VOLUME
NUMBER
2
Is a Paper Devoted to the Upbuilding of the Sandhill Territory of North Carolina
Address all communications to
the: pilot printing company, VASS. N. C.
SANDHILL BOOK
BY CLYDE DAVIS
Collection of His Writings Makes
An Interesting
Volume
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1924
One of the latest attractive books
tb it has lately come into the Sand
hills is “A Kansan at Large/^ con
taining writings of the late Glyde
Davis, and published under the su
pervision of Bernice Carter Davis.
Clyde Davis was too well known
among the Sandhill people to need an
introduction or have anything said
about his ability as a story teller or
his literary merits, as he was rated
as a genius in that type of work,
which was proven by an election to
the editorial staff of the World^s
Work. Fate only gave him eleven
months with that publication when
his life was snuffed out by pneumonia
and the promising future that his
friends hoped for him was brought
to an abrupt end.
Clyde Davis came into the Sandhills
about eleven years ago, a recent grad
uate of Harvard University. He with
a class mate had been traveling thru
remote country sections of the South
with moving pictures, giving lectures
with educational films. Roger Derby
happened to be present at one of his
demonstrations and was so impressed
with his methods, he figured Davis
was the man to fill the place of sec
retary of the Sandhill Board of Trade,
which was then shaping into an or
ganization. Clyde Davis did good
work there. Later he became asso
ciated with the Moore County News,
and in his wanderings over the coun
ty, he came to know the people, and
as getting acquainted with Clyde Da
vis wasn’t much of an effort, his
friends pretty near numbered the en
tire population of the county. So it
is with considerable interest Moore
county receives the book of Davis’s,
as it holds much of local associations
and bits here and there which are
strictly Moore county it has an appeal
for the people.
The book begins with an autobiog
raphy, “A Kansan at Large, ” followed
by some of the classics translated in
tw^entieth century style. Then come
a number of Tarheel lyrics and prose
with every event a local one, and the
characters our friends and acquain
tances. Several patriotic numbers,
some college verses, essays and a
miscellaneous dozen complete the
volume. The work is a collection that
appeared in the Atlantic Monthly, the
Atlanta Constitution, the Kansas
City Star, Hotchkiss Record, harvard
Alumnae Bulletin, Progressive Farm
er, Charlotte Observer, Sandhill Citi
zen, Moore County News and other
^publications, and which now are of
fered in available form.
Davis in a sketch of his own his
tory says, “In retrospect, my life looks
just like Job’s, only it seems to have
struck me other end first. Job pros
pered, but was later beset and upset
by troubles. Up to the day I gradu
ated from Harvard, the devil tried to
thwart me at every turn and succeed
ed in making me something of a cy
nic; but since leaving college, life has
been a thrilling and hilarious progres
sion and I have become such an op
timist that I frequently have to sit up
nights to smile.” He was born on
a Kansas farm a few years prior to
the disaster that leveled the farmer
of that state and left the Davis fam
ily struggling in the battle of ex
istence. They had lost their home
through foreclosure of a mortgage and
moved into a two-room house with a
shed-kitchen. From there Clyde Davis
finally landed in Harvard after many
adverse circumstances and severe
jolts with fortune of which he tells in
in his story of those lean years.
From the Tarheel lyrics in an al
lusion to the Sandhills he says:
’Taint ’way up North
Where winters friz;
’Taint way down South
Where summers sizz.
’Taint ’way out West
Like Oregon;
’Taint inland ’way
To- and gone!
But just right here
Where ’to’t to be.
And here I’ll bloom
Perennially.
An ode was written to the first
Sandhill Fair the last verse ending up
with
Dinner with the red bugs.
Preacher asks the blessin’.
Open up the jamalade,
Kindly pass the dressin’
Guess we’d best be startin’ home.
Rather far to go.
Woodrow ain’t no Cadillac,
Guess we’ve seen the show.
Good! We’ve took a ribbon
Glad that we was there—
Nothing in a city
Like a Sandhill Fair.
