[A Day with the Pattons]

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TITLE:
SUUTH CAROLINA WRITERS' PROJECT
LIFE HISTURT
A DAY WITH THE TTONS
Approximately 6,000 words
Date of First Writing January 9, 1939
Name of Ferman Interviewed Ar. Rob Pagett (white)
Fictitious Name Bert Patton
Street Address None
Place Lykesland, South Carolina
Ocoupation Rural Aail Carrier and Farmer
Name of Writer Nettie T. Jones
Name of Reviser State Office
A happy setting of oiroumstanoes oaumed me to be included among the
guests of the Patton family one glorious Sunday in January. Their home,
some seven miles east of Columbia, on State Highway number 76, is a six
roam bungalow painted green, with ivory trimmings, The avenue leading about
the distance of a bloolc from the highway to the house is bordered on both
sides by peoan trees. About over the yard are large li 1
_veoe-cs interspersed
with °Wars. The house is bordered with shrubbery, and to the left is a
large plot of perennial flowers.
Of the four members of this rural segment of the Patton family, Sadie,
4 rather low, well-rounded brunette, who never elected to marry, is the

oldest. 'airtha& a tell slender blonde& end also a Visitors next in
years. Dort, the heed of the family& is of medium size and of dark Qom
Flexion. 140 is some sixty years of age. Formerly& he ms a liaIle_oarrie
but nas, retired au a life annuity& he ferns the Wtj asres that be.Lone,
to ;linos.. He delsyed nerriodo until Us, yours act), v460 he qarr14d
Jebbee iiexter, raral sweothsert teentr.tw yo,Ar
And the ausete of thnt isy were, beeidee the ,:rritors a ka,cabia arother,
pleasre of
the dey was tho drive out froze Columbia with 4 joti, .;..;v4ostis
ear -.toll, it meet rannini; that dew. o lierts trIze -140 Lorri az character,
ease in end aot us.
:ass amdf,o net us on the portion° to auocat the
:tiontLa& the oldest of e.11 aaa olive, his 1112e,
a
hsr oordial welooso and to usher us into the clowiszvarzaU4 of the ?Wins:
reoia, a elozw room, with oak leo burning in the brio: fireplaues The fur-
-..-lohince mere Dimple and testeD41. Jeer the nantel vt,z a 11.:,.etlec
Galahad& dono in sepia.
laisc elsaitt. olsd in a oinPle and beeogina black dross& bubbled over
vita oagy and charming animation a* es elrelod about
corner with the :ire implements stood a sinord-siase out, al: eel*
tlf.-74)•
sus sw father's sword." ue4iesplained km ruttpollad !Ile 146 it.
"ES osrrls4 it in the r-lonfederete 'Aar for throe yetIrs• plaoc for
but Dort put it there to h4 the pities of paper place tili be
etnnik back on the sell. The mid SWIM to hew used It 2e-:;= a r3or this
morning& an4 I'll los it for QUO now. Qn0 of thcoo ;v1r to poi-
ith it and sand it to the reIle room in father has a namloaript
thers. Just before he died 'shin he yea seven he wrote notes or his

3.
seldieofthey elperiesees from nensey. It vas an interesting vapors"
*And, this, Bert sidods 011 he opined droner of near* secretary,
"is the pistol Bad carried in his pedal* all three years:
*Listens Bens" enelaimod Arvin, *danft point the thinG in
tient tarn it the Other way, It's the unloaded gun thst shoats ndkills,
you lame
"Tess that's the
above hemp nine leaded," red.
Vv. armor shot embody yet."
*This pisao is another nee et our antiques,"
;ass vadio salu•
way over Ms bastirod years aids end still has a sweet tone. nvn ny =ther
ists born, nr grendnotsr died, and my nether vent to live with a Aevelution...
ary soldiers a =jars ban Lexington County, iris loo4cht thiu Limo kor 2
mother yawn oho mo0 junta ShiLie
seedies for geodes... sakes forgot about antiques for a while, Aarvin
urted•
'Ilawanderiag,Mrse Janos, it Hort pointed out to you any place. of
interest alesg the read as you eons dem: said Alms Oadie, in the desire
for arm subject* elks talks so little 'end drives so rust, I bet he forgot
to point out Beathneed oaths lett as you eons out of tits 0 Tltat's one
Of Celeiblass beauty spots. Lovely hams and gardens."
st*Imigionwithe put in Marvin. you same out aa the Oarners Ferry
Riad. It you helmet grown hasy en, your south Garai= history, you'll
'genii that it's ens of the oldest rusids in the 4tate. ta;a part of the
old Estalwaborougbsto•Golumbla road* Teats ago steal ovaol'icv currluaau
and passengers fres harleeton to the interior weer that
004
ta a ;4raiaLt'"
tit4 iaithaiel now, audit in the spring it's more 41 .1-_ainc, plants

