The 22nd & 23rd issues of the paper are missing from the microfilm. The Ellaville Sun Friday, December 16, 1938 No. 2 "ALWAYS SWEETHEARTS," SCHLEY PAIR MARK 63RD ANNIVERSARY Toothache Brought Couple Together 77 Years Ago Mr. and Mrs. James Asbury Chapman, who began "playing sweetheart" more than 75 years ago, reached the eve of their 63rd wedding anniversary Thursday with a wistful wish that they could live out their days together again just as they have lived them. They were married 63 years ago tonight (Friday) after a courtship that began in early childhood and ripened unto betrothal in adolescence. "Why, we've been sweethearts all our lives," declared Mr. Chapman when asked when they fell in love. A toothache brought them together almost in infancy, the 83-year-old retired Schley county farmer likes to recall. A boy of six or seven years, he called to have her father, the neighborhood's amateur dentist who "didn't charge anything to pull 'em," extract a tooth. He saw her, a little girl of four or five years. "She was a pretty little thing. She had black hair--black as a crow--aw, she was a pretty little thing!" And turning to his 81-year-old wife who sat knitting with a contented smile, he confided in a lower tone: "You know, I've always thought you were the prettiest thing." "We 'played sweetheart' when she was playing with dolls made of pine tops," he remembered. Early in youth he began asking her to marry him. They kept "steady company" and as he put it, his "horse was tied to her hitching post every Sunday afternoon." Neither of them can remember how old she was the first time he proposed, but they know she wasn't 16. "I put him off three times. I told him I couldn't marry anybody as young as I was." He was taking the proposals seriously though. Far more seriously than she thought. "He had made up his mind the last time he asked me that I would never get a chance to turn him down again--and if I had known it, it would have scared me half to death! I never dreamed he had anything like that packed back in his head!" She said "yes" that time, however, and there followed an engagement of about two years. Recalling that she had mentioned several minutes before that she had been taking medicine for heart trouble, she declared with a laugh: "If I had known he felt that way about asking me to marry him, I would have had heart trouble much sooner than I did!" Blue-eyed and 18, she, Alice Chesterfield DeVane became his bride at a simple ceremony performed by the Rev. R.F. Williamson, Methodist minister at Ellaville. "We had supper afterwards," said Mrs. Chapman, with a hearty chuckle, "and they had syllabub ......... but 'Pa' (Mr. Chapman) wouldn't drink any ....... I liked it, but I didn't drink any because he wouldn't." Splendid health has blessed the aged couple and advancing years have little affected their daily routine, Mr. Chapman arises early and kindles fires in their room and the kitchen. He brings in the firewood, milks two cows daily, draws water from the well and attends to various chores. His eyesight remains normal and he uses glasses only for reading. His hearing is impaired, however. Mrs. Chapman insists upon cooking, preparing breakfast at the regular time despite the weather. She likes to crochet, her eyesight is good, her hearing unimpaired. Born Nov. 15, 1857, Mrs. Chapman was the daughter of Liza Sellars DeVane and John Sellars DeVane. She had three sisters and nine brothers. One brother, Frank DeVane, Chattanooga, Tenn., is 94. Mr. Chapman was born Sept 18, 1855, the son of Sara Winifred Carter Chapman and William Thomas Chapman. He is the only survivor of seven children. They had six children, five of whom are living. They are Chesterfield, Henry and Compton Chapman, all of Schley county; Mrs. Lily DeVane of Albany, Ga., and J. Martin Chapman of LeGrand, Cal. They have 15 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. With the exception of about three years spent in Albany, the couple have lived their entire life in Schley county near their birthplaces. Mrs. Chapman vividly recalls being assigned "to watch for the Yankees while the rest of the family hid everything in the woods." Her father and three brothers went to the battle front to fight for the south and all escaped injury. Said Mrs. Chapman: "I believe it was my mother's prayers that brought them back." They dislike to criticize modern living. Declared Mr. Chapman: "I refrain from expressing my opinion, because of my age. I see so many things I don't approve of .... but I may be wrong." Suggested his gray-haired wife: "It is best to live right yourself and pass it unnoticed." SCHLEY SLANTS by Raymond Duncan CHARLIE RENEAU FEELS TOUCH OF PICKPOCKET Charlie Reneau, miller at Dozier's Mill, felt the touch of a pickpocket last Saturday just in time to prevent the theft, but was outdistanced in the race that followed. Charlie said two Indians, or Gypsies (he wasn't positive about the race) entered the mill house and one asked to buy some meal. While he was getting it, he thought he felt a slight wriggle in his hip pocket. He was right. The woman had worked his billfold three-quarters of the way out. The miller fumbled for his jacknife, finally ripped it out and set chase but the intruders beat him to their automobile where accomplices were waiting to speed them away. MANY HAPPY RETURNS OF THE DAY Birthday greetings to Mrs. F.D. Lawhorne, Dec. 13: Elder Hassell McCorkle and Emily Snipes, Dec. 16; C.T. Johnson, Dec. 17, Miss Bertha Kate Snider, Dec. 19. Mr. and Mrs. A.P. Snipes observed their 22nd wedding anniversary today, Dec. 16. BARBER BILL CAUSEY IS BACK AT CHAIR Barber Bill Causey stood at his chair again this week after being away for about two months because of a broken leg. Bill says he is in splendid conditiion and is feeling fine. And ready to go, after such a long lay-off. S.W. MILES NAMED MAYOR Three New Councilmen are chosen in Election S.W. Miles was made mayor without opposition and three new councilmen were named at the annual city election Tuesday. An incumbent, R.E. Sullivan was defeated by one vote in the council race in which six candidates sought five offices. Total vote for all offices follows: For mayor--S.W. Miles, 62; Council--M.C. Hill, 49; T.H. Stevens, 48; Eugene Dixon, 47; H.J. Arrington, 45; Wilson Tondee, 37; R.E. Sullivan, 36; Recorder--C.T. Battle, 52. TIE WITH OGLETHORPE ENDS SCHLEY GIRLS STREAK WITH 11 High Schoolers Recess For Christmas Holidays The wonder girls' basketball team of Schley county high school begins the Christmas holidays today with only a tie with Oglethorpe to mar a perfect fall campaign in which 11 victories were registered. Oglethorpe upset the locals Monday night to gain a 31-31 tie. The girls recorded their 11th straight decision over Richland here last Friday night, winning easily by 25 to 13. Lillian Purvis hooped 13 points to pace the scorers. Ellaville's boys divided their games for the past week. The locals thumped Richland, 27 to 24, in a keenly contested battle but lost to Oglethorpe, 40 to 32, although their fine showing against the highly rated Oglethorpe club was encouraging.