The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-05-29
THEY MET AT THE CIRCUS
AND THE PAPA FELT CHEAP
Where Grain of Example Was Worth Ton of
Precept---Training Children and
Other Matters

/ it refers to some things of which [
wrote two weeks ago, throwing light
on one or two incidents. l hope the
make of his letter, since it correctS a
mistake l made. Here is the letter:
Dear Sir: 1 have read and enjoyed
your articles in The News and Observ-
err for some time; but your article in
yesterdays paper, (May 15th), was
| especially interesting to me. My father,
DR.. Neil Graham, was living in Baden
/ county in 1865. To escape the YAM
| KEGS, coming from Fort Fisher and
/ Wilmington, he sent his family to his
sisters, Mrs. Christopher Monroes in
! Cumberland county, II miles north
west of Fayetteville, one mile from
I Manchester, and about the same dist
| ance from MonroeS bridge, on Little
| River We were entertained by Sher-
| mans army, while my father, in Bla-
! den, received visit from those Yam
KEGS from Wilmington. | was then a
| boy 13 years old, and remember dis
| tinctly being on the fence, at my
| uncle's negro quarters, and seeing
| those captured Yankees and wagons
| as they passed. | remember too, how
| my mother and aunt enjoyed the real
| store bought coffee given to them by
| our men from those wagons. A day
or two after those prisoners were car
ried westward, (by my aunt's) Wheel
er's. men returned alone. We never
! knew what became of those prison
| erS.
| mo, Doctor. I think, perhaps, you
are in error as to the name of the
| spanking lady, though my surmise
may be wrong.
''One mile from my uncle's, G.
Monroes, lived his mother, who, at
| that time, was very old, feeble and not
| exactly of sound mind in fact, she was
/ in her dotage. With her lived her
daughter Mrs. McDougald, who was
OF large frame. very muscular and
| of rather masculine appearance. This
| Mrs. Dougald L knew had a scrap"
with a Yankee. She had an adopted
| daughter and son: Miss Mary Robertson
] and George Robertson. Old Mrs.
| Monroes house was on the public road
| twelve miles from Fayetteville 1t was
a two-story house, piazza above and
| below, chimney at the west end; two
rooms below and two above, and two
| shed rooms House had pailingS in
| front and to sides. Can you recall any
of these things? If not, l suppose
am wrong in thinking it was Mrs. Nc
| Dougald (Mrs Anabella McDOugald)
] who Spanked that Yankee.
1.-The house from which Fitzpatrick
and his lady were run, is now owned
! by Mr. n. S. Blue, of this place. File
| has a fine farm there, and it is known
as the Battlefield Farm" Yankees
from Southern Pines frequently drive
out there to see the old house and Sc
cure relics"
! l am glad that Dr. Graham cor
| rected me as to the name Of the lady
who spanked" that Yankee. l re-
member distinctly, now, that Mrs. Me-
| Dougald was the name. | met George
| Robertson at Manchester some years
/ after the occurrence, and we%talked
| the incident over, and forgetting that
/ he was an adopted son, | fell into the
mistake that she whom he called
mother was Mrs. Robertson. Yes, l
| remember the house, the yard and the
| fences; and l remember. also, the bent
down pine sapling and the tuft of
! wire grass in front of the house, un-
! der which Mrs. McDougald buried
| that cheese box filled with jewelry,
! which the Yankees did not find.
| Thank you, Doctor. for writing. 1
hope others will follow your example.
While my mind is down in Cumber-
land, 1 guess I had just as we'll speak
of some of the oId-time memories that
| come to me just now. And to begin
I will say that in 1852 l taught a
school in the neighborhood of the Will
| liams's, on lower Little River, board
! ing part of the time with Rev. David
s. Williams, who at that time was,
| perhaps, the most wealthy and one Of
| the most noted Baptist preachers in
| the State. 1 was young and very little
used to ladies' society, therefore very
! timid and easily leased. l had never
killed deer, but very much desired
| to have it to say that l had The OPP
portunity cameA at length, and, sure
| enough, / killed one. Mr.. William l..
! Williams, father of the late Senator
| Williams, Of Cumberland was my en-
| ployer, and had the right. therefore,
to dismiss the school whenever he
/ pleased to do it.
One day, as he rode by the school
| house he hailed me and said: "Whita
ker, dismiss school, send the children
home, and let's go deer hunting" Of
| course | did as he told me. That
| evening we went out beyond the
! Thompson field and Mr.. Williams
I told me to hitch my horse, go over
beyond a little ravine and keep a sharp
| look out as he would drive a deer to
| me in less than five minutes. / had
! but just reached the place designated
when | saw n deer coming right to-
| ward me. l fired as soon as it came
near enough, and at the crack of the
| gun IL lell, turning ii complete SOIner-
| Saut; then rose and started back in
| the direction from which it came. The
! charge of the second barrel was more
! effective and the deer lay on the
ground kicking. There was negro
near by dipping turpentime who ran
up with knife in hand to cut the
! deer's throat. About the time he
| thrust in the knife, [ saw him COM
mence slapping this way ana that,
and start to run, still slapping. BY
| which time the dogs reached the deer.
/ but the next moment they went off,
! bowling and swapping, rolling over and
whining. In the midst of it all Mr.. Will
| liams rode up, and stopping at a safe
| distance, for he took in the situation,
! he said without addressing any one:
THAT beats anythingNI ever saw" The
/ situation was, the deer had fallen near
| a yellow-jacket's nest and by it's kick
ing had stirred the yellow jackets up
and made them fighting mad After
a while they got quiet and the deer
was taken up, carried home and dress
ed. / was a hero-had killed a deer
shot him running, at that.
Some of the neighbors were invited
| Il