The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1913-07-05

i INVaAGNSA0sS AAOduahOAt 4l6tCuAuB
to an interesting narrative or per-
sonal experience Of Mr.. William
Smith, formerly of McNairy coun.
ty, Tenn, but now located in Lee
county, Miss, a few miles south of
Tupelo, when the conversation was
interrupted by a gentleman who
inquired of me If | was a lawyer,
says "Ben" in the Newton Record.
| replied that | had successfully
defended myself against a number
of serious charges, and / thought
that | might even rely upon my
enemies to defend me from such an
accusation: but inquired for what
purpose he required lawyer. and
he replied that he wanted to fight
this drainage business.
Mr.. Smith, who had been listen
ing to the remarks. shifted his
position near the newcomer, and at
the conclusion Of his reply, laid a
hand on his shoulder, Ia hand that
would make good shadow on a
ten-pound Star ham. and had some
weight if the fellows face told the
truth, and he said to him:
Brother. you are a fool-of the
turtle kind, and amt woke up to
the fact; listen and let me tell you
little history.
A LITTLE HISTORY.
Il left McNairy county a year
or two after the soil did, in the
year 1889. We worked the hills
there till they looked red in the
night; and the creeks were so full
of sand that we would have an
overflow every time the footwashers
up at the camp ground finished
their meeting. We decided that
we would hunt up a new place, and
struck out for Mississippi, and
after two months wandering spell,
| settled on town creek. / bought
some cleared land at S. an acre and
for the timbered land as low as
$3.50 an acre. ! had two farm
helps in the family and the others
could look after the cows and
chickens. At the end Of two years |
had the cleared land under fence,
had opened up some new land, and
had fenced in lot of the bottom
for pasture.
WOULDN'T STAND FOR IT.
"About this time there happened
along fellow with a petition TO
enclose my land in the stock law
district. Well, where l came from
we cut a few notches IN a shSa
ears, put bell on the best fence
jumping COW and turned 'em loose
to take care Of themselves. They
would 60 into my neighbors' field
and my own. and these kind of
happenings meant extra work for
the person. / didn't understand
the law. but / had about made up
my mind to try it when along came
a fellow who said that if ! went
into the district | would have to
keep up my stock, while the fellows
across the road would. turn out on
me any time. We'll, ! said. I'd be
darned if would stand for such
law as that. and | didn't. Well, /
went to fighting the stock law.
They put me in the district any
way, and six months later I was
glad they did.
THE LAWYER GOT THE
MONEY.
1--WE had just about time to bury
the hatchet when along comes the
surveyor sighting his telescope
across the creek bottom and / said
''Pd be damned if he did," j
thought a twelve-foot levee across
the bottom would ruin the land
and they told met the levee would
be the means of making me about
one hundred acres of land. /
didn't believe them and kept on
fighting until the officers came
mighty near putting me in Jail for
disturbing the peace. They built
the railroad all right. / wouldn't
agree to accept any price. but went
to court with lawyer, and when !
finished the case. ! borrowed some
money from the women folks to
finish paying the lawyer. and the
railroad had the land. Well, after
The overflow | had new farm just
as they said ! would.
CUSSED THE SMART
ALECKS."
well, just about the time We
had learned to sleep without being
walked up by the trains, along
came another fellow and said that
the supervisors wanted to appro-
pirate some money from the treas
ury to dig holes in the ground, fill
Hospital; that it is not built ac-
cordiuo IN notifications He cold