Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-09-28
THE PUMPKIN THAT
TURNED TO GOLD.
BY ROBERT G. LEE.
Written for The Yorkville Enquirer.

Never were there more inseparable
companions than Ladson Halle and /
Where one went the other was almost
sure to follow. And when Ladson re-
signed his position as clerk in gro
Gerry to accept a higher salaried one al
Magnolia Farm" / was not slow ir
taking advantage of the same oppor-
tunlty. On March first, 1892, we left
our respective homes to begin a new
life at Magnolia" which was a mag
nificent plantation owned by Mr.. Ben
jamin Bright, or Wealthy Ben Peg
Leg" as he was sometimes called. Mr.
Bright was a very erect, dapper little
man with classic face, dark, keen eyes
a-gleam with kindly affection. and
high forehead fringed with silvery
silken hair His constant companion
was a quaintly-carved, gold-headed
walking cane presented to him by the
Daughters Of the Confederacy." This
companion he never failed to take with
him, because, he said, because
couldn't do without it." 1t partly sup
piled the place of the flesh and bone
leg. which he had left at Gettysburg
where he followed the gallant Pickett
in his immortal charge. During our
stay at Magnolia" we found in him
a loving and lovable friend.
One yea- at Magnolia" pumpkins
turned to real gold; and 1t was the
year Ladson and I stayed there. But
never before or since have they been
known to do likewise, and Mr.. Bright
was partly responsible for such an un-
heard of thing.
Ladson and l longed, as many other
poor boys have done, for college edu-
cation. And II was with hopes Of earn
ing and saving enough money to defray
expenses at the Fort Mill High school,
which we hoped to attend the ensuing
year, that we began what seemed to
us arduous work at Magnolia" But
we were hardy lads, used to toll, and
under the wise supervision Of Mr.. Mas
sey, the overseer. we soon acquired a
sufficient knowledge of farm work and
methods to make US suitable, II mot
skilful workers. We at first made
some very grave blunders. But farm
hands were scarce, and as we seemed
so anxious to hold our positions, and
tried so earnestly to perform our work
properly, our mistakes were rectified
and overlooked.
The afternoon Of our arrival at
Magnolia" we had a conversation
with Mr.. Massey, the overseer, in re-
gard to the nature of the work we were
to do. At the conclusion of our rather
lengthy conversation, Mr.. Massey said:
"The work will go hard with you at
first, boys. You'll have your ups and
down." but be patient. The cross
comes always before the crown. I'll
do all in my power for you. and if you
do your best, and don't give up the
ship I'll remember you to Mr.. Bright
who has never forgotten any one he
knew who showed a determination to
succeed. He's a little man, but he has
a heart as big as a mountain. His
names Bright; he's a bright fellow,
and it's best for folks to be bright
around where he's at"
why Mr. Massey" Ladson replied,
determinedly, 1--WE did not come here
to shirk our work, or do it slovenly,
and thereby make a failure, but we
came here to succeed because we can
not afford to fail"
After we had thanked Mr.. Massey
for his wholesome advice and kind
words, he left us, fully convinced, we
believed, that If we did not make suit
able workers it world be no fault OF
our own.
Ladson and 1 considered ourselves
exceedingly fortunate and indeed we
We're in being able to secure positions
at widely known and picturesque
Magnolia" Mr.. Bright's plantation
was very alluvial-more so than his
neighbor's-and farming there was
done scientifically. Therefore he could
afford to pay larger and more satisfac-
tory wages to farm hands.
AS Mr. Massey said, the work, which
we began March fourth, did go hard
with us. We were wearied sometimes
almost to exhaustion; but we were de-
termined, like the young athletes that
we were, to make our well-trained
muscles aid our brains in securing an
education.
crown Mr.. Massey spoke Of" Ladson
declared one night as we were rubbing
vaseline on the blistered palms of ouI
hands, caused by days work huskins
corn.
It's the cross, perhaps" l answer
ed, with a smile.
But despite the long hours of inces-
SAINT work, we were delighted with
Magnolia" and for more reasons thar
one We saw things there which we
had never seen before, and acquired g
knowledge of things, such as birds
animals, plants, flowers, etc, we hat
never even heard of. Besides we fount
some great friends there. 1t would
have been worth months of toll to have
found such a friend as "Stutterint
Joe," the hostler. who often delighted
us with stories of birds and animals
which he had known.
Magnolia grew magnificently en-
chanting. Spring came early tina
year. Lanes were all a-trill witt
song, and hedges cleaned with scent
ed snow" The broad, flower -bedecket
lawn, with its tinkling fountain, tn
sweet, solemn magnolias, the well
tended orchards and ideally tile,
fields: the broad stretches Of greer
through which ran the silvery Cataw
ba river. and the long, glass Apiar
amid the blossoming orchards an
fields of pink clover blossoms made
rare picture of beauty. Magnolia wa
one wide, wonderful panorama of love
illness.
But we had no time to gaze enrap
tured, on the wonderful beauty for, o
Magnolia, things were, as "Stutter
Joe" said, "lively as a schOol-boy in
yellow jacket nest" The bees revel
III hlg,r,