'PEACH BASKET ROMANCE'

The year was 1905, and cotton was ‘King’ across the South. Although, in the little village of Cohutta, Georgia, located just below the Tennessee state line, peaches ran a close 2^nd, providing area farmers with another much needed source of income.

One such peach producer was William L. Waterhouse, whose two teenage daughters handled the sorting and packing of the peaches, from their family’s orchard, while he tended to his prosperous mercantile business.

The monotonous job of packing peaches was made even more so, by the summer heat and humidity, and it wasn’t long before 16-year-old Leila came up with a game to make her work a bit more tolerable.

On small pieces of paper, she began writing her name and address, along with the words ‘write me’. She then placed one of the notes into each of the baskets of peaches they packed. To both girls, this was exciting, for who knew where the peaches might end up. The game helped pass the time.

That evening, their father took the baskets of peaches to the railroad depot, where they were placed in refrigerated cars for transportation to nearby Chattanooga, Tennessee, and from there to different parts of the country.

Days later, in a grocery store, 350-miles away, in Anderson, Indiana, 19-year-old Ernest Abel, on an errand for his mother, happened to find one of Leila’s ‘write me’ notes in a basket of peaches. Undoubtedly, he’d never heard of Cohutta, Georgia, but his interest was piqued by Leila’s note, and he decided to respond. Imagine the Waterhouse girls’ surprise when their father arrived home one afternoon with mail for Leila, and from of all places…Indiana.

Leila & Ernest Abel on their Wedding Day

Regular correspondence between Leila and Earnest ensued, and their interest in one another grew. A year or so later, a most remarkable thing happened. Young Mr. Abel arrived in Cohutta to meet Miss Leila Waterhouse, and, despite her father’s misgivings, a romance developed between the two young people.

More such visits occurred, until it became evident that Earnest and Leila intended to marry. Leila’s father, a staunch Presbyterian, disapproved of his daughter marrying young Mr. Abel, who was of the Catholic faith. Even though Mr. Waterhouse refused to give his consent, the couple was not deterred, and their long-distance relationship continued.

Then, in August of 1907, Leila’s father suddenly and unexpectedly took sick and, within days, died. Respectful of her husband’s wishes, Leila’s stepmother still refused to consent to the marriage, but despite this, the young couple remained devoted to one another. Enough so, that two years later, Earnest traveled one last time to Cohutta. Only this time, it wasn’t to visit Leila, but to finally take her for his wife.

At high noon on Saturday, the 14^th day of August 1909, the priest at Fort Oglethorpe, in neighboring Catoosa County, Georgia, performed the marriage ceremony that united 21-year-old Leila and 23-year-old Ernest in holy matrimony.

Ernest & Leila Abel
on their 50th Wedding Anniversary

            Afterwards, they took the 3:50 train back to Cohutta, where a 6 o’clock dinner was graciously given in their honor by Leila’s step-mother Ida Waterhouse. It was noted in the North Georgia Citizen newspaper, that Mrs. Abel received many beautiful presents, consisting of cut glass, hand-painted china, and silver. The happy couple left Cohutta that evening on the 7:40 train bound for Indiana. At Anderson, Earnest’s own family welcomed Leila with open arms, immediately making her feel right at home.

The years of their life together passed steadily for Leila and Earnest, as they nurtured their growing family, through both good times and bad. Throughout all, though, one thing was constant; their deep affection and love for one another. That never changed.

On Friday the 14^th of August 1959, Leila and Ernest celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary with their children in Sylmar, California. 47–year-old Herman, their eldest son, and 34-year-old Fred, their youngest son, acted as the ‘alter boys’ for the Mass. It was a very special time for all.

           A year and a half later, in January of 1961, Leila Townes Waterhouse Abel passed away and was interred in the East Maplewood Cemetery, in Anderson, Indiana. In April of 1967, her beloved husband Ernest Paul was laid to rest at her side.