4*
end grass on both sides."
'The ruins of Millwood are visible &eoliths roads too* miss Sadie
explained* *The columns stand like sentinels to remind folks' like Arvin'
that South Carolinians are still proud of the ammptons*"
'That Veterans' Hospital is ahwadsoms thing," Acryin oantimted. When
the Government first started it, 1 thooght the committee UU4 a set of darned
fools to build as big a thing 811 that" but I be-doL if It laOt mr avor
with patients all the tine* They've got 545 there now. That's one of the
Prills we Ply former.
'Christine' Pete" and Susan out to be here to 111444
after reflective monent"40 as to asks the family uni oloohow
we're too busy these days to think such of tinily unit;" re Just
too confounded indifferent* Those were good old day* when we all answered
'present' to the family roll °all* Well" reminisoinc is a si6n 1'i cettA;
old, I guess**
As the writer later learned. Mervin is batit.the oldest boy of the family
and a favorite 'When he was six rare ole, he wMA laid law with typLoii fever.
For days he ley emaciated end uneonecioos" almost lifeless. A distant cousin
cans regularly in the evenings' after work we done, and he and rTin's
parents went into the living room to pray for the sick child. one nicht'
after the prayer' he said, "Cousin Sallie' Arvin is 60
Got well*" At
midnight the oriels sane" and the Child he to ionrwre* There vas also a
swami serious illness* when a local physician lanced an absoess an .rvin's
liver and held the iMeigiOn open with a disinfootod sharpened stick.
4obhee cams In to invite us into an adjoinin6 MOM where a delloloqs
dinner vas served.. Hire Martha' previously busy with dluner 40‘ollu joined

5*
our croup* Dobbesi in -response to various compliment& an tie dinner,
especially addressed to her, remarked a bit deprecatingly, "freparinc
meal is no now experienos to ms* 14 had a bi &t] ta rle took turns
doing the work* We had lots of oompapv. wuv ,own hone z.vaterday, and
thirty' -eight people were there far dinner* I've made a pretty jood of
Bort, too* 14 do everything together* You'd be surprised, thou, how easy
it is to got our meals, 114 raise most of our rood rit;ht hert on the far .4
14 have plenty of corn, hams, butters milk, &lichens, and egcs* nilk
three cows now, end we raised a thousand biddiee hare in the yard last year*
Andy. always have a good Garden of vegetables, winter and ciumcor.
'It's a mighty geed thing we own hare plenty close to hand, or in jars
in the pantry: 114 never know when Bert's oinr to brint: in carloaAF of folks
to oat* christmas day* when, the table vas all laid and dinner re
in oame Bert with five little ehildriminteme mother had just died,
wouldn't of had much of a dinners If Bert hadn't thoujlt of theme
awl then he picks up a load of children aid takes them to Goluzihia to the
Aclgy Aousc Club, *Zeta, its open house her, just, 11%e It Is down.
*No use to morry0r the Cynical *rein retort
to serve,
'tho ;resident will
feed pus lain glad Congress has stopped sone of this wild spendinc, for
&whiles anyway* Ws throws sissy millions of the people's rgortfo.r
,4 )ad blame
it all, In tired of it myself*"
'Now, Marvin& go slow," admonished Miss Sadie* declare you've assoc
sted se mu& with that new millionaire eonsim-liw of yours and sold o 1-.,eavi
high4prieed suits to rich people that you've learned to think their thouchts
after than* Roosevelt's dams lots of good and mado thince easier for poor
folks. :Zou mist not Ispeek evil of dignitaries you now.

