The Washington bee., 1907-09-21

/ succeed and git to going successfully
toward the heavenss, who knows where
they will finally land, and what regions
they may pervade? However, let us
possess our souls in the sweet hope that
should they reach the safe point where
they can supplant the railroads in con-
veying interstate specially
to points like New York, Chicago and
London-that we may be blessed with
4 trip or two across the continent dur
ing our lives. becoming better acquaint-
ed with the communities above us.
We see upon the surface of the earth
and feel in the very air around US that
pleasant and alertful spirit of expan-
sion and development, Fifty or sixty
years age, the goods we wore on all
occasions were carded upon the laps Of
the women and spun with a small spin
ming wheel turned by one hand and the
thread thereof manipulated from the
| spindle with the other and then taken
TO great wooden frame loom as large
as house, in which the weaver would
sit for weeks. shooting the shuttle
from right to left In reversing the ma
chine with the foot treadle below, it
would chage the welt and filling as the
shuttle would dart across the loom,
taking a month or so to card and spin
and weave eight or ten yards of cow
hair cloth but now one person can op-
crate hundreds of cards, spindles and
looms at one and the same time, doing
better and more weaving in one month
than was done formerly in two years.
These advancements are not mere talk
nor something out of your sight, for
this awakening impetus has struck this,
your own thriving city
Forty OF fifty years ago, Henderson
was a mere little hamlet on the Ra-
leigh and CASTOR Railroad. with FIVE
small stores Messrs. J. H. Lassiter &
Son, Parry Wyche, Lewis Kitnell & /
Dunn. Burwell & Parham, livery sta ,
bic, and a small Brokers Exchange, |
managed by Mr.. West Reavis, small |
depot, a warehouse a little larger than /
the tobacco and cigar stand near the
railroad crossing, and Mr.. Ledbetters
hotel, with a drummer dropping in now f,
and then Her streets and sidewalks, |
not as good as the public roads now;
but examine her today. Go into her
business and industrial departments and
tell US to. what magnitude she has eX-
panded Look at her cotton mills, her
tobacco factories, her oil and electric
plants, her waterworks, her solid front
OF brick and granite structures, her paw
ed and asphalt streets, her hundreds OF
palatial residences of the latest and most
costly styles, observe her fine schools
and foUrishing churches for both races
and one Of the most reputable, newsy.
and conservative newspapers published
in the United States, whose editor
watches diligently the interests and COM
mon good Of his entire people. The
Henderson Cold Leaf never refuses to
let the world know of It's people, espe-
cially when they are doing we'll In 4
word, just think of the changed condi- F
tions
Fifty years ago this identical spot was
one of the waste places of the commu-
nifty, a barren thiCket used by the slave
to hide from his master to while away
a few moments in that leisure and sport
which they could not otherwise get with
their fellows, enjoying a game of hustle
cap and dice. But, look here at this
sacred spot today 1t is clothed in an
other garment It has deserted its old
haunts of idleness, it has with one eff
fort leaped high upon the mountains of
activity and great usefulness. Holding
nigh beyond the trees light TO guide
he feet of the erring ones. 1t seems
% have been quickened by some friend
y and mysterious power to the end that
I IS glVlng lis time and capacity, no I
Onger as a thicket or woods to shield
he idler in his games and pastmes, but
o higher and nobler purposes.
The Henderson Normal Institute
tands upon this lovely hill with unfold
ID arms to welcome worthy young men
md women to enter and prepare them
selves for Iifes varied avocations, and
or the uplifting and saving a needy
md appreciative people. May il con-
inue TO grow in strength and beauty, /;
n usefulness and in the favor of all the
good people. both rich and poor, both I
ligh and low, both white and colored-' {
intil its great good shall be felt by all ;
md its fruit seen 10 multiply and re-
multiply in all quarters of the land.
Surely the great Architect of the Uni
'erse will some day bless the men and ,
Vomen who have saved their earnings
md used them to build and beautify the !
waste places of His earth to the glory t
# their fellow-man. {