The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-05-18
Ragcod Notes ani Comment.

Hagood, May 5.-HaYe Just return
cd from an extended trip throngh
Lee into Kershaw county. That is
fne farming land around Spring Hill,
territory our county could i'll afford
to lose, and it is in the hands OF men.
such as Lawrence White, Wes Weldon,
Viii Smith and others, who know how
to cultivate it.. Spring Hill has a
bright future before it, being free
from malaria. having fine water and
other desirable advantages. The men
are vigorous, energetic. of sound iudg-
msnt, and are succeeding most admi
rably. Besides those above named we
mention DR.. Brittou. who needs no
commentator from my pen. Dr.. Fox
who stands high in the esteem of the
community, Trace Munnerlyn, young,
clever, energetic. independent without
being big-healed, the Robinsons, father
and son, Charlie Evans, whose wit
and humor has entertained many a
crowd, etc, etc. All these and others
not mentioned are fine people, Just
such as help to make great country.
But I have a quarrel with them, not
about their roads, some of which
co aid be better, but about education.
It does seem that people of their
means and intelligence would have a
fine academy, run principally by them
selves and not by the public. In offer
ing this criticism let me say that there
are number of other communities
I know of to which it applies. Above
this community, toward Salem, around
Antioch and ont toward Camden there
is plenty of room for development.
The country is sandy, sparsely settled,
the roads poor and misleading, most Of
the land is uncleared though once IN
der cultivation and having clay foun-
dation seems capable Of fine crops. l
heard of man once Of whom it was
said that when Gabriel blew his tIum-
pet he would ask him to wait till he
had lighed his pipe. While others
were blowing their crops some Of these
were just putting down fertilizers.
You can imagine how pushed they
were when one man had his wife out
helping him. They we're in the midst
of drought ard have not to date, the
13tt of May, received any rain to
speak Of.
Let not the reader think that every
one in these communities is indolent,
unprogresive. backward. There are
the Davises, James, Sr., and Jr.,
Luke, and Tai, the Moseleys, father
and sons, McLeods, Boykins, Mat
thews Bar6elds, men who are farmers
every 1t, who make agriculture a
study :. are thoroughly up to date,
as the. surroundings clearly prove.
A trip through the country proves
that there's as much in the man as in
the land, some farms being over-run
with briars aid weeds, the bitches
full, the bottoms, in this country the
best land, thrown out, while others,
once. only short while ago perhaps,
in the above condition, are we'll order
ed and drained, producing every year
most satisfactory results. The whole
country is on boom. I heard some
church men say they had no trouble to
get what money they wanted, sc it is
to be hoped that the generation Of
those who give the Lord only that
they don't need is fast dying out.
I heard of ore such saint (?) who
when he found his potatoes were all
rotting and knew not how else to dis
pose Of them said 'Wife. let's send our
prea cher bushel.'' So mote it be,
amen. Hagood.