May 1

Saints for today include Joseph, the Worker; Brioc (or Brieuc, patron of purse makers); Marculf (or Marcoul, invoked against scrofula); Peregrine Laziosi (invoked against Cancer); Philip; James the Less; Bertha; Gumbert; Jeremias; Andeol; Sigismund; Theodulf (or Thiou or Theodard); and Amator (or Amatre).

Peregrine Laziosi's story is fairly common: he was a wealthy rowdy who did an about-face and later experienced a vision during which he was cured of cancer. Here's what I didn't know: peregrine means pilgrim. Peregrine falcons are called that because they were captured for training after they had left the nest and were on the move (pilgrimage). Other types of birds of prey used by falconers were taken from their nests as fledglings.

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Calamity Jane was born on this day in 1852, Mary Harris Jones (Mother Jones) in 1830, and Kate Smith in 1909.

Kate Smith was one of the country's three most popular women in 1942. I found a New York Times article written ten years after her death. After mentioning that Kate sang for the King and Queen of England, that Irving Berlin gave "God Bless America" to her to sing first, that President Reagan awarded her the Medal of Freedom, that she made more war-related appearances than anyone except Bob Hope, and that, in 1933, she was the most listened to person on the airwaves, is this:

"Smith never married...there's a melancholy ache in the best of her singing, a bittersweet longing for romantic happiness that's forever beyond her reach."

The article, of course, was written by a man. I hope they didn't let him have a go at Mother Theresa's obituary.

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Spike Jones died on this day in 1965 (53).

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More on Hoosier:

"James Whitcomb Riley...claimed that Hoosier originated in the pugnacious habits of our early settlers. they were enthusiastic and vicious fighters who gouged, scratched, and bit off noses and ears. This was so common an occurrence that a settler coming into a tavern the morning after a fight and seeing an ear on the floor would touch it with his toe and casually ask, 'Whose ear?'"

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© Marilyn Jones 2000-2008