"And, Sadie,' said Martha "you wouldn't speak evil of the devil him...
self, and you Wet let aror of ue do it, You've always get sone sort of an
alibi. Did we hear the President's last speech? If it wore broadcaet,
Sadie heard it. She's never missed a program since T;e had a radio. The other
day she nude a cake* pat it in the stove, and sat down at the radio. 3hc
forgot all about the oak*. And when I went to the kitchen to see what was
bUrning, it mma rained, burnt to a orisp.
"Well* I don't are shy a oommonplsoe thint; like a aake ahould interfere
with a progras of beautiful musics like Nelson Eddy and Jeannette :10Denald
put an," Sadie rejoined.
The meal overt a Negro girl, black as the ace of spades, with ivory rhite
tooth, whiter still because of the oantrast, cane in to eloar the tuito or
dishes. Inetead of a maidle cap, she had a modern bird hat perched
on the left aide of her head. *Miss lartha„ I wants to it a onvelofe to nail
a letterwid... Nem I can't read IT write. I ma pick out sore letters in
the paper, though... How old I is? Nem, I don't knastmetly, bit Ile 'bout
fifteen. But I knows mhere I vas borned* down in do old field... Dir'17, you
git outer my ways You'll nek me broke dese here dishea o'
lobbeeis...
rola I ain't got no husband. Heekin I'd kill 'in ef had one, ofvn he
wouldn't treat me right... Yessum, I cot two children, but dot,' 1,or dead, though."
Nis -gadie explained Anniee position in tho household by saying she come*
in handy about brincinc in wood, sweeping yards* and doing other heavy work
about the place. "Sometimes ve pay Annie, and sone Imes we pa:( her to stay
away, 14 try to keep her and Jack in clothe° and shoes. 7olvo jast given
her those new shoes she has on now. She and Jack were outcasts, and 76 took
them for their sakes, rather than for ears. They both think the world of

7.
vGaptn Bort.' and of -the rest of ua. too. au for that. Vt ooulth
to our tradition. if 'meta ndstreat the Navvies aa the quarters. T;e told
that, after the war* our -grandparents sold old truas%wod koepinean.i, one by
one. in order to keep au ex..elave eaarortal:aeo Then feAler an Aui,iher ad
lots of the 'milk of human kindneasi and were alwrve kind t:
"Qur parent, mere in their early tweaties 14.en Luunr caused.
educatlon V14 out short the uar, but ther t ict.txi ai.lc ,t;a:etkoia Penal.
:elleLe la thou'« 401, 1=:har. it uua attli a, ien whether a we4aa had sense
enou‘h to rrant an education or 11,0t. 4 Aothee, aQoaetoAd to 4-lavue all her
life, had ahard tine 72gatint; adjustments. hchau ;;old us ‘.aato as a ride,
she gave out apeek of flour for biscuits the rirut 4prlUnc..
"4 father owned a plantation le iairfiold Count7y wad oarried nother
there as a bride. The lands mere fertile. Lwry in plant and animal
oould be raised on it. The scenery vas 44-alrLanz; and bui. ia=re
VISCO reeks and hills galere, and fawning mas expensive. Fathor other
brothers had homea in Richland t:ounty, and they persuaded hi:a to neve near
thex4 :Icine sort of an exchange was worked out wr father and thv. farner
in Richland. I don't think any :-Ioney was esc;:lan6ed.
of their twelve children. Ilowever. vamp J la -airficl1 ani we
older children started to 2(42°0. there. I con 60ti little old schoolhouse
now down in the 215-aare pastize, so far from hone that icoher alma:ie cent a
Legre Auras with us to inRotact a from the ra-s. b4i, aucl, ',..,oars, should they
become vioiousa Other aaildren 064* to the ohaeli ani thb paIrons tha
salaries of the tesehere. mho usually lived la the
"After ma novisd to 4oseland, fathar vas 1:lato and
soon -owla-Je a pioneer in procressive rastlloas oi Aildc; torraooc to

