TOM C. CABE
Tom C. Cabe, born to John and Irilza Jane Cabe in Ione, Arkansas (Logan County) 87 years ago on Nov. 28, 1893. He has lived in Scott County 57 years - 12 years in Winfield, Haw Creek and Pleasant Hill communities The last 45 years he has lived in Waldron - Sweet Gum Lane area. Tom and his wife Lenis had 5 children - Hazel Frost of Waldron, Tom C. Cabe, Jr. of Poteau, Oklahoma, Earoll Ray Cabe of Waldron, Bobby Harold Cabe of Waldron and Billy Joe Cabe also of Waldron. Mr. Cabe is a retired farmer and attends Temple Baptist Church. Mr. Cabe's recollections of the past are based on an article that was printed in the Southwest Times Record on November 3, 1968, about his sorghum milling at Waldron Mill. Mr. Cabe began milling cane sorghum when he was a small boy, helping his Pa. He can remember when there were lots of sorghum mills in Scott County, but at that time, his was the only one left. His mill was located just West of Waldron and they sold the sorghum for $5.00 a gallon, that compares to $1.00 they used to get some 43 years ago. "Cane growing is dwindling away in the Ouachita Region," says Mr. Cabe. "We used to grow up to a couple of acres ourselves." Sorghum Molasses, as they called the syrup made in the old time fashion, was always known by pioneer settlers as "larrupin' good!" Tom Cabe owned a mule called "Old Blue." "Old Blue" walked around and around, hitched to a long pole which was the leverage that turned the cylinders as the cane stalks were fed into the mill. An iron pipe carried the juice from the mill to the cooking pan. After it was cooked, it was "skimmed" - the surface foam as it were - ladled away and the good syrup left as it went steadily through the metal compartments over the cooking fire. Since Mr. Cabe has retired, it is doubtful there is anyone left who makes the syrup in the old fashioned way.
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Copyright 2009 by Delaine Edwards.
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