The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-01-22

tlItN tlIiIlD iIlt fllIS ana scale the
mountains, and the people, a ~thousan~
miles from the oyster beds. are just as
familiar with, and as fond Of them, as
are those who shell and ship them.
The first oysters | ever saw We're
served at the tail Of a wagon on tin
plates. A pint, or half pint. with a
piece Of corn bread. was called for as
the money or the appetite Of the per-
son buying justified or demanded. A
reed fork was used TO eat with.
ald when II little vinegar and
pepper were applied TO them the oyS-
tcrs We're all right. To this day, though
! love an oyster served in any way. !
awe Il very pleasant recollection Of
the old time pickeled oyster, that |
first saw on a tin plate, and ate with
q reed fork, and have often wished
that some fellow would take a load
Of tobacco down to the sea-shore,
ana, trading it off for picked oysters,
would come on back and peddle them
out, as they did three score years ago.
| have no doubt but what the old boys
nnysclf included-would have a good
time while the peddler was passing
through the country.
Some people don't like oysters, and
won't try to like them, for the reason.
J they don't like the looks
Of them. ! can't say / blame them;
for there are But few things that are
more revolving to q fastidious eye
- 81 q 5lErtl 'iE 'EStcI.
! arrived IN Richmond once, when
q young man, just after the regular
breakfast hOtlr, and. gOin" to q hotel.
thought | would not take a breakfast
bat simply a plate Of oysters and a
cup Of coffee, reserving myself for
q one O'Clock dinner. ] waited but q
few minute at the table before a
servant brought in a most luscious
looking plate OF oysters. and placing
them before rae and moving the crack
crs, butter and sauce within reach. re-
marked: - finest you ever eat, boss;
on Use Civ you a full plate-chock
fui. Il is dat"
Yes / answered, pushing the
plate q little from me. as if disguised
with its COMMENSURATE you haven't
cleaned the things"
"CIcancd what boss" ne asked in
surprise and evident alarm.
why those oysters" And dishing
ont n big one and tearing it open on a
plate. l said, as if I We're Mortified at
the spectacle: Just look at that
mess, Do you expect a gentleman to
eat Il thing that hasn't been cleaned?"
Oats de way dey eats EN-. boss.
All de gemmans eat 'em dat er way"
Can you eat that mess" pointing to
the oyster | q shredded.
Tor yes, boss; Civ it to me en- III
sho you how | loves EN-"
tie rakcd the mass into his mouth
'lI't ~ I. Ii'Il lifi II - MS
lips he said encouragingly: Boss, you
Just put one of EN- in your mouth ~ |
let it go, en-, sh0's you're born, boss,
it'll go down all right"
you leave the dining room" said
I. land I'll see what I can do with the
thing
He went, but in a few moments he
landlord came in and asked me how
] liked the oysters.
'Fine-they are Splendid" 1 said.
And they were.
I was sure the negro had told him
WING. | had said, for there was q twin
kle in his eyes, and a very broad
smile IN his face. as if he had taken
in and was enjoying the fact that |
was teasing the %sarvant
When a young man | went to Fed
eral Point, below Wilmington, to teach
school. and boarded with a widow
lady. Being anxious to give me some
thing extra good to eat. h sent
away up the sound, to some mar who
occasionally slaughtered an old COW.
and secured Il quarter of beef. 1t was
old, Stringy and tough, but my land
lady was evidently delighted at the
fact hat she was able to give me Il
good time while feasting on baked,
stewed. hashed and fried beef. OF
course | appreciated her kindness and
did my utmost to masticate the por-
tons Of the old COW which fell to my
lot: but. | must confess | grew weary
and came nigh ~fainting by the way,
Tentatively speaking, before the last
hash was devoured. | was Mortified
at the prospect of another long beef
season, one morning. when l over
heard the widow talking about send
ing up the sound to get another quar-
ter; so. ~availing myself of the earliest
opportunity. l asked her if there were
any fish and oysters in the vicinity of
the Point.
Fish and oysters 2" she asked in
evident amaZement.
Yes | answered.
Plenty of them she said. We've
oceans of fish and loads of oysters.
Do you like them?'
'"That's what / came down here for
to eat fish and oysters
From that time forth, 50 long as /
remained on the Point, l heard no
more of beef, but fish and oysters
We're plentiful and being always fresh,
l ate them with a relish, and, although
over fifty years nave flown, | have a
lively remembrance of how good they
were.
The time will soon come when none
viii remember the old oyster wagon
that peddled picked oysters and salt
fish through the country, nor remem-
Der the ~up-cOuntry wagons that
brought cheese. butter. chestnuts and
dried fruit from the hills, and even
across the mountains. Yes. the time
VIII soon De Wft1l dIlle-DelluIl udSS
viii be forgotten and he
customs and habits of an ancestry that
laid the foundations of the countryS
greatness. will no longer be remem-
Ecred.
We old people love the days of
Lang Sine. And why should we not
love them and talk and write of them?
Why may we not boast q little. OF
what we used to be. see and do? OF
what we thought. wrote and said When
we were young? OF the people We
used to know, the times we used TO
have with the girls and the boys?
And. if we seem to be a little egotistl-
cal. it should be remembered that
we have nothing else to think. talk
or write about, but the good old
times Of the past,"-memories and
traditions woven into our very being
ly the shuttle of time: therefore, due
allowance should be made if we tell
the same old stories until our chill
dreN and grandchildren learn to re-
peat them when we are dead and
gono
| expect Adam talked a sight in
his old age; and, as we do now, |
guess he told the children and the
grandchildren. and the grand-chil-
drnn's grandchildren. those things,
nnlv ,yhjoh urapa most n1p0 nt tn re-