The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-11-04
AID FOR RED CROSS.
Cotton Pickcrs Secure Fund for Starry.
ing Bclgians.


inS '''e oay' the proceeds of their
work going to the Red Cross associa-
ton for the relief Of the non-conbat.
ants or Europe. who were SUFFERING o
from the effects of the great war now
in progress.
The wagons were on hand but tho
morning was cool and the cotton pick
ers were slow in arriving at their
meeting point it being after 8
O'Clock before the wagons left for the
cotton fields, where they arrived
shortly before 1000. The young folks.
ana older ones too for that matter
who were in the wagons took the oc-
casion as something of a picnic and
had a big time all the way out to the
farm. Here they put on their cotton
sacks and prepared to pick cotton. Mr..
Mellette having come out and shown
them where to go and how to gather
the cotton.
For two hours the pickers gathered
IN cotton with or without the leaves.
IL was new work to them and they
found it very interesting at first, but
after time their backs became tired
from unaccustomed position and they
decided it was time to rest and eat
dinner.
The Red Cross workers had been
careful to provide lunch for dinner
and this was made a big picnic af-
1alr. In fact it was one Of the most
enjoyable events Of the day for the
younger folks. After their dinner ev-
erypody gathered in the big barn
and played on the hay The new
mown hay was a delightful place for
frolic and the children tumbled
about on it, hid under it and had a
big time for two hours So gay had
they become and SO much were they
enjoying their fun that the leaders of
the expedition had much trouble in
getting them to go back to work, af-
ter two O'Clock, when their noon-da Y
rest was declared over. However
they soon went to work with a will
and ere o'clock came when work
was declared off for the day they had
gathered nine hundred and forty
six pounds of cotton, quite a large
amount for amateur pickers Mr. Jen-
nings had promised to pay the pick
ers one cent pound for all that they
picked and he made the amount he
contributed to the Red Cross workers
an even ten dollars.
During the day the parents of
some Of the children who went on pic
mic came out to see the children and
number of boys from town rode
out on their wheels, al of which add
ed to the pleasure and excitement of
the day. During the dinner hour
Mr.. i. ID. Jennings came out with Mr..
Winburn. who took several photo
graphs of the pickers. Mr.. Winburn
will develop these photographs and
slides will be made from them to be
exhibited at one Of the moving pic
turc shows later on for the benefit of
the Red Cross association. Post cards
will also be sold and the money will
swell the Red Cross association fund.
Mr.. A. c. Kaufman, president of the
Red Cross in South Carolina, will be
told of the expedition so that he can
spread the news and other places can
devise similar plans for making mon.
cy for the Red Cross.
Miss Mary White and Miss Eliza
beth White have each contributed one
sum will be sent with the ten dol
lars TO Mr.. Kaufman to be forwarded
to the managers of the relief cHpedi-
ton, which is being sent to Europe to
aid the war sufferers
Coming back Saturday afternoon
the cotton pickcrs were given ride
through Main street, where they lc;
everybody know that they were com
inS. Their shouts of glec could be
heard for several blocks and the
whole party seemed to be in the best
Of humor possible, showing that they
had spent a lovely day in their gen
crouS work. All of the DONS went to
the Y. Nj. c. a. where they had dil
/ i'm the swimming pool.
Mr. T.. n. White and Miss Jennie
/ Chandler, the chief promoters of the
expedition, wish to extend thcil
thanks to Mr.. Jennings and Mr.. Mel
lctte on behalf of the whole party fol
the courteous treatment anu nell
which they received during the day
and their aid ON behalf of the Red