The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-10-10
SARGE PLUNKETT.
A Word for tho South and Its Cotton Crop
atlanta Constitution.

will soon be plenty and the farmers
are smiling.
Cotton is money. No other crop so
represents money as does cotton.
This is 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 fol-
low you around to buy your cotton
nothing else is so. When the pile Of
cotton begins to grow in the cotton
housc-for it is not every one who
can have ginhouse-the old man Of
the family begins to raise his head
and step high, the children get a live
lier move upon themselves and the
good wife begins to think up little
Of what is to be bought with the first
bale. Already the first bale has oeen
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
stimulated them all through the hot
months, and now as the realization
draws so close the dance of happiness
limbers the limbs and flowing merri-
ment runs romping through the hum
blest homes. Red-top boots, new
wool hat, a single-barrelled gun, a
-bladed knife-these are the sorts
of things that dance before the boys
from the emptying Of the first Clap"
in the morning till weighing 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
howered calico festoon the "patch,
and pretty dolls are everywhere.
These are the delights of the youthful
southron as the old red hills begin to
clcthe themselves in white and pro-
claim to all the world that II am the
source, the parent of the king Of kings
King Cotton.
I 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 hickory, there is
more than apt to grin 'possum or
two. A bag Of walnuts lies up by the
possums, and 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 nice clean cloth by
a thoughtful and kind mother. If
they are to camp out at night you will
see some fodder and corn in the wagon
when the cotton is unloaded, and some
fat lightwood is more than apt to be
there, too, and certain you will see
some good old-fashioned quilts for a
pallet at night.
If you will watch till that cotton is
unloaded, 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 see that
father and son make 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. It is not long after that till the
boy is stepping high in pair of red
top boots. If you will keep your eye
on that boy you will see that he never
takes one hand from his pocket. The
money Jake paid him for them pos
sums is clinched in that hand, and
stumble as he may from having too
many things 20 watch, he will cling to
that money till it sweats under the
grasp, and nothing but ammunition
for the new gun he is 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 carefully he unties his
pccketbook and counts the money for
his purchases but had much rather
be with them as they drive upto their
home once more. This is the climax.
Every child has been watching and
listening for the rumble of the wagon
on it's return. Many times even the
good mother has gone out and taken
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 wagon is
heard away off. Every little heart
bounds, and eyes are strained, and
bated breath. 1t happens to be some
one else-'not our wagon"-and the
waiting begins again. 1t 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 son is driving, and he
Whips up the team as every child runs
flying to meet him. All the hard licks
Of summer are paid for in this one
meeting. All the luxuries Of all the
kings never brought happier house
hold. God bless the South and God
bless cotton and God bless the youth
who is brave enough to labor in turn
ing our fields into shcens of white
ness
From now on the work on the farms
will be the gathering in Of the fruits
Of industry, Peas play almost as i'm
portant a part in the matter Of "pick-
ing" as does cotton. 1t is a smart
farmer who has his farm well covered
with pcavines, for they have cost him
nothing in production. Gathering
corn will be frolic, for many corn
shucking will enliven the nights be-
tween now and Christmas, and the
children enjoy swinging on the coup
ling pole from the field and have a
fine time riding back when the corn is
unloaded. The big yellow pumpkins
arc gathered with the corn and will
swcetcn for the pies of winter. II we
try we can find fully as many delights
in the life upon the farm as could be
found in any other calling, and cotton
has a right to a prominent place in the
list of delightful things.