aftift 
 
 litterstty uf 'Nortl} Olarolina 
 
 (Eiillprtinu of Hortlj QlaroUmana 
 
 CB 
 
UNIVERSITY OF N.C. AT CHAPEL HILL 
 
 00032193402 
 
 THIS TITLE HAS BEEN MICROFILMED 
 
 This book must no 
 be token from th( 
 Library building. 
 
MEMORIES 
 
 B. F. KEITH 
 
 €atti or liriti|. 
 
 " Truth and Honesty Will Conquer '' 