The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-03-27
"reminiscences of My Life on a Plantation Home
Before and During Civil War Between the States
(By Elizabeth Chastane 49, Ardmore Okahoma)

Among the hills of western North
Carolina in the valley Of the Tucka-
seega River, one of those beautifully
clear streams with their banks lined
with laurel. ivy, hemlock and rhododen-
dren, all Of which are evergreen bloom
ing shrubs, the latter being the most
beautiful among all wild flowers. Some
distance from the river on an elevation
leading back to the hills, stood the old
plantation home, a large two-story
house with huge chimneys and broad
open fireplaces, a long broad gallery in
front, from which we could view tine
high mountain peaks and the broad
valley of the river.
Here, in the spring Of 1869 my hus-
band and began house keeping amidst
the swelling of buds, the unfolding or
leaves and the blooming of flowers, an
IDEAL time and place for home-making.
This being my first experience, | was
slow to grasp the situation, the gravity
Of which was beyond my comprehen-
sion. My husband however being sew
eral years my senior, and having been
4 bachelor farmer for a number of
years, was at perfect ease and full OF
enthusiasm and kept everything moving
until / became accustomed to my sur
roundings.
l saw and heard many amusing
things, also many things to admire, con-
sequently ! soon became contented and
happy. ! really never found life in ths
country nome a dull monotonous exist
ence, but rather a haven of rest and
recreation. Our home was generally a
stopping place for fishermen, hunters
ana tourists who sought this beautiful
highland country each summer for
health and pleasure. They often came
unlimited not expecting TO be enter
tained. but TO share pot-luck and have
good time. enjoyed those visits very
much for those people We're cultured
and kept US in touch with the people OF
other localities. Christian Reid (Miss
Fannie Fisher) an eastern North Caro-
lima girl, spent many summers among
these highland hills, often referred to
as the Land Of the Sky" and the
Switzerland Of America" Here she
wrote her first novel, the first she
namel The Land of the Sky" and this
second "My Summer Idol" | had the
pleasure once of sending her a basket
OF grapes while she was writing "Thc
Land of the Sky" | never felt lonely
or isolated having become so charmed
with my surroundings that found lit
lie time TO worry or complain.
Many other things l would like to tell
you here, but the year was drawing tc
a close, leaving a record of prosperity
pleasure and a bright future. QSG0)
Twas springtime again-the beautie,
Of nature unchanged. The air was filled
with the fragrance from the wild crab'
apple blossom, which was among tn.
earliest and most fragrant of all wild
flowers. The music of the birds as they
flew from branch to branch in the or
chaM searching for a nesting place; the
buzzing Of the bees as they flew from
flower to flower in search of honey. The
cav, cav Of the raven on the distant
hills, the cooling Of the dove, and the
whistling Of bob white gave enchant
ment to the activities in and aroun(
the plantation home, and new life wa
becoming visible at every turn. How
ever, by harvest time we became alarm
cd over the political situation and a.
autumn advanced we began TO doub
ana fear future results. We were no
ignorant OF the combined forces at