The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1908-10-12
LUMBERTON, NORTH CAROLINA, NC
WITH AUNT BECKY.

Alter Long offence, CauSed by
Sickness in Her Home, Aunt
Becky Writes an Interesting
Letter Wash Mcqueen Goes
to the Assistance of His For
mer Mistress and Becomes a
Landowner-A War Time Sto-
ry-People Busy in the Fork.
Correspondence of The Robesonian
1t has been so long since l last
wrote to The Robesonian that |
hardly know where Il am at"
The Squire returned home
from his trip to Virginia two
weeks ago and since that time
has been seriously i'll; and, as
Shakespeare truly asserts, Mis-
fortunes tread swiftly upon each
other. " While her father was
at his lowest ebb, Mrs. Olmstead
came in contact with some nox-
ious plant and her hands became
terribly poisoned, which render
ed her unable to share with me
the cares Of the household, there
fore my time was fully occupied,
as it is utterly impossible to pro-
cure outside help in these cotton
picking days. But both of them
are now improving, though the
Squire is still very weak. Dur
ing his sickness we have fully
realized and appreciated the kind
ness Of our good neighbors and
friends, who came with willing
heart and hand to assist US in our
time of anxiety and trouble.
Among others, our faithful old
ante-bellum servant, Wash Nc
Queen, hearing of the 'Squire's
condition, came up from your
town and spent some days with
us, making himself very uBefu'
in many ways-keeping fires,
feeding the stock and waiting or
us generally-which awakened
memories of old plantation days
and brought to mind old associa.
tions, scenes and incidents Of
those happy, stirring times wher
the negroes seemed so care-free
and contented. The gay voice:
of the little darkies as they played
around the yard, the Cheerful
songs of the hands in the field
and the peculiar, ringing "halloo'
! of the woodsman as he piled hi
axe among the forest trees-al
!, of these combined to make al
;. enlivening scene. | shall alway
! rejoice in the knowledge that ou
slaves were kindly and humane
ly treated, we'll fed, and we
clad, we'll attended to in sickness
and never abused and cruell
used by my parents; consequent
ly those of them who survive er
tertain toward me, the sole rel
resentative (now living in thi
country of their former owners
a feeling of affection devotion
while a kindred regard fo
them animtes my own heart; an
b. | would gladly help them shoul
they ever come to want.
E And while on this subject,
l think l promised your youn
readers to tell them some inc
: dents Of old plantation days
t which seem to interest our littl
grandchildren more than an!
thing else of the kind, excel
;, n when they persuade grandpa
to tell them a war story. W
have one grandson who, eve
since he was five years old, hs
: shown a a perfect mania for We
It stories and would sit up unit
: midnight, if allowed, listening
his grandfather and some soldit
I. friend recounting their perils an
v adventures during the storm
days. This. military spirit h;
grown with his. growth, ar
+ and when he was about ten yeal
3 old he worried his mDtheEeel
r .Stantly. to make him . "soldi'
l. suit, with stripes on! his pan
< and coat. He. is now bevente9
IS and expresses thesteadfast hol
& Of getting to West P int: Bt
l. now to my story II which is ..
2. truly true one!A''{ ! .
v During the -WaEf theE oa-tin
sr looms and spinning wheels we
! kept busy making cloth: ts clotl
IS both white and black. aud O.
v old black nanny was The OF
: on our plantation whD. did ;
,, the weaving, The big.6n loo
? and it's appurtenances stood in t
?. ?. great log kitchen some distan
Il from the big house, 5andI the We
was about fifty yards beyopd t
n, kitchen and was equipped, aft
or the -fashion-of the--~ddy, wi
le sweep, hand-pole, and a cypre
=" knee" for a bucket. Well, o
&c summer afteEnoon2my moth'
with US sthreedaagAters, waBs
10 ting on the affFreaht. piazza.
y only brother was in the war a
or my father (Who was afterwa
a conscripted) was on the outski
e. of the place, some distance aws
= 70 looking after some Nar sWB
n presently Mammie Carrie cal
g, swiftly around the house, CALI
ca e piteously to my mother, HI
IN IN voice of agony and agHef;g Se
40 q LaWd, Miss C i AetsHNs
n: the well!" Now Betsy was
laI "a little granddaughtefgE, his
ne and the pet of the plantation
~ account 5of herAmaf fsldB mU
,ou ~ ;EnKGRi5sA szss