Whatever Became of Ociee Nash?

By Milam McGraw Propst

Milam truly enjoyed writing this novel. It was as if Ociee Nash Whitman, a beautiful Victorian lady, were sitting next to her as she describes crashing her prized Hupmobile. She whispers details of being one of the first women in Memphis to endure getting a permanent wave. The reader can almost feel Ociee's apprehension as she is hooked up to wires suspended from the high ceiling in her beauty salon. We get to know Ociee as a young girl in love with her Charlie, a devoted mother, a career woman, and, along the way, a fun-loving and creative grandmother. In Milam's first book, "A Flower Blooms on Charlotte Street," Ociee Nash touched readers with her optimism and strength. She provided a glimpse into the struggles and successes of a resilient nine-year-old girl, who had lost her mother in a measles epidemic in 1897. This new story allows Ociee to grow into a fashionable trendsetter in Memphis, Tennessee. Along the way, there are glimpses into actual historic events along with "fly-on-the-wall" interactions with the novel's real-life characters. Ociee Nash Whitman invites the reader to come along for her journey. The little farm girl turned student in a prestigious girls' school, turned Victorian wife and mother, turned career woman manages to triumph time after time. Ociee wants people to know how things turned out, or, as she would insist, "I'm doing perfectly fine."

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kirk House Publishers
• Release date: Apr 22, 2023
• ISBN: 9781952976902

Book preview

Whatever Became

of Ociee Nash?

Kirk House Publishers

Whatever Became

of Ociee Nash?

Milam McGraw Propst

Whatever Became of Ociee Nash? © Copyright 2022

by Milam McGraw Propst

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoeverwithout the author's written permission exceptin the case of brief quotations embodiedin critical articles and reviews.

The information in this book is distributed on an as is basis, withoutwarranty. Althougheveryprecautionhas beentaken in the preparation of this work, neither the author nor the publisher shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book.

Paperback: 978-1-952976-89-6

eBook: 978-1-952976-90-2

Hardcover: 978-1-952976-91-9

LCCN: 2022917391

Cover and interior design by Ann Aubitz

First Printing: October 2022

First Edition

Published by Kirk House Publishers

1250 E 115th Street

Burnsville, MN 55337

kirkhousepublishers.com

[e-mail]

612-781-2815

Introduction

D

uring the twenty-five years I’ve been promoting my books, I am occasionally asked about various characters. The one drawing the most queries is Ociee Nash. My five-book series about the Mississippi farm girl chronicles her life from childhood until she turns twelve.

Long ago, Ociee and I said goodbye. Believing I had honored her rather nicely, I moved on to other topics.

Out of the blue, the precocious child popped back into my mind. I don’t know if it was her idea or mine, but I found myself at my desk, posing the question, Whatever became of Ociee Nash?

So, dear reader, allow me to introduce you to Ociee Nash Whitman, a fashionable young Victorian lady from Memphis, Tennessee. This book is lovingly dedicated to her memory.

Ociee would love my friend, Carter Wilson. Wild about books, this middle schooler reads several every week, including the Ociee series many times over! Recently, she reviewed a rough draft of this new story. Carter’s mom, Melissa said her daughter absolutely loved it. This is high praise, indeed, coming from such a bright young lady.

Acknowledgements

T

hank you to Ansley Davis. She is the biggest Ociee Nash fan in Birmingham, perhaps, in Alabama. Ansley and her brother, Jacob, have watched The Adventures of Ociee Nash so often their parents have lost count. I am thrilled she shares Ociee Nash books with her fourth grade classmates. Ansley actually reminds me of Ociee!

Thank you to Ann Aubitz of Kirk House Publishers for her expertise, encouragement, flexibility and gorgeous cover design.

Thank you to Emily Lowery for doing a fine job proofreading.

Thank you to Jamey Propst, who, during my writing of this book, cooked yummy dinners and helped me edit.

