The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1885-06-03

1.-THE beavers have built fifteen
dams across Moore Creek IN Caswell
county.
....About two weeks ago. Mr.. X. ID.
Phillips. of the firm of Phillips & Nc
Dougald, cashed a check for $50 drawn
by IL. w. Lindsay on r. L. Gambler &
Co, Winston, for whom he claimed to
be a travelling salesman, and the same
was returned with the cost CT a protest,
81 50 last week, making then out lust
S52 so. Whereupon they wrote his firm
at Winston, and received the answer that
he was not their authorized representa-
tive, but had run off with their tobacco
samples without permission, and bad also
likewise swindled parties IN South Caro-
lima. Mr.. Phillips telegraphed to Charles
ton, 5. c., yesterday, whence Lindsay is
said to have sailed for Europe about two
weeks ago, and found no trace of him
there nor in New York ity.-Lau1inburg
E,cchan0e.
....A clerk aud his country father
entered the restaurant the other evening
and took seats at a table where sat a
telegraph operator and a reporter. The
old man bowed his head, and was about
to say grace, when a waiter flew up, sing
ing: Il have beefsteak, Goldfish balls
and bullheads.' Father and sou gave
their orders, and the taru err again bowed
his head. The young man turne the
color of a blood red beet, and touching
his parents arm, exclaimed IN a low,
nervous tone: Father. it isn't custo-
mary to do that in restaurants - Its
customary with me to return thanks to
God wherever | am, said the old man.
For the third time he bowed his head,
and the telegraph operator paused in the
act Of carving his beet>teak and bowed
his head, and the journalist put back his
tishball and bowed his head, aud there
wasn't a man who heard the short and
simple prayer that didn't feel a p%rofoun-
der respect for the old farmer than If he
had been President of the United States.
....AIl trouble about the completion
OF the Spartanburg Il Asheville railroad
is now at an end, and that trains will be
running through by the first day of next
November. A contract that insures the
early and certain building of the road was
signed in Richmond, and the parties tax
ing the work were to begin operations at
once......Bu few of our people are
aware of the extent to which the straw
berry industry in Charlotte has grown.
Mr.. f.. w. Lyles and Mr.. A. Shorter
Caldwell nave been making strawberry
culture a study, and from a small begin
ming made two years ago, they now raise
all the strawberries which they can ham
die. Mr.. Lyles' patch" now covers 4
acres, and the amount of strawberries
which he has gathered from it is aston-
Ishing. Yesterday was his largest day,
when he gathered 30 bushels, making 900
quarts. Last Tuesday he gathered 800
quarts and on the day before that $40
quarts, making a total crop in three days
of , 400 quarts. Mr.. Lyles ships these
strawberries to Richmond, Philadelphia.
Baltimore and New York, and finds
ready sale for them. Besides strawber,
ries, he is cultiyating raspberries, and
viii have the first of that fruit on the
market in about three weeks.
....Last week we alluded to the fact
that a discontinuance of The Home to
the Department had been ordered. As
this was done two months before the
subscl iption expired and followed i'm
mediately after some comments on the
conduct of the department, we attribu-
ted it to over scnsitlveness to criticism
on the part of the commissioner. He
assures us that such was not the case,
and we most gladly give his tru rea-
sons, namely: pressure upon the mean
of the department. Commissioner Nc
Gehee further says "to be without news
papers will be a great ~privation, but the
necessities of the case ~reconciled us to
it. and a notice in the same words was
sent to all the papers or our list. 1t is
hut justice to say that the commissioner
thought that the term of subscription
expired, and that if such had beer the
case the editor would not have drawn
the conclusions he did. Mr.. McGehee
well says-"I would be the last man to
except in any way to the right Of public
journals to comment upon the conduct
of the government or any of its depart
ments. Indeed | believe that such 8
right. within the bounds of fair criticism
is Indispensable to the healthy working
' of both "-Pittsboro Home.