The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter. [volume] (Manteo, N.C.) 1959-1973, 1960-04-22

toTic spot.
There are many delights in life
that will overcome all the disap-
pointments. The thought came to
my mind to look back and see what
! 1 was. doing on each April Is dur
!. ing the past ten years. On look
ing up the record / find was
away from home on most of those
dates. In 1850 l visited Williams
ton and Belhaven to attend meet
ings, perhaps in the interest of the
bridge association. At Belhaven |
was operating weekly newspaper.
In 1851 on the same date took
off early for New York alone, and
after attending to business in Nor
folk, l stopped for the night III
Salisbury, Md. On that day, ! made
the usual enjoyable trip by boat
across to Cape Charles and up the
eastern shore peninsula. In charge
of this boat was Capt. George
C. Daniels, Jr., a Wanchese native,
beloved of his people, and always
pleasant companion in converse
ton.
In 1862 went to Washington,
N. c., and left my son, Rogers
car for adjustment of a repair job
that had been done at one of the
garages. In 1858 l was at home on
Roanoke Island fixing doors and
managers for the stables of the two
horses l had bought for my young
daughter, so she might enjoy the
thrill of horseback riding with her
young friends. One of the horses
later died of the staggers; the
other was sold, and l am left with
a saddle for souvenir, while she
is married and gone from home.
In 1854, On Sunday, was at
home and an honored guest was
our young granddaughter Susan,
then two years old. l was prepar-
ing to take off early next morning
for Rodanthe where / was build
ing a house. The next day was a
Monday. On April IS in both 1866
and 1856 l was in the office, spend
ing busy days, for Monday is al
ways busy.
In 1857 1 drove to Engelhard to
visit with Mr.. and Mrs. Gibbs, and
other friends, and l ate at the fine
hotel operated by that matchless
hostess, Mrs. Braxton Watson. In
1858 l spent most of the day at
home, visited our grandchildren
across the road, now three of them,
and got ready for a trip to Nor
folk on Monday where spent the
day, got a doctor to survey my
state of health and spent the night
in a hotel.
In 1859, which was last year, and
on a Saturday, made four trips
between the office and Wanchese
where I was desperately working
to raise $4,000 to save harbor
project for Mill Landing. One of
the trips was at night to a meet
ing in the school building with
a committee attended by DR.. Har-
vey, Wayland Baum, Willie Ether
idge, Jr., Ron Tillett, Malcolm
Daniels and others to discuss this
situation. With the help of the
Dare County Waterways Commit
tee we saved the harbor which was
contingent on raising the money,
buying a docksite, and giving it
to the county.
l am reminded to go back 20
years in my records, but there is
not time nor room. 1t is nice to
have these references, for some
times, with them can confound my
enemies, and confirm what liars
some of them are.
I note at random, in 1915, my son
Roger and I put up wire fencing
at our home. He is now flying war
planes between Labrador andl
Louisiana. The year before, I car
ried fertilizer to a farming opera
ton in East Lake.
The year after l spent at home.
l awoke at one am. in 1916 and
went to work, just as now l get
out as early as four am. and
breathe in the. fine, fresh air, feel
the stimulus of its purity, and with
a mind refreshed from sleep, with /
time quiet and still, l can without
interruption by visitors or jangling
of phone, accomplish more work
better than at any other time of
the day. My notes show that this
mentioned in 1916 was a
day, just as are the days
IF this week; with the constant
reminder that all can be as we'll in