The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-08-23

81 / SIT GOWN III Ills uOhi
n old room, with the faces
p& of those | love smiling
down at me from the
picture frames on the wall, and the
perfume Of sweet flowers coming
through the lattice door, to recall
some recollectiOns Of times IN Dlxle.
And first stands out in bold relief
the delightful plantation life at Wood
lawn. This phase of society is a thing
of the past, and l grieVe that you
will never know the tender tie that
existed between mistress and servant
One of the first things | remember,
was when a little girl of four, | was
seated on a pillow in front OF a pale
dark man, and riding through the
corn fields, and watching the cotton
and corn unfold, and grow beneath
our warm Southern sun. Most OF the
plantations had names according to
the owner. Our plantation was named
WOOdlaWn, and consisted OF tour
thousand acres, and was beautifully
situated between a river and creek.
Our mar Tony would row us for hours,
winding up and down this beautiful
stream and aroun an island covered
with dense foliage, and on which there
was plenty Of small game. The
meadOw land was near on which
grazed a large herd Of ows and sheep.
Old Shade Allen, an imported bull,
was a perfect terror to our childish
hearts, so large and fierce was he.
Many pounds of butter was carried
every week by Tony, and so fine it
was that it always brought a higher
price than any other.
The interchange of visits to other
plantations was most agreeable, es-
pecially at Christmas time-we were
always sure of a cordial welcome, the
servants were SO well trained there
was Nc confusion, the white caps and
white aprons the maids wore and their
pleasant faces were so attractive.
The best was kept for
everybody was welcomed, what good
dinners. large turkeys, old hams,
homemade pickles, mince pies, sylla-
bub and calf foot jelly, sweet potatoes
which we thought no meal complete
without, and every delicacy the pal
ate could crave, and with it the kind
est welcome to come again.
A little later my trusty pony came
in, l would ride him for hours over
the country roads, seeking jasmine,
~.woOdbine and dogwood never a fear
Of anything, no harm ever came to
US, our S~erVan would guard their lit
tie lnistresses and masters entrusted
to their care with their lives, and to
the credit Of the colored people be it
said, that during the Civil War when
plantation after plantation, the man
sions were occupied only by wives and
daughters, never a dislOyal act or word
ever occurred.
Twice q year we made visits to
Fort Barnwell and Hermitage, two
noted old plantations belonging to the
Simpsons and Biddles. The fondest
memories Enger round each. | see
my old Grandmother with her neat
cap strings tied under her hin and
a lace cape around her shoulders and
a pleasant word for everybody, hich
meant a great deal of forbearance in
the Mistress of a large plantation,
such a busy life theirs, the care of
many slaves, the responsibility Of their
souls, the teaching them truth and
purity. watching over the sick, enter
tanning strangers. No life of ease I
assure you, was that of the Mistress
Of q large plantation, their purse was
ever opened to the distressed, their
hospitable doors were never closed.
L we'll remember the yearly visit the
Quakers paid in going from Guilford
county to Beaufort. Hermitage was
one or their stopping places and their
quaint p~hraseology, thee and thou,''
was pleasant to the ear. Once there
was a meeting Of some Primitive
Christians and they We're politely en-
tertained, the preacher prayed for
Gods blessing on the King Of the
house and the Queen Of the range"
Letter ID
e children: In going from Wood
lawn to Hermitage. the road ran along
the river bank for miles. the en-
bankment was very low, and the water
often flowed into the road and it was
sometimes impossible.
L was always afraid of the water,
I remember the only slap my Father
ever game me was for crying in cross
ing a stream on that ever
memorable journey Of three weeks in
q carriage to the Virginia Springs.