The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-01

| WHICH Keep TIE course o.
| true love from running smooth
/ Strange as it may seem to older PEG
| pie. this young poet thought he knew
| how counting should be done. Hear
| him:
IT think it We're better,
| To write a sweet letter
To the girl one loves so dearly,
| Than to have silly chats
And often little spats.
Ending in a breakup nearly.
So, were I in ones place,
With a love-scrape to face,
And the girl had to be courted;
/ would try it this way.
Write her swcetly each day.
AS if. with love, l was bloated.
Then. if she SHE'D off,
Appeared to be tired of
Ny amorous way of counting,
l would slack off awhile,
On some others I'd smile
And around I'd go a sporting.
For awhile I'd leave her
AS if I'd deceive her.
And playing that old game of bluff;
Not a line would l write
s. Her TO please or to spite,
Till fun had had sure enough.
But, If while not Wooing.
She hIpted at sueing,
| Threat ming to take out q writ:
Just like an adorer.
I'd hasten unto her,
And suggest that we hit the grit.
| | would call in a squire
and q carriage Id hire,
And off to the train we would go;
L .e., the sweet honeymoon,
Waning not very soon,
Would end up the quarrel you know.
Who'd suppose. for moment. that
the author of these "reminiscences
would ever have wasted his time with
such thoughts? But he did. all the
same, tor as Paul SAID: ''Wnen'I was
a child. / spake as a child, ! under
stood as a child, and l thought as q
away my childish things" SO / would
poetry now, especially not of the char
acter of the last quoted stanzas.
l do, sometimes. when a big though;
passes through my brain, attempt &c
! make UP a jingle, just to see how il
! will sound, but / am afraid to venture
any higher than ] can step, for my
! poetic wings have been cropped and
am obliged to keep near the ground
In conclusion l would say that any.
one who chooses to do SO. may use
my poetry at any time, by giving pro
! per credit
Old Uncle Nathan Hooker. was once
! one or the best known men IN eastern
North Carolina. He was born In
Greene county in 1916. joined the n
| G. Conference of the Methodist Epis-
| copal church in 1870, at Mocksville
| and died in Kinston in 1899, 81
years Of age. He was tall. angular
man, with q; benevolent face, which
was a true index of his character. He
! was Il minister of the gospel for about
| sixty years, most Of which time he
| was in the travelling connection, goins
wherever sent by the bishop He was
good preacher, though his STYLE die
| not always please the fastidiouS. His
education was limited, but he was wei
| yersed in the scriptures and could tel
: the gospel story and exhort sinners
with wonderful effect. l have heard
| it said that he prepared himself
for the ministry while working as &
common laborer on the Wilmington
and Weldon railroad during its con-
struction. HI had a very gross voice and
when he preached there was not much
| chance for one to sleep. And withal
his plain, matter of fact style, (ofter
directing questions or remarks to in
Idiviuals il the congregation kept the
audience always interested and con
StantiN expecting something out of the
usual order.
He happened to be at a church one
day when the pastor received a very
small girl into the church. The pastoi
made a short talk justifyinP his act
and after taking his seat, Uncle Nath-
an arose, tbeing six feet four inches
| high) and begged leave to make a few
remarks ON the subject He COM
menced by talking about the little
Samuel whom his mother dedicated
TO God and after telling how great
and good a man Samuel became
turning To the children, he asked
Can any of you children tell me
how old little Samuel was when his
mother gave him to the Lord ?"
He waited awhile and none of the
little children speak king out. he said:
Il will ask the Sunday school teach
ers how old little Samuel was when
his mother gave him to the Lord Nc
teacher answered. Il will ask the
superintendent of the Sunday school
how old was little Samuel when his
mother gave him to the Lord ?" Nc
answer came. Then turning to the
pastor he said: "Will the pastor OF
uel was when his mother gave him
! to the Lord ?"
The pastor thought il would neveI
do for him not to answer, as it is SUB
! posed the preacher knows everything
in the Bible. So he answered:
| II can't tell exactly. but he was very
young"
| Regarding the preacher for mo.
ment with a look of pity and compass.
sion. he at length said in a tone OF
voice that would have walked up old