Session: 123456789101112131415161718192021         Page 922923924925926927928929930931932933934935936937938939940941942943944945946947948949950951952953954955956957958959960961962963964965966967968969970971972973 of 1029

She said, “I never met William Faulkner. I stood around often in the square and watched him walk by, and I even went out to his house once to watch him come out and he said ‘Howdy‘to me but I never met him.” I said, “Have you ever read anything by William Faulkner?" She said, “Yes. I read one book.” I said, “Which?" She said, “I read The Sound and the Fury.” I said, “That's one of his hardest books to read. Did you enjoy it?" She said, “I hated it.” I said, “Why did you read it?" She said, “Because I knew that you were going to be one of the judges.” As far as I was concerned this was going to be Miss America, which, indeed, she became. Her name was Mary Anne Mobley.

Did all of the other judges have a favorite?

I told them this story, which enchanted all of them. There were other reasons for her victory, too. She's very pretty, and she's quite talented. She's been in television ever since. She never quite made the top, but she does well for herself. You see her name in pictures and television now and then. We became quite friendly with her. We've had her to the house several times.

Another funny thing happened at that pageant. The two runners-up were Miss California and Miss Iowa. Miss California was in the lead all of the way. She was a beautiful girl until she opened her mouth. When she had to make a little speech, it became abundantly clear that she