful dresses, stylish hats and maybe even white gloves? This may have been the setting for a Victorian Queen’s Afternoon Tea, but originally it was a much simpler affair.

In 1840, Anna, the duchess of Bedford, found herself getting hungry around four in the afternoon. In her day, breakfast was served around 8 in the morning, with the evening meal served twelve hours later. A midday meal wasn’t usually served. Her cure was to enjoy a snack of bread and butter, and a slice of cake served with a cup of tea. It was just enough to hold her over until dinner.

Summers in the 1980s when I was a schoolage girl were the best. It wasn’t that we went on fancy vacations back then or had unique plans. It was the “gift of the ordinary days” when time seemed to stand still.

My sisters and I and local friends spent countless hours in our pool playing games like Sharks and Minnows and Marco Polo. We alternated swimming with riding the four-wheeler in the trails in the woods, our wet hair drying in the wind.

I can recall those trails, the turns and hills and shortcuts still clear in my mind from thirty-plus years ago.

Otter Pop popsicles that Momma bought from Sam’s Club in Shreveport were the go-to summer treat, and everyone tried to grab the Poncho Punch flavor first. Alexander the Grape was a close second. They still make those popsicles, but they aren’t quite as good or as big as they were in the 80s.

Uncle Red While unpacking an old box that has followed me on move to move I found my Uncle, Francis Arant ‘Red’ Marshall’s, WWII medals. He was my Mother’s older brother and manned a submarine during the Atlantic campaigns later in the War. Like my Dad and Uncles he was one of the “Greatest Generation” that won the war. He survived the war in spite of the hazardous underwater submarine duty but took his life after it was all over – despondent over a girl. Very tragic and I don’t think my Grandmother ever got over it.

At the height of the Great Depression – June 23, 1933 – what was life like in Mansfield? Of course, most of the front page of the Mansfield Enterprise dealt with cotton acreage cut for the farmers and a few other discouraging things but there was a big front page article announcing 200 young people registering for the Epworth League held at the Mansfield Female College. The Epworth League was for young people 16 to 23 years of age. The program for the meeting at the three story building next to and adjoining the College Administration building was “Thy Kingdom Come”. This was one of the largest attendances for a League meeting.