SUNBONNET SOLILOQUIES by Jewell
Ellen Smith
Mrs. Smith briefly wrote a column for the Enterprise
Ledger entitled "Sunbonnet Soliloquy." For 17 years, beggining
in November 1972, this column appeared in the HEDGEHOPPER. The
now-defunct HEDGEHOPPER was published monthly by The Officers’
Wives’ Club (OWC) of Fort Rucker, Alabama. The following appeared at the
begnning of her first column:
Editor’s note: Jewell Ellen Smith, a
member of OWC, is the wife of LTC (Ret.) William H. Smith. At their country home
north of Enterprise, Ala., she spends her spare time writing a newspaper
column, the Good Friday Biblical plays presented each year at Ft. Rucker, and
other things. Her first novel is to be published next spring. Mrs. Smith will
do a series of short articles for the HEDGEHOPPER so that, to use
her words, "younger Army wives may benefit from my trial-and-error
experiences."
Here is a selection of her columns, roughly in
reverse chronological order. The article titles were chosen by Mrs. Smith but
did not originally appear in the published columns. All Scripture quotations
are from the King James Version of the Bible, and notes by David Smith, the
present editor, appear (in parentheses and italicized).
- Make
a Motto, March 1989
- A
Child's Teacakes and Rights, February 1989
- The
Old One's Dream, December 1988
- Alabama
Folklore is 'Specious', November 1988
- The
Goatskin Purse, October 1988
- Something
of the Heart, September 1988
- I'm
Much Obliged, August 1988
- ME
and ME, May 1988
- Phrases
Coined Long Ago, April 1988
- Be
a Joiner, October 1987
- Dust
in the Hands of Alexander the Great, August-September 1987
- My
Philosophy of Parenting (in 100 Words or less), March 1987
- Cyrus
the Great Camel Introduced, November 1986
- Get-Well
Cards Make a Difference, October 1986
- Be
an Iron Mother, May 1986
- The
Army Wife's Patriotism, April 1986
- Teach
Children Patriotism, November 1985
- The
Wisdom of Marcus Aurelius, October 1985
- Van
Eyck's Motto is Mine, September 1985
- Is
Sorrow Better than Laughter?, August 1985
- Book
Review of SAGE, Summer 1985
- Thoughts
on Special Times, May 1985
- On
Being Beautiful, April 1985
- A
Black Rainbow, March 1985
- The
Value of Women's Clubs, February 1985
- The
Main Thing, January 1985
- Twenty-six
Thoughts, November 1984
- How
to Cook a Husband, October 1984
- Even
a Louse can be a Loser, September 1984
- Plain
Living, High Thinking, August 1984
- A
Garden of Flowers or of Thorns, June 1984
- The
Swish of Mama's Skirts, May 1984
- It's
Time to Re-Rag, April 1984
- A
Chinese Moon Legend, March 1984
- Father
Time Interview, January 1984
- A
Tribute to My Brother Clyde, October 1983
- Allen's
Fortune Cookies, September 1983
- Rejoice
and be Glad Always, June 1983
- A
Laughing or Praying Place, May 1983
- The
Tree that Owned Itself, April 1983
- A
Woodpecker's Toes, March 1983
- Be
Yourself -- Your Best Self, February 1983
- What
Non-Goblins Can Do, January 1983
- Bring
Your Heart to Bethlehem, December 1982
- Sense
of Humor is a Gift, August 1982
- Keep
a 'Night Book', June 1982
- A
Goat, a Cowboy Tale, and Violets, April 1982
- Wear
a Greek Mother's Apron, March 1982
- The
Christmas Thumb, February 1982
- Jefferson's
Rules for Living, January 1982
- Think
of Yourself as Beautiful, November 1981
- The
Red Feather, October 1981
- A
Wife's Advice, September 1981
- Biloxi's
Mary Krunsky, August 1981
- Victoria
and the Forbidden Stitch, June 1981
- Stars
on Alabama (November 13, 1833), May 1981
- The
