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Advertising Rates on Request. . . DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OP BOONE, AND WATAUGA COUNTY. , $1.00 Per Year
VOL. XXXII. BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, N.C. THURSDAY FEBRUARY 3, 1921. NO 15.
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REMINISCENCES.
Personal Recolectlons of i Trip to Texas
In Pioneer Dijs, and Some Inci
dents In Cow Boy Life In
v the West.
(By L. fJ. PerkiDS.)'
When the Civil War ended in
April, 1865, 1 was then 20 years
of age and at my father's bome
in Grayson county, Va.., having
been in the Confederate States
service about two and a half
year, and with me, as with most
all returned soldiers, there was
nothing else to do but go to work
and try to make something to
eat and wear. ' '
The war nad been in duration
a little over four years; most all
the able bodied men away from
home, and those who remained
at home, were tithed by the U. S.
A. Government, one tenth of all
they raised for the support of the
government. Yet the people had
enough to live on and clothes to
wear, and so far as I know, there
was no case of actual suffering
anywhere, but there was no mon
ey except what silver and gold
had been hidden away, that was
worth anything. There was plen
ty of Confederate money and a
considerable amount of State
Bank money, but was worth noth
ing more than that amount of
brown .paper, 'and there was
nothing to bring money into the
country no surpluastock, grain
or any thing of the kind, and ah
the farmers could do was to
work to raise something to live
on and to wear. The people then
made their own clothing from
wool, flax and cotton yarn.
I had served during the war
with a Texas Company. All but
about a dozen of the boys when
at home, were residents of Tar
rant and Dallas counties. Texas,
and several of them about my
own age, and, like most of boys
when away from home, they
seemed to think there was no
place like home, and were con
tinually singing the Praises of
Taxas. In fast that was the most
I heard for two years, so I deter
mined that sooner or later I'd
see Texas for myself, but how to
get there was the problem. It
was a long distance to walk, and
I had no money to travel on, and
no way of getting any for some
time. A man by the name of
Gallatan Redford, who had enlis
tad in Gano's squadron from
Piano, Collins county, Texas, was
in prison with me, and paroled a
ihort time after I was, came to
my father's home about the time
of General Lee's surrender and
decided to stop in the com muni
tv for a while, at least, He secur
ed him a place to work near
where I lived, and we agreed
that we would make a trip to
Texas as soon as it was profitable
to do so. In the fi rst place, we
needed a little money to trave
on, and it seemed best to wait
until order could be restored in
the country, as everything was in
a chaotic condition during the re
construction period. So we work
ed on, but kept, planning to make
a start, possibly in the fall or ear
ly winter. But when that time
arrived we could not yet see our
way clear to start, so we post
poned our intended trip unti
spring. My friend Redford was
raised in Todd county, Ky., 'and
he had a brother and many other
relatives living there, so we deci
ded we would try and get to his
relatives first, and then make our
way farther on as circumstances
might dictate. My own family
and all my very near relatives
were opposed to my going. My
fat ler wanted me to go to school,
so I had to depend on my own re
sources for assistance.
On the 6th day of June, 1866,.
we made the start. Our route
was selected by the way of Seven
Mile Ford, Va., where we took
the train thence to Bristol,
ECnoxville, Chattanooga,' Nash-
ille, to Bowling Green, Ky.,
where we took a road to Trenton,
Ky., a station a few miles from
the community where my friends
relatives lived. When we star
ted on the trip I had $7.50 that I
had managed to save up, and my
friend had about the same a
mount, or, perhaps a few dollars
more. This was a small amount
of money to make a long trip on,
but Greenbacks were hard to get
in those days and we had to make
out with as little as possible.