prevent soil erosion, rotated his crops, and scoured registered breeds
of stock and cattle. The task of rearing that biz family nust have been
a stagGering one to them. Llother was never very stren aid always tayed
in the backgroaad. interested in laakia a haue rather 4,-.hou a livinz, Lt
the was the source of inspiration and ecuraft to the rest of us, the real
power behind the throne* A proionged illness, aad she left us at the ac,e
of fortrfive."
With the quick motion ana easy grace that charito:;erizes •1 every move
meat. Vise adie moved over to the builti4n book :Shelves
eturned with
-the family Liblo. The covers were dovearsd and worn; the paues were
miapluced, and yellow with age. "Ahat a good time we e:idron have had road
ing these 3ible stories in the preface. Adther mould mao ,u1 wash our habds
so clean they would boar inspection. Than she'd seat u Ein the Aiddle of the
floor4 with this Bible in the midst of use aaave loved these stories with
the colored lllnetrationso 1141 ISA one woman who didn't think it wan too
ho/y for the children to enjoy." At the botton of the paze, where the km-.
portant records of the family were kept, these wc)rds were scrauled ih a
child's handwritingt 'Victor colt bora Auzust 1691 -2.1-4%;en by rote."
"You know -fete's married? Oh4 yes, he's been maried
years.
Uarrisd the head nurse at Oitoeno That's 4-.. TJ sanatoriam at
Asheville, you know. Jane is a lovely girl* -,;atm all orz: fon.1 of her.
For the two years that Pete was a patient and she his nrse they were La
love* They wrote each other every day, and occasionally Taney accompailied
by another nurse, would drop in to visit Fete darinL off hbares ut the
marriage was a complete surprise to everybody. At firs. we 2.hotti was
t: very amviso. but Pete argued that if Jane were goine to mu4se 3 pa lent

all her lit., Si. just as yell merle bine and both of them could have
aexpanionship and a home. Jane makes a geed salary, about 0150 and her
board and she takes exeellent OAPS St Pit44 As attractive as ever? Hell
we thihk so, and there are frequent discussions among their friends as to
which is the better looking' Pete or NirvinA Pets has tried raising chicks
ens and hogs, but he ham to go beak to bed every time he exercises much,
and he seys he's eriting a beak new When be has to stay in bed. He's one
of the maey tragedies of the World W.V. He and Ned grew to be real friends •U
*Ned? Who is Ned?" I asked while she carefully replaced the precious
old beak in its place Um the shelf.
°Leger me, I thought I had told you about Ned. Didn't I ever tell
you that Ned is sort of an adopted mmmher of the family? You've seen our
now bridle parsonage? Berreral years ego, me were about to lose it because
of $600ftdebti so weimmeen decided to sell meals at the state Fair to mnke
IMMO money. 10 worked oureelves nearly to death, but we had lots of fun,
and paid the $600..debt. This lad, Ned, took his meals with us, and he was
sixth as attraetive shay we all enjoyed ht. A few deys after the fair cloeed,
in walked led one morning. 'You told me if I ever needed a friend, I could
count an you,' he said. 'I've lost my job. I went a friend, so I've oome
to you.'
*That was a problem. We didn't knew West in the world to do with Ned.
We had no guest room at that time, and Bert drew the line on Sharing his,
room with this questionable stranger from Canada, who had been traveling with
the aquaplane. But something had to be done. Ned had no clothess.no food,
no money, no home. SO 1110 put up an extra bed on the back porch and made
him welcome to all we had. When the first rain came a few days later, ye

10.
igods, the porch leaked so in the middle se the night that Ned couldn't
tetay out there at all, so Bert Galled Ma into his quarters. Bert never
lila:presses any emotions, as you know, but we had observed with interest
ihow Ned was growing in his favor. The 'hole family fell for Ned. Christine
4
amisse for a visit. Christine is our oldest sister, Mts. L. G. Garroll, at
Winnsboro, you know. Well, she and Bed read French plays together. Us
/followed Bert around like s shadow and helped with the work whenever he was
ineeded. It Iles too funny to see him mowing from the field one afternoon on
'the bare back of a mule, and the mule running as fast as she could. The
4-nule ran Oraight to her stall, and Ned was thrown against a stump. We were
itetrified with fear. Ned lay lifeleses ye were sure he had been killed.
a
Finally Bert came in from his work, and we carried Ned into the house.
titter Levers' days in bed, he VISA out again and seemed O. K. There Imre no
lbad offsets.
1 *After about eight months, Ned said on* day, Mello I got to go. I've
'got a brother somehow* and I got to go find him.' We shared what money we
thad with him, and Bert gave him some extra clothes and took him nearly to
4
43113111.31*"
The Rattans have always kept open house. Their father provided every-,
!thing for the table in abundance, and their friends marveled that the "loaves
;an nem." were always "multiplied" an Sundays to meet the needs of dozens
!:cif guests who went home with then fres church.
f During most of the day, Martha had sat quietly. She slipped from the
:17.roest, and Marvin remarked "abets gone now to see that everything has been
Idone just right. She's wrth her weight in gold. When she was a little
Ithtng, she used to tell us, 'I'm the chicken of the blue hen.'"

