The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1901-04-12
With Our Farmers.


spicuous among the number il Mr
. W. NJ. Gillian, The owner Of a fin,
F. farm, but who on account OF education
+ al facilities rents the Calkins farm
near Hampden-Sidney. 1t is from
this farm he has been selling forage
since last fall aud the good work still
goes on. / drove to the home recently.
and just as | got in full view Of the
premises / saw two wagons standing
in front Of barn from which clover
hay was being loaded for market.
confess the sight was good to look
upon. was commenting upon this
some days after when | met the owner
on the go, and he remarked: ~ have
been farming for a number of years,
and never bought but three bales Of
hay in all that time, aud felt so
much ashamed OF it that have never
repeated it. The fact is neighbor who
caught me in the very act said to me:
"If your father knew of that he would
turn in his grave" If our farmers
would all feel the same way hey would
soon become more independent. APP
preciate in something Of its full force
that last season was a "terror,n and
yet some farmers seem to defy wet and
dry, cold and heat, storm and sun
shine.
1t was my privilege recently to
spend short time in the presence Of
Mrs. Maria Edmunds, the venerable
mother Of Mrs. r. r. Cralle and Mrs.
r. S. Paulett, Of your town, perhaps
the Oldest person in all this section.
Her powers Of mind and body are so
well preserved, however, that she
makes bright and strong link be-
tween the living present and the dead
but ever dear past. How delightful to
sit at her feet and learn of social by
gone in Southside Virginia, and how
attractive was farm life i'm Prince Ed
ward during those days when she
reigned as Queen in typical Virginia
mansion. The farm Of her late hus-
band was one of the best in all this
portion Of Virginia, and he was prince
among farmers. No gullies cut their
ugly way through those lands, no poor
animal plowed those fields or brought :
the abundant crops 10 market, no bad
~ clad or ill-fed servant worked that
farm or waited about that home, no .
inferior vegetables grew in that garden
nor imperfect fruit on those trees, no :
spot was seen on those floors and no
sour bread on that table.
Such a woman was mot afraid of the
snow for her household. Her husband
was known in the gates when he sat {
among the elders Of the land. She
)peneth her mouth with wisdom, and n
a her tongue is the law Of kindness. a
Her children arise up and call her
)lessed.n
And then the neighborly touch Of ,
hat day was so delicate and so delight !
ul. Mrs. Edmunds gave me this I
)age from it: Her nearest neighbor {
vas Mrs Jno. A. Scott, who still lives
o brighten and bless the home of her
laughter, Mrs. A. J. Davis, in the coun. h
y Of Mecklenburg, and who is just one q
ear younger. There was a kind of p
)int ownership between these two
Iirginia matrons of all things on the
wo farms, and they made free use Of
hem. b
For example, it was Mr.. Edmunds' l.
abit to kill lamb every Monday H
lornlng during the season, and put it l.
n the ice. If Mrs. Scott had unex- "
ected company land | don't know : y
hat | should write the word unex-
ected in this connection, as at Moy-
ma company was expected every day
the year, she simply told "Clem,"
he man of all work, to go over to Mrs
.dmunds' and bring a quarter of
lmb. And Glen went direct to the Il
e house without asking permission
any one, selected the best and took
to sold Mss Sometimes it hap AZ
ened that Mrs. Edmunds wanted that OF
cry piece, and not knowing it had h,
cen carried to the neighbours, would III
rider it to be prepared for her dinner,
hen the cook would say: LA, Miss n
ia. Miss Lizzie done eat dat lamb -
avs ago"
Mrs. EdmuDds also said it was no
nusuaI thing to hear a knock at the
Dor after they had all retired, and on te.
lquiry would have answer like this: pa
Dis here is Glen, and old Miss sent ~
lie to say you must send her some Of
EN- pies for next day dinner" OF at
,urse Glenn carried them back with ~
i'm. And i'm return il was not unus-
Al when Mrs. Edmunds was enter Gu
lining company to have Glenn drop ma
with the cream already well frozen OH
nd dainties Of exquisite design and nj
avor, and thea when club dinners INF
ere being prepared it was no intru-
on on the part Of Mrs. Scott to enter
ie kitchen and assume joint COM =
and. III
Pardon this diversion, but some Of III
-. 49, ..-iII - .......lI.r Iii. | -