The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-04-29


j. B. Duke, president Of the American
Tobacco Company, or Buck" Duke, as
be IS known in North Carolina. was in
the town of Durham last Sunday. The
next morning he sent for a negro bar
Der, who is an old friend of the tobacco
king, and who, besides being an artist
in his profession, possesses oratorical
powers in no mean degree, and frequent
Iy fills the pulpit on Sunday. At this
time the congregation of which he is a
member is struggling to build a new
church, and needs money badly. Mr..
Duke asked the barber if he was preach
ing much these days, and was answered
in the Affirmative. "MarSe Buck then
inquired if he believed in sanctifca ton
on earth. The barber said he preached
it, and it was necessary to have some
| thing of the kind to stir the emotions of
the members Of his flock, otherwise he
could not control them. Then said the
barber: "Marse Buck, is you much OF a
Baptist desc days."
why do you think l am a Baptist?'
asked the other.
The barber laughed and said:
"Marse Buck, doan' you remember dat
day out here on Emo river, when DR..
Frost was baptizin' dat great multitude
| when you was a small boy, and YOU and
one OBJ Marse Paul Cameron'S boys, and
one oh de Graham boys. and one of de
Turner boys, was a settin' on a big limb
OBJ a water oak out over de hole where
DR.. Frost was putting dem under de
water? Right in de midst OF de most
'~portant part OBJ de ceremony dat limb
break, and all youSe boys fall inter de
river, and old doctor he look on wild
'stonishment and den lif' up his hand to-
wards heaven and say, Il baptize dem
boys by de bunch. Amen" Then Mr..
Duke laughed until his eyes filled with
tears, and said he had not thought OF
that occurrence in gorty years
When the barber left the house Mr..
| Duke handed him a sealed envelope, say
ing that he had no change, but three was
a check in the envelope which he could
carry to the bank in the morning. When
the cashier opened the envelope next
morning and saw what the amount was,
he asked the barber if he knew what the
check called for. He said he supposed
| SO. as a present from "Marse Buck.
| The cashier told him it was for SO, O0e,
dld LllC Od1 Z put lit Sul0 ~ LAC =
of the FUND with which to complete the
church.
The following story is vouched for by
Hon. Charles Aston Cook, Associate
Jpstice Of the Supreme Court Of this
State, to be true in every respect and
particulars:
Mr.. Hunt Aston, a prominent citizen
of Warren county and a kinsman of
Judge Cook, died a short time ago. He
left a widow and children. 1t was well
| known to the members of his family that
he had made a Will, and it was supposed
to be in his desk. where all of his pri-
vate papers were stored away.
In due time after his death search was
made and the will could not be found.
Another and most thorough. investiga-
ti0n was made into every place, nook
| and corner where it was conceived that
the will might have been laid away, and
| without finding the document. The ef-
fort was repeated probably q half dozen
times in the presence OF the various
members of the family without success.
While these attempts to find the VIII
were going on the house was afflicted
with noises in every room. as II some
person was knocking to obtain admission.
These sounds were so clear and dIStlnGf
that the house was watched from the
outside to see if people were making
sport of the family by making the various
noises. Nobody was seen about the
house at any time and the knocking ana
rapping sounds on the house could not
be explained. Finally, Mrs. Aston
sent a messenger to W~arrenton,
the county seat, for Mr.. Eddie Green,
-Io l>l .@-l J~-r ~In IND r Tonlr
and who was then practicing law in
Warrenton, to come to her house to ad-
wise about the appointment of an admin
i~strator Tor the purpose Of Settling up
the estate. Mr.. Green went to the house
Of the widow, which was some distance
from Warrenton and in Halifax county.
and after hearing all the particulars
concerning the supposed will, he said the
Will must be found. and he and Mrs. AL
ston and other members Of the family
made another thorough and systematic
search without finding the will. In the
meantime knocking and rapplng in every
room of the house continued, and they
became so alarming that the children OF
the widow came from their room on the
second story down stairs and occupied
the room with their mother. Mr.. Green
remained in the house one night and the
noises around his room disturbed him so
that he slept very little.
1t was decided to have an administra-
tor appointed, and Mrs. Williams, who
was then an inmate Of the house, nav
ing agreed to sign the bond Of the ad-
ministrator who was to be appointed,
she and Mr.. Green took a buggy and
drove twenty-five miles to Halifax court
house. Mr.. Ponton, who was also to
sign the bond, had been notified to be in
Halifax that same day and had agreed
to be there.
At this time Miss Nellie Norwood, a
young lady about twenty years old, was
q guest of Mrs. Aston. She was known