The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-10-29
BY THE PHILOSOPHER.

"Rhamkatte. Rhamkatte! Where
is Rhamkatte?' L hear sometimes
asked but to this inquiry | never give
reply, nor shall l here more than that
it lies on the border line between the
tobacco lands and the cotton fields.
Oftentimes l lie awake O nights
fancying our loss should the tide of
summer travel once discover Rham-
katie What if those folks should see
our fields and shady pasture lands
and come to know the quiet life lived
there and the mines of wisdom work
ed daily under the big oak tree which
stands before Tom Skies store. They
would come with the first red June ap-
pie and remain till the last stalk OF
golden leaf were cured. Ana then
Rhamkatte would have ceased TO be
Rhamkatte; the half dozen split bot
tom chairs in the shade OF the bis
oak tree would no longer be seats or
wisdom and philosophy and the Sen
ate passing now upon affairs or WofId
policy would have been proroSued
forever by the summer girl the man
in white duck and the cigarette smok-
ing youth. And so the editor of THE
Rhamkatte ROaster," Jim, hides the
place or publication, and subscriptions
come only by one agency sworn TO
secrecy. And those Of us dragged ~
chance out into the unphilosophlC
world HE us back again with such
speed as is possible, and never a word
do we breathe as to the road which
leads to Rhamkatte.
But now that 1 have fallen into con-
fidential mood l will tell you thai
Rhamkatte lies at the Cross Roads
| just ten and half miles from the
railway, and if you need more spe-
| cific direction will add that it is
| bounded on the north by Squire Gil
mores tobacco lot by Peter WalF'
cotton patch on the south, and on the
west by the log cabin of your humble
servant, the Philosopher. Within
rifle shot stand a dozen farm house:
hidden in green shelter, and by tht
crossroads, the very center anC
nucleus of Rhamkatte, is Tom Skies
| store. where GROCERIES AMI
GENERAL MERCHANDISE was
once spelled across the doorway
The mail comes at six in the after
noon. when the roads permit, and II
the summer days the Senate garhe
under the big oak tree at five to regu
4 late the affairs of nations, smoke th'
pipe of peace, waiting the coming o
| the mail But when the roads grow
/ bottomlesS we get no mail at all un
| less perchance a rescue party be sen
out and Dick the mail and his ole
mare be dragged heroically from I'M
mire.
Before the store, when the SUI
shines. sits Tom Skies. good fat, com
Portable Tom. One would as sooI
expect to miss the big oak tree as t
fail to see Tom leaning back in hi
| split-bottom chair, smoking from
EARLY morning till Dick throws OF
the mail at six in the afternoon. Sci
goods Go way! Rhamkatte folks d'
not have to sell goods The store i
| a convenient place where people &c
daily The News and Observe" an
| once a week the Rhamkatte Koaster
| and meet to smoke and chew philo
| sophie cue AS matter of accommo
| dation Tom will sell you goods, Du
purely as a matter of accommodation
| mind you, and it must be before tn
Senate conVeneS in the afternoon; 10
once Squire Gilmore in the chair ant
| the rest of us gathered around Will
| pipes lit, then no more goods will b'
| sold for any consideration.
! In Rhamkatte we eat to live, which
| is the distinguishing mark of philoso
| pliers. And to live is to sit under thu
| wide-spreading tree, watch the WinC
| play with the ripening corn and th'