Out of Conestoga
Re "Hell's bells" in Brenda Looper's column: As I recall, James A. Michener in his 1974 historical novel "Centennial" related that there was a street in Conestoga, Pa., called "Hell," where horse and oxen freightmen congregated to bid for hauling jobs and socialize. Rivalries and wagers were common, losers oftentimes forfeiting harness bells. When challenged, a freighter might respond, "I'll see you back in Hell with my bells still on."
Lagniappe: Conestoga, Pa., also birthplace of the "prairie schooner" Conestoga wagon, "stogie" cigar, and Stetson hat. "America grew up under a Stetson."
GORDON S. BYRD
El Dorado
Equality Act travesty
Dana D. Kelley's opinion piece in Friday's Democrat-Gazette, "Inequality Act," should be sent to, and read, by every member of the U.S. Senate as they consider this important piece of legislation. The parent(s) of every female athlete and the coaches of every female sport in Arkansas should overwhelm the email accounts and telephones of these elected officials, and make their views known.
Female sports in both high school and college have come too far to let this liberal piece of legislation muck up their gains. Female athletes in high schools in Connecticut have stepped forward to defend and protect the integrity of their sports by filing lawsuits against their local school boards who are moving to implement their version of the Equality Act.
Liberals are always saying "follow the science." Well, the science does not support this legislation. If it passes, it will be the death knell for female sports.
RUTH M. WALDON
Little Rock
Trucks stuck on road
Read Ray Hanley's letter concerning missing out on mail. I was also concerned about not receiving mail for several days. I sent a message to the United States Postal Service about this problem. I mentioned the postal service slogan about always making the appointed rounds. I also mentioned living at the tip of Maine and always receiving mail, no matter what the weather, once snow started, not seeing the ground again until spring.
As a result of this note, I received a phone call from the Jacksonville post office. The lady explained mail hadn't been delivered because the post office has not been receiving trucks from the processing plant. Seeing the pictures of the trucks lined up on I-40, that provides a good explanation.
CLAIRE LEHENY
Jacksonville
Need to know history
Thank you so much for your Feb. 12 editorial on Lincoln's Birthday, "The great divide was once greater." In paragraph five, you state, "Until Lincoln found his Grant, it seemed the Union was destined to lose the War. Because it didn't, we write this as citizens of the United States."
In paragraph 14, I was delighted to see you state, "But somehow, Abraham Lincoln was able to bring about a more perfect union. Something that we're still working on today."
And thank you, too, for another great column by Dana Kelley on the same date. In his remarks, in part, (1): "we are one of a dozen or so states that haven't succumbed to the 'Presidents Day' folly." And, (2): "Monday's observance serves as a solid reminder of what's most remiss about slanderous historical revisionism." And, (3): "There will always be those who only seek to advance their narrow cause by maligning truth and greatness. Let them wail, provided they're returned to the obscure cranny they warrant."
Even in Arkansas, Carroll Electric's calendar mentioned neither Washington's Birthday observed on the 15th and his real birthday on the 22nd, nor is Lincoln's birthday on the 12th mentioned either. But we have Martin Luther King Jr. day on Jan. 18 and Columbus Day on Oct. 11.
Is this a great country, or what?!
I have saved about all of Paul Greenberg's columns on George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Pearl Harbor Day, etc., etc., and keep them in my file here at our Downtown Historic Bank's free Historical Museum. It's no wonder that our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren all over America today have no sense of history, because if you plan on knowing where you are going, you certainly need to know the history of this country as to where we have been.
JOHN FULLER CROSS
Eureka Springs
Can't be good reason
I can certainly sympathize with Mr. Ray Hanley's letter in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on Saturday. We have not received any mail for a week either. I can't imagine the post office has a good reason for this. This is the time of month when bills should be coming in, and yet, we have received nothing. We just need to remember this the next time the post office wants to raise the price of stamps.
DONNA BIRCHFIELD
Bentonville