The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-12-17

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His family was fed by the master.
TIE master looked after the sell
inc of the crop for them so that
they would not be cheated. We
lived so miles from NewberA and be-
fore the railroad was completed the
wagon made frequent trips TO that
place 80 get suoh supplies as were
needed on the farm. Uncle Bob was
the WAGNER. He would hitch up
six mules and make the trip. 1t
took two days to go. 1t was my
greatest pleasure 80 go on those
trips. We would go half way and
Damp the first night. An ample sup
ply of provisions were cooked at
home to last us on the trip. We
would cut a slice of bacon and put is
on a stick sharpened at the end and
broil it and place it on a piece of
bread and cut it with our pocket
knife. 1t was delightful. Several of
the neighbors' wagons would in on
those trips and we would have a SO
cial, pleasant time. / was travelling
once in the State of Texas and l came
to a log cabin by the road side. An
old man past 80 years was sitting in
the door. l stopped to have a talk
with him. He had come to the State
when he was Is years old and be
fore the Indians had been driven
from her borders and when the Out-
falO, the wild horse and CATTLE and
deer roamed over her vast prairies.
1t was interesting to hear him talk.
He said railroads anu Sunday Schools
had ruined Texas. l asked him to
to explain. He said railroads had
destroyed ali sociability and the Sun
day schools had introduced the OBJ
servance of Sunday. Before the
Sunday School they did not have
any Sunday. AS TO the railroads l
believe he was right. For in those
old days people were more social
and seemed to enjoy themselves
more than now.
The negroes we're given three
suits of clothes annually. The cloth
was woven by hand looms and was
stronger and more durable than the
cloth woven in the factories of TO-
day. During rainy days in the win
ter the women and girls did the
spinning. 1 have seen my mother
stand for weeks at a table, cutting
out the different garments. 1t was
no easy job to cut out clothes for
800 negroes. Yet it was believed
by those who were ignorant of such
things that the Southern matron
had nothing to do. She kept a medi
cine chest and when a negro was
sick, she would visit him and see
what he needed. If the case was
beyond her skill a physician was
called, but she would have to give
all the medicine, for the negro could
not be relied upon in such an emer
gency. When l vas a by and not
at school my father would send me
the field 80 work, but he said be got
less work out Of me than any of his
other children. l preferred TO read
than TO work, so I did as little as
possible.
The negro is emotional in his ma
ture and can work himself up to a
high pitch of religious frenzy.
They have a strong, fine, deep-toned,
melodious voice. When they would
first begin a song in an undertone,
they reminded me of what Byron
says in Don Juan:
"rheir voices were like the warb-
of q bird
So soft, sc sweet, so delicately clear"
1t is delightful to hear five hun
dred voices chanting suoh old gospel
songs as HThe old ship of Zion, when
she comes" The sensation produced
is thrilling.
Then as the excitement increased
and taking Hamlet's advice TO the
players, 'suiting the action to the
word" some clapping their hands,
some patting their feet and some
swinging their bodies backward and
forward all we're wrought up to the
highest pitch OF excitement. "Who
as they sung would take the prisoned
soul and lap it in Elysium."
Christmas was perhaps the most
enjoyable season of the year. From
three to four days were given as Il
holiday. The young negro boys and