The distance from Mouth of
Wilson, Va. to Seven Mile Ford
was 30 miles, and as we expected
to take the train that night, we
hired some one to take us about
half way. and we walked tne bal
ance and got to the depot in due
time and took the train to Bris
tol, Tenn. That was before the
days of through tickets, so when
we changed roads we had to buy
another ticket. We rode on with
out incident until we reached
Chattanooga, when we found
that our stock of ready cash was
almost exhausted. We had just
money enough to buy tickets to
War Trace, Tenn., a station a
short distance from Murfrus-
boro. We did not try to beat our
way on tne train, so wnen our
tickets gave out we shouldered
our grips and started out in the
country in quest of work, so we
could get more money to travel
on. we only went a mile or two
until we met an old farmer whi
wanted some help toplow out hi
corn, so went to work at 59 cent
per day and board. The family
where we stopped seemed to be
splendid people, and treated us
well, We only worked a few days,
as Redford had written to his
brother that he was on his way
to his home, was out of money
and had to stop. So he sent him
some money and that, in addition
to what he worked out. was en
ough to take us on to Trenton,
Ky., where my friend was at
home. When we reached Tren
ton and finding no one to meet
us, we started to walk to Mr,
Redford's home some five or six
miles away but we had not gone
far until we met Mr. Redford in
a buggy coming to see about us,
so he took us in and treated us
royally. My friend had left Ken
tucky some years before and vol
unteered from Texas, but his
relatives all seemed glad to wel
come him back, and though he
was at home, I was not, but was
a long way from home and ex
pecting to go further, so I irame
diately began to look arou nd or
a job of work. I did not have to
go far, however, but hired to
work on a farm belonging to
vViiliam Hatcher, an uncle by
carriage of Mr. Redford, and
.vas to get $20 per month. Mr
Hatcher ana nis family were
splendid people and were South
dm in sentiment. Mrs. Hateher
was a native of Virginia and they
were as kind to me as if I had
been a near relative.
Todd county, Ky., is a rich
farming country and I suppose
the most extensive tobacco pro
ducing country in the United
states, in one locality 1 saw
303 acres in a body in tobacco
So my principal work was' plow
ing in tobacco and corn. My in
tention then was not to remain
longer than necessary where
was, but, as soon as I could get a
little money to go on to Missou
ri, where i had friends living
and then go on to Texas.
(Continued next week.)
Mysterious Light Appears Over Virginia
Mountain.
Lenoir News-Topic.
The people of the Mole Hill
section, near Harrisburg, Va.,
claim, that a mysterious light is
appearing over a certain locality
there, and believe the cause to be
a deposit of radium probably be
neath the hill. A clipping sent us
roin Washington by Mi. W. W.
Scott, gives the followins ac
count of the Mole Hill light. Mr.
Scott says in sending this to the
News-Topic that it 'might be well
or some one to gobble up Brown
mountain:
"Mole Hill, near this city, may
contain incalculable wealth in ra
dium deposits.
"Buried in the basaltic rock
some of the richest radium de
posits in the world may lie con
cealed, accordingto stories which
circulated about the town with
the news that the summit had
been purchased.
"At times, during damp, dark
nights, sudden fishes, like auro
ral lights, have been seen to
shoot upward from the sides and
crest of the hill.
"After remaining for some
time like a shimmering halo a
bout the summit they disapear,
only to give place to others that
bllow during the course of the
night.
The geologic composition of
the mass forming the hill, which
is a basaltic rock, is altogether
oreign to anything else found in
this section of the United States.
Specimens of boulders fpund
nave blotches ol jet oiacK crys
tals, with edges as sharp and
keen cutting as glass.
"Those are said to be compos
ed of liorneblende, from which
radium is derived.
"The ridge rises 1,900 -feet a-
bove sea level. It is the highest
levation lor miles around and
uas long been popular with pic
nic parties. It controls a wonder
ful panoramic view of the sur
rounding country."
A CHEESE-MAKER'S SHORT COURSE FOR
WATAUGA' COUNTY.
The North Carolina Experi
ment Station, co operating with
the U. S. Dairy Division will con
duct a Cheesemaker s School at
the Walnut Grove School House
at Sugar Grove, Watauga County,
beginning Feb'. 14th and continu
ing for four weeks.
This course is open to either
men or women who wish to learn
this profession. The Dairy Field
Office at West Raleigh will fur
nish free, all text books and oth
er necessary equipment, Tne
course is entirely free. Board
and lodging can be obtained near
the School at a very reasonable
price.
