The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-08-03
Loads ag North Carolina Daily Papers BIN Both Circulation

| old doctor, who appeared disgusted and
chagrined in about equal measure. The
doctor swore; young Edward was obdu-
rate. So he entered the ministry, and
! On the occasion of his first ecclesiastical
effort the doctors good wife, with we'll
concealed pride and pleasure, prevailed
upon him to go with her to the service
The doctor, with many misgivings and
after much parleying, consented.
The sermon was preached-a classical.
| polished effort in which men were meas
| ured according to their real and not
imaginary worth. From literary point
of view the discourse was admirable But
the old doctor had different view. On
| the way home the mother asked an opin-
| ion of "Eddie's sermon. Damned poor
effort, Maria damned poor effort"
In upper Warren, near the Franklin
line, hard upon the old homer place OF
Nathaniel Macon, lived Robert E. Bal
lard, who wrote a number of charming
stories of ante-bellum Southern life. The
most ambitious of work was a novel
called Myrtle Lawn" which was pub
lished through the patronage of Gid.
Branch Aston, a wealthy bachelor. by
the Lippincotts. The story was cleverly
written the character work being re-
markably fine Ballard was tutored by
Aston, who was a devoted litterateur.
Aston had studied the arts and sciences
! in Paris, and dreamed away three years
| in Heidelberg back in the SOS, and was
a capable critic and thorough man of
letters. Aston was of a retiring tenn
permanent, and spent most of his life,
after his return from abroad, in the quiet
seclusion of his country place, where,
through dissipation, he finished his days.
Ballard wrote no more after the death
of his friend and patron, and there al
ways appeared to be an irremediable
gap in his existence. l attended the
sale of Alston's books, which occurred
soon after his death. The cases con-
tanned works in all languages; there
were rare works in original Greek and
Spanish print which sold for mere songs.
Probably the most valuable volume in
the collection was an early edition of
Cervantes WHICH brought seventy five
cents.
Another section of North Carolina to
which. in the days of adolescence, l felt
called as a journalist was good old gem
erous- hearted Randolph-that magnifi-
| cent red-sOil country hard upon the fern
| lined banks of the Uwharrie, graceful
and most placid of up-country streams.
Here a good friend of mine was one
William Blizzard, a Republican in poll
| tics, but the steadfast and trusty friend
of my Democratic sheet. This paper is
still in existence. l saw a copy recently.
| in Charleston shop, and as / grasped
| it by its ink-smeared margin, my nerves
of, sympathy still lying close to the
| epidermis, in my soul was breathed a
prayer, that the boys may no longer be
forced to take wood on subscription in
the summer time, but may they receipt
for watermelons instead.
But l started out to tell about EriZ
Yard. Blizzard had nature and tenn
permanent as thoroughly uncommon and
as peculiarly placed as his name. He
really didn't resemble a blizzard at all
except possibly when drinking; then,
well--the house -cat is a hyena in COM
parison.
lop- cared Gordon setter was Biz
yards constant companion whether
drunk or sober. Next to his wife this
dog was Billiards. chiefest joy. On his
drinking bouts he would carry picked
swines feet and sweet cakes in his
pockets for the dog, and when he was
fortunate enough to secure an audience
he would discourse for hours necessarily
on the dogs pedigree, traits and iinc
hunting qualities. And if the crowd ap-
peared interested, he would talk of him.
self and his wanderings-and then of his
, wife. THE finest specimen of the race
as ever lived" he would swear. "Why,
durn me eff l ever seen her mad yit,
he would assert with visible pride.
Damned eff yo' kin make her mad; shes
an angel eff there ever was one
One morning he was in town, and called
at the shop and paid for two years in
advance This was a good Indication
that Blizzard was drinking for the
drunken he got the longer time he sub
scribed for He was loquacous-un-
usually loquacious-on this trip. After
while he got in among a crowd Of his
neighbors, and opened up on the subject
of his wifes disposition. For while
he confined his discourse to simple as
Gertions in regard to his wifes unruffled
disposition; then he got to Dragging, and
one of his neighbors offered to bet fifty
dollars that if Blizzard were to go home.
raise a row and pull the table-cloth full
of dishes off the table she would show
signs of temper. His neghbor had tried
that with his own wife once, but had
never cared to repeat the experiment.
Blizzard said he didn't want to rob
p, friend of his money, but he knew he
could win At last the bet was placed.
The neighbor was to watch the proceed-
ing through a window. That evening
Blizzard went home apparently fighting
drunk His wife saw him coming, went
out to the gate, opened it, kissed him,
and assisted his tottering steps into the
house. Then Blizzard sat down hard in
the middle of the floor and howled out:
"Confound your ugly picture, what did
yer pull that chair from under me for
Il hope you didn't hurt yourself" she
replied smiling kindly. Il was to blame
fer It, l am so awkward. But I'll try
not to do it again if you will forgive ne
this time. And she helped him to his
feet, although she had had nothing TO
do with his falling. He then sat down
on the sofa and sliding off on the floor.