The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-07-14
Fiddler Who Played to the Accomp-
animent of a Riot
SNOW HILL LEADS IN THE PROCESSION
Industrial Features OF the Place Newspapers,
Schools, Telephone, Mercantile Establish
ment, Horse and Mule Market. The
Great Eastern Approaching
the Town.
Especial to News and Observer.)

| Snow Hill, n. c., July Zone desire OF
mine has at last been gratified. Through
| my better half who is of Greene county
stock, and through others | have heard
| so much of Greene county and of Snow
| Hill. it's county seat / have long antici-
! Carolina" Today that desire has been
gratifed and ! confess, | am not dis
pleased. Boarding the early morning At
lantic and North Carolina Shoe Fly Zone
of President Bryan's successful ventures
and, by the way he is doing much for
! the road and the territory along its line,
giving the travelling public a system of
trains and schedules of which they have
every reason to be proud), at Goldsboro.
| in few moments pleasant ride | alighted
from the car at LAGRANGE and soon seated
behind a splendid roadster, / started on
the fourteen mile drive to the capital of
Greene county. The day was cool. Heavy
clouds fioated overhead Indicative of rain
that did not fall. besides, the road was
in splendid condition. due to good rains
the two days previous. The ride over was
delightfully."- refreshing. En- route was
passed the splendid homes of Chas. Swim
son, Dick Hardy, w. ID. Mewborne, Mark
Sutton, Carson Cobb, Levi Mewborne and
old Uncle Billie Best and others whose
names | do not recall. AS | had a sleepy
driver, a "Mulatto Coon of some fifteen
summers, l was given an excellent OPP
portunity to view forest and cultivated
field The farms en- route We're in good
condition, suggesting the possibility that
landlords, too. had been at work and
beheld some of the best tobacco and some
of the best cotton and some of the best
corn and some of the worst corn found
in all my travels. And, frequent "goober'
patches besides.
Entering Snow Hill l saw evidences Of
growth and those sturdy oaks that dis
tingush the location and brought to mind
a story told me years ago. do not vouch
for its truthfulness, but it serves to IL
lustrate characteristic of this excellent
people-that on no question do they occu-
by neutral position. In the early days,
the story goes, the boys would gather, on
days, under the branches of the sturdy
oaks and pretty soon night was on
which became general, all hands
'jining in" Such scenes and experiences
gave the village a record in neighboring
counties and prompted one Goldsboro
gentleman to come down and see for him
self if rumorS afioat had any foundation
| in fact. Arriving on the grounds he saw
| a man sitting at the foot of tree, violin
| in hand Saving away" Approaching
| the fiddler he remarked: Stranger
| they tell me the boys fight down here.
Without looking up or ceasing his saw
| ing away the fiddler replied: Well
ya'as, some time they do, and music
! still rent the air. The Goldsboro man
seeing a few men gather at a distance
voiced the statement in the ears of the
| fiddler: "a crowd is gathering ahead
and see. one man has struck another and,
| stranger, they are all a fighting" The
| old fiddler withoE change of position
/ or tune still saving away, responded:
well, they do be having a little fun
| Just then big strapping young fellow
! left the crowd and running. came to a
halt Immediately facing the Goldsboro
man hurting into his teeth in no uncertain
terms the words: stranger, which side
you take?" The Goldsboro man was only
| a spectator, and replied why, I'm only
| a visitor" To his surprise blow in the
| face accompanied the statement: "Take
one side or t'other No neutral ground
here" Tis said ever after this when
| told the Greene county boys did some
| times gather at the village and fight, this
| gentleman was not a doubling Thomas"
! Time brings with it many changes. The
moral tone of Snow Hill is now good, a
majority of her 600 population being MEM
| bers of the three churches here. The
| Methodist, Baptist and Episcopal, each
have a pretty church building. Rev. NJ.
| p. Davis is the pastor of the Baptist
| church and is doing a splendid work, while
| the Rev. Z. Pope is the shepherd of the
| Methodist flock, the most numerous one
here The Episcopal minister resides at
! Wilmington. | had the pleasure of meet
| ing today the resident pastors, Mr.. Davis
! I knew before, Mr.. Pope only by reputa-
/ ton. They both are on the News and
| Observer list Mr. Davis getting there to-
/ day and Mr.. Pope being life subscriber,
| having issued positive instructions to-wit
| 'If ever for any cause write you to stop
| my paper, pay no attention to it, keep it
| coming" This is wise.
| Snow Hill is built on the banks to the
| South of Moccasin River, which gives the
! town connection by steamer with New
| bern The town is distant by county road
/ from Goldsboro % miles, KinstoI t6 miles,