ON
THE SWING AGAIN
Bill
and His Balaam
and Jim Visit the Country
Carolina
Section
By W. J. Galloway
May 31, 1906
The Dillon Herald
Well, after a few weeks silence, me and my Balaam have again come to give an account of our stewardship. It has been so long since we have been out among the country folk that we were real anxious to get out on our swing again.
But summer is coming now, and our farmer friends can talk of nothing but their crops, therefore our visits to the country will not be made as regularly during the summer or "work months" as during the more idle seasons.
My Balaam also protests against such frequent trips, as he has already been invited several times to become the chief motive power of a Lewis plow stock and Campbell sweep, in which capacity he industriously served previous to his entry into the journalistic arena.
We have also been invited to conduct the operation on several occasions, and we never kick. We are always ready and willing to help our neighbors and friends out on anything but work. We don't want to hear the word. It makes us tired. And again we do not care to mix up with his working tools lest we break one and have it to replace. A working man can always find a plenty to do and we hope our friends will bear this in mind and not be troubled anymore about something for us to do.
______________
We have recently been on a tour around R.F.D. No. 4 from Dillon. This route is a just reward for the patience and long suffering of the good people whose mail facilities heretofore have been anything but satisfaction, and whose repeated efforts until recently have proved fruitless. l And at times it appeared as if the result would be an utter failure.
With such
accommodations as were had from Dillon, Rowland, Maxton and Judson
there was a
large territory between Little Rock and Carolina which was
insufficiently
served, and the people of this growing section are to be congratulated
upon the
success of their untiring efforts even though they have secured the
route
"on trial" or as an experiment.
Yet we have no doubt but that they will retain it.
______________
When we left town we had as a traveling companion, the genial James A. Galloway of Dillon. I was glad I was going because I knew the people with whom I came in contact, and knew also full well how I would fare. Jim was glad too, because he had an opportunity of "going off" with me.
We drove by Little Rock through the large plantations of R. P. Stackhouse, J. W. Hamer and Jno. S. Thompson. Mr. Stackhouse has been spending no little time and money here of late on improving his premises and his home presents an imposing appearance to the passer-by.
The crops on all their plantations are about as good as any we've seen. All being cultivated with so much care renders them creditable.
The recent drought
almost wrought destruction upon the crops all over the land, therefore
with broken
stands and dry ground it was almost impossible for them to do better. But Saturday and since, the dreary spell was
broken by some refreshing showers which we hope were universal, that
the
parched plants may be watered and the hopes of the down cast tiller of
the soil
be revived.
______________
By noon we had reached the Carolina section and were among old friends with whom we had been before. We passed around among those good people whom we mentioned before, the McInnis', Alfords, Moores, McLaurins, etc., and Jim agreed that a better place could not be found. Withal we had a fine trip and an early repetition is all the compensation we ask for the trouble of going.
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The only thing that marred the pleasures of the trip was the sad and sudden death of Mrs. S. T. Moore, wife of one of Carolina's best citizens. We dined with her on Thursday and she seemed to be in her usual health and in high spirits. The day spent with her was very pleasant indeed as she was a gifted and charming hostess. And on Friday morning when the sad news of her death at 2 o’clock, reached our ears, our surprise and shock can better be imagined than told.
Mrs. Moore was
possessed of many noble traits of character and her untimely death will
cause a
vacancy in the neighborhood that will never be filled.
She was about 52 years of age and leaves a
husband, four children and a host of friends to mourn her departure. Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to the
bereaved in their sore affliction.
__________
We often
hear the
question, "Is prohibition a failure?" And
we want to ask, "What must we tell 'em?" The
Carolina people along with numbers of
others are strongly in favor of reestablishing the dispensary as they
say
conditions are by far worse now than eve before, and it is our opinion
that
their suspicions are not altogether groundless. The
express company and the distillers of North Carolina and Virginia
are still reaping the rewards of Marion county prohibition. We are not in favor of whiskey
drinking. We discourage it in every
way. But we are disgusted with the men
who sing, preachy, and pray prohibition and then lay the example of
liquor
drinking before his children and fellow citizens. If
a man preaches it let him live it. Live
what you preach so men can say that you are consistenant and
sincere. Consistency is the most
precious of jewels and few only posses it.
A chief of police of one of our Marion county towns told us that one day last week the trains brought into his town two hundred and sixty-four gallons of whiskey. Think of that. He stated further that blind tigers were the most numerous of any other evil doers of his town. Who would have thought that any part of our county would use that much liquor after the dispensary was so overwhelmingly voted out? Prohibition is no dream, either.
Well, while Jim was away with me I found it next to impossible to make him ornamental so I tried to make him useful. And to find out how well I succeeded just ask Mr. Dan J. Alford. He is good at taking up stumps or robbing "bee gums." He took from Mr. Alford's farm about a dozen hives, some of the finest honey we ever saw. And after he was through we were surprised to note that there was very little saved. But the query was solved when Jim honestly confessed that he had "tasted it." W.J.G.