The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1892-01-22
Going Back to Georgia.
Dallas, Tex, News.


met sturdy looking Young farmer
coming out Of the Texas and Pacific ticket
Office Yesterday with ticket in his hand.
When he asked me to lend INC his pencil
for moment it furnished me an opportu
nifty to draw him into conversation.
"Going home to spend the hoidays?'
asked
eyes, sir, he said as bis eyes cleaned
with JOY Yes" he continued,"l am 60
ing home in the morning-back to Georgy.
| came to Dallas county fifteen years ago
and have been workn' hard ever since.
I've got me Il good farm now, but times is
awful hard and money scarccr than | ever
seed it aforc Five years ago begin to
think about goin back to see the old
folks--paw and nav is getting ole now
but some how or other | didn't think |
was able and put it Oft, watin' for bet
ter times. thought sho that was soin'
last year, but cotton 90 so low couldn't
afford it, so | put it off until this year.
Well, sir cotton is lower now than | ever
seed it aforc, and it keeps getting lower
and lower So this year allowed that if
| waited till next year mought get
nothin' for ny cotton, and then coudn t
go at all. y ~''''
81 expect you will have 4 great time"
observed"
Yes, sir; will be the happicst man
you ever saw. | can see my old NANNY
now Settin' down ut night hy the fire. and
an ole hickory backlog on the dog irons,
knitting some socks for sister Jinnie's
children, and paw, he's smoking his ole
pipe, and they are talking about me COM
ing home. Lord, just TO hug my ole
mother aSaIn--it makes me feel good to
think aboat it. And to see that ole house
where | usetcr live! remember how
usctcr lay awake at nights and look ont
the windcr at the stars and. think about
comm to Texas. and now | lay awake at
nights thinkin about home. ThiAkin'
about the ole spring down the hill and the
old path just rs plain rs if | was there
now Wonder if things have changed
much around there, anyhow? Wonder
it paw has ever fixed the old paster gate?
When get back I'm going rabbit hunt
ing and 'possum hunting. know where
all The rabbits and 'possums are. I'll get
thcre in time to help at hog KILN.
used to do the riddin when was boy.
and when got bigger paw let me scrape.
But you bet III get lots of souse and liver
pie, and muir cooks backbone better'n
anybody ever saw. They made plenty
! of simmon beer, too. and that's the best
stuff ever drunk, except the water out
of that Old spring.
Then I'll 90 over to Shady Grove
church, about 4 mile and a half from
| home, and see where MY sister and two
brothers are buried Sister died just at
ter was born, and my brothers, they was
killed in the war. Upstairs in the closet
is Two gray jackets and two old muskcts
that's been there ever since j can rcmem
Der When was a little feller r'recoect
seeing my mother going to chat closet.
Every time she'd look ut them old coats
she would break down and cyy, snd u.s.
ter cry, too, just because she did. ex
pect this will he the last time III ever get
| to the old folks alive. Maybe next year
twon't make any difference yiEcther cotton
brings q good price or not. Goodbye, sir,
here's your pencil
The last reflection brough hit a sad express
sion to the young mans face. ~ expect
this will be the last time. III over get to
see the old folks alive" he said All, yes!
The hair on those aged brows are now
very white. Father and mother, sitting
around the hcarthstone, look back over
the years that have gone and know that
soon they will join the dust OF their chill
dren in the churchyard. There are many
Of these old loved ones back there now,
wondering if that boy in Texas, who, fail
ing TO spend this Christmas at home with
the old folks, will never have an opportu-
nifty again. When the foliage of spring
brightens the earth and the birds are
singing again, some day the message wall
come that mother has fallen asleep and
tLo% L. ,,n,J, t1aa I'm.