U.
"Have Vou AMA AV Mallow's nest?" Bert asked, as he carefully lifted
ammt from the matelpisos. "00e daV last sumer, Ba4e heard 414 unusual
noise here. Finally she boosted it in the fireplace. The neat had fallen
from the (Oilmen, and there were four babies in it. It sleeve to me to be a
pieoe of perfect art* I never let anybody destroy a bird's nest on this
Aso., so ve put the little birds in a sparrow's nest under the eaves of the
front rorohe And do you know that Sparrow fed them just like the did her
own birdies?"
"Jo the red birds and Aloolginc birds still come to the front porch and
sit an the 'Wake of the molars and sine
yes* A making bird yea there the last warm day we had."
o Bert, teke 'am out in the yard te me your outs, dogs, and pigs," an.
Patton suggested. Bobbee shared her hmeband's interest in the pets, although
she had been in the busily only Me yews and yea thirtymeight years younger
than her nor* natured husband. It ma Me vho told us about the calf thAt
had been amidently out an a nail and how painstakingly they had oared for
it till it vas well, of her pet pig, a Ant, that comes to her window, day
or night, vhenemer she calls, "honey, ems an here*" he also told of the
six oats which had been taught to ()limb ladder at the first sicht of a
now bulldogs about the three dogs that had thirtreix puppies at the sam
tine and every one of them had to be killed bemuse one of the mothers
developed rebies, and of :4b. Woo, the vary smarteit dor, she had ever seen.
She had actually taut him to ton the elctrt liL.ht on and off.
*What's this thing that looks like a cage?" I asked.
"AI, that's a pen I made for ahem& last spril,g," Bert replied. "The
darned thing kept *Mine, Av red biddies, and 1 just had to shoot him. no

12.
fell with sibieken vino I got eerrr5 bound up his wing" and oared for
hisitill heves yells I thought, it worse, he'd be appreciative of the
furor; bat iseteed, he boveght knell his friends and neighbors in the fell
loon tberventeddellensios, Ond I had to kill him lifter all.
oI lamgn bs kmilgag 46141,ems? Ever since I uan remember
We keep oar reds here in this run and our white lethorns over yonder in the
rear of the yards We lihe Iwo, and those leghorns keep us supplied. Haven't
bought three deem eggs in two pees. I'd say we've sold 05 worth of chickens
and ego, together, mime sat abidemswheemmer we vent it
*Hort, let's shoe her our prUe hags," Babes insisted.
"This is the his that lave our golden eggs," Bert said, as he showed us
this hog. We keep her in a separate pen from the other hogs: he's
Duroe Jamey, and vas an unusual bur for fid, dollars, In three years,
eold $460 berth of pigs, and the upkeep hasn't been AO MUOK,
"VIA mot need of a tten firmer* Fiat is' I haven't been =eh inter-
ested in farming till the last fearyearsi Av lob has been to carry the mail
for Unele Sam. lhen my mother died our struggle began in earnest. She VOA
ill for several years, and father kept borrowing a little money on the home
plasm so he °mad make ends meet, the oldest child. Christine* had just
finiehed Coluabia Female College. She leeked after housekeeping' oared for
us Ohildren" and taught school over there at Smith's school. With her salary
of $38 I month, the helped to seed Marvin to Spartanburg for a business eourse,
hoping he oould help out with our fineness. put his health failed, and for a
year or more he 104 not able to work at all. Than we all etruggled with the
education of the other Children., eadh one helping with every other one.
we had a hard time."
.4.

