The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-01-29

abhOr IN man or woman ii is ecccI-
tricityi" and, by far the greatest po-
litical demagoBue. with whom ] ever
met. quite as frequently averred that.
if there was anything that he did de-
spisc it was q demag
II is true that most people have
peculiaritics, but it is equally true
that. while, to an individual fads IN
others are very noticeable, ana very
hateful, as wen, nc IS not Wiling 70
own that he has any.
| used 10 know q lady VINO, WhIIe
in every other respect was It most
charming character, Il an eccent1I-
city. Cor fad, you might call it,, that
was always noticed and commented
upou hy strangers. Almost every per
son develops. sooner or later, some
peculiar trait or habit which differcn-
tiates him or her from almost every
body else, either in ndu or con
VersatiOn. 1t may not be a very great
mattcr--in ON cases, but little no.
ticeaIe.-but. to a close observer, an
cccent"icity, Of some character, or
other, viii be detected. IN ninctv-nine
out Of a hundred people.
In the man it may be his walk, ms
way Of carrying his cane or umbrellas
his manner Of saying good morning,
or how he combs his hair, OF wears
his hat. There is not a man iii Raj
eigh. with whom / am we'll a~cquaint-
cd, whose face is any more familiar
10 me than his walk; indeed, in most
cases. l can tell who the man is by
his walk. before l can see his face.
But. / alludc to those things which,
when mentioned in conversation, are
almost certain to call up the name
Of an individual. As, for instance,
when one speaks Of a betrayal the
ghost of Judas arises; or, if he speak
Of reason, an Arnold is remembered:
of if he speak of Il great hunter. MINI
rod comes tn mind on. If he SDp1k of
great faith. Abraham is at once seen
i'll the mine jOuTncying toward Mount
Moriah intent on sacrificing his son,
Isaac.
Wher memory calls UP those /
knew when q boy. at once | remember
ON faniliaritieS which | used to no.
ticc in each one of them. one old
man wore a hunting shirt. another
always went in his shirt sleeves and
kept his pants up with strings instead
of suspcnders, another wore a Don
skin cap. the tail hanging down be-
pants into his socks, another usually
went with his sleeves rolled up to
his elbows, when about home, an
other never felt his Importance nor
than when smoking a corn-cob pipe;
ana 50 on and 50 forth.
one man took his brandy straight.
another drank his grog; another had
his toddY: another delighted in iu-
leps, while another laid great stress on
peach ana honey.
one man liked Q pacing horse. an
other u trottor: one man would let
his horse walk. while another always
went in Il gallon. | can shut my eyes
ana see old father Nance on Il horse,
moving along at an easy gait. while,
Just as plainly | can see Uncle Sam
going at a gallop ON q trotting horse.
his ~paEtaloOnS 40 to his knees: and
inst 80 GictinrtlN 500 old Matthew
Turner going to mill. walking be
side his beast and holding on his bag
of corn. ! used to know Aaron
Searcy, the coope Tanner Collins,
the blacksmith. Wills, Hamilton, the
shingle gctter. Bob Williams, the
coon hunter. John Jones, the fox
hunter and many others who did
other things, and these old-time neo-
pie always come to my mind when
the things they did are mentioned in
conversation.
Every man has his besetting sin,
OF. as Paul said the sin which doth
50 easily bcsct."-and it is equally
ways been 50 even With people who
have made themselves famous in the
world.
Socrates was very fond of playing
with children and of engaging With
them in their games. while William
LIlt 'tllibtIOI UcllSlllcu III llOllllIlS
NOR" than dog fighting. Matthew Az
mold. the poet, was fond of dogs, cats
and canary birds, while Dumas, dis
liking Il noise in his home, kept a
in his room when writing.
spent his leisure moments
through with a needle but David. the
artist spent his leisure moments saw
on an old fiddle. QGeen Victoria
would snow her tempe if q guest
should spill d little salt on the table:
and Queen Elizabeth would kick and
than spilling salt. Mrs. Radcliffe ate
rare pork hen going to work ON a
thrilling chapter; but Hereick. the
had a pet pig which he
to drink beer out out
Of a mug. Washington, the father OF
ing, while the author OF the Wizard
of the Golden Nose became sick at
the bare sight of a fox. Francis
Bacon was fond of fine clothes.
Dickens took great pride in
wearing. gaudy jcWelry, While Henry
Longfe!loW had q weakness for
WaistCOats of the most gorge
patterns.
Reader, what - your fad? You
may not nave discovered it. but others
have Whatever it is. it is growing
on YOU, and though you may never.
like William the COnqueror, delight in
dog-fighting: or like Domitian. spend
time sticking a needle in flies;
II like Mrs. Radcliff, eat your hog
meat raw; or like Dumas, keep Il buz-
for a pet, the possibility is that
YOU may do something equally as ridi-
tul0uS.
Leading Il fca-bittcn pup around
: rather faddish, and some women
-cem TO enjoy the business. because,
rs | suppose, they thiuk it makes pco-
DE notice them. And it does. To
save my life | can't help looking at
h" combination. and, in most in
stances, | nave imagined there was a
'"tt Of likeness between the mistress
tho Iit'I" cauiu" darling, which /
ttN" seen hitchcd together y
ia" world is fun of queer people !
ma strange things, but ! reckon. after ,
~ - lid aud on" it might be worse. I
ma Il every body viii look well to i
:tId do an1 Say the b,st thc< ,
nov, tn" world will manage to sct /;
t"n& somch"", faIs or no fads. ,
Recently the Whole country. north :;
IS well as South, paid q tribute to the j
of tic great cautain of the :
Confectionery. General Rob !
~ T.. Ice. TIA" like # which history :
Finishes no i~d-JlTrl r,r ia. ,o..,n