The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1882-1884, 1883-06-28
SEEN AND HEARD BY THE EDITOR.

While we are enjoying our freedom
from the duties Of the sanctum, we
will try to give a few jottings and
notes of travel which we hope will
interest our readers. On 18th inst.
we boarded the train for Wake
Forest. After spending an hour or
two with Col. Davis, at Weldon, we
enjoyed the time to Wake Forest
with number of friends who were
commencement. We found
everybody's heart fluttering with the
usual excitement of commencement.
II was a pleasure unspeakable to
visit the alma mater just one year
from the time. of our freedom from
its walls. It took US back into stu
dent life again, and our heart beat
in sympathy with those of the dear
boys there as we listened to their
eloquent Orations. We saw the beam
of pleasure play over their counter.
ances, and we read their very
thoughts as they said in their minds,
"Let life be what it may-we are
able to meet it" And then we felt
like whispering a word or two in
their ears and telling them not to be
too confident. Success to them and
their efforts; but when life's work
becomes a matter of hard ticks, dol.
lars and cents, we can assure them
that their enthusiasm will be some
what cooled. We wondered how
many of them were expecting to be
come editors.
Commencement over, we enjoy
doze through the country. We are
soon at Wakefield, to witness the
closing exercises of Mr.. Stringfeld's
school there. Although we have
given some notes of this before. we
did not say enough. The whole
community, and even some in Raj
eigh seem to think it wonder how
this gentleman has built up such a
school in so short time. We saw
many boys and young men there
who ought to be in college pre-
pairing themselves to educate their
section. There was fine music by
the girls and young ladies Of the
school. After all, country girls are
more entertaining than great many
think. They can sing, play, read and
recite as we'll, and talk as sweetly as
the city girls sometimes. We saw a
lady who killed deer, and we thought
it no insignificant feat for her.
One thing that especially struck
our attention vas the Farm at the
Oaks" few miles east of Raleigh,
The farm belongs to H. H. Powell,
Esqr., of Raleigh, and contains 1900
acres. 1t has been found that there
are certain characters IN the peniten.
tiary whose labor cannot be utilized
to any advantage inside the stock
AIDES, so the State has leased this
farm, aud there are now about hun
dred convicts at work on it. This is
wise, for it saves the expense of keep
ing them inside doing nothing. Mr.
Powell told us that the health of the
convicts was greatly improved by
exercise in free air.
We enjoyed fine sermon on Sun
day by Rev DR.. j. B. Taylor, Of viii
mington, and also by Dr.. Skinner al
night. The Sunday School Of the
first Baptist Church is doing good
work under the direction of Eugene
G. Harrell, Esqr., editor of the Nort1
Carolina Teacher.
Brother Utley, of the Visitor, gave
us a welcome into his sanctum, an(
brother Bailey. of the Recorder, sale
that any editor who was white mar
and edited Democratic newspaper
always found a chair in his Office
We enjoyed, also, calling on that est
mable gentleman, Cabt. Ashe, of thu
Observer. He is real journals
and a clever gentleman in every way
DIR. Blacknall cares for the Yarbo
rough House as only such gentle
man as he, can, and makes it place
of pleasure and comfort for all wht
visit him.
It was interesting to stand by ane
see the convlcts throw the first dir
to Law the foundation for the Govern
or's Mansion. The old "Lovejoy'
school building is to be replaced b.
this beautiful mansion, and the grow
of oaks is to have other memories
than of school boy sports clinging t
it. We learned that the building vii
be of brick, fronted With bro 1n sand
stone, from Arson county. 1t il
thought that the building will be on
of the handsomest in the State. W.
heard one of the good men say tina
the prospects for Raleigh are quite
flattering- We must not omit TO So!
that we know some young ladies IL
Raleigh who can make lemonade tina
will beat all the soda fountains ii
the city.
Crops are fine throughout every
section we have seen.
They used to hang people in Hall
tax, for we have seen man who sal'
that his great grandfather was huns
in the town of Halifax. More anon
- GENUINE REPENTANCE.-Af rlen'
from Enfield writes Us that Maj
Will Whitaker received the following
letter from Weldon in which five dol
lars was enclosed. About four year
| .ro Mr. Whit aker 1Ost q turkeV got