90-Year-Old Couple Enjoys Life By Jan Rider

Today is the 90th birthday of Mrs. Elinore Cowan Stone, Morehead City [North Carolina]. Mrs. Stone has been upset since she lost her wedding ring several months ago. She cannot figure out when, where or how she could have lost it. It is a ring she has worn since June 7, 1915. Today her husband, C.A. Stone, who was 90 years old last month, gave her a new ring. Of course it cannot replace the old one completely, but it is the thought that counts.

Mr. and Mrs. Stone have been married almost 58 years. They have been residents of Morehead City for 19 years. The Stones have a long and happy history. Mrs. Stone does point out, however, that they have not been totally happy. “Nobody can be totally happy. We have been mad as hell at one another at certain times.”

The Stones have enjoyed life. They have traveled and they have both been blessed with good health. Mr. and Mrs. Stone met at the University of California, Sacramento, when they were doing graduate work. “I really can’t remember exactly where we met,” Mrs. Stone said. “It was in an English class. The professor was a real wit,” interjected Mr. Stone. “Don’t you remember? His name was Smith, I think.” “I don’t remember him,” Mrs. Stone said, “But I remember you, so what is fame?”

The Stones came to Morehead City from Pittsburgh, Pa. They had lived there longer than anywhere else, 30 years. They came to Morehead City because of the Chamber of Commerce. When Mr. Stone was planning his retirement, Mrs. Stone wrote to the Chambers of Commerce in numerous towns asking for information concerning the cost of living and facilities in the town. “Morehead City was one of the few towns that sent us any information,” said Mr. Stone, “We liked it the best and moved here in 1954.”

Prior to their marriage, Mrs. Stone taught school in Honolulu. There she developed her interests in drama. She coached several plays during her stay, one of which was “As You Like It.” After their marriage, the Stones lived in California for awhile. They enjoyed the mountains and spent many days camping and scouting the wilds of California.

Later the Stones moved to the Midwest. While there Mrs. Stone continued her teaching. She first taught in a small one-room school on an Indian reservation in New Mexico. Her experiences there are recorded in her first novel, “The Laughingest Lady,” which was published in 1927. The book’s title, Mrs. Stone says, was the name many of her Indian pupils called her. “I don’t think they had ever met anyone like me before. I was always joking and enjoying myself.”

In a faded picture album, Mrs. Stone pointed out pictures of herself and several of her students standing in front of their mud dwellings. Later in the Midwest, Mrs. Stone taught in a one-room school on a large ranch. In 1934 the Stones moved to Pittsburgh when Mr. Stone, an employee of the Navy’s Quality Control department, was transferred. In Pittsburgh Mrs. Stone wrote a column for a local newspaper and continued her writing. While in Pittsburgh, Mrs. Stone published her second book. The book, entitled, “Binks, His Dog and His Heart,” was a children’s story. It was published in 1937. In that same year she also published a mystery novel entitled “Fear Rides the Fog.”

Also published during this same time period were numerous short stories, two of which are included in the “O. Henry Memorial Award” volumes. As Mrs. Stone became more involved in her teaching and her column, written for a Pittsburgh newspaper, her books and short stories became fewer.

Mr. and Mrs. Stone agree that life in Morehead City has been good for them. They have grown to love the area, the people and especially the sea and the salt breezes. Occasionally they will drive over to the beach and walk along the oceanfront. Since Mrs. Stone fell and broke her hip about 10 years ago, their walks have been limited to the board walk area. She is unable to walk safely on the loose sand. On most evenings the Stones can been seen walking around the Camp Glenn school grounds. They enjoy the exercise and fresh evening air.

What do two people 90 years old do all day? “Well, to be honest, we sleep much of the time,” said Mr. Stone. “He watches that thing,” said Mrs. Stone, pointing to the television set. “I can’t stand the cackling voices.” “She doesn’t hear too well any more,” said Mr. Stone. “I hear too well,” said Mrs. Stone.

It is obvious to anyone visiting their home that the Stones do more than sleep or watch television. Two walls in the living room are lined with books. On the shelves are the complete works of Dickens, Kipling, Shakespeare, and Buck. On the side table on top of a recent news magazine is a large magnifying glass used for reading. Numerous volumes of Reader’s Digest Condensed books are noticed and to complete the room are several reading lamps. This world, sometimes referred to as “cold and cruel,” has been warm and gentle for Mr. and Mrs. Stone, probably because they are warm and gentle people.

Clarence A. Stone. A memorial service for Clarence Stone, 91, Morehead City, was conducted at 4 p.m., Wednesday in St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. He died Tuesday in Carteret General Hospital. The Rev. King Cole, rector, officiated. Mr. Stone has no immediate survivors.

    “I have a copy of that — it’s an seven and a half page story with a full-page Finlay illo. The ToC blurb is mysterious and seems too complex to be covered in 7.5 pages: “Could Salisbury’s medico-science-filled world find a way to bring him back from the embrace of a civilized savagery?” It has to do — from a quick scan — with a not altogether successful attempt to remove a whole-body tattoo.

    “There is indeed prior copyright information. On both the ToC (under the blurb) and on the bottom of the title page of the story itself (p.92) there is the line —
“Copyright 1926 by Popular Publications, Inc.” The editorial, which runs about a page, discusses George Allan England and Jack Williamson (who have the novel and novelette in the issue) and the contents for the next issue — which never appeared, as this is the last of the five existing issues. No mention of Elinore Cowan Stone there. The Miller/Contento CD-Rom I have knows no more, listing the A. MERRITT printing and the earlier one but with no magazine title given. The attribution to “Popular Publications” is probably incorrect — according to PulpWiki anyway, Steeger founded Popular Publications in 1930.”

    No particular reason the story had to be in an SF pulp, it isn’t that skiffy and the borders were a lot fuzzier then anyway. The only skiffy element is that a way to remove a tattoo had been discovered. I think they use lasers now, but removing a full-body tattoo would still be arduous and expensive. The system failed in that when the fellow blushed, the “devil-fish” (a squid or octopus) reappeared in red on his forehead.”