The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-08-30
A TYPICAL NORTH CAROLINIAN.

There died in Wilson county last
week at the age of ninety-two years
typical, old-fashioned North Carolina
farmer-Mr. Thomas Perry-who had
lived for over fifty years on the same
farm. He was straight as an arrow
in his youth and retained his power
until he was very old. In the wilson
Times Judge Conner writes an obltu-
airy of a column and a half. Both De-
cause of it's excellence and because
too often men of Mr.. Perry's quiet
life are not valued at their true worth
when snowy talents pass in the mar
kets at more than their value
we make extracts from it. There
are men of the type of Thomas Perry
IN every county. They do not win
fame or reputation, but it is from
such men that the State gets it's char
acter and upon such men largely de-
ponds it's future, for more than sew
enty-five per cent of the population OF
North Carolina follow farming as their
occupation. All of them, who are 60
ing toward the sunset, will appreciate
Judge Connor's tribute to man who
never had any calling except farming
and never held public position. From
Judge Connors tribute we quote:
"He represented a type of men
rapidly disappearing. HIS wants were
few and simple; it never occurred to
his mind that they We're to be supplied
otherwise than from the fruits of his
honest labor. He planted the seed
| a. IIr, 500.
and with patience and faith awaited
the harvest. He complained neither
of the flood or the drought, always
answering the complaints and fears OF
others in that respect by saying that
The Master up yonder would take
care of the weather" and that he had
always made a plenty" He was
never in a hurry and although he was
called upon to pass through aftiictions
and trials, he was always patient and
cheerful. He was a warm hearted
faithful friend and neighbor, always
ready to lend a hand" or do acts OF
kindness. The hearty shake of your
hands and enquiry after the health OF
yourself and folks" gave assurance
of warm heart. He spoke no SIAN
der; no! nor listened to it, He was
strong in his attachments and if he
disliked people he kept it to himself
1t is pleasant to say that after living
near him for more than twenty years
can recall no expression in regard 10
others which may not have been ut
tered in their presence. AS result
L have heard no man speak other than
kindly of this man. This counts Tor
much in casting up the final account
of a long life. Illustrating his rela-
tons to his neighbors, he told me
some years ago that, having cut MS
wheat he was taken sick before 1t
was shocked A cloud came up
threatening ruin. A near neighbor,
man of few words, who respects the
scriptural Injunction in regard to ms
communications, went into his Held,
shocked the wheat, protecting it from
injury and so far my information
goes, neither of them ever referred to
the incident. At another time, as !
am informed, his wheat was cut and
ready for threshing. He met with an
accident which confined him Tor
few days. His neighbor, the same
one, had engaged the thresher to cut
his wheat in an adjoining field. Hav-
ing finished his own he proposed to
his sons that they go over and thresh
Mr.. Perrys wheat. They did so and
put it away, saying nothing to the
owner. / doubt whether these two old
men were ever in the homes of each
other, or had much other communities
ton than "howdy' as they met. This
was their way. These are small but
by no means, insignificant incidents in
the lives of men who live and move
along the dry and dusty paths of hui
man life. Such acts relieve life OF
it's dreary monotony and hardness,
and it is by them that men realize the
promise that they shall go to their
fathers in peace.
"Mr. Perry was an industrious man
and provident, caring nothing, how
ever, for things save as they We're use
full for his family. He was a kind
husband and affectionate father. He
discharged the simple duties of citizen
ship as they came to him. No one asks
or cares to know of this mans gath
erings or "how much he left" No
one ever enquired as to his creed or
views regarding religion. l am sure
that his creed was simple and that,
with the light given him he lived 1t,
rather than talked about it.
"Such men do not build towns or
make great noise in the worlds work.
They do not amass wealth, as reckon
ed in dollars, or lands or houses Iney
do not affect the currents of life, but
we are not to conclude that they nave
no place in Gods economy, nor con-
tribute anything to the sum of human
life and happiness. The promises is
to them, as to all men, that if they
with faith, do that which is appointed
unto them they shall go to their
fathers in peace and be buried in
good old age" and who can say that
such lives are not useful and happy
| This was a just man. May we not
| confidently believe that to him has
! been answered the prayer of the old
| Scotchman as the doctor of the old
/ school," passed away. Almighty God
-dinna be hard on him, for he's no