The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1953-09-11
HAY FEVER AND NOSTALGIA
SEASON ENDS OUR SUMNER

HoOOl LAY lloo SOlIlC cllO SOllS,
and with it went the most and
the best of what we look forward
to, and then look backward to
as that delightful season we call
Summer. With its end comes the
hay-fever season, and the leth-
argic days of autumn that revive
old SYMPTOMS of nostalgia.
Like many another summer,
most of the plans 1 made to enjoy
failed to materialize. 1 looked
forward to much fishing, but the
new poles l bought of Jack Rid
dick are still standing upright be-
side my grapevine, stained and
bent, and un-rigged. Trips that 1
planned to take unmade, for too
many things claimed my time
But l am sure of this, next sum-
mer, will go fishing if I live.
Maybe l have missed lot this
summer, But l can turn the pages
of many years in my mind as 1
sit here, and stroll down the
tree-shaded lanes of memory, and
the dusty roads, and the sandy
shores that meant so much in
my boyhood, and they have
never grown dim, nor lost their
appeal to me. The land of my
boyhood was nicer and better
than it is today, despite the mod
ern things that have changed it's
face. 1t is now much easier to
enjoy ones automobile, but not
so easy to enjoy nature and our
surroundings. One may pause be-
side still waters to contemplate
their beauty, to feast on the seem
cry and to drink in the balmy
air, but to have it all spoiled by
some wild driver whizzing by to
kick up dlAt and depart unheed-
ing and unseeing what is there.
The leafy, shaded paths now
are Uttered with trash and paper
left by alien picknickers who
come and go; having no love for
the land they despoil they do not
bother to pick up the wrappings
of their sandwiches, the empty
cans, the old newspapers, etc,
that were left from their meals.
ofstemsri oyueoein-
But one may close his eyes in
reverys and while enjoying the
same delightful breezes as of 40
years ago, bring back the wond-
rous things that made life inter
esting. Let us see how small
boy enjoyed himself.
There were dusty fields in
which one must work, to help
with the corn and peas and pota-
toes, and best of all the water
melons which of all the things
that grew were most enjoyable.
And there was the thrill of 60
ing overheard to clean up and
swim at the end of the day, or
perhaps when the work was
well-done we were let off a
little early to go fishing. re-
member fishing on some occa-
sions with some colored boys
about my age who lived nearby,
and spent most of their time in
the water as did I. 1t was always
a marvel to me that they could
get more fish than I could, in
the same boat, with the same
tackle and bait.
1t was a thrill when schooners
came in July to get the water
melons, and to take them to Eliz-
abeth City and Norfolk, and we
had to haul them to the shore in
cart, and take them in a skiff
and out to the schooner. There
was nothing finer in those days
than the big melons pulled early
of a morning, with the huge red
hearts that we ate after dropping
the melons and seeing them
burst open.
1t was ripe adventure too, to go
to the revival meetings, for there
would be new preachers, from
distant places, and the members
were anxious to take them home