These and a number like them writ
ing in his entertaining manner with
a general collection make up a mighty
readable book.
It will be on sale at Hayes book
store in Southern Pines.
FALL POLO TOURNAMENT
Opens Monday, December 1st, and
continues through the 10th. Seven
teams are entered and the best Fall
Tournament in the history of Pine-
hurst Polo is assured. Full details
early next week.
RUOHS PYRON, Secretary.
TYSON & JONES BUY
JENNINGS MOTOR CO.
A deal was closed in Carthage,
Monday, which broadens the concern
of Tyson and Jones. In addition to
branching out in automobile work
they have taken over the Jennings
Motor Company, and will represent
the Ford company in the Carthage
territory. As H. A. Page, Jr., who is
one of the leading factors in the Ty
son and Jones company is already a
big factor in the Ford business in this
section the Tyson and Jones company
with Mr. Page will about control Ford
business in a big area of Central
North Carolina. The combination at
Carthage will strengthen both the
Ford business there and the Tyson
and Jones factory, as each can work
to the benefit of the other and out of
the union it is expected a much broad
er influence in industry in Carthage
will follow.
CANERON CREATES
KELL^IORUL
Successful Educator Remember
ed by the People in Which
He Worked
Editor of The Pilot:
The Womens Club, of Cameron, has
established a John E. Kelly Memori
al Library in the new Cameron
Graded School. The purpose of this
library is two-fold. First, it is to be
a memorial to the life and ideals of
Moore County’s greatest educator;
and second, to help provide books for
the pupils of the school. A specially
designed book-plate has been made by
one of John ’E. Kelly’s pupils, Mrs.
Loula Mclver Muse. These plates will
be mailed to friends and admirers of
SEABOARD HAKES
BETTER SCHEDULES
Six Trains Daily Each Way Stop
in County This
Winter
wealthy pharmacist of Ellisville, Miss,
a student at Union Home School said
in a letter to a friend: “I learned
more about character building while a
student under l^of. John E. Kelly
than all the rest of my life put to
gether.” Prof. Kelly was a literary
man, and he impressed upon his stu
dents the importance of good litera
ture. He taught them to love the
classics and the poets.
Among the young girls who attend
ed Union Home, are, Mrs. Lizzie Ar
nold Bruton, Mrs. Maggie Arnold Gil
more, Mrs. Alice Thaggard McNeill,
Mrs. Julia Thaggard Bryant, the
Misses StClair, Mrs. Janie B. Fagan,
Miss Mary Johnson, Mrs. Jennie Mc
Neill Blue, Mrs. Maggie Mclver Har
rell, Mrs. Eugenia Mclver Hunter,
and many others.
What Charles B. Aycock was to
North Carolina, John E. Kelly was to
Moore County; and he gave his life
for the young men and women of his
time. —W. X.
PROF. JOHN E. KELLY,
Who was founder of the Union
Home School
SUBSCRIPTION $2.00
SANDHILL WOMAN
WRITES OF KOREA
Miss Flora McQueen, Missionary^
Tells of the Far
East
OUR PASTOR
In the fall John T. West said one
day that the Seaboard was arranging
winter passenger schedule better than
ever. The new arrangements have
gone into effect and six passenger
trains a day each way are available
at Southern Pines. This does not in
clude the Florida trains soon to go
on, which will not stop in the county.
The Seaboard is giving service to this
section. Every twenty-four hours not
less than thirty-two regular trains
pass through Vass. This does not in
clude extras and the second or more
sections that run with regular trains.
At Southern Pines this week a rail
road man made the statement that the
Seaboard is moving more trains now
than any other single track road in
the United States. Traffic so far this
fall is decidedly above that of a year
ago for the same time, and all signs
point to a still further increase.
The new schedule recently put on
gives through cars to all of the big
ger cities of the East. A traveler
may come to Southern Pines in the
same car that brings him out of Bos
ton, Montreal, Ottawa, Buffalo, De
troit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and can
make his return journey to those cit
ies without changing his car. This
winter the traffic of the Sandhills as
well as that of Florida and the South
west, by way of the Seaboard, will
be the most wide reaching ever knoym.
