Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-06-13
THE COUNTRY HOME
BY MRS. w. H.. FELTON,

with school nearby my parents
home. l had learned to read fairly
well, and was infatuated With the
pictures in Webster's blue-backed
spelling book before the school term
closed in June, 1840., My first teach.
err was Rev. a. J. Haygood Baptist)
and an uncle of Bishop Atticus G
Haygood, of the southern Methodist
church. We had spelling classes
where those who missed spelling a
correct word had to go down to the
foot of the class and spell up again
if they could.
I recall the thrills of delight when
[ raced home to tell the delighted
mother 1 had "gone up head" tina.
day.
1 was also infatuated with dolls
Time never hung heavy on my
hands. 1 was as frisky as a kitten
and as happy as a bird. never
remember when I first began tc
sing. We all loved to sing at home
and my black mammie-she with
the turban on her head and white
neck handkerchief on her shoulders
was always ready to sing the
songs of "Ole Virginny" to the little
one, who loved her so well and obey
ed her so promptly. She was
childless woman, and lavished her
affection on the pet Of the house
hold.
I begun. to ride pony, alone, at
six years old. I continued to ride
horseback up into the seventies. A
welf-known mule broker Ut Atlanta
remarked, when I was buying a
mule at auction one time, that. l
was the best Judge of mule flesh he
ever met among womankind. My
horses were always pets. I would
not own any other sort longer than
could trade them off. My colts
and calves were always pets, and I
made business of being so affec-
tionate to all my farm stock that
enjoyed them greatly, and they were
always fond of their owner. I went
to school and college until I closed
my sixteen years of maidenhood and
by good luck always came out on
top. I am the mother Of five dear
children, four of them are and have
long been in the "better land" l
doubtless made mistakes in my
many efforts, but / can look UP and
rejoice that 1 was faithful and there
is no cloud in the review Of that era
of my life-of failure to try to be a
good mother. / have been active in
many ways, in public efforts for the
betterment of mankind. When ad-
ventured into public speaking, for
the benefit of motherhood, in Secur-
ing sober homes for their children
to be born into, I had to encounter
much rabid criticism from thee press
and oftentimes the pulpit, but in my
old age I can look UP and say, Dear
Lord, I prayed for guidance, and you
have led me-" There is no cloud
in that direction. I thank God for
His preserving mercies every day.
I noticed a few remarks made by
Hon. Joe Cannon, Of Illinois, few
days ago. We have been friends
and acquaintance for nearly fifty
years. I am one year the elder of
this veteran congressman and when
he said the rule for longevity was
correct living, good habits and daily
striving to do the right thing in the
right way. could echo his advice.
The eighty-eoro-1''- ro''~'>ost I can
almost touch at this writing. The
look forward is pleasing and I am
trusting my Heavenly Father now
as I have for so lone been able to
trust Him before. "He leadeth me-"
and I thank Him for His care of me
during this long stretch of road
reaching from my cradle to within
thirteen years of one hundred.