The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-10-01
SARGE PLUNKETT.
AWORD OF PRAISE FOR THE SOUTH
AND ITS COTTON CROP.
The "First Bale" Cheers the Farmer and
Makes Happy Homes-A Day with
the Circus Men Their Troubles

Cotton is money. No other crop so rep
| res.nts money as does cotton. This - the
fascination in raising the staple. There is
no having to run around to find buyer
when you drive into town with cotton. They
will watch for you, hunt you up and follow
you around to buy your cotton-nothing else
is so. When the pile OF cotton begins to
grow in the cotton hOuse-for ii is not eV-
cry one who can have a ginhouse-the old
man of the family begins to raise his head
and step high, the children get lvelier
move upon themselves and the good wife
begins to think up little list of what is
to be bought with the first bale Already the
first bale has been promised away by the
old man, When the first lick was struck at
chopping time pretty pictures of what they
were to have in the fall came to the chill
dren's minds, and these pictures have slim
ulated them all through the hot
months, and now as the realiza-
ton draws close the dance
of happiness imbers the limbs and flowing
merriment runs romping through the hum
blest homes. Red-top boots, a new wool
hat, a single-barreled gun, two-bladed
knife-these are the sorts of things that
dance before the boys from the emptying
of the first lap in the morning till weigh
ing time in the evening. And the little girls
are among the 'pickers," too Rainbows OF
ribbons fringe the ends of rows and make
their little hands fly fast to reach the goal.
Pretty checks and lowered calico festoon
the patch" and pretty dolls are every
where. These are the delights Of the youth
full southron the old red hills begin to
clothe themselves in white and proclaim to
al the world that II am the source, the pa
rent Of the king of klngs-Kng Cotton
L think that everybody most has noticed
the small country boy as he drives into
town, sitting with his feet hanging over the
end Of the cotton bale. Just back of him,
with their tails in the split of a hickory,
there IN more than apt to grin a possum
two. A bag of walnuts lies up by the pos
sums. and a bow basket sits tied with
string TO the bale. Them 'possums and
walnuts will rattle some money in that
boys pocket before he leaves town, and in
that bow basket is some of the sweetest
pone bread, the brown fried chicken, cold
ham, some little cakes and cold potatoes,
with the syrup oozing from them-this is
their provisions for the trip, fixed up and
covered with a nice clean cloth by
thoughtful and kind mother. In they are TO
camp out at night you will see some fou-
der and corn in the wagon when the cotton
is unloaded, and some fat lishtwood is more
than apt To be there, too, and certain you
Will see some good old-fashioned quilts for
d pallet at night.
II you will watch till that cotton is UNI
loaded, the team driven in some out-of-the-
way place and fed, the dog tied to the hind
axle of the wagon and the wheel locked,
you will that father and son make a
start to do" the town. If the town should
be Atlanta, Folsom'S restaurant is the first
place to seek and Jake Johnson soon has
"'possum' on his bill of fare. 1t is not
long after that till the boy is stepping high
in pair OF reGtop boots. If you will keep
your eye that boy you will that he
never takes one hand from his pocket The
money Jake" paid him for them 'possums
is clinched in that hand, and stumble as he
may from having TOO many Things 10 watch
he will clns to that money till 1t sweats
under the grasp, and nothing but ammuni-
ton for the new gun he IL soon to have
could ever persuade it away. You would
not lose anything by going the whole round
with this father and son and see how care
fully he unties his pocketbook and counts
the money for his purchases; but / had
much rather be with them as they drive up
to their home once more. This is the eli
max. Every child has been watching and
listening for the rumble of the wagon on
It's return. Many times even the good moth
er has gone out and taken a look up the
road. The children have gone down the
road and wait restless and expectant. At
last they are coming" for the rattle of a
wagon is heard away Off Every little heart
bounds, and eyes are strained, and bated
breath. 1t happens to be some one else
mot our wagon"-and the waiting begins
again. II comes though. our wagon
turns round the bend. No mistake this
time; the blaze IN the face of the old horse
is plain, the little is driving, and he
whips up the team as every child runs fly
ing to meet him. All the hard ticks Of
summer are paid for in this one meeting.
All the lVxuries of all the kings never
brought a happier household. God bless the
south! and God bless cotton! and God bless
the youth who is brave enough to labor in
turning our fields into sheens Of whtenessl
From now on the work the farms win
be the gathering in of the fruits of indus
try. Peas play almost as important a part
in the matter Of picking does cotton.
1t is a smart farmer who has his farm we'll
covered with peavines for they have cost
him nothing in production. Gathering corn
will be a froic, for many a corn shucking
will enlven the nights between now and
Christmas, and the children enjoy swinging
| on the coupling pole from the field and have
a fine time riding back when the corn is
unloaded. The big yellow pumpkins are
gathered with the corn and will sweeten for
the pies of winter. If we try we can find
fully as many delights in the life upon the
farm as could be found in any other call
ing, and cotton has a right to q. prominent
place in the list Of delightful things.
We went to the circus last week and
found that these showmen, whose business
it is to make sport for the world, have their
for grumbling. 1t takes lots to run show
and there are just as many chances for
them to fail of success as there are for the
farmer to fail in his crop. The item IF
beef for feeding the animals runs far ahead
of what l would have expected. Everything
costs connected with a show, and the
clowns, even, have their moments of mel
ancholy. We folks who are given to grum-
bling with farm life could find comfort in
the investigation of troubles in other bust
ness, and there is no other class better able
to impress you than show people that all
that glitters is not gold, and that often a
sad life has all the appearances of cheer
fulness When wagons begin to block the
streets loaded with cotton, everything looks
up Prosperity comes with the coming of
cotton, no matter how we may grumble
with the work it takes to produce it nor
how low the price. After all, when we
get pay for the seed, which the farmers
of old times could not do, the prices are
balanced up with times past, and makes
the south ahead of all other sections
Say what you please about cotton,
It's the life OF the dear southland:
And say what you please about farming
There was never a happier man
Than he who has corn in his crib.
And of meat a little for sale,
paas turnips and Eaters a plenty