One reason for the expanding service,
is that the Seaboard is getting the
business which is natural. For the
Seaboard is not only the shortest line
between the northern points and Flori
da but it has a good road, good equip
ment and a lot of good railroad men
in its employ.
Prof. Kelly extending to them the pri
vilege of presenting to the library a
volume, or volumes, bearing the giv
er’s name.
John E. Kelly, of Union Home
School, did more in an educational way
for Moore county than any other man
in his day, before his day and since
his day. Born and reared on a farm,
he was familiar with the young men
of the county, in whom he saw sterl
ing qualities and the make-up that
makes the true man. It was the am
bition of his youth to establish a
school in the county, away from the
temptations of towns and cities, where
voung men bred on the farms and
plantations, could be educated, and re-
I ccive the moral training so essential
to men who may become promoters
and rulers in county, state and na
tion.
After graduating at Davidson Col
lege, he established a military school
for young men at Union Church in
Moore county, the church of his fath
ers and the church he loved. This
school soon became co-educational. At
this school, young men and women,
boys and girls, were given an oppor
tunity for an education, and the flock
ed to the standard of Union Home
School. He instilled into their minds
the qualities that made for true worth
and nobility of character, to be men
and women worth while, to do things,
to become famous in the honorable
profession that would bring name and
fame, to be courteous, above all else
to be Christian men and women. His
lectures to them were an inspiration.
He was a wise and good disciplinari
an, and he turned out the finest set
of men and women Moore county ev
er afforded. Moore county is proud of
them today.
Those he prepared for college, and
they were many, have gone out into
the world as teachers, preachers, doc
tors, journalists, business men, farm
ers, honorable and successful in what
ever calling they chose. Some among
those he prepared for college are:
the late lamented Charles D. Mclver,
J. Alton Mclver, Rev. Massilon Mc
lver, Kenneth and Findlayon Mclver,
Prof. B. C. Mclver, Rev. M. D. Mc
Neill, Rev. D. N. McLauchlin, the late
Rev. M. McG. Shields, Rev. Jesse Ro
wan, Rev. M. J. McLean, D. F. St
Clair, Dr. John McLean, Dr. Gilbert
McLeod, Dr. W. A. Monroe, and many
many others. E. J. Ward, a
The following interesting letter was
written by Miss Flora McQueen, mja-
sionary to Korea, to Miss Vera Cam
eron, and read by her at the last
meeting of the Young Ladies’ Auxili
ary of Cameron Presbyterian church:
Kwangju, Chosen, Asia,
October 4, 1924
Dear Friends:—When one is on the
other side of the world from the good
old U. S. A., one’s mind and heart of
ten turns to the friends “back home,”
and as there are many people in Cam
eron to whom I should like to write
personal letters, except for the lack
of time, I am taking this way to get
a message to all.
I left North Carolina on the night
of August the 6th, and never did my
native state seem so dear. Between
Dunn and Washington I had the
Psalmist’s experience of “washing my
couch with my tears,” but after the
first wave of home sickness had pass
ed I began to enjoy my trip. We had
a day in Washington and one in Chi
cago, a day much enjoyed with Kate
McPherson Ferguson, and her de
lightful family.
Our next stop was at Banff in Al
berta, Canada, a beautiful place, and
from there we took an auto trip to
Lake Louise, a marvelously beautiful
trip combining lake and mountain
scenery. Banff is twenty-four hours
from Vancouver, and it was fire to
hear some one asking for “Miss Mc
Queen,” when we got off the train at
the latter place.
Dr. and Mrs. Reynolds, for thirty-
two years missionaries to Korea, took
charge of us, bag and baggage all
the way which made it awfully nica
for us.
