The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-10-08
MAYOR GILMOhE's CORN FIELD
Crop Viewed From Platform in
Center of Field
On the Track of a Cyclone-Wonder-
full Watermelon Fearst-Thunder
and Sour Milk-Questions Hard to
Answer.
Cor The Messenger)

handsome dwelling, lived Maj. John T.
Gilmore, in n comfortable and commO-
diOus residence, surrounded By extern
sive grounds, stabling, cattde sheds
poultry yards etc.
Maj. Gilmore Yves an old bachelor
with large means, owning three or four
extensive and productive farms
through the county, besides his town
property. He was about middle height
erect and carried himself well, and he
was gifted with the most courteous
manner and graceful bow that | ever
saw in any nan Lord Chesterfield
or Sir Charles Grandson might have
envied him. He was very hOspitable,
~neighbOrly, and especially fond Of max
ing social calls after supper; and ne
was a travelled man and very entertain
ing in conversation, he was always a
welcome guest. I recall a visit which
he made one evening to my fathers
house when I was 2 small boy. He
had Just returned from England where
he had beer presented to court, n
his description of Queen VictOria's
drawing room was a graphic and bril-
liant piece of word painting, very dra-
matte in expression.
Mai Gilmore was scrupulOusly neat
in his dress always wearing black
broad cloth with q mildly developed
swallow tail coat and a tall shining
silk hat. He was accustomed to ride
down town from his hOme on Hay
mount on ali ambling sleek bay mare
and in his dress the effect was striking.
One day as ne was taking his sober,
slow ride, a negro man came meet
ing him, with two turkeys, gyrating
and Topping their wings. The majors
steed was not a Bucepha1us, but she
wasn't going to stand everything. She
turned around swiftly and suddenly
for home, and her rider TOOK q seat in
the middle of the road. AS I ran for
ward to help him he rose to his feet,
and quietly brushed the sand off and re
marked IT am endorsed, but not sur
prised. When I saw those turkeys
coming I said to myself, that is the
thing to make q man and his horse
part and by the eternal (his favorite
OK DI0SS1OlJ TIE 1ldll dIIu HIS IlOISS
did part"
Maj. Gilmore owned some fine land,
and he was noted for growing heavy
crops. One year, on a farm On the
Cape Fear river northeast of town,
on one great unbroken field Of 200
acres, he raised a crop of corn hat
was the talk Of the surrounding coun-
ILL., e. Ro oxD,- InnN
seer in that part of the state-of great
height and size, and heavily cared.
The wner was very proud of it, and
adopted an ~expedient way characterize
of him for showing it to his friend8 IN
all it's beautiful eXpanse. He built 3
lofty platform in the center Of the
field and actually cut a driveway to
it through the corn from the fence.
From this elevation the picture was
superb-an immense ripping sea or
emerald, with the feathery corn tassets
glittering and glancing like wavelets
on it's surface.
A remarkable occurrence blOtted out
this charming picture, and many years
afterwards heard an old citizen viv-
idly describe it. On IA occasion after
dinner Maj. Gilmore and three friends
drove out in a carriage to a q final
view of the wonderful crop, which had
now reached its height. AS they roGe
the rumble Of distant thunder came
from the west, and masses OF ugly
clouds banked themselves against the
horizon. Hardly had they assembled the
platform when the elements in their
mint, anger and majesty, taught then
that there were other than fair snd
smiling pictures in nature. \ :y3l9ne
sWoOped down on that rich HELD, al q
the wonder of it suspended their breath
and made them forget their exposed
situation. Right through those hun
dreds of acres, in a track two or three
hundred yards wide, it swept the
grounds as clean as an expert mower
shaves a lawn. Like a flame flashing
with incredible velocity across a green
carpet, the cyclone scared and bEghted
its way and it was gone-and 1t
smashed the platform into smithereeas
but fortunately h occupants escaped
with a few cuts and bruises.
The cyclone is welcome to the corn
that it took" said the major, " "far
the sake of that awe-inspiring and mag !
nif1cent p~ectacle."
One time, during the fruit season.
Major Gilmore, Meeting friends and
a~cQuaintances here and there on the
street, invited them up to a water
melon feast. I hold, he said, that IN
common the Lord made watermelin5
and peanuts for negroes and poor buck.
ras only but come ~
this will be a watermelon treat out oe
the ordinary. And it was. To this day
it is a mooted question. among the
few surviving guests of that occasion
how the host accomplished the wonder
derful and delightful transformation