The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1917-10-08
WITH AUNT BECKY

When Not Lock of Cotton was
Wasted-V:sit to Good Farming
Section-A Wonderful Evan
gelist-Canned and Dried Goods
Plentiful-Personal and Other
Items.
Correspondence of The Robesonian-
Old Fork (Maxton, r. u, Oct. -
These lovely October days, with the
soft sunshine, the balmy air, and
beautiful autumn scenery, are per
feet delight to me, and | have Just
come in with my, apron full OF snow
white cotton. which is growing IN
near proximity to our front door,
tempting re in its luxuriant beauty
to step out and gather Just as mueh
as | please. DO SO love TO pick 1t,
but nv back rebels against my hands,
and ere long demands a rest.
In the old plantation days, when
fertilizers were srarsely used. and
from Is to 20 bales was a maximum
crop for the average plantation. not
a lock Of cotton was wasted. There
were many immature or cracked
bolIs" which were gathered into large
hamper baskets, brought from the
fields, and picked out during rainy
days and winter nights. This was Of
quite inferior quality and generally
used for padding quilts, both for white
and colored.
a few days ago L returned from
visit to the busy town Of Dunbar, sit
uated three miles southwest of Clio,
S. c., in Marlboro county. This Is
the home of Edmund Mcqueen, the
senior member Of our clan, and his
four sons, all of whom are large and
successful planters. They also con-
duct lively mercantile and furnish
ing business, ginnery, etc.
In the surrounding country magnif-
icent crops of corn and cotton were
in evidence, laborers plentiful and the
staple being rapidly gathered. An
average of a bale to the acre was the
general estimate of the farmers in
that section and from all appearances,
they will not be disappointed. The
soil down there has a red clay sub
strata, the cotton stalks of large
kgrowth, heavily fruited, the foliage
green, and uninjured by the red rust,
which is so prevalent on the lighter
lands Of Robson. Food products,
such as wheat, cane, potatoes, and
fine hogs are also receiving due at
| tention.
! l passed through, en- route to Ben
nettsville, the noted Hebron country,
famous as one Of the greatest farm
/ TIL
beautiful country, high and level, with
farms for miles, unbroken by any
| At Bennettsville, within large
and closely packed tent, I saw and
! heard Evangelist McLendon preach
for the first time. Never having heard
before minister on his BILLY Sun
day" style, my impressions were at
first variable, but my final judgment
was that he is good man, in deadly
earnest for the salvation of souls,
and a man of strong intellect, and
great power, which attracts and holds
the attention of all classes from the
highest to the lowest. Among the
vast audience of strangers, to me, l
recognized a most attentive listener
in the highly cultured ex-senator
John L. McLaurin, while opposite him
on the other side was seated num-
Der of quiet and orderly colored peo-
pie. The sermon on Sunday night,
based upon the Ten Commandments,
was fiery condemnation upon drink
ers, sWearers, gossipers, usurers, and
disobedience to parents Sometimes
I was enchanted by his meteoric bursts
of eloquence, and his flow of fine
rhetoric and notwithstanding his un-
usual and often startling manner of
speech, | consider him a wonderful
man.
! Leaving Dunbar on Friday a. m.
after a delightful trip, we tarried
again by the wayside with other rel
atives, Mr.. and Mrs. Med. Morrison
and splendid family, five or six miles
on this side of Dunbar, and nearer
the Robson line. Mr.. Morrison, an
other model farmer, who has always
products, is a brother of the late la
n1ented John H., who died in your
town honored and beloved. These
brothers were reared in this vicinity
former neighbors and school mates of
the writer. They were members of
a family consisting of eight sons and
one daughter, Mrs. Margaret McKin-
non. Five Of the brothers were at
one time in the Confederate army
The eldest, John Baxter, a noble and
exceedingly handsome young . man
was killed in the battle of the wilder
ness. The good wife of Mr.. Med
Morrison is also member of our
clan and former loved schoolmate
The visit to this home, noted fol-
lavish hospitality and kindness, was
one of genuine pleasure to me. Mr.
Morrison has a splendid crop, and
told me he had harvested 100 bush
els Of wheat from 4 acres.
My next and last stopping point
was at the beautiful home of Mr.. De
Wltte Mcintyre, who came over the
line IN the springtime and enticec
away from our midst dear little
COUSIN, MISS Be-nlce Hanler, and with
this estiIaable and happy young cou
| ole [ SDent a deIiohtf114 nj chit and dow