The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-01-26
ON THE Lower HISTORICAL CAPE FEAR.

Southport and DR.. and Mrs. Curtis and
Miss Kate Stuart contributed relics
REMINDER OF EARLIER DAYS.
And, by the way, it is Miss Kate
Stuart who is the leading influence in
Southport. So was her good mother be-
fore her and these linked in the1r
lives nearly one hundred years OF life
in the quaint yet bright little village
by the sea. Miss Kate carries her 81
years with the heart of a girl. One
could, in hearing her CHEEKY talk, go
back to the war days and see her on
board the blockade runner or at For
Fisher. rosy-cheeked and charming
while officers showed treasures from
beyond the sea or told Of the exciting
experiences of the daring runs II or
out of port. Miss Hates home Is one
hundred and fifty years old and lis
lower story of brick looks as II IN car
lier days it was part home and part Tor
defense, and indeed it might have been
so.
These eighteen years, OF there
| abouts, Southport folks nave oeen
| awaiting the coming Of a railway al
| most as the Millerites in 1874 awaited
| the n of the world. The M1ller1tes
were disappointed, however, put IL
| seems that Southport people are not
to be. The Seaboard Air Line IS sure
ly heading this way; the name Ralelsn
and Southport railway is already some
thing daily eel between Ralelgn anu
a point near Fayetteville, and the
Norfolk and Western as we'll as the
Southern have secured great stretches
Of water front above the town, SO
o,,-+ c,rnlr he dong
With the railway will come a deVel-
Cardinals territory, to-wit, Bald Head
or Smiths Island, named for Governor
Smith above referred to. n iato
state geologist, Professor W. c. Kerr.
said to me once that this was a bit or
Florida which had slipped from It's
mooring. To see the thousands o.
; stately palmettos there one would say
he was correct in his assertion. IN
island would make a winter resort OF
the highest class. On it there are two
light houses. the old one built almost
a century ago on the leeward side OF
/, the island, the new n rising AMIDST
the live oaks and the palmettOS toWarn
| the ocean side of the island. Inc sea
is encratshing on the land and the
n~fe-saving station will have to be NOV
ed in about a thousand feet from It's
present position. Where ten years age
palmettos fronted the ocean arising
like columns along the beach, where
at high tide the water dashed agalns'
them, only the stumps now remain.
At Old St. Phillips church, Bruins
wick. there was a silver communion
service. parts of which were in late
wears ut Southport and part IN VII
mington. and about the latter par
strange story was told me by tn
Southport people. 1t appears that al
%iconoclast who happened to be lot
little while the rector Of he churcl
at Wilmington actually sent these val
liable relics of the olden days to NeV
York TO be melted and made into o
= exchanged fOr-What do you thlnk!-
new cross. One can wei fancy the Ne'
l. Workers sold them at a fancy hgur
and that they never saw the meitln
, not I wish the reader could ave see
> the fine Indignation shown by the PEG
, ple who told me of this and they aud
: ed that the same rector 1eVelleo al az!
' tioue brick wall i'll the rear or III
" church and ruthlessly cut down a noD.
live oak there. [ had never heard tni
- story before and could surely sympa
. thize with the Wilmington lady VINO
y when she went t o clean the preclou
:, old communion set Ca service h ma
. rendered since her childhood) foun
! that it was gone forever. NO Wouue
= people are kind to me in my eHorts |
Il gather and to preserve relics ana
=, nrevent such a loss as this.
4 Friends at Fayetteville have pr
- scented me what are known as con
= munion takers" which were In Us
( among the early Scotch, these bits {
. mass given to those who had take
!, +he holy communion were greatly tres
II snrad Only a few now remain.-F. !
: Odds in Charlotte Observer.