The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1908-03-19
WITH AUNT BECKY.

Spring Time and the Birds and
Trees-Mr. and Mrs. Hamer'S :
Loss From Fire-Farmers too
Negligent I'm Regard to Insur-
ance-An Old ''Guinea Niger"
Most Beautiful Woman In the
World and the Best Cook I'm the
World.
Correspondence of The Robesonian.
Everything betokens, these
latter days, the approach of
spring-time, and I am sitting by
the window enjoying the musical
twitter of the dear little birds
as they fit about amid the
branches of the trees. I have
always been glad that we built
our home on the edge of a wood
land, in which we have a varied |
assortment of trees, from the
stately pine to oak, hickory and
the dog wood, which latter will
ere long don her robes of snowy
white and delight our vision with
her loveliness. We have also
branch near by, on the borders
of which the cool green mosses,
delicate ferns, and odorous
heart.leaves abound, all of which
are to me "a beauty and JOY
forever" for I am deeply in love
with nature, and her marvellous
gifts to the childrenaof men.
Since I last wrote you Mr.. and
Mrs. w. G. Hamer, two of our
near and excellent neighbors,
have suffered a great loss from
fire, which had it's origin about
the stove flue in the cook room
The burning occurred about l
p. m. on Monday, the 9th ult,
and just at time when the wind
was blowing almost a gale, in
consequence of which only the
furnishings from the parlor and
one bedroom were saved, while
that of the upper story. dining
room and kitchen, was almost a
total loss. Several cribs. and in
fact all out-buildings, save barn
and hennery, we're also burned
though fortunately no live stock
was destroyed. Corn to the
amount of several hun
dred bushels was lost. No in
surance on any of the buildings
makes the loss even in building
material very severe, to say moth
ing of the destruction Of other
valuable property,
! Farmers as a rule are too neg
ligent in regard to insuring their
property, and when a fire occurs
they often suffer total loss, with
nothing to fall back upon.
Your correspondent of last
week under the signature Of
o. stirred up some old
time memories, or traditions
rather, in which that same old
Savenir darkey was an actor.
He was a Guinea Niger" Or
was so called, and lived and
died near here, but could never
speak only very imperfect En-
glish, though he lived to a great
age. His wife was named
Dinah, and it was related that OF
one occasion this couple were of
one night visiting without thu
necessary permit, or writer
: pass" from their owner. S.
bye and bye the patrol was hearC
approaching, and Dinah, with tn
instincts of safety mole fully dc
veloped, managed to escape int
. the loft, while her tardy compar
ion fell into the hands of tn
law and received the customar
: punishment, when he hallOwe
Justify, for "Dinah to come a-lons
a,down from a-dar, it's time to g
] home now," so he put the patr
. on the alert, the old lady was di
covered, thanks to her though
less helpmeet, and shared lii
fate with him. There Was a
other negro of the above kir
and class who hanged himself
a tree by his suspenders, abo
two miles from here, because
wanted to go back to Africa, al
believed he would return the
when be died. This man W
II iowned by kind and humane pc
pie, who used every effort to c
liIize and christianize bis bepigt
ed faculties. but he did not 81
v them sufficient time, for
" his determination to travel ba
> to his native land he com mitt
suicide early in his bondage.
[ hear of but little local ne
of interest. The farmers ;
. taking advantage of the beauti