We sailed from Vancouver on the
“Empress of Canada.” A beautiful
boat, and the largest afloat on the Pa
cific, I believe, but even at that ft is
small compared to the big Atlantic
liners. Until the last few years not
many people have traveled to the
East except missionaries and immi
grants, so there was no special need
for large boats—I guess. Personally,
I don’t see why any one would come
Question Discussed at Kiwanis | the Orient except on the “Kmg’s
Dinner Without ^ Brsir.ess,” as it seems to me nothing
Answer 1 could be more dreadful than to be in
I business among such uncongenial
Leonard Tufts was the autobiogra-j surroundings. However, “they say”
pher at the Kiwanis dinner at Aber- more business people are coming every
In a little church in the valley,
Beneath a stately oak;
There labors an able pastor,
A friend of the country folk.
He cares not to feed on royal crumbs.
Nor worship those of high estate;
To the poor and sinful he gladly comes
Their souls to elevate.
For over a decade he has guided
Those followers of the one divine;
Encouragement, council, and grace
ever giving;
His life like a star doth shine.
Our babes to God he dedicates.
Our youthful souls he trains for.God
Dear vows of man and wife he seals;
And gently leads us under death’s
rod.
When we are gathered as in a cloud.
Up to that home above;
May his shining crown illuminine the
way
Into his presence where all is love.
Precious pastor of Cypress church,
Who shares each woe and weal
Of every mortal whom he knows.
Blest kindred. Rev. M. D. McNeill.
—Mrs. J. L. JOHNSON.
Only twenty-seven days till Christ
mas. Better do your shopping now.
DID ROBERT PAGE
ROB JANES TUFTS?
deen, Wednesday, and he aroused con-
'^ic’erable speculation when he told
that soon after his father had bought
5,000 acres of Sandhill land at a dol
lar an acre an old settler said Bob
Page had cheated Mr. Tufts, for that
land was never worth over 80 cent an
acre. Page and Tufts did not venture
an opinion as to whether the price was
fair or not, but the audience laughed
at the suggestion.
In his biographical talk Mr. Tufts
said that he was born at Medford,
Mass., and incidentally that although
a church was next door to him when
he was born there 54 years ago, and
another on the other side, and the
house in which he was born ultimately
became a church, his chief claim to
acquaintance when he was in Rome
or some other foreign country was
that the folks in those far-away lands
located him by their recollection of
Medford rum, an article that Mr.
Tufts informed the Kiwanians in the
good old days saturated the Medford
air with its penetrating odor just as
tobacco smells to heaven these days
at Durham and Winston-Salem.
At the age of about eight years the
young man engaged himself to a
young woman, and for the next score
of years she was engaging and dis
engaging until One day the prevailing
engagement resulted in matrimony,
and he thinks getting that en^ge-
ment made permanent was the best
job he ever accomplished. No protests
were heard from the audience on this
score.
(Qpnliwiue^ on pag^e H
year. We had our first introduction
to Oriental life when we docked at
Yokahama for a day and took a ride
around the city. It is a heap of pit
iful ruins, and no permanent buildings
will be allowed for three years. Japan
has had one “shock” after another
all summer, so I was rather glad to
get “off of her,” as it gave me the
uncertain feeling of being blown up
any minute as long as I tarried on
Japan soil.
At Kobe we had a “meet” with the
custom' officers, but they were very
kind to us, and didn’t seem suspicious
of anything in my baggage except an
innocent pincushion. I fancy they
thought I was smuggling dark things
into their country, from the way they
punched and poked it. They didn't
cut it open, however. We spent the
night in Kobe and after supper went
shopping. Fascinating little shops!
They don’t have department stores;
one shop carries silks, another ging
hams, another umbrellas, and so on.
it would take a long time to shop if
one wanted a variety of things. The
rest of our trip was a day’s journey
through Japan, a night crossing the
straits, and another day’s journey
through Korea. My traveling com
panions, Dr. and Mrs. Reynolds and
Miss Bernhardt, from Concord, left
me about three hours beforo I reach
ed Kwangju, and I was the only “for-
eigneP' in a car full of Koreans and
Japanese. They certainly looked me
over carefully. Once the conductor
stopped and bent over the arm of my
(Continued on pasre 8)