McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1915-01-22
Letter From Washington
Editor Independent:

EdiCOT independent.
1t has been some time since |
knocked at your columns for space.
but here are few words of chat
about places and people.
Many McNairians remember, with
love and affection, Rev. Thomas Cot
ton, who preached and did good in
other ways in our section in the old
days. His memory fingers like a per-
fume among those who knew him, and
he will long be remembered in west
ern Tennessee. His nephew, George
Havell. then noted as young singer
of unusually sweet voice. was also
we'll known. He is now a fellow-clerk
here in the pension office, and still
conducts religious song service at
gospel meetings, and his beautiful
voice has led many a wanderer to the
feet of the Master. Mr.. Cotton died
several years ago, but his widow is
still living with son in Omaha, Ne
braska, at an advanced age.
The Cottons had an adopted daugh-
ter, Nettie, who once spent a Ito mel
glorious week at our home south of
Purdy. Father brought her home
with him on horseback one summer
day. | had been roaming happily
through the fields in the one little
garment "a shirt) which was for that
season all-sufficient raiment, when
they came. And | want to say right
here that to feel as | did then, and to
thrill with the same love joy, | would
gladly traverse now the frozen creeks
and snowy woods of McNairy in the
same abbreviated attire. But when
Nettie came. all grew different; like
Adam in Eden. after he had sinned, |
knew | was (nearly) naked, and was
ashamed, and ran and hid. No shirt
tail fashions for me- when young la
dies were on visit. For Nettie was
from the City of Purdy, which was 8
great distinction, and Gid my best to
honor her, our first town guest.
What is the use in trying to tell Of
that wonderful week, when | seemed
to swim or fly, rather than walk,
through that summer air, with the
marvellous female creature who had
come to us from Purdy; how that
mnsh and milk did taste, as though
you could swallow your tongue; how
the rainbow-tlnted woods and Elysian
fields Of clover and strawberries had
their color and fragrance through
her. | cried as l told my brother
Adam at night, how fair -and smart
she was! Her little dress could not
have been fashioned by mortal hands:
it was a filmy stuff such as angels
robes are made Of. And her hair
0, how can ! begin to tell about the
ineffable fragrance of her hair? l
asked father in trembling tones what
it was perfumed with, and he said he
thought it was bergomot, but no
word could describe it, nor the thrill
that comes but once in life, from the
perfume associated with first sweet
heart. She ran away from me; ! hid
in a low grassy glade in abject de-
spair. clutching the little tufts of
grass that grew in the damp bottom,
when 10, the perfume of that wonder
full hair came to me with the scent of
the grass. Thenceforward, the little
green blades of the stuff (sweet
vernal grass went to my nose fifty
times day, as small comfort to my
aching heart. Then | rushed to the
woods, and for hours was lost to the
rest of the world. Father heard the
furious sound of an axe going
up among the red-oak trees,
and went up to see what was going
on. He found four logs cut and ~
ing in a square, with other logs lying
on them, notched as for a floor.
What are you doing, Sanders" Il
am building house for Nettie Cot
ton. for l am going to marry her."
The question of whether she would
accept me, or live in my woodland
oocfln Nod pot aaourraJ IN mo