The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1900-04-05
SWINGING ROUND III! CIRCLE.
PEOPLE and Places Within 20
Miles of Bamberg.
FARMERS AND THEIR FARMS.
What a Staff Correspondent of The
Herald Saw and Heard Along the
County's Highways and Byways.
OIAR S c. Anril ;. 1000.

its people are cntrrprlslng and energetic,
and one of its merchants, does an annual
business that would make some of your
Bambcrg business men open their eyes.
If it could get some sort of 4 manufacture
inc industry established here it would
spread out, and rs like attracts like,
would in time perhaps find it necessary
to extend its corporate limits. There
is dispensary here, but rarely is there
the disorder that is naturally associated
with an indulgence in the States fire
water, and the town marshal usually
finds time hang heavy on his hands,
while the "gyard- house" door lock looks
suspiciously rusty:
One of the noted citizens of GLARS rival
town, Govan-Or, craving pardon OF the
ladv-two of them-arc Uncle Lishc and
Aunt Ann Gunnells. Uncle LiShc is So,
and his helpmect has seen nearly that
number of birthdays Both of them work
every day of their lives, and are as hale
and hearty as most people of half that
are. Uncle LiShc is 4 worker in iron,
and fashions anything from cambrlc
needle to a plough point.
II started out in life said he. las
brick mason. In my day that meant sew
eral trades, for I not only moulded and
burned my brick, but prepared my lime.
All, me. We did good work iii those
DAYS, and chimney put up by me would
last a lifetime. I've never been sick in
nv life, and l never took dose of doc
tors stuff except when l was in the army
during the Confederate war. That |
threw away. Once / broke my leg and
DIR. Bowling said it had to come off if !
wanted to live. I wanted to live, but |
was determined that I'd keep NY leg, and
I did. The fracture healed III time, but
I'd been hobbling around all the time
when should have been i'll bed. and the
bones kept slipping past each other.
They got welded together, however IN
time, but the two ends overlap each 9th
er about an inch and the doctors can't
understand how it is possible for me to
gct around OH it. reckon it's because I'm
tough and not like other men, for am diff
ferent from most of those that were born
after me. For instance, nigger must
treat me civilly. When they forget them
selves and are sassy or impudcnt l invite
'em in my shop and close and lock the
door. Then I gather the first thing that
comes to hand, and when I get through
with that niger he's as humble as you
please, and has good reason never to TOR
get Lige Gunnells."
His old wife does all of her own work,
and when paid my respects to her, she
was deep in the weekly wash. She is q
little bit of woman, with sharp eyes and
ready tongue, and when asked her II
she never felt the need of rest, she tossed
her head scornfully, and, wiping the suds
from her lean but sinewy arms, replied: {:
"Rest! Uh! don't know your meaning
If it's idling around in your best bi b and
tucker, while passel of laZZy niggers
mess up your things, and do everything
wrong, then I want none of it in mine.
T was brought up to work and I'm never
so happy as when I have plenty of it to
do. NV age? I don't know exactly how
old T am. but I'm not far behind the old
man."
And she returned to her work at the
washtub, while the merry musical ring OF
iron against iron gave notice that Uncle
Lishe, who knows no idle moment from
sun to sun, had returned to his hammer
and anvil. Verify, this old couple are a
living refutation of the sometime bruit-
ed SANDER that the 'low country is
unhealthy" for here they have lived all
their lives, and bid fair to live, active,
vigorous and with all their faculties, pre-
served for many long years to come.
Speaking of old people, met another
interesting patriarch or patriachess down
on Bic Salkehatchic-Aunt Hattie Kirk
land, past the seventy mark by several
wears, and rs lively as three-year-old
filly. II don't feel any older than did
forty years ago" she said, when com
mented on her sprightliness. "The only
thing that reminds me that age is creep
ing on is my eyesight. That's not as
good as it used to be. / have to wear
spectacles when l read fine print, and by
the way, I'm wearing the same pair that
nv mother wore before me, and her
mother before her. They are hundred
and fifty years old, if they are day, and
lust as good rs new"
This is a good farming country here
abouts and the tillcrs of the soil are most
excellent husbandmen. They believe in
raising everything possible that they con-
sume, and the humblest farmer lives on
the fat of the land. I was actually sur
feited with good eatings" during my
weeks soiourn among the Buford's
Bridgeites. The roads down that way
are in fairly good condition, and now that
Supervisor Kearse's changing is located
in the township the ethoroughfares will be
more than ever improved. This week
the gang is working on the Govan and
Honey Ford road, which, in many places,
was sadly in need of repairs. There is
no dirt road connecting Olar and Govan,
but a private road runs alongside the
tracks of the F. G. s. P. railroad, and this
should be Strengthened and dedicated to
public use. 1t is the crookedest road l
ever saw, and the crooks are all unneces-
sary ones.
The warm days last week. and this have
pushed farm operations forward amaZ-
ingly. Corn is nearly all in the ground,
and the soil is in preparation for cotton.
The high prices paid for the latter staple
the past fall has induced much bigger
acreage than in 1899. I'm afraid that the
small grains and forage crops were neg
lected for the ''t1eecy," and l saw very
little wheat. That should not be. Farm
ers can never be prosperous in this coun-
try until they grow all that they con-
sumo, build more fences, utilize pasture
land that would otherwise be protitless
and raise plenty of stock. In many
places the ground could be much enrich;
ed and it's productive capacity increased
by the use of the sub-soil plow.
Fruit, if there is no untoward happen
ing later on, will be abundant this year
The peach and pear trees are loaded with
blossoms, and the few apple trees arc
making brave effort to produce fruit
We haven't had plentiful fruit for several
years, and l trust this-the last OF tho
century-will be an exception. | notice
that some of the pear trees are suffering
from blight. Can our pomologiSts FIND
no remedy for this disease? And, can al
apple not be propagated that will thrive
| ,n1 n,,tnre in tho low cOuntrVe 1t is an