Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-02-21
A PROSPEROUS FARMER-A TRUE
STORY.
From the Rural Sun.

From the Rural Sun.
About the year 1903. Mr.. R., an EN-
igrat from North Carolina, crossed tn,
mountains and settled in Tennessee
some forty-fve or fifty miles below
, Nashville. He was poor man, witt
a large family, consisting of q wife anC
, eleven children. One of these, a small
, boy, is the hero of our story.
This little fellow, so soon as large
! enough, (as was usual in those early
, times), went to work to assist his father
on the farm in making a support fol
the family. Meat and bread, milk anC
butter, with few of the common veg.
etables, was their daily food, what
are called luxuries being then almost
unknown in the region of country
where they lived. The settlers would
spend the spring and summer months
mostly in raising these supplies, and
the rest Of the year in clearing up land
to be brought into cultivation. This
kept all busily employed. Sunday was
their only holiday. And as Sunday
schools had not then been heard of,
and the pioneer preacher seldom came
among them, boys generally spent that
day in fishing. hunting and rambling
among the surrounding hills and val
leys.
In this way the subject of our story
spent most of his time until about
twenty years of age. Then, that befel
him which sooner or later befalls every
manly and virtuous youth. He fell in
love with the pretty daughter of a
nelghboring settler, wooed, won, and
married her. Most of the youths and
maidens of our degenerate times
will, | fear, be shocked to hear that all
these young people had to begin the
world with was their love, their cloth
ing, and single horse. No silks and
satins, costly robes, or bridal tours, en-
tered their thoughts; but something
of much more importance-hOw to
make u comfortable and independent
support by industry, economy and pru-
dence. Accordingly, nothing daunted
by the prospect before them, they
calmly and hopefully surveyed the
field on which the battle of life was to
be fought. They had heard that
where there is a will there is a way"
and that patience and diligence like
faith will remove mountains" they be-
lieved also that mother earth, like all
other mothers, loved her children, and
if rightly invoked, would confer honors
and blessings upon them.
Accordingly, some year or so after
fharv. xh1 I.Ao1 -o-ko1
field on which to make a crop, broke
it up in good time, and prepared it for
planting. This done, he took his
basket of seed corn on his arm, his
hoe on his shoulder, and with his
young wife by his side, carrying her
baby in his arms they repaired to the
field. Here, after placing the little
fellow costly under shady tree, where
she could keep her eye upon him,
(felds were not large in those days.
she went to dropping corn, followed
by her husband, who, with his. hoe
drew the rich mould to cover it. On
going to see how her baby was getting
on, the mother always found the little
fellow enjoying himself finely, looking
up at the green leaves over his head,
or perhaps trying to get his foot and
mouth together
1t would be both interesting and in
structive to tell how, from beginning
like this, their circumstances gradually
improved; how it was soon perceived
that something was telling in their
favor; how he always had farm pro-
ducts of the best quality for sale; how
high his credit rose; when it was seen
he always had the money to pay down
for whatever he bought, and how he
was soon able to purchase land of his
own. But all this would make our
story longer than was intended.
Suffice it to say that the region of
country in which he lived being, on
account of both climate and soil, finely
adapted to the growth of tobacco,
Though not neglecting thereby any
other valable farm products,) he made
this his speciality, and every year fill
ed his barns with long, rich and leafy
article of the finest quality, which,
when placed on the market, brought |
the very highest prices. So great was
the interest he took in his tobacco
crop, that long after there was any ne
cessity for doing so, he might be seen
in his field at work among his hands.
And thus, by the judicious management
of his farm, with the cheerful cooper
alton of his excellent wife, from the
very smallest beginnings, has become
a prosperous, wealthy, and highly re-
spectacle farmer.
They raised six children, three sons
and three daughters, having had the
rare good fortune never to lose one.
They are all settled on farms so near
the patriarch, that he can go around
and see them all in one day, and re-
turn home at night, which he some
times does. They have all handsome,
well furnished country residences.
Children, grandchildren, and great
grandchildren, they are more than
forty in number. The old gentleman,
his wife, children, and all the grand
children old enough to understand their
are 0embers of the
Church. Fortunate Senex !" High
ly favored old mani may we'll be said
of him by ALL
He has been during his whole life
for public spirit, liberality
and private charity. He has given
freely to the school house, the Church,
the college, and to the support of the
Christian ministry. He has sometimes
been told by his friends that he gives
more than he can afford This he de-
MES, saying that "all is more than
made up to him, and that like the
bread cast upon the waters, he finds it
after many days 7 "
He, and the wife of his youth, hav-
ng thus spent virtuous and happy
ives, are now descending quietly and
the steps of old age. Can
)ne but hope that their setting sun may
20 down in bright and cloudless skyl
As the writer thinks, this story de-
Ierves more than a passing thought,
iince it is literally true. To the young
armer and his wife in humble circum-
stances it should inspire hope and con-
idence, since as wise men tell US, like
.auses will produce like effects. May
hey not then (by pursuing a like
course of industry, economy and pru-
lence, and especially by not 'despising
he day of small theory') hope to en-
oy similar degree of prosperity and
JAMES Ross.
ROssvIEw, TENN, Jan. 8, 1874.
SINCE the 1st of November last,
here has been shipped from this point
,l47 bushels of peanuts. From other
POINTS in the county. during the same {