The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1909-03-18

tic IIIlC VACA OACi AAoA
"Bummers" Passed Through
the Fork-Farmers' Union
Organized-Oak Grove School
Closed-A Married M a m
Steals a Young Girl--Wise
Hens.
Correspondence of The Robesonian.
There is quite a change in the
temperature this morning, af-
ter several days of gloomy diz-
Ely weather; the wind whistles
keen and cold and Pm uneasy
that tonight may bring disaster
to the peach crop. Some of our
farmers are about ready to plant
corn, but the recent rains have
made the soil too wet, and they
will have to wait until it dries
off.
The weather conditions of last
week reminded me of the same
week in March 1866, when
Sherman's ''bummers" were
passing through the Fork
vcritable band Of thieves and
robbers, stealing everything,
from horses down to ladies'
jewelry and clothing. My sis
ter and l, being unlearned in
the mode of Yankee warfare,
packed our best raiment and
jewelry in a trunk and had it
deposited in the loft of our
black mammy's house, which
turned out to be a fatal delusion,
for nanny told US afterwards
the very first rascal who entered
her door climbed mimbly up the
loft, found and broke open the
trunk, and took off every thing
of value it contained.
They were bent on completely
devastating the land, and fol
this reason carried off and de-
stroyed many articles which
were of no use to them, but
through a spirit of wanton an
imosity and revenge they vent.
ed their spleen against us in thu
destruction of property. One
squad came to my fathers house
on Tuesday afternoon, the 7tl
of March, in a half drunken con
. dition, and one vile old wretcl
attempted to ride his horse int
our front piazza. My gentl
mother ventured protest, AM
mildly requested him not to do S
when he angrily exclaimed in
profane manner, why, Madam
when Pm at home l ride thi
horse into my parlor;;" and if h
/ did, am sure the fiour-foote
= beast was by all odds a NOR
fitting occupant than the tw'
legged one.
My only brother was captain G
a company of junior reserve
On leaving home he wore a su
of beautiful homemade gre
jeans, the coat of which bore c
collar and cuffs the insignia {
his rank. Later on, when tt
government furnished him vii
the regulation Confederate ur
form, he sent home the suit
Jeans, which our dear mother hs
packed away in his trunk. II
ruthless plunderers soon can
upon it, took out the coat, al
seeing the gilt bars upon it, r
cognized and DETAINED it as t
property of some d - rebel, al
said if they could but find hi
they would shoot him down. Il
very sight of this emblem of t
Confederacy seemed to put the
in a frenzy, and they asked mot
m er to whom it belonged, a
where was the owner. She
piled, 'Those clothes belong
my brave boy, who is an offie
. in the Southern army" and tn
the volume of their wrath pour
forth in torrents of profanity,
~ they did not forget to steal
I full suit of jeans.
I hear of no local news of
terest in the For k. The ent
prising agent of the Farme
Union, Mr.. Swanson, met W
a number of our farmers at {
Grove recently and organized
Union at that place with abou
dozen charter members, ane
prospect of future additions.
see that this movement is max
rapid stides throughout this st
and county, and I hope may
fraught with great benefit to
Southern farmer, who has
forty years been the victim
cotton gamblers and speculat
The school at Oak Grove Gle
NJ on Thursday last, and P
~ Reynolds, the efficient princi
attended the teachers NEE
at Red Springs on Friday, wi
. he reports as having been
ceedingly interesting and
" structive. The professor
- Miss Easterling, his assist
will leave for their respet
homes on tomorrow cTuesd
Very early this morning
'"' Squire had a caller, HAYWOOD
name, seeking counsel in
gard to his wayward y,
dnunhtor anod IL who haf