The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1882-04-07

[From the Atlanta constitutional
Nipped in the bud. 1t looks like there
is no security from anything. Ours was
no secondhand orchard; we planted it
and the blooms for three years have
looked so sweet and promising, and now
this is the third year the fruit has been
killed. Isuppose we could have built
little fires all about, but who knows
when to build 'em 1t is poor comfort
to build 'em when there is no danger.
Reckon we will Just have to keep the
orchard for the flowers, like we do
crab-apple tree, for they are mighty
pretty. One Of my neighbors lives un-
der the western slope of a mountain and
his fruit is never killed. He had plenty
last year, but the sun don't rise at his
house till it's about two hours high, and
that wouldn't suit my folks at all. Well,
it might suit the folks but it wouldn't
suit my business. 1t would be dinner
time before breakfast. The peach crop
is very uncertain among these Cherokee
hills but most everybody can have few
trees around the house where they are
protected. We can't expect to have all
The good things in our place. My Irish
potatoes were killed down the other
morning, and that hurt my feelings, for
was little proud that was ahead of
my nabors. But they will come out
again, and so there is some comfort left
and good deal Of hope. Hope says
the peaches are not all killed, for a man
can't examine all the blooms, and may
be there will be enough for the children.
That is the main thing after all enough
for the children is what the world is
working for; enough money, or land or
food and clotking; enough pleasure and
happiness. How we do love 'em and
worry over 'em by night and by day.
If we had no children [ think | would
Just quit work and toll right suddenly
and-go a fishing. But there is not
much time TO frolic on farm at this
season of the year, for my almanac says,
"About this time plant corn and we
are doing it all around these parts.
can sit on my piazzer and look into five
farms and see the darkies and the mules
and hear 'em, too, and its gee and haw,
and git along Pete, and whar you gwine,
Nell, come round dar, | tell you; and
there's no end to this kind Of Affection
ate, one-sided discourse until the horn
blows for dinner, and then the most
knowing mules give bray all round.
Its astonishing how much they do know
and can be made to understand. had
big mule who would never give but
one pull at root unless the darkey who
plowed him hollered out Rotten root,
| / tell you!' and then he would break
that root or something else, for he had
confidence in the niger. 1t always did
seem like there was a kind Of confden-
tial relation between niggers and mules
sort of treaty of peace and equality,
for there is no other animal can stand
the darkey, and there's no other human
can get along in peace with mule.
| When they are alone together in a big
field with long rows, the darkey talks to
him all along the line, and the mule
| listens in respectful silence, but if two
darkies are plowing together they talk
to one another, and the mules are
snubbed There is power of corn be-
ling planted this spring and not mach
more than half crop of cotton SO far
as my observation goes. | hope we can
make enough food for the country, for
we can do with less clothing better than
be stinted in vittels. There is power
of folks dependent upon the farmers and
a great responsibility upon us. Politics
raises mighty rumpus and takes up a
sight of room in the newspapers, but
when you compare it with farming, il all
seems sorter like amonkey show that is
J going on for amusement, and'the farmers
feel ike doing like Stewards Texan Ram
/ ger, who went to see an amateur musical
performance in Rome one night during
the war. He was rough specimen,
six feet and two inches, and hat like
, an umbrella and boots like stove pipes
I and spurs that jingled like trace chains
S couple Of navy pistols to set off his
/, fbeard, and he paid bis half dollar and
/ tooka stand behind an empty bench in ths
rear, and looked on with lofty con-
tempt, and whenever the performer
closed piece and the cheering begar
the ranger ratified the bench most alarm
$ Ingly and exclaimed, s'souy, souy, souy.
like he was driving hogs, and ne kept j
Iup until he mon0polized the show anS
0 had it all TO himself These premature
4 candidates for governor, and 80 forth
j olaeminded me Of Judge Lochrsne's stor.
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