Since Mother is now gone, I can't ask any questions.  What I can tell you is very little.  They had a pharmacy there in Gibsland with a soda fountain.  Mother always ordered a cherry coke.  It was not bottled coke but from the soda fountain with cherries and cherry juice.  One afternoon she was in the soda fountain and a couple walked in.  She remembered this because the woman was very small and wore red shoes.  No one wore red shoes back then unless - well just say your morals were questionable.  What Mother didn't know at the time but learned later on was that the Texas Rangers were sitting in another building across the street watching everything that was going on.  They left a few minutes later without incident.  At the time Mother said that she didn't know who they were.  After they were shot, the sheriff tied a rope to the fender of Clyde's car  to his car and dragged the car back through Gibsland on the way to Arcadia.  News had spread fast and the sheriff stopped in front of the school.  Mother was trying to teach at the time but said it was impossible that day.  All of the kids ran out to see the car and its occupants.  After letting the kids see the car, the sheriff continued on to Arcadia to the undertaker. 

 

Johnson Merritt was my second cousin.  His mother and father were my great aunt and uncle.  I don't remember him having the cafe but I asked the current owners and she said yes but couldn't remember for how long or when.  There have been several owners  But I do remember this cafe.  It had a long counter with stools on one side, booths on the other and tables down the center.  There were also stuffed animals up high.  One was a deer (doe) with its head turned looking at the crowd.  Seems that there was a wildcat I think.  Above the door going into the kitchen was a clock with alight in it.  Anyway, as kids we visited my grandparents all the time.  My little sister and I thought it was neat fun to go with Granddaddy to drink coffee in the afternoon.  Seems that about 3:30 to 4:00 in the afternoon all the men would go to the cafe to drink coffee.  After coffee we would go back to the place of business which was sort of a 7-11 type place (gas and food items) and about 5:00 to 5:30 Granddaddy would close the station as we called it and go get my grandmother to ride to the farm to "count the cows".  Granddaddy and Grandmother had a farm past Mt. Lebanon and Granddaddy ran a few cows for many years.  He would drive down to count the cows to see if any had gotten out or stolen.

 

For next year's Ghost Walk it would be fun to see the Bonnie and Clyde Museum and then go to the Gibsland Grill for a party.  Marsha has a wonderful place for parties next to the cafe and has many parties throughout the year.  When you start planning I can put you in touch with her.  Let me tell you, the food is outstanding.  Go with the etoufee over catfish!  To die for.  I can put you in touch with her.  Great place for parties and eats.

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