The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-02-28
CAPTAIN JANE SMITH.
Who Became Independent by Farming one
Hundred Acres.

|
Who Became Independent by Farming one
Hundred Acres.
sH1t0, Ga, February l5.-By the
roadside three miles and ahalf from this
town there is a comfortable looking cot.
tage with a big old fashioned stone chin.
ney, and in the background the stable
and corn cribs. There are forty comfort
able matronly hens picking about the
yard, and under a tall ivy covered tree is
little log house from which, on rainy
days and evenings, you will hear the
noise of the loom and the droning of the
spinning wheel. In the front room Of
the cottage is an aged lady who rises to
meet the stranger anu says blandly, "Who
are you 2"
When he makes known his business
she calls to some one at the spinning
wheel:
"Jane; here's gentleman. who wishes
to see you"
Miss Jane appeared at the door in
neat homespun frock and quietly greeted
the stranger.
"No, / don't want my name in the
papers. / 1have only small farm, and ]
don't see that my business interests any
one else," said she rather Indignantly.
Some notice in local newspaper had
offended her and at first she refused to
talk; but on prompt disavowsl Of any
diacourteous intent, she consented to tell
her story.
Miss Jane Smith is known among the
people of this neighborhood as captain
Jane Smith, and has won this distinc-
ton by the energy and courage with
which she has worked her ray to inde.
pendence on hundred acre farm.
Left on rented land with only mule,
two COWS and four hogs when her brother
went to the war, she and her sister have,
out of crops of their own tillage, support
ed themselves and their aged mother,
bought the farm and built comfortable
dwelling.
Their brother had just planted crop
when he was called away to fight for his
home; and the neighbors seeing his
anxiety for the welfare Of the mother and
sisters he was leaving without a protector.
promised to see that the crop was tended
until his return.
Turning uistfully away from these
home cares to the stern fortunes of war,
he set his face towards the enemy, sitting
care as best he could until at last he
buried it in a soldiers grave.
In the midst of their grief those young
women realized that their own hands
must make support for themselves and
their mother, or they must be dependent
on their neighbors. With a heroic
resolution to be independent they set to
work. The neighbors came and plowed
the crop, and Miss Jane and her sister did
the rest Of the work with their own.
hands.
Rising at O'Clock summer and WINTER
they worked field till after sunset and
fed the stock in the dark. From supper
time till 10 o'clock there was constant
clack and clatter of the loom, with the
humming of the wheel rising above it.
They spun and wove the cloth f9r their
garments, and the white and solored
counterpanes that they wove in elaborate
patterns, with six sheets Of harness, are
apparently new, twenty years after they
were made, and would almost cause q
store bought counterpane to turn crimson
with shame.
Everything they used, except coffee,
was made at home, and in war times they
made that by drying chips of sweet pota-
toes. They raised everything to eat-corn,
wheat, sorghum syrup, vegetables, hogs,
chickens and everything that could be
produced on the farm.
By such industry and economy they
adsaved $3.50 by 1873, when they bought
the farm for $500, paying $3.50 cash. In
four years they paid the other $3.50 and
| went on with other improvements. Three
years ago Miss Smith built new house
for $500, paying the carpenters $3.50 a
day as the work was done.
Miss Smith believes in fat hogs. She
always raises hogs and never has lean
ones. The four killed this winter weigh.
ed 924 pounds net and the largest 25
pounds. The .mokehouse is well sup.
piled with hams, shoulders, sides, fowls,
lard and sausage meat. Their plan is to
salt the meat and let thang till a windy
week in March, when the salt is rubbed
of, and the pieces are washed and packed
down in the ashes. The hams are put in
sacks and keep perfectly.
"I never kill hogs till they are T.. tTe
years old,"' said Miss smith-s . :, :,
easier to keep a grown hog Il + 1al tal.a . : :
When it is over a ye'1 N'S
feed" ye,lot was mule that Miss ia
Ia 9out ofa stable three years ago a
plokea for s11e. The mule is as gen,
boughs and Miss Smith says s
as q pet de it for s175. The old mu
would not sell by Mr.. Smith two yea
that was oougasbe war is still ther
before he went to sd still able to !
he is 3S years old AIN hi h;tohad asaa W., ~
good work. Miss smitF onso nln
} yesterday and plowed up tRe sai0eu ~
little while.
When asked how she made Thea cfoE
Miss Smith said: II hired the hdSln
} done and did the plowing myself untif>
had the house built. Iplowed day aftel
day. None of US were ever sick day il
our lives, and I never lost day out 0
i r