This course will consist of
Practical Cheese making, Dairy
Chemistry, Cheese Factory Man
agement, Bookkeeping, Milk
Production, and two days a week
will be used in practical cheese -making
at the Cove Creek cheese
factory. The instructors i n
charge vfl be D. R. Noland of
Cornell University, N. Y., J. C.
Conoverof the Kansas Agricul
tu ral College, and othe rs.
As there is a demand for train
ed cheesemakers both in the
South and North, this will be a
tine opportunity to, learn this
profession. Any one who is in
terested in taking this course
should make application to b R.
Farnham, Boone, N. C.
The nitio ial House of Repre
sentatives has decided that 4"5
members are enough. This is the
next best decision to deciding
that 435 are too many. News
and Observer.
RETIRING JUD6ES TO RETIRE ON PART
PAY. .
If the proposal before the Leg
islature for the retirement, of
judges on part pay following ;.
certain period of service wiii
mean that judges will stick to
their places longer it will cer
tainly serve a very useful pur
pose. A judge is just like a man
in any other calling. He does not
do his best work at first. He
has te learn the task before he
performs it perlectly. Of course
he learns his work in part thru
his experience as a lawyer. Bui.
a judge's duties are broader and
bigger than those of a lawyer,
and the best of lawyers is not at
his best as a judge until he has
been on the bench long enough
to meet and familiarize himself
with the emergencies that judges
have to meet. There are some
situations that cannot be foreseen
and prepared for, and can be
coped with successfully only
through the school of experience.
It is perfectly certain that the
administration of justice has suf
fered to a considerable extent in
this State because so many jud
ges after a brief tenure have felt
called upon to retire to private
practice. If the position can be
made so attractive that it will
continue to command the services
of good lawyers and hold them
in continuous service the cause
of justice will surely be materi
ally advanced. News and Obser
ver.
THE CHEESE OUTLOOK FOR 1921.
Perhaps to those who have not
kept informed, regarding the
prevailing prices now on cheese
it will bo gratifying to learn that
the past weeks quotations as quo
ted by the Plymouth, Wis. Cheese
Board, was 24!4 cents per pound.
This is the wholesale price that
governs the pric6 received by
the Watauga Co. factories. When
this price is compared with pre
vailing prices for other farm
products, especially farm butter,
w.ii'cii is q-ioled around 15c per
pound, it shows that cheese is
bringing a very gxd price.
Tt occurs to the writer that un
til the next seasons crops are
grown and harvested, there Is
nothing much except milk that
can lie sold to provide a cash in
come. We all know that there is al
ways a ready market for all the
good cheese that can be made.
In view of the above facts, maytI
not suggest that it would be a
good policy for every farmer
who is in reach of a local cheese
factory to prepare now to pro
duce and sell every pound of
milk that can be conveaienlly
produced during the coming
grass season.
F. R. FARNHAM.
Presumably the propose meas
ure to regulate coal will be ready
by next June, when coal isn't
half as important to most of us
as ice. News and Courier.
UNJUST CRITICISM.
So often a newspaper is critit
cised for not carrying this orthat
item of news, or making mention
of the visitors in some home or
of some happening of news vtlue
when the paper had no intimat
ion of the event. So often we
find that somebody has taken it
for granted that someone else
has reported the item that should
have appeared. Just a short time
ago a good woman who had recent
ly moved away died in her new
home. Several of her friends at
tended the funeral and evidently
those who knew of the death sim
ply thought thcnewspaperwould
find out about it. The paper
came out without it and after
wards several asked, '"Why did
n't you say something about Mrs
A's death?" We couldn't know
about it by intuition or by some
strange secret power.
This is told by way of example
and to emphasize our desire to
get all the news.of the commun
ity. You can help if you will.
Won't you. Morganton News
Herald.
Bed Spreads Wanted.
The Hanwork Shop, Poughkt e
psie, New York, wants nicelj
made bed spreads in the follow
designs: Bowl of Roses, Swiut,
ing Basket, Mountain Lily, Bam
boo Briar, Wandering Vine,
Sweet Briar Rose, Snowball,
Bird and Tree, HickorKlueaf;
Wild Cucumber, and Bowknot
and Thistle. Payment made in
very short time. Dec. G. tf::.
run ;-.
ww nar
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