The Tupelo journal., 1907-07-19

of patience and devotion to duty.
After having for many years
served the county, he gave up
his job and carried mail for a
number of years from Fulton to
Tupelo, still living at the old
home about three miles west
from Fulton, where he went ev-
cry evening after having, carried
the mail in, and from which he
had to go each morning to make
his start again; and thus had to
ride about forty-four miles each
day, except Sunday, and he was
SO regular in his movements that
the good women on the way
learned to set their clocks by his
passing. Finally firing of that,
he gave up mail carrying and
went back to the old ferry till
age and infirmity compelled him
to retire. | remember as far
back as 1859, everybody said Un-
Gle Billy Walton had consump-
ton, and could otpossibly live
long, but he lived to a good old
age, Notwithstanding such proph-
ecies. After Uncle Billy gave
up the old ferry one Of his boys
took it and was there the last
time l crossed.
Let me show you how an old
soldier maneuvered for position
at the ferry. The last time |
was at the old crossing l went
horseback. When got in sight
| saw there was wonderful
jam. and the indications were
that | would not get to cross for
an hour or two. The road was
blocked with buggies and wag-
ons for over a hundred yards
west from the entrance to the
crossing, and the banks Of the
river on both sides for quite a
distance were lined by many
horsemen. Thinking of close
places during the war and how
had escaped them, l concluded
to drill the company as in war
time. Threading my way with
difficulty through the crowd of
men, horses and vehicles, | final
ly arrived at the edge of the en-
trance to the boat, and raising
myself in my stirrups, l holloed
out, Attention, battalion! By
the right of companies to the
rear into columns, March!
This seemed to put everybody
in good humor with me and to
give me the right of way. So
when the old boat returned to
the east crossing the second
time, l was aboard.
But the old ferry is gone and
the new iron bridge has taken
its place. l know, New Bridge, |
that thou canst transport passen-
gers more rapidly, and probably
as safely, as the old ferry. There
will be no jam with passengers
on thee. But remember that it
is not wise for him that buckleth
on the armor to boast as he who
putteth it off. Remember that
before thou vast thought Of as a
means of transportation, the
good and patient old ferry was
passing over it's human freight
in safety, none ever having
drowned in the passage. Re-
member, again, that some mighty
upheaval of nature or some Won
derful undermining washout,
may wreck thy life and thy use
fulness, while ten days would be
sufficient to resurrect the old
ferry boat again, while thou
Wouldst lie as some great hulk at |
sea stranded forever. Let the
new come and do it's work and
receive proper honor, but let not |
our hearts forget the old, the
true and the tried. l have often
thought how old Uncle P. Gates
would have welcomed the new
bridge. After he was ninety, he
would leave Fulton horseback. |
be. delayed at the old ferry, and
still make his way to Tupelo and
back the same day. It has also
been reported Of him that in ear
lier and morevigorous days, he
has gone early to the old ferry, |
and finding no one to set him
over, he cooned" the Ierry !
rope across the river and got the |
boat and ferried himself and
horse over! | do not vouch for
this report, but know Mr. Gates
could do anything anyone else
could. If that could be done by |
anyone but a Snowman, he could |
do it.
May we remember for long
years to come the good old ferry |
boat, and may the people Of old |
Itawamba never have reason to !
regret the erection Of the New
Bridge.
WANTED---5OOO second hand
Oat, corn and fertilizer bags.
AGA III AllEAl m