The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1908-03-09
WITH AUNT BECKY.

Old-T1mO Letter-T1Fed Of Sec
Ing Cotton, Wants to See Fields
OGCOrn and Grain and DrOvGs Of
Cattle, and to Hear the TinIkIo Of
Cow-BeIIs-6chOOl Opens Again
-Oiher Matters.
Correspondents Of The RSbeaonIAn.
The Squire was of the other
day at one of the R. r. stations,
and some gentleman asked him
for the news Of the Fork. When
he replied that he had none, the
gentleman says, We'll, Aunt
Becky always has some," and
now I am about to forfeitmy rep.
utation, for I have this a. m.
taken my pen in hand" with
not one thing in the VAy Of news
to write you. except that WS have
another teacher in our school
room, Miss Sallie McGoogan, Of
our own county, whose speedy
arrival liter Miss Smiths depAr.
ture 10 o fortunate thing for the
school.
Did you ever see q real old time
letter? In writing one Of the
above sentences. l was reminded
Of several that / remember h8V-
Ing seen long, long ago, And they
invariably began thus: Il take
my pen in hand to dropyou o few
lines; this leaves US all well, and
hope it may find yoH enjoying
the same blessing" These old
letters were written on fools-cap,
three sides Of a double sheet
being 6lled,a and opeside lOftto d.
duty as an envelope. Ths whole
thing was neatly folded accSrd'
ing to the W0ll-kROwn art Of that
day, the address placed On the
side left for that purpose, and
then it was sealed with smal
red waters, or sealing wax
Letters in those days were like
angels visits, the cost Of mail
ing was 5 cents, writing mAteris
was very scarce, and there WOr'
no envelopes At al. But ont
thing about them made lsStinG
impression on my mind: most o
the penmanship was beautiful!
done, and with such definite care
We have ia our house, aRona
other heirlooms, an old nsrcan
tile ledger, which was in use il
the 18th century. .FhO writing
looks like copy plate, the ink II
as black al it was when IL HoweC
from the old quill. pen, the bind
ing, of the heaviest dressed cal.
skin, 10 in q splendid state O.
preservation. and the accounts
made out in the old English ear
rency of 9's. shillings and pence
The old book 10 a curiosity.
The farmers are beginning u
hustle around here, and . gOO'
deal of plowing has been done
The nonotony Of the bare fields i
becoming varied By patches O
vivid green. As the small graf
is taking on . vigorous apUeG'
ance, and other signs ofUpprOaef
ing spring-tine are ia evidsne'
notably thO peach trees, who's
buds are rapidly swelling, IN
will sooH be in bloom.
We still have Q few cases
grippe scattered Grobud but I
serious illRess.
Mr.. john L. MeLAuriR, OF La
ia, s. O., came up last Thursds
,. after SEINE peas to plant. % th'
crop was q failure in his secti'
last year He was acqeaint'
With Mr.. Brunsen. the depu
who was recently killed near D
lon, and said his death was gret
. lily deplored in that section
l see lots of guano being bal
ed by these days, ana / sGppo
that implies another big eutt
crop, although the last yea
crop is not all yet gathere
There are several acres in the
einity which have never be
touched, and most of it is On
ground.
lam tired of seeing eOttC
aad wish 1 could see fences, q
Il, fields of corn and grain, dro'
Of cattle and sheep. with bee1
and mutton plenty, as il
n good old times.
j. Iwould even love to hear
cheerful tinkle OF cow't
again. as they come home ~fr
- the rich pastures of the gr'
woodland, which it seems to
God made for the beasts Of
fields.
The Squire has been very 81
but is now improving, and 10 j