'Hatchet Man' of Pioneer, Louisiana, April 1981
- The
Golden Crown, April 1981
- Michelle's
Poem, March 1981
- An
Oklahoma Mother's Letter, February 1981
- Father
Time and the Sandman, January 1981
- Dear
Caesar Augustus:, December 1980
- Our
Own Christmas Dinner Theatre by Betty Tillery, December 1980
- Looking
in the Mirror, November 1980
- We
Can't be Birds, October 1980
- How
to Walk, September 1980
- 55
Chairs and a Riddle, August 1980
- A
Baby, and The Wisdom of Solomon, June 1980
- Little
Things are Great Things, May 1980
- Things
They Say in the Wiregrass, April 1980
- Clintonville
Clothes in Wartime, March 1980
- Victoria
Interviews Groundhog 'Woodie', February 1980
- Things
to Forget -- or Remember, January 1980
- The Befana Legend, December
1979
- The Periwinkle Lady, November
1979
- Home Survey - A Quiet Hell?,
October 1979
- Troubles,
September 1979
- Here
we Rest! (Where to Retire), August 1979
- A
Motto Luncheon, June 1979
- Plato
Tells What Man Should Do, May 1979
- Quan
Yin, the Goddess of Mercy, April 1979
- Saying
a Prayer Helps, March 1979
- Let
February be "Nose Month", February 1979
- The
Way to Eat an Elephant, January 1979
- The
Christmas Spirit, December 1978
- Sally
Jollied Us Up, November 1978
- Is
a Pig Pretty? October 1978
- William
the Silent, August 1978
- Life
is Like a Festival in May, May 1978
- "Great
Jehoshaphat" Described, May 1978
- Women's
Lib, and Rights, March 1978
- A
Clean Face, February 1978
- How
to Make Vinegar, January 1978
- The
Christmas Search, December 1977
- Birthday
Cakes and Being Loved, November 1977
- Ants,
and What You Leave Behind, October 1977
- Sylvester,
the Judas Goat, September 1977
- A
Famous Short Story, June 1977
- A
Lousiana Double Wedding, May 1977
- Diamonds
- Treasures - Lost Coin, April 1977
- Cat
and Rat Friends, March 1977
- Carolina
Mother Teaches Obedience, February 1977
- The
Fox and the Brier Patch, January 1977
- Mamma's
Christmas Mistakes, December 1976
- Rabbit
in a Crock Pot, November 1976
- Forget
the Bad, Remember the Good, October 1976
- Go
Sharpen Your Claws, September 1976
- The
Man who Whipped Himself, August 1976
- A
Cut-off Hand, June 1976
- Trilby
and Bluff Hall, Demopolis, March 1976
- Homemade
Fun, February 1976
- Janus,
the Two-headed Dog, and the Round Tuit, January 1976
- Writeup of Jewell Ellen Smith in The
Hedgehopper, November 1975
- When
to Keep your Mouth Shut, October 1975
- Let's
Not Toss Our Gloves, September 1975
- Teachings
of Washington's Mother, August 1975
- An
Army Cake, June 1975
- Alabama
Wildflowers, May 1975
- Two
Dog Stories, March 1975
- SIR
and MA'AM, February 1975
- The
Goblet Mistake, January 1975
- Being Great, December 1974
- The
Feather Man, November 1974
- The
Sick Horse, October 1974
- The
Talking Chairs, September 1974
- Kneeldown
Bread, August 1974
- Antique
Wheels, June 1974
- In
Defense of Birds, May 1974
- Squirrel
Lesson, April 1974
- Weather
Signs, March 1974
- Counting
Sheep and Roses, February 1974
- Four-letter
Words, January 1974
- Teaching
Children at Christmas, December 1973
- A
Pig in a Poke, November 1973
- Pat
a Cake, Pat a Cake, October 1973
- The
Nut is Gone, September 1973
- Happiness
Defined, August 1973
- A
Sparrow Alone -- Club Work, June 1973
- A
Club Prayer (Collect), May 1973
- Play
notes: The Devils of Magdala, April 1973
- Love
and Lagniappe, March 1973
- I'd
Like to be a Peach Tree, February 1973
- The
Howler Monkey, January 1973
- Star
Teacakes for Orphans, December 1972
- Don't
Depend on Your Memory, Novmeber 1972