The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1900-04-27
On the Wing.

ers In the hands Of strangers They
are not all gone, however, and it was
my privilege recently to be welcomed
to one of them and there to enjoy q
generous hospitality not unlike that
which marked the Virginia Of bygone.
A furious rain storm and overlooking
creeks drew me to seek shelter in the
home Of the late Capt. Nat. T.. Wilson,
in the county Of Charlotte, now owned
and occupied by his widow, Mrs.
Laura Wilson and frightened by the
presence Of two Of her daughters, while
the farm is being well and profitably
managed by her son, Mr.. Willie Will
son. The same home was that Of the
grandfather Of the young Virginian
who now labOrs so assiduously that lis
ancient glory may not be taken from
it. All honor 10 the Virginia boy who
would rather maintain an old home in
Virginia than make a new one tout
West"
When once the door opened and |
sat in an easy chair before a blazing
fire in that high pitched, well lighted,
we'll furnished and altogether typical
SOuthside Virginia parlor of We olden
times, | actually laughed at the storm
raging outside, and treated high water
with well-nigh contempt.
! have been accustomed to natural
gas In West Virginia, and 1t is luxu-
ry, but when a Virginia housewife has
kindling and dry chips ITO hand" the
blaze glOws almost instantly and the
cheer begins at once, and from that
time on natural gas no more compares
to hickory fire than glow-worm does
with noOntide sun. How the moments
passed; and then what a supper, and
then what a night of rest, and then
how glad and grateful when morning
came again, bringing new glory to the
fields around that old homestead and
new beauty to the heavens above it.
Fences high and strong, gates well
hung, garden broad and big, yard
grassy and yet with enough Of shade
trees and flowers, spring pure and new
er failing, pals foaming with milk,
cattle grazing and satisfied, corn in the
crib, hay in the loft, good crop last
year and rich promise for another
How it gladdend me to look upon the |
picture and how it cheers me to write |
about it.
Neither war nor emancipation pro-
clamation," nor reconstruction" nor
all combined have even disfgured this
Virginia home, and that it may long
remain a "bright particular star" in
the social armament of Southside Vir-
ginia, is the sincere wish of a storm
tossed traveller who found it safe re-
treat, sweet resting place.
Mr.. James Elliott, whose farm is on |
the Southsde of the road leading from
Fsrmville to Darlington Heights Il |
would like to know the origin Of that |
name) and some two miles East Of the |
latter place, is also in charge of the |
farm Of his father, and is one Of the |
progressive farmers of this section. He |
believes in fences, too, plenty of barn |
room, improved stock This cows are !
excellent), and clears more land year |
by year than any other | have met |
within my travels. Such land has |
been giving him good returns in tobac-
co, and will now be burdened and |
blessed with clover. He takes great |
pleasure in showing you his spring
a rock-b1und basin filed with water
eft for the gods" and is perfectly sat-
isfied that if baby show is made a
feature of the Farmville Fair, Mrs.
Elliott and the proud father will have
the satisfaction of seeing them carry
off at least three premiums. A first
cousin, the son Of Mr.. and Mrs. II. K.
Wall, did it last time.
In this home it was my privilege, too,
to spend a most delightful night, and
here it was 1 saw the biggest" plate of
butter "most ever did see."
The Crute Bros. have rented the farm
of DR.. h. A. Watkins for the season,
and are making preparation for
champion crop. Their father, so we'll
and familiarity known as "Clem," is
enjoying a green old age, and says he
is the "best cowboy in the neighbor-
hood.n If he is as faithful to the cows
as he was to the Confederacy, there can
be no doubt of his loyalty.
For ten years Capt. r. l.. Fowlkes
rented land, and has paid as high as
81, 900 year in rent. Twelve years
ago he wisely determined to work his
own land, and at that time bought
just two hundred acres Of unimproved
land near Hampden-Sidney, aud today
he has one of the most valuable farms
of like size in the county. He is be-
lever in diversity of crops, and though
he makes tobacco profitably, he is not
ashamed to make money from milk
and butter
Order reigns in his home and on his
farm, and my stay there was made not
only comfortable but intensely inter-