SONNY AND SWEETEX

The year was 1933. The Proctor and Gamble Company introduced a new product that was sold to commercial bakeries. It was called Sweetex Pure Vegetable Shortening and was described as "The High-Ratio shortening for cakes of better taste, texture, and keeping quality, for superior icings".

In that same year, Sonny Boy was born. Somehow, somewhere Sonny and Sweetex came together just about the time of his first birthday. As he posed atop the Sweetex container on that occasion, who could have known or predicted that some years later he would be, among other things, a musician, singer, and songwriter. Among many songs composed by Sonny was the now famous take-off of the Smokey the Bear song. While the original words were, 

"Smokey the Bear, Smokey the Bear. 
Prowlin' and a growlin' and a sniffin' the air.
He can find a fire before it starts to flame.
That's why they call him Smokey,
That was how he got his name."

Sonny's version changed the bear to a rabbit known as "Dopey the Hare" and the song became;

"Dopey the Hare, Dopey the Hare.
Jumpin' and a skippin' right into the fire.
He can't smell a fire until he's burnt like toast.
That's why they call him Dopey, 
Now we have a rabbit roast."

One of the other things Sonny was known for was his somewhat unusual sense of humor.

MY AUNT RUTH

Approximately 1920, at the tender age of five or six years old she gave her heart and life to God after listening to a message preached by Colonel Samuel Logan Brengle at The Salvation Army, 403 Congress Avenue in Austin, TX. In 1933 she entered The Salvation Army Training College in Atlanta, GA. as a cadet in the Do and Dare Session . In 1983,  after forty-nine years of service, she wrote;

"...the little cadet, whose superior officers were told by three different doctors, at three different periods of my life, that she should resign, is still on active duty. They said I was not able to do Salvation Army work as it required more physical stamina than I had, but I am still on the field, working for the Lord. My strength is given by God, who does not make mistakes, and who defies doctors statements and gives strength to the weak to do His tasks, and makes them able to do the work God wants them to do. To God I give all the glory for without His help I could never have made it. He has done many miracles in my life and I know God lives and He hears and answers prayer and this is another chapter of His miracles and power." - - Ruth (Schneider) Breazeale in OUR DWELLING PLACE by Anice (Schneider) Williams

Above photo courtesy of The Salvation Army Historical Center, USA Southern Territory, Atlanta, GA.

http://salvationarmy.pastperfectonline.com/