13.
'NO suds thing, Bert,' said bass AMU. "We've always bean happy.
And eaerifise is part ee the 40y at hewing a big family and sharing with ono
another. It ems no saerifice for me to leave home and work as matron at
Columbia Female C011oge for two years, so that my salary of 60 a month might
be applied to the education of the two younger dhildren. And it was a pleasure
for me to rent a house for $15 a month and take six boarders at 425 mai, in
order for liary to got epilogs trainiog. Shucks, that'a an interecting part
of the game. 1 got a big thrill out of iv part of the *aortae°, if that's
'het you vent to sell its
*Will,' Bort took up his story e4sAm, "I we where thines were heeded;
le When I had atones at this smell jOb, I took it. I was about twenty..
five. At firsts I had only eighteen miles, and my salary was ?or a
few years I used two horses. The roads were terrible, and sometimes 1 had
to get a mule to pull me out of the mud. When the roads improved and my
route inereseed to thirty Idles, I used a ear. I've bought seventeen Chovi.
rolets, and I believe my ear expense has been 0400 a year. I reckon I've
put $7,000 in these oars. but 2 was well paid u• my salary wont to 0.75 a
'sloth and I should have saved monsly. There have been many and unusual de-
mands en me, however. I've been retired five years now, at a salary of ;96
a month. I oonsider Jnale an a pretty good follow to work for.
"The loss of or home vas a staggering blow to us all. i7ather died sud-
timely in 1215. The mortgege an the plasm kept growine, with the years• The
World War oame on. Camp Jaokson, was being built, and labor went to six dol-
lar* a day, and we opuldn't oompete with that sort of priee. Later, the boll
weevil and the depression hit us. We bed been offered .,'..40,000 for the place,
but then the Showdown came, we couldn't raise the 15,000 we had borrowed an

14.
it, and so it had to go.
*Let's forget it," Mervin said* *I've preyed day and night that I
never *wild think of it again. It's the want kind of nightnare to me."
"And the saddleet day of my life," Sadie added, "was when I left my home.'
And together they yolked off in the direation of the barn.
"We moved over to the brooks Pleas,* Bert continued, "and Sadie nursed
en old couple to help pay the rent. After three years, we tried another farm,
hoping we could do better. In the meantime, the doctor found I had diabetes
and other oonplioations, end I've been on a strict diet ever since. Be or-
dered rest in a hospital, but somebody in the family had to carry on, and
I eouldn't step. We came hers three years ago. 1 pay 4350 rent and have
60 sores. Ila allowed to plant fifteen acres in cotton. Last year the boll
weevil got ail the cotton in this section. I nnly made six bales, and I
usually make a bale to the sere: I doubt if we clear 410 per bale extylaNyl
so I'm depending mere and more an other things to supplement my salary and
to pay for the privilege of plant.ng a crop. I pay 70 cents a day for labor
and own my stook and plows, and so forth.
*You have observed I haven't knowe angrthing much about the cost of
things. We have never bothered with that side of it much; we've been too
eaVvless, I realism. But Babb*, is a good business woman, and together we're
already working an a budget for this year. Cone back a year from now, and
well versed in these figures. The sunshine is not so werm now; maybe
iv had better go to the fire.*
*What do you all know about Christine these days?" Marvin asked. "I've
felt all day that they mould drive up here this afternoon. I sold Connor
aeuit of el -ethos the other day, end he said neither of them is very well these

15.
dies. He told ne so ne kind of 000k-and..bull story about their not coming
up here aey oftener. They are both craw about those boys of J. 11.'s.
That's Christine's third family to raise, isn't it? After mother's death,
she was mother and atmscher to us dhildren. When we f..;cit from under her
winr, I guess, like Napoleon, she vented smother family to conquer) so she
finally consented t- marry Ar. Connorpand his seven c3 Lldrer became her ehar;s.
Noe, strum J. W.'s death, She has these too rrandchildren. ,i, we could
hardly live through the refiring of our four. She's done it f -pod jol,, too.
Out of the Conner children, she's made a distinoished Methodist preacher,
a eapable school superintendent, and two exeellent sohool teachers. he
sabered the sdhoolmes for the seeand time and put her salar into their
education. A darned geed record for a etepnother, I'd say."
Mies Badie then told us about Susan, vho also married n widower. "she
and Brother gaxon didn't get hone for Christras, but gusan sort me and Aartha
lovely met apiece. gusan hasn't lest her sense of humr, amd it relieves
many tense situations in that Methodist parsonage. Her sarcasm mletimee
hurts the sensitive parishemers, I imagine; but she's uhaminE; and handsome,
and NO. Saxon is devoted to her. ghe and Aary vete ek, concenial. Solehow
none of US an Pot over Yhres untimely death."
"Before it gets any later, cobbes, let's take the r511:4; foe a ride And
shoe oaths changes they're nakiw in the road," our thouhtful host ow:
coated. *This road wilt be a beauty vhen it's finished. Quite a difference
between this one and the one I first rode the mail over."
*We're coodnc now to the dhurdh and to the place where we cot our tiarninc,'
said Miss Sadie. lalancestor of nether's rave this land and some cold =ley
to build a Alethodist church and a school near this creek. You see the uew

