The Banner-Democrat., 1900-09-29

both.
The teachers convention was in
session there-about hundred teach
ers from Tattnall and other counties
and say truthfully I never looked
upon q more thoughtful, intelligent
and earnest body of teachers, both
men and women. By request l made
some fatherly remarks to them and
then had to stand up and receive a
hearty handshake from every one.
That night I gave my lecture, "Behind
the Scenes" in the beautiful large
hall where 450 good people from the
twin towns and adjacent country had
gathered. How easy it is for lecturer
or q preacher to please and magnetic
q large audience when they are packed
close together. The standard OF teach
ing is rising higher in this region.
The county school commissioners are
good scholars, graduates of our col
leges, and they are exacting in their
examinations. Nineteen applicants
were rejected recently in one county.
This is an interesting region and
farming is easy and prosperous. The
long staple cotton is grown here. L
did not know until now that the bloom
was first yellow-a bright canary
and then turned red. The seed are
black and are rolled out instead OF be-
ing ginned out. It is harder to pick
this cotton from the bolls and seventy
five pounds is good days work. 1t
is now 20 cents q pound. Sugar cane
abounds here and is the most luxurl-
ant crop know Of. But it is the tur-
pentine and lumber business that scat
ters money SO freely in all this region.
I visited the Perkins mills. They
are up to date in all respects and cut
and kiln, dry and dress $4,000 feet in
. day, and give employment to several
hundred hands. Pine lands are now
bringing SO to $40 an acre for the
timber and the owner keeps the land
after the pines are cut away. 1t is
right sad to see all these beautiful
forests passing away, but this is des-
tiny. While sojourning here 1 was
the guest of Judge Williams. l felt
very much at home. for his lovely wife
and twelve children adorn the large,
inviting home. These children are
from two to twenty years and are we'll
behaved, obedient and kept their faces
clean. The two-vounger ones began
TO call me grandpa a. soon as L urrlv-
ed. Beautiful fruit abounds and / get
as much of it as 1 wish and it keeps
me in good health.
Yesterday I visited McRae Helena,
the twin city. McRae is the boy and
Helena the girl, and they get along in
harmony like Winston-Salem in North
Carolina. There is bat one college
and one of the newspapers is The
Twin City News, published by two of
these same Scotchmen-McIntos and
McRae. This is new, lively and
progressive town adorned with pleas
ant homes and cultured people. 1t is
high, dry and gently rolling, and
quiet a resort for sick and tired peo-
pie. forgot to mention that Hagau-
| Claxton, the other twin towns, have
no corporation and don't want any.
| No mayor or aldermen, no marshal or
police. 1t is like Pelzer. in South
| Carolina.
Judge Williams said why should the
| good people of town require these
officials any more than the good peo-
pie in the country. If they behave
they are not needed and they do be-
have here. I've been living here six
years and have not yet heard of a
fight or even quarrel, and if blind
tiger, or one that wasn't blind, should
come here we would strap him over a
log and run him off in two hours.
This Scotch blooded stock has ramified
all over this region and make laws for
themselves when necessary. 1 met
Rev. Mr.. Walker, of McRae- Helena,
today and he told me he had twenty
seven McRaes in his church book and
half the other names began with Nc.
Tattnall county was named for
Joseph Tattnall, who was governor
just one hundred years ago. His son
Josiah, was in the United States navy
and commanded the Grampus, man
of-war in 1858, while England was
fighting China. Tattnall was ordered
there to watch and protect American
interests, but to preserve a strict
neutrality. His vessel got stranded
on rock in the China seas and he
was in distress until an English man
of-war came to his relief and helped
him off. Soon after this the Chinese
were getting the best of the fight and
Taitnall pitched in and helped the
English to whip them. For this he
was courtmartialed when he came
home, and when asked why he did II
answered.: eft was gratitude to our
kindred. I couldn't help it, for
blood is thicker than water. That
reply acquitted him and made him
famous.
But I must close. Goodby, deal
friends, of the wiregrass, goodby, Nc
Bull ARP in Atlanta Constitution.