The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-06-07
.Hdersutt gHtelIigeuter.
Two Examples OF Pluck.

Two Examples Of Pluck.
Where there is will there is way?
We have among our farmers in Laurens
County, S. G., living exemplications of
this adage, but I will call attention to
two at this time, to show to the young
men of the present day, who are afraid
to marry for fear that they will fail to
make a support for their wives, what
has been done on small farms by pluck,
brains, energy and economy. One of
these is Gideon Yeargin, now over rs
years old; the other is Pinckney Blake.
ley, yet in the prime of life, but having
lost a leg during the war, be has to walk
on a wooden leg.
Mr.. Yeargin married when 81 years Of
age owned $40 pony. At his fathers
death he bought portion of the old
homestead, which he and his wife paid
for by their own work. He bought at
the start eleven pounds Of bacon. Since
then he has bought neither meat, corn or
-four for his own use, but rarely fails to
have corn fot sale. He has raised
thirteen children, all but two daughters.
AL were learned to work, but their edu.
cation was not neglected; all received
fair educations. Some of the daughters
are teachers, being able to teach the
dead languages. The father did most of
the ploughing, and yet can plough all
day. 1t is a remarkably pious family,
every member belonging to a church,
including sons and daughtersin.law, and
one is preacher. All are Meth .
but one, and he is Presbyterian. Inc
children have all married and left the
old people, where they began, and, I
think, are all prospering. A grand.
daughter, Miss Mary Yeargiu, took the
first honor in very large and talented
class at the Methodist Female College in
Columbia, and is now an honored teacher
in that college. This shows that she
inherits much Of the family pluck and
push, without which no one succeeds in
anything that is commendable or profita.
BILE.
While looking en- at our county fair
two years ago, friend remarked: "Yon.
der is the best farmer in Laurens." I
asked who; he said, Pinck Blakely, who
makes an abundant support on thirty.
nine acres of land, and has the best of
fruits, grapes, poultry and so forth, and
does nearly all the work himself on a
wooden leg; and yet he has money to
attend world fairs, State fairs and en-.
campments. He takes and reads agri.
cultural papers, and is altogether a
progressive farmer.
About two weeks ago I had the good
fortune to spend part of a day and
night at his home, and found the allega-
ton true. He told me that his father
gave him this little farm about eighteen
years ago. A great portion was then
covered with flint rocks, all Of which he
has hauled out on the lower side of his
farm, which is smartly rolling land, and
uses them to wall up the lower portions
80 as to prevent the land washing away
into another's field. One of these walls,
or terraces, is about fifty yards long, and
the land above it is about equal to the
best bottom land, being the soil that
escaped from the higher land. By judi
cious management, proper ploughing,
manuring, cropping, ditching, terraeing,
&C., he has brought his land into such
fine tilth that he makes abundant crops
of all kinds. He diversifes his crops
and manures all literally, and his returns
reward him literally for his toll; but it
is very pain that he has eaten but little
idle bread. he has also, with his own
hands, built him comfortable and com.
modious barn to shelter his stock and
provender. He did not have the advan.
tage of an education, but the same will
that makes the farmer has given him in
:telligence. He reads seven or eight pa
.pers and keeps we'll informed on current
events. I have seen no such oats, wheat,
clover and grass as he has. I say all
honor to such men, who demonstrate in
their lives and work what may be done
on small farms.
The trouble with most young men is,
when they 60 to buy land, they buy too
much. Better start with little and add
to it, than more and have to sell it to pay
for it. A good living may be made on
ten acres, with brain, muscle, energy and
economy, for small family. The motto
should be, "Live within your income."-
j. Washington Watts IN Weekly Me,os and
Courier.
The Earth's Support.
-