Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1842-06-01
NO. ls.

cabin, and at dinner we had tete q tSfe,
which TO me was full Of melancholy pre-
mouirions. Ny overseer's fayoriIc theme
was the hot sun, the shady grove and cold
water. | was fas; becoming convinced
that we should fail in our crop, aud though
determined TO the best Of my ability, ser
to work 10 console myself under The i'm
pending calamity. The grass was fast
taking possession Of the fair plantation oil
Crooked Run, and what was to be done
to stay It's onward march, ParadoZical
as it may seem, the Corn and Cotton were
actually growing smaller. l called the
attention. of my overseer to the fact. and
said to him, that the grass must be exter-
minated, or the battle was lost. He re-
Piled that after much thought on the SUBJ
ecr. h. vas inclined 10 tho opinion thar
The Crooked Run grass had an unusual
amount Of vitality. and we could have the
best grass plantation in the State of South
Carolina. IL was indeed question,
whether We should cultivate The giass, or
The corn aud colton, bu, my pride revo!'ed
at the idea Of abandoning my crop. and l
resolved on pcrscvering To the last. Bat
success was not possible. The thirst OF
my ovcrseer was hourly increasing, and tho
coa,asion had spread 10 my hands. The
horses TOO took an enormous amount ofthe
precious libation. and verify was there
not some ground for the apprehension,
that the very fountains Of my beautiful
s'rcalnlct would be dried upl Mr.. Edi-
tor, am I temperance man, but do ex-
cusc me for expressing the opinion, that
there is such thing as taking TOO much
cold water. The richest gifts Of Provi-
dencc may be abused, aud il was so in this
instance. got on as well as ] could du-
ring The working season, with liu!e or no
assistance from my overseer. He had long
since left off working, aud but seldom per-
mitted the sun TO shine on him. His vis-
irs to the fields. like The visits ofthc tabled
Pulus to morta!s, were marked by weak
ness and imping when be wen, 10 them.
While he was swift. footed and winged wheu
he left them. The time for hurvest is now
III hand, and what nm | 10 reap! Oh.
the die is cast, and desola,ion is now ,o
sweep over Crooked Run, as with the fury
Of the whirl-wind. Where are the leem-
iuy fields which my imagination once
pictured! The dream Of plenty has van
ished. and the ghostIy spectre Of want and
sraudS ueIu7e ME.
We made, Sir, 80 bushels OF Corn, three
bags OF Cotton, Oals TO last for one weeL.
less than dozen chickens, and 1 had TO
pay for hire OF bands Sl65-My loss was
not less than so per ecu, on my investment;
u loss which my poverty made most one
rous. determined OIL abandoning the
place, and by The first of September, Crook
cd Run was left dcsolatc. But a settle
nent had ,otbc nlaIo with my ovcrseer.
One OF my ucighbors, certain J. +. u
clared that he was cnitlcI TO nothing tor
that he worked for q fourth, and as the re-
suit proved, that he did not make four,t,
of course he got nolhing. However spe-
cious the reasoning, lsave him enough 10
last him on his weary pilgrimage until tho
Isl Of January, aud We parted in peace
Aud tcrc in the conclusion Of this sketch
lei me say, that he was a good-nalured
honest man, whose drink was only from
the liquid brook" aud who would not in
Ia
",'Doo.1 lU"'S !. a. A. one a,e !" maze ,s defence
..' @' -''''''' - ''' ;" '''' 'O'
Though uot consulting his talen, in the
vocation which he selected, he was by no
means bad member of society, and Il hc
ye, remains III this world oitrouble, wish
him from The bottom ofrny heart. better sue
cess Than wc hud al Crooked Run.
Aud NOW, Mr.. Editor. you and the rca-
der mny ask "hy tins long narrative about
noltIn, VII! attempt to answer the
question, anh 'hcn am done. You may
learn innrn II the folly Oi embdrkins n any
business without some previous practical
knowledse-you see lou, that IN The scicc-
lion of your overseer. il is daneerou, 10 -,
enc who is very fond of cool wuter aad ,,,s
shady grove. Physiciaas tell rs tha, TO
report of unsuccessful cases is produc,ivo
of,he greatest good To their science, and
surely there is no reason why this principle
should not obtain in Agriculture. know
the pride OF The human heari, and thou
sands arc prevented thereby from dischar-
giuS this sacred duty TO the public. |