18%
highway will divide the church free the seesterys son. folks are dise
gruntled over that.
*Men father first name to this semeenity, the first Sunday me were
here, dressed in our best bib ant tutiker, we all cane to this church. 1
recall we came, eicht strong., iota doubleesested open vehicle, driving a
nule and a horse, fleck end Annie, with Mantels colt running along under the
shaft."
"Excuse me, Sadeo" Marvin interrupted, "is that the Lunday I had to wear
one of the girl's &grans shioh you turned 'round and buttoned in Li 'Lit for a
Shirt? I can see those buttons new sewed all 'round the waist for me to
faster my pants to. no boy was ever so sinned afeainst. I'll resent it till
nv dtv."
"Well, there wasn't anythinc else to do. You didn't have a clean one,
*:Airvin, and you know as well as I de that there yes no amuse father would
accept for not coin to church. I think you should oongratulate ins on our
ingenuity.
"Father was made Sunday Scheel superintendent that very day, and he
held the position for twenty...five years. He was superintendent in Fairfield,
and a steward in three churches. Brent has taken his place as steward in our
church now. Father gave a lot of tine to temperance work, also. here's the
Uorrell School where four calldren were killea in the tornado several
years ago. There were, I think, about fifteen people killed in the coanunity
at the sane tine, This lovely new brink building took the place of the old
one. Procress often follows in the sake of disaster."
"now you can see vlrokt lovely broad acres lie along thin road," Amrvin
remarked.
1.14( all those plenta4ious were awned by father and his

11.
,brothers -sad iff idles father and his
"I roan aro par father lode a bur piI
a mat for comostaial tertilisor• :Chose folks as. near alevolt
eajor the coot things the cit hso to attars 11111 lbw he*
trieitys sad motor* This mellow Irsal SWAM 'hi° 4.4"
tocre Thom folks Imo hese offered \IMO Sa a ee fOr Oom but
the, ore holding it for $110000 Better take us ho s* onto Osidomo, 110 lea%
stOr may taloa ham after dark."
We wiled hy the Negro quarbers. Dick ran out to the road msdialot.
*Caen Bert, who: yon &lee Lame go %dd you' naptn Bert. Us dons fed up
de mules ant do hoots ant milked do aows. LemmaO iid you, pleases sin."
"You waist go this time• Diek. Toll your daddy to look after things
till I get hack,"
"This is the plows where I beat qv hnoband laixt -a r"
Tttea said proudly. "He ca -to ms an sere inheres mad two bale. Sk
it. He didntt make but one an his best land. Aid* here beim; IIMPINItorsfts!
Hospital is the plea. Itgre pinked out for our new hums. Vie don want but
ton sores oither, with a brick bongslow on its ,711, yo* we're working an the
house plans. Haven't done anything *lee same catristmas It neqy be only our
**Ian hoping mt.
*when we have our Olin plass1 weirs golog 4110 true: rarrinc. V. plan
to put out etrasberriMil raspberries. sad itilbinsiM tha first year. Then
gradually wetla mit our pooh sod Wit sad
vineyards toot 1/101l hao* red ohiekosit
/Wing eggs. That's m tor m going*
hog, mad liosstoek• Vt courses AI

18.
everything me have. We hope the hoiptkea, 101 furnish a aarigat tar our
produce, but if it doggiest, we'll have the eurb market to tan beak eft.
I believe it will beat planting cotton: