The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-08-05
MEN, WOMEN
AND THINGS

1
eighteen miles and took dinner with
Hugh Praytor.
For several years he has been living
on the farm which Thad Mullins re-
Gently sold to De Witt C. Marlborough.
1t was originally the home of the
Lathems.
The farm consists of $50 acres, but is
run for the benefit of the dairy. as
none of its products are marketed save
in the form of milk and butter The
output is taken by a local ice cream
mandatory.
| Hugh lives in the old Lathem house,
a typical country home with wide We
randa- hall in the center, and great
big living rooms; but to me the glory
of the place are the two giant. oaks
which stand as sentinels on either side
| of the front gate.
| Just a few hundred yards is a more
| modern home which gives wider
sweep of the farm. 1t was occupied by
Mr.. and Mrs Mullins up to a few
months ago and is now kept as the
summer place of the Yarboroughs.
There are also a number of tenant
houses on the farm.
But the life of the place centers
around the dairy, and while its build
ings are not built for show purposes,
they comply with all up-to-date sani-
tary requirements and are ample to
care for the dairy output which in
winter is sent into Birmingham by
train. but in summer, by truck.
have been warned to quit putting
n here the good things set before me
on my visits to the country, but l am
going to take a chance not only to
make the mouths of city folk water,
but to give the fellows who left the
farm to come to town memory of
some of the good things of life they
left behind them.
OF course the piece de resistance of
every country dinner is fried chicken,
not in the leathery, tateless variety
usually served in cafes and hotels, but
the kind grown out in the open yard
with the run of the fields and fat and
tender and juicy, and brought on the
table crisp and hot with bowl of
real cream gravy on the side and plate
Of hot meal mullins Drowned to the
color of partridge breast.
I pass over the vegetables fresh cut
from the garden to mention the ice
to talk to some city folks about the
usual thin watery camouflaged boiled
custard which Is served under the guise
of ice cream; but please remember
that my hosts pride is in his herd of
Jerseys and that the frozen dainty was
whatever to the commercial product
w hich is retailed in Birmingham
After dinner 1 went out into the
chicken yard to get view of the flock
of Rhode Island reds. the special care
and pride of Mrs. Praytor, and believe
ME when I saw three score or more
yellow legged friers come running at
her CALL I got great deal more ex-
cited than l did when I stepped into
the airship to fly to Montgomery, for
my heart went pit a pat and I was
afraid I was going to pass away from
pure joy. 1t was a bit too much for a
city preacher
I shucked my coat and made for the
dairy barn for I am greatly interested
destined to be one of the great milk
producing states of America before
another generation passes. I expect to
live to see the day when there will be
creameries established on a paying
basis in every one of our 81 counties, |
and that instead of our buying butter
from the outside we'll be heavy shippers
of it
The cows were all down on the Little \
Caha,ba which runs through the pasture |
and away we went to get a glimpse !
OF them. The herd consists of about 10 |
registered Jerseys, and there are few |
prettier sights than, to see a pure bred !
cow up TO her flanks in lush grass or
knee deep in running water, or quietly |
resting under the shade of a tree. |
saw some fine specimens in the lot
-
1 do not know why. unless it is be- |
cause 1 have never had any experience |
with bulls, that somehow 1 have I'M |
derated their danger. 1t may also be |
that because 1 have thrown the bull" |
SO much that I have over estimated |
my ability as toFeador. But the fact |
remains 1 felt that there was little |
danger in passing through an open
field in which a bull was grazing. I
have today different view, for l noted |
on Sunday how careful rr~~h Praytor
was when his herd bull came in sight
to always be in a position to make a
quick getaway. He stated that he was
an unusually gentle type and had never
shown any viciousness but one could
never tell when bull was going on
the rampage. and having been rolled
several times he was bit conserva-
tive about making one mad or giving
him chance to chase him.
Just word about Hugh Prathor He
is Jersey enthusiast. 1t is the dream
Of his life to, establish a herd which