The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-08-13
IN L
Crop CoLditions-A Sad Death-LocaIi.
ties Where the Gaelic Language Is
Still OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Red Springs, N. c., August s.

NA~
Very hot, dry weather for several
days a been succeeded by a very
heavy rain which, 1 fear, will further
damage the cotton crop I have had
opportunity recently of seeing severa!
farms and the condition is not as fav-
orable as anticipated. Corn on uplands
is fair, but in wet lands it is a failure.
One Of the saddest events in the his
tory Of Red Springs vas the death Of
jamie Townsend, daughter of g.. w.
Townsend. Esq. She died August 1st.
after a brief illness, at the z of IL
years and l month Possessed of a
very bright intellect and affectionate
disposition, she was beloved by all her
acquaintance, and her untimely death
was a great shock to the
Rev. DR.. H. G. Hill, of Floral College,
conducted h funeral ervices which
were attended by a very large number
of citizens.
Some sickness is reported in the sur
rounding country but the health of Red
Springs has been good SO far and with
proper sanitation no fear is entertained
that the present record will be broken.
The Red Springs Mercantile Associa-
ton, of which Messrs. r. w. Liver
more, Martin McKinnon, w. ]. john
son and other enterprising citizens are
members, is preparing to build a large
brick store on the corner of Main and
Fayetteville streets in Red Springs. S.
R. Townsend, Esq, is also preparing to
build a two story brick store on Main
street.
The Hotel Townsend under the man
agement of Mr.. Holton, is doing well
n the number of guests is increasing.
The Harnett Lumber Company, COM
posed of citizens of Red Springs, will
commence operating a huge plant at
an early day. A survey of an immense
body Of finely timbered land has been
completed n a railway will be con-
Structed to a point on the Coast Line
as soon as possible.
There is a section of Harnett county,
distant about twenty miles north OF
Fayetteville, where the Gaelic language
is as commonly spoken as English. The
negroes in that section speak Gaelic as
we'll as the white people. 1t is to be
regretted that a language as compre-
hensive as the Gaelic should die out. A
sermon preached in this language can
be understood by the most ignorant
and unlettered person who is familiar
with the Gaelic speech. 1t was Sir
Walter Scott, 1 believe, who said IF I
had to deliver a scientific address /
would deliver it in English. If / had to
court a lady, 1 would court her in
French; but when I come to plead ms
cause with my God I must address him
in Castle" In my younger days,
family worship was conducted in Gae-
lie. Gaelic Bibles and confessions of
faith were used and on Sundays two
sermons were preached, the first gen
orally in English and the second in
in Gaelic In my younger days,
heard was at Galatia church in Cum
berland county in 1860. when the Scotch
assembled from far and near, from
over the hills and far away to hear
a sermon in their native tongue.
There are more places than h one
mentioned in Harnett where the Gaelic
is spoken. Within three years past ]
have seen young children at play in
western Cumberland addressing each
other in the language of their ances-
tors.
The first man who ever visited the
locality known as Red Springs was one
John Fort, Esquire, a British knight
who pitched his tent on h Big Raj
opposite Mt. Tabor church, and con-
Quoted hither by some Indians He
built the first grist mill ever known IL
this section. This was $50 years ago
About the same time a man named
heard was at Galatia church in Cum
opposite Mt Ttbor church. n wa:
conducted hither by some indians. III
| swamp H. liloI LII I'm - iAA1c
line between Robson and Cumberland
He raised cattle and horses, hunted
game and traded with Charleston ant
Norfolk. Indians Were numerous be
tween the Cape Fear n the Lombe'
Gas the Lumber was then called). Tn
only roads in hose days were Indial
trails, called 'Lowrie" roads. leadin,
from the hill country to the huntin,
grounds in eastern Carolina. 1t is NOR
tina Unlikely that John Lederer on hi
return from visiting the Laura Indian
in South Carolina in the seventeenth
century passed along the Lowrie trai
through what is now Robson. Colone
Barnwelrs troops on their retarn from
the war against the Tuscaroras in III
certainly passed through this section
Some of his Indian allies remained her
with their Mattamuskeet prisoners VIII
afterwards built Scoville Town on tn
Lombee. which place now bears tn
2 classic name of Scufletown!
? H. HIM.