Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1890-02-21

midnight and I was going to bed at 9.
Such another set of little imps I never
saw. The idea Of keeping fellow from
all his beauty sleep. Ny! Ny! Why,
girls, you'll make your old dad lose all
of his roses You may be sure We re-
tired in high glee over our power Of sue
cess In entertaining father. Many times
he came in at about 10 o'clock, kissed us
all good evening, then kissed US over
again good night and went off to bed.
When the hour was that late and we'd
beg him to stay with US just a minute,
he'd reply: Thank you, dearies, but |
can't stay Just a minute with you all.
I've tried it on several occasions when
needed rest, and minutes trot invariably
into hours
''Some time during the middle of
February, 1851, just a few days after our
joking about the rag man, a sure enough
man came along with a sack gathering
up rags. OF course, he stopped at our
house. We all laughed merrily, declar
ing he was the fate Of one of us and he'd
come to carry off his prize. Each of us
gave him a small package of scraps to
swell his already bulky bundle.
Upon noticing the old fellow was
coatless and wore much torn nat, [ i'm
mediately gave him one Of fathers old
swallow tailed coats and an old beaver.
It being right cold he felt the need Of
both, so lost no time in setting down his
rags and arraying himself. His transfor-
nation occasioned such mirth that we
: 70 IN hn 70
give way to our merriment, lest we'd in
suit the old fellow.
cit wasn't long before father came m
with an unusual twinkle in his eye:
'Oh, girls, he said, you'll be the death
of me yet When I saw that fellow just
now with my antediluvian beaver and
swallow tailed coat, had TO lean on my
horse for support. Even my old Nance
mule stopped eating grass to look at him,
and ali the dogs began to bark
''By the time father finished telling US
of all the ridiculous things that happened
after a sight OF that rag man, we all had
Mysteries. The rest of the day and half
of the night we were in a gleeful humor,
and we'll we were, for it was our last
happy day for many month together.
"With the next days mail came a let
ter from Aunt Belle, fathers sister. In
it she said that as the war was surely
coming father must spare her one of his
five daughters to live with her till peace
reigned once more. She reminded ia
ther that widow could not live through
such times alone. Her home was about
ninety miles from ours, and a large, beau
tiful plantation which she managed her
self, but of course employed an overseer.
The number of negroes, houses, fowls,
stock and things in general claimed her
care and attention, so that it was fmpos-
sible for her to think of leaving, otherwise
she would have moved up to our home.
cit was plain that one of US must pack
up and off to Aunt Bellies. But which
one was the trying question.
every one loved her dearly and
would have gladly answered the sum-
mons at any other time. But then every
thing was in a state Of excitement, every
thing an uncertainty except the war. SO
it was hard to think of leaving home.
Father looked at us oil, then walked out
of the room, saying: Decide among
yourselves, girls; one must go, but |
cannot say who that one must be- We
looked at each other, then cried little,
then drew straws. The shortest straw
fell to my lot, 50 I knew that meant an
adieu to home and loved ones, though
didn't know how long our separation was
to be, or my heart would have given
away. In week I left for Aunt Bellies.
Everyone cried, even to Aunt Sue, just
as if [ was going to the other end of the
world.
my aunt was delighted when she
saw me coming in, and the sight Of my
great old leather trunk made her forget
her age and ski p down the walk to meet
it. She said that trunk was evidence
that 1 had moved, and she was happy
as a lark. Father brought the girls to
see US once before the war began; then
we saw each other but once more till the
war was over.
"Those were frightful days. It al
ways was a wonder that ny hair didn't
turn white the first year; but some way
or other it didn't. Aunt Bellies did,
though, when she heard the first cannon,
but she didn't know it till peace was de-
clared-and even Their drew her atten-
ton to it. She was troubled good deal
with rheumatism, and when those at
tacks came on she was compelled to sit
quietly at the fire, or more frequently
stay in bed. Between attending to the
household affairs, the poultry, sheep,
and cattle, did not have much time in
which to get lonely. A little later, how
ever, Aunt Bellies stock had dwindled
down considerably, and it wasn't very