"You mean you're going to bloody Harlan?" a chap asked pretty blonde G.I. bride who was sailing from Liverpool, England on the Queen Elizabeth, a short time ago. The blonde, blue eyed girl stared at the fellow who informed her he was from Detroit but knew all about Kentucky.

"you might as well throw your shoes overboard right now," he said "and get used to walking barefoot." He told Mrs. Ted Sutton (June O'Brien) there was no electricity in Harlan and all the women wore "breeches."

When she had time to gather her wits, she thought surely some of the women wore dresses and shoes. Ted had told her before he sailed for home that it was a nice quiet peaceful place. Nevertheless the remarks left her a little puzzled.

She sat wondering on the big ocean liner what her adopted home would be like and what the people would wear. Her trip over was uneventful with the exception of entertainment on the boat by German trapeze artists enroute to the United States.

One form of amusement was the Kentucky Derby game which she liked very much."I have met only a few people here," she said "but the stories on southern hospitality are true statements." She was referring to her Fresh Meadows neighbors. "The people here are so friendly," she added.

Yesterday one of her Fresh Meadows neighbors, Mrs. Earl Dunavent, took her to visit Mrs. Harold (Connie) McCollum, and English girl who has been living in Harlan seven years.

"Will you have a cup of coffee?" asked Mrs. McCollum. Now that's a switch, coming from a true English girl.

June explained the tea in the United States is a little different from the English. Connie agreed. They use no tea bags in England, just tea leaves. To brew a good cup of tea, the tea pot must be warm when the tea and boiling water is poured into it.

It must set a few minutes before being strained into the cup. Sugar and cream are added. to English people, American tea has too much of an orange flavor.

Their brands of coffee are called "Bev" and "Camp." It is packed in bottles. june explained that tea is served at every meal. Breakfast is usually at 8 a.m., dinner at noon and tea at 5 p.m., with supper at bedtime. Supper consists of beverages and "biscuits" (cookies to us.)

Children in England take their schooling seriously and begin at the age of four and one-half. Baseball, the great American sport, is practically unknown to British children. Crickett takes its place. Only two bases are used in crikett. (Something like one-eyed cat.)

Football in England is strictly played with the feet. The object of the 11 players is to kick the football into a net. There is no handling or body contact. Rugby is played as American football.

After the two English girls had discussed their native homeland for sometime, Connie assured her new friend that June would like Harlan County as much as she did in a short time.

September 12, 1954

Volume 53 Number 213

page 1 & 8

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