The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-06-04
SOUTHERN pRE>Ms-ur NORTH.

Cy Tompkins hadn't visited his southern home in A
number of Years and was talking it over with a friend
last evening when VIC CHANGED to he near. We didn't
hear much of the conversation hu, Ty made this one
remark which SGT us athinkin': Il low. Hen. thes or
cool weather wonldnt he Very good for cane and corn"
Right va are. Cy, it'll putty nigh freeze tonight This
brought d rush of memories in detail; th"s" remarks
and the peculiar accent with which they We're pro-
duced' We sauntered off to the quiet Of our room to
think it over.
First came a vivid picture of the old southern home.
grandmother with hrr pipe, knitting; mother making
soap: father and Uncle "RaS" fixing the rail fence:
thoughts of tho times when We with sister sat on the
door stone each with a bow of milk. eating corn pone.
Then tn wood cutting tim" when we burned mostly
walnut and hickory-logs which would now he worth
$500 each. The axe laid off manN a slab of beautiful
curly walnut which even at that time attracted our eye.
and We're laid aside under the old corn crib. There
was the old cob house where We were compelled to go
several times a day and fill the basket for mothers
tre-and such n task when We wore busy playing
house" under the grape vine trclis. Over to one side
was the ran"-mill, the molasscS pan and furnace. That
is one UNPLEASANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS time To our
child mind. mnlasses making was about the most worth
loss occupation ever invented-for what could be more
monotonous than stripping cane and feeding a cane
mill? II impressed MS then, and we still have the inn
pression--tha' ii was burned small business. even for
a child. But-to the happier vein of thought. such as
hazelnutting. drying corn and fruit on the roof. smok-
ing meat. making kraut-the latter when Paw" had
looked AT the almanac and found the moon right, so
the water would raise on it. Didn't like hog-knlins-
only turning the sausage-crinder and eating cracklings.
The killing Was also regulated by the moon so the fat
wouldn't all fry TO grease. Then the favoritc chore Of
candle-dippins. rolling tapers to save the matches, for
matches cost Zoe per box and there was a government
stamp on each boX-and those 10c shin-plaster bills
We're scarce. Down tho road came old Yankee Robin
son on an old horse which was SO poor there was moth
ing left but the running gears. Yankee" was going to
mill with a half bushel Of corn which he had sheNed by
hand. He believed in the old custom of his forefathers.
Hence in order to countorhalance the corn in one end
Of the sack which he carried on the horse. he placed a
good sized stone in the other end. Yank arrived at the
old red mill-whN did they always paint mills red in
those days? disappointment, confronted him. that is
10 say. Billy Moore, the miller. had started to dress
the hurS. but had hecoNl" engaged. In the meantime.
in a weeks job AT raz Wells. saloon-honce no grinding
till Fill% got throuGh-for he was n faithful hoozer
and never allowed business To interiors with his drink
ing. Poor Yankee had 10 return home with his corn
and stone in the bag and grind enough in the coffee