The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-08-12

iui anu useiui tarm house Is known for miles around as Aunt Nancy" Thus the nefehbors, who come to briny her their troubles. know her. She came to thas Lawrence County home in 1861. Russell M. Cunningham was then 10 years of age. He had been born in tho village of Mount Hope, two miles away His mother is the grand daughter of the pioneer settler of Franklin County for whom the town of Russeliyflie was named Tn her girlhood. schools were scarce and short, but such as they were she attended. And in these log cabin school houses she laid the foundation of her wonderful store of information; In these cabin school houses her alert and active mind found its first oppor- tunity for exercise and for training,
 They were not adequate schools, nor was the education that she won out or them adequate in itself But 1t was a basis
 So. at 7s, Mrs. Nancy Cunningham is remarkable not only for mental alert ness. not only for strength of character, not only for the fervor of her religious beliefs and her loyalty to them but in the strong and vital Influence she wields in her community as we'll She is none the less remarkable. too, that, trained only In the schools of sixty years ago for few weeks. she Is new ertheless possessed of rare literary ability. A contributor to various Southern papers. her writings. still of praise. Her neighbors look up to her for this gift of literary expression. if for nothing else.
 In q rural community the church is not only the center of the religious life of the people, but it Is the center of the social and intellectual life as well. Every influence that shapes the e., <-H or another touches the church or em- anates from 1t. In the religious life of Mount Hope no layman and no wo- man wields so large and so strong a place. For her splendid character no less than for her ability first place in church work is accorded her.
 She Is a wonderful woman, a won ] derful woman an old citizen of Mount Hope raid admfringfy. You have met her and you have heard her talk. but you could not know the depth and fer , vor of her nature unless you heard her ] in public prayer at the church. No i man about here can approach her in fervor and in eloquence."
 The old Cunningham home Is hospi- : tality itself The gate swings ajar and the latch string hangs on the outside. The passing neighbor must needs be in rushing hurry if he doesn't stap , for q few moments chat on neighbor- . hood affairs and to partake of the well come hospitality the broad hall affords on a summer day.
 The home stands near the center of the splendid farm of 120 acres. It is } cultivated by her son-in-law, G. B Robinson, for with her daughter Mrs. Cunningham In the old home spends the spring and summer Her winters . are mostly spent with Dr. Cunningham.
 Looking over the verdant fields of .-l II house on this fertile Tennessee Valley farm, one is reminded of the reply of an Eastern farmer to the visitor who asked with some contempt:
 What in the world can you grow on these rocky hiais7"
 We grow men, was the simple but eloquent reply.
 The Cunningham farm Is not only fertile in the production of cotton and of corn--it has not only grown these. but it has grown men as we'll. Tn the fertile fields outspread in the sun Rus- sell M. Cunningham learned whatever there Is of the dignity of toll. of tho hardships of toll and whatever there is of pleasure in labor in green fields under tte summer sun. His active life began in one of those fields. His won- derful energy. for 1t has been remark able in that field first found the op- portunity for its exercise. It was in that field that he and his father toiled side by side to lay by the slender store of dollars which gave him the privi- lege of an economical yet thorough training. In growing man the old farm turned out an excellent crop,
 There be those who believe through error and transformation that if Dr. Cunningham should be elected he would be under the influence of corporate in- terests. There be some Alabamians nd who believe Dr. Cunningham is even now influenced most by the corpora lions of the State. So much as that Ihas been accomplished by political mis- Representation. The crowning influence of his life has been the strong minded, strong willed and religious mother She more than all else has shaped his life. To her opinion more than to all else he has deferred Upon her advice more than upon all else he has leant. For her opinion has he most respect and her appreciation he values high est.
 strongest thread of influence would run to the office from the old home where the old mother dwells in peace and
 There are few in Alabama who in these strenuous days keep so well in- formed upon the development of the campaign in all its phases. There are few who note so well the progress of the campaign, step by step, and few | men or women who know so we'll the. issues and the conditions which are interwoven in 1t as this strong, alert woman of 7s years to whom 1t means more than to any other person in Ala hama. She awaits its close. she awaits the verdict of the people or Alapama nrayerfuIly and hopefully. but un- nf fraiH