Thank you to Kay and Tom Whitman. The son of Ann and Will Whitman, Tom and his wife are my favorite Memphis cousins. They have always welcomed me home. They’ve supported us whether it be at dinners and weddings, or during illnesses and funerals. Fun people, Kay and I toured Graceland with her mother. Kay and her daughter, Kathleen came to Atlanta for our Ociee movie premiere.

There’s nothing quite as pleasing as family becoming friends.

PART ONE

Chapter 1

A

steady rain was falling as Ociee drove down the deeply rutted Mississippi road to Abbeville. Slipping and sliding, she gripped tightly the steering wheel while her daughter, Mary Catherine laughed gleefully.

This is so much fun!

Ociee’s niece and namesake, Ociee Annette grabbed Mary Catherine’s hand and prayed, Father God, please don’t let us perish. We gotta get to Aunt Lizzie’s house alive.

Earlier that day, Ociee’s husband warned her not to travel to Abbeville in such inclement weather.

Charlie Whitman, you know full well I need to see my people. We ARE going to my family’s reunion, so you’d best not try to stop us. Besides, the rain is bound to let up sooner or later.

You’ve always been headstrong.

Isn’t that what drew you to me?

He kissed her forehead. My dear, it was more your beautiful eyes.

Hush your mouth, Charlie, Mary Catherine and Ociee Annette are watching us.

Charlie winked.

Come on, girls, hop into my Hupmobile. We’re off to Abbeville!

Charlie took a deep breath and waved goodbye. Thankfully, he had a busy couple of days ahead which was a good thing. He’d not have much time to worry about his wife and daughter and her young cousin.

As Ociee predicted, the rain eventually ceased so they were making better time.

Young ladies, we’ll be at Aunt Lizzie’s before you know it.

As those words left her lips, the Hupmobile started to skid. Ociee tried to control her automobile, but she was rapidly losing the battle. Even the ever-adventuresome Mary Catherine was growing fearful.

Lord, help us! cried Ociee Annette.

Hold on tight, girls!

Ociee’s new automobile careened off the road into a ditch where it came to a sudden stop.

The Hupmobile was knee deep in thick mud. Its anxious driver turned to her terrified passengers.

Are you hurt?

I’m not, Aunt Ociee. Me neither, Mother.

Thank goodness. Stay in your seats and don’t dare move a muscle.

Yes, ma’am.

Ociee turned her attention to her prized automobile and began to weep. My poor little Huppy, my poor little Huppy! What have I done to you?

Her husband’s warnings played over and over in Ociee’s mind. A birthday gift from Charlie, she’d had her automobile with its fashionable green wire wheels for only a few short weeks. She couldn’t wait to drive it to her aunt’s gathering. Not usually one to brag, Ociee was extremely excited to show off how prosperous the Whitmans had become.

Not bad for a little farm girl, she’d thought to herself a few hours prior as they passed the city limits of Memphis. Even better, Mary Catherine and Ociee Annette were both wearing party dresses she’d made for the occasion.

Now there they sat, stranded. Ociee was growing more anxious by the minute.

Help will come along soon, you’ll see, she assured her passengers and herself.

Country folks are very kind that way.

Taking advantage of having both the girls alone with her, Ociee decided to talk to them about something which had been festering for days.

Mary Catherine, please don’t call my namesake by that unseemly nickname.

’But, Mother, Oats sounds cuter than Ociee Annette. My cousin likes it, don’t you?

Guess so.

Oats is fed to livestock!

Livestock. Horses! Mother, could we buy a pony? Oh, please. I could ride her around Overton Park.

NO. And don’t you even think about asking your father for a pony.

Mary Catherine turned to Ociee Annette and giggled.

Ociee kept to the subject. Ociee Annette, I’m honored your parents named you after me.

I like being called Ociee Annette and Oats.

My dear niece, one of these days, you’re going to become a diplomat. That’s someone who knows how to settle differences between people.

"Aunt Ociee, I’m already a diplomat. What with being the baby in our family, Natalie and Harry are always pulling me from one side to the other. But I’m very