The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-12-20
Rev z. II. Whitaker on
the Old Days at Flu
quay Springs.
Continued From Sixth Page.)

aence of Mr.. Harry Parker; put he Is
| gene and his son Hannibal, boy when
I was a young man, died recently, and
so l am a stranger at this gate. I pass
also the residence of Lawrence Hinton,
| but see no one I know; nor do I find at
the homes, from there to Raleigh am
] that 1 used to know
The reader will pardon me for this old
| time trip out into the country. 1t was
an imaginary one, but very real, all the
same When l take that ride on the
Mills road. I may write another chapter,
| in which I can then describe things Gs
| they are today, and l have no doubt but
| l will be forced to admit that changes
I have been improvements, and, dear to
me as the old time memories are, l viii
| find more and better things than the old
| time could afford but no more real hap
piness: not half the independence; for,
| in the olden times we made what we
| lived upon, at home, and always had
plenty. True. We did not have biscuits
all the time, but they were better when
they did come, and that made UP for the
skps We had plenty of corn. pork.
chickens, turkeys, eggs. peas. potatoes.
pumpkins, turnips and all kinds of vege
ia bles, all raised at home: and it was q
sort of disgrace for farmer to have 70
| buy meat l learned that when 1 was q
very small boy; thee hoIera killed my
| fathers hogs in the fall and he did not
| have enough to go through to beef killing
time, so he bought a side of bacon some
where and brought it home after dark,
/ and tried to get it into the smoke house
without its being seen by we children o.
the servants, but / happened to see the
smuggling in process and mother called
me into her room and explained to me
| how it happened that father had to buy
meat. saying that people would talk
about it and think less of Us if they were
| to hear of it, and told me in threatening
| tone of voice she would whip me if l ever
breathed it to a single mortal. | could
hardly sleep that night, thinking OF the
| disgrace which had come to our family
HAD TO BUY NEAT" Yes, we made
all we used, and wore homemade shoes,
OF leather tanned at home, so that we
were emphatically independent. and did
not have to lie awake at night, thinking
about trusts, or the accounts against Us
for supplies, already consumed, and. how
to get more.
| W. H. Peasants, Esq, of Louisburg,
one of Franklin county best citizens,
was a Raleigh boy and like many Others
who have risen to spheres of usefulness
and wealth he was a poor boy, but, he
had an ambition to do something and
to be something. He began lis career
as printer, serving the first year of hiH
| d n q
| in the primitive Baptist office, two
years in the Biblical Recorder office, witt:
Rev. Z. T. Meredith and two years IN
the office Of the North Carolina Star,
Rev. Thos. j. Lemay editor. He mad good
training, three preachers, one Calun-
list, one Missionary Baptist, and on3
a Methodist, and, as he finally settled
down in the Methodist community, il
must be inferred he did 50 because his
last instructor, who was Methodist
saw that he was worth catching and
keeping, and I think &c made II mistake
So brother Peasants, as many Oh the
preachers of both the North Carolina
Conferences know, is Methodist, ana
keeps a Methodist preachers home. Ii
l am not mistaken it was in 1854 he began
the publication of a paper in LoulsburS
lsoon after he finished his five years OF
apprenticeship in Raleigh. This was his
first venture, and from that heglrnn:
h. made money, acquired real and per
Isonal property, became useful an
highly esteemed citizen, raised family
lof sons and daughters who give nm
pleasure in his old age, and he is stl
la boy in his feelings and jolly IN his ways
though in the latter years he has beer
a great sufferer at times. For 10 years
he was the Mayor Of Louisburg, and
think he told me that lie had been
steward of the Methodist church 80 years
as well as a trustee. In politics he ha'
been and is a Democrat, and when L 81
to his house in the summer time | gener
ally find him on the piazza, in his biz
rocking chair, reading the News and Cd
lserver. If he were dead might say many
good things about him which would d.
true; but knowing his modesty, his dis
like of anything that savors OF fattery
I desist. AS a Raleigh boy of the older
time 1 think of him as one OF the yer!
few who remain, and am always glad Y
have a talk with him OF the boyhoo(
days. In some future sketch ! intend U
/ say a good many things of Lonisburg
when Mr.. Ray was carrying on such I'M