The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1917-01-25

WITH AUNT BECKY

First After Recent Illness-The Ten
ant Pr0blem-Where Rural Police
Are Needed-Need of Diversified
tiOn and Rotation-Tory Warfare
In N. C.-Death of Mr.. Billy Nc
Arthur Personal and Other Items
| Correspondence of The Robesonian.
F! Old Fork Maxton,R RI ),Jan.21-After
a lapse of several weeks I am coming |
again to have little chat with my
Robesonian friends, and to acknowl- |
edge my appreciation Of so many |
kind words from various correspond |
ents during my late illness. Ny con-
! flnement to the house would have
/ been much more monotonous except
Tor letters, messages, reading matter
and the frequent dropping in Of our
, good neighbors, friends and kindred
to all OF whom | am very grateful.
These pleasures and proofs Of
i friendship served to compensate in
large measure for my being a tenn
porary ''shut-in''. l have not fully
regained my former strength, but am
gradually improving. The physical
mechanism has lost it's elasticity
through the passage of the years
and requires longer to recuperate.
Saturday, the 18th inst, marked my
68th birthday, by which you see I
am nearing the allotted years Of
life, and have many blessings for
which am very thankful. The use
Of my pen is pleasant diversion, my
eyesight excellent for one of my
age, and my hearing unimpaired.
Blessings often brighten as they
take their flight" and l suppose we
! never fully appreciate these facul-
ties until in danger of losing them
No news of interest in the Fork.
; The health Of the community is good,
with no epidemic or contagious with
l in our borders. The farmers are
busy at work, cutting stalks, and
!. breaking ground for another crop. I
hear frequent discussions in regard
5 to the use of fertilizers, which seems
] to be something of problem.
= A few negroes have been leaving
this section after having traded with
e landowners to run farms. "A tenant
on our own place took French leave
4 recently, giving us no premonition
OF his Intentions, and we have heard
:. nothing Of him since. Such conduct
0 as this is great injustice to the
: landlord ,ar.l also results in harm te
:. the colored race, causing loss OF
e confidence in them. If they intend
J. ed leaving they should not have trata
: ed for the year.
! am glad to note that the rura
= policemen are to be retained, where
1 the county commissioners deem il
: necessary. This section of the coun
e ty, located right on the border line
4 Of South Carolina and with no JUS
tice Of the peace or legal restraint
Of any kind, certainly is in need O.
some protection.
Our farmers see the urgent neet
lc Of diversification and rotation in or
y der to supply the land with the in
r gradients they can not buy. The on
ly way to effect this end is to plan
more grain crops, and curtail the cot
(, ton. Of course they are aware c
I'd these facts and the wisdom of suc]
q course; and yet I much fear tina
II the majority Of them will return t.
;: their idols. There will probably b
u a good many cantaloupes and mel
ons grown in the Fork this season
TO have been reading copy Of Ca
rother's history Of Tory warfare i
oe North Carolina during the reign O
S. the notorious Tanning who must hav
been fiend incarnate, in his butch
re cry Of peaceable men and helples
70 women and children. According t
n this history, some Of the most prom
inent Of the Scotch settlers in Cum
h berland, Moore and Robson coun
k ties were Tories; but there was
of reason: these immigrants before EN-
n barking for America had been mad
SIS to swear allegiance to their Kins
b. and their oath was held sacred b
them. The book is very interesting
ct and the copies almost obsolete.
n am indebted to kind lady up
he Hoke for the loan Of it. Anon
Id many other Scotch Tories mentor
N. ed I found the familiar name Of Dun
en- can McCallum Of Moore county. M
ID. own father was the only one in OF
b. branch of the family bearing tn;
o. name, and of course that was Ion
dv before his day, though the ol3 To-
ne may have been a relation.
I was much gratified to note
i'll, the last issue Of The Robesonian
is letter from DR.. D. W. McCallum
Mississippi, my soldier cousin. II
en- time had been long since had heal
ro- from him, and I am pleased to s.
that he still is able to WELD a vi
on orous pen and hope that he ms
write often to your paper.
we Hog-killing season is about ov
in the Fork and there is a consi
IDS cradle quantity of meat and la1
in store, which will save many d.
ant lars to the farmers. Mr.. R. D. H
mer has very fine one yet to ki
ent and is waiting for real cold weat
ur- er as this porker will probably
vas ------
CONTINUED on page A.