The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-06-18


Theirs truly,
EDWARD WILLIAMS PUGH. NJ. u.
"Glendower Hall, Windsor. y. {.
For the F-rmer and Mechanic.
In Johnston's Capital.
SMITHFIELD, June i, 81.
We are stopping at the Hotel de
Curly for few days. The buNom
landlady is equal TO the occasion on any
dish called, and French falls as gliblv
from her charming lips as ii she were TO
the manor born. Our room Is a periec-
ton of neat elegance. In front OF our
window stands the patriarchicai Court
House, with outside steps to enter the
second story, on the same plan We re-
member uncle Johnny O'Roquc's billy
goat steps. Under these archcd steps
from sunrise, till long after the moon
goes on duty, may be seen grouped the
court house rats, pow-wowing with
Bro. Abel, who has all eye single to the
benefits of law. Other old staudby's do
congregate there attentive listeners to
moral lectures by Clerk Waddell The
ground contains the offices of Captain
Lunceford, Register of Deeds, Judge
Waddell, County Clerk, and Col VIM.
Hinnant, Sheriff. These square built.
honest looking rooms are fair indexes to
the character OF the men who fill them.
An honorable old crowd of gentlemen,
vino, as the juveniles pass can point
out their successors, for an old time Ion
Ored custom exists among them of son
taking the place Of his father. Around
the court house building is a neat green
lawn shaded by magnificent shade trees
covering an acre or more. On one side
of this pretty square Fuller's hotel, a pre-
tentious establishment of many rooms,
and amply long porch extends the length
of the main building, while the bachelor
rooms opening on the park make one al
once feel like stepping in and always
living there. The hotel is now in charge
OF n. Y. Peel, slow spoken. sleepy
eyed gentleman of equanimity of dis
position fitting the proprietor of sonoted
house. Here we met our old energetic
friend of the blockade days, ID. w. Full
ler,whO cast his lot among the people he
used to help to chew tobacco unaffected
by the stamp duty, and in his retirement
the people honor his old efforts to aid
IiiCiH. L llC uAItI lStI 10 ollC vi ltlt
| finest in the country, the crops were in
excellent condition, and the Fuller live
| ry stable has no superior for ncatness
and cleanliness.
| The drug store of T. II. Hood contains
a complete stock, and the medical pro-
tession, Drs. Beckwith, Rose, Robinson.
Sasser and kirkman, give the proprietor
an excellent name. Malaria holds a
steady hand here, the flat surface of the
country, helped somewhat by the Neuse
| in breeding that complaint. What a
charming river the Neuse is at this
| point. Nature makes wonderful pic
lures with the moss draped cypress,
water oaks, and many other kinds
that are delighted to have their roots
bathed in the cool waters. It's banks,
too. are covered with broad-leaved
! plants, and there are great magno-
! las in bloom. with yellow jesamine
and woOdbine trailing from the branch
es, and all this tropical splendor is 50
mellowed and sottened down with
touches of sunshine and curtains OF
shadows that it comes back to the
heart like strange familiar music, heard
now for the first time, but floating in
the memory far away, long ago. Mr..
| B. L. Bingham has erected a handy
grist mill on some valuable property he
owns along the banks. and told US OF
some falls which could be turned to
valuable account for manufacturing pur-
poses.
The legal profession is ably repre-
sented here by the two Abels Gather
and son), Pou, Massey, l.. II. and NJ
Q. Waddell, Langston, Woodall and
| Richardson. OF editors, Messrs. Rich
ardson, Booker and Smith compose the
field and office staff Of the Smithfield
/ Herald The first named does the
sombre and solemn part. Booker the
local and witticisms, and the last the
manufacturing and planting. The pa
per is we'll edited in the interest OF
Democracy, and has a growing circula-
| ton.
The Railroad from Goldsb boro to this
point has brought an influx Of mer-
chants. and we notice on the streets the
portly form of Dal Rand. with his lieu
/ tenant, Dave Avera, in close contab
over Chicago dispatch about our Con-
gressional nomination. Nat Rand, OF
Rand & Rand, says business is very
quiet. dS lllt COulllI lO4h arc OuoS Win
/ their crops. Messrs Graves. Woodall.
Fuller & carp, Peacock Bros, II q.
Williams, W. G.. Yelyerton and Mrs
Blow are among the merchants. Mr..
| Graves does fine business in cotton,
and the old time honored lien business
is we'll sustained. Mrs. b. l.. Bingham
showed us an excellent stock Of mllli-
merry, and we learned that Mrs. Jona-
than BurDs did a thriving business il
/ the same line. A 15x30 two story brick
store is being erected by coiored man
named Smith, who owns considerable
property, for the occupancy Of ID. II
Graves. After an absence of fifteen
years We thought the town had some
changes for the better. We intend Wis
iting Col. A. J. Heath's fish pond
where tie fish do abound, and pretty
scenery is at discount; and we also
anxious to visit Chas. Radford's farm.
where he makes SO to IS bales of cotton
on forty-two acres.
We will have to close, as We hear the
train approach with a Baptist Sunday
school excursion aboard. and from
the looks of the clouds they will meet a
hospitable reception from their principal
element OF faith. G.. ] ;.
Human character i complex, but il
GxoJ ,,,las n,a of ,boSa ~