The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-06-25

WAS done with the flaX anu "ool' 9o ~
,ros first fashioned into rolls by some
instrument similar to the cotton carus.
OF course, this was ofshcrt continuance
The patience developed by these l!ttie
buzzing wheels in preparing yarn LOT
the clumsy, ancient loom was TOO TAR
DIV for the production of any texture
but such as was expected to do gooo
service for at least a quarter OF cehtu-
rv. as in the Instance Of flax. y ma
terial so light and of such short cohIln-
nance as cotton,-so easily made INTO
cloth, h,-required contrivances OF greater
speed for that purpose, than those
known to our Dutch Fork ancestors
50 averse to changes and progress
Moreover as the days drew on when
the desire for "changeable suits OF ap-
parep' was to outstrip all handlWork'
and the gentler sex to require often
times as much as eighteen yards OF
stuff for one dress, with trailing "su-
perhuity of naughtiness' at least
yard long, the distaff and the little
spinning-wheel were forced to retire
gradually into Sabbatic rest; and the
fingers to call for the help ofthe steam
power. Multiplicity must ever be at
the expense of durability. Desire can
be strained beyond qualification. Mel
ther the strength of steam nor the
rapidity of electricity shall ever be able
to satisfy the imaginatlons OF men S
hearts, rushing on from VANITY OF
vanities" to "vexations ofspirit." The
time is, therefore, on the way when
mankind reeliug under safety shall
turn towards the "Valley of Anostan"
to seek for the simplicity Of former
times. Then tie distaff and the llt5ie
buzzing wheel, coming forth from their
Sabbath of rest, will greet the children
of repentance with a louder and yet
more melodious hum while spinning
the thread for the fine white linen IN
which the millenial people are to be
robed.
! had many conversations with per-
sons remembering when cotton frst
came into the Dutch Fork. 1t was in
troduced so gradually that no one
could fix precise date. 1t certainly
was not before 1893, when the cotton
gin was patented, noc after ISIS, when
T vas-born. The cultivation of this
enticing plant was at first experiment
!, tai; and only farmers possessed OF su-
Hperabundant land and labor-force ven
tured to try it. The fields selected Tor
this new kind of tillage were SO small
that. they were called patches; : henee
cottoa-patches to this day, when the
acreage is small. For several years no
more was planted than sufficient for
clothing. At first the seed were septI-
rated from the lint by the fingers, as L
have already stated. The cotton as
picked from the bolls was heaped
in the largest room of the house;
and as remote from the fireplace
as possible, to avoid confagration.
For further security, woolen coverlets
were spread over the heap to protect 1t
from the sparks that might be pro-
iected from the fire, Oh winter nights.
The young folks of the nearest neigh
bors now, after early supper, usually
assembled together from farmhouse to
farmhouse to engage in the pleasant
occupation Of picking with their
fingers the lint of the cotton from the
seed. I have been informed that the
fun began in this sort Of way: A
young woman of satisfactory beauty
leaves the brightness Of the blazing
fire, kindled in september more for
light than for warmth, goes to the
cotton-heap, and fills her apron with
thesnowy locks. She then steals away IN
to g. quiet corner ostensibly in the desire
to be alone, and not to be bothered by
any intermeddler of the opposite sex to
the interruption Of the neighborly
kindness which she came over there to
exercise. One can almost hear her say
so, as she casts an angry, forbidding
glance at hard-headed looking fellow
who at present seems disinclined for
any work, at all. Now, look at the
fellow. The young woman has scarcely
composed herself comfortably, when he
of The hard-head approaches her and,
Notwithstanding her gestures of d!sap-
probation, squats himself with a bump
down on the floor before her,-falling
on his knees. MEANWHILE, illustrating
the contagiousness of example, the
whole company become divided OIL
into couples, and an unintelligible,
murmuring whisper floats through the
room, till the clock strikes twelve,
when they all leave for their respective
homes. SO it went the rounds from
house house.
It H. said that Whitney's patent was
much encroached upon throughout the
cotton-growing States. There is no
doubt of the fact, that some persons in
the Dutch Fork, perceivins the need
for q more expeditions way Of separat-
ing the cotton seed and lint than by
the fingers, made small machines that
were put in motion by the hand. They
must have been infringements of Whit
ney's patent, IN as much as they con-
sisted of circula- saws moving between
iron or steel bars. They answered the
requirement 50 we'll, that the Dutch
Fork farmers bcgan to cultivate cotton
for market. The first right for making
NNhitney's gin in tlat part of the
country was obtained by m, old friend,
| OoviJ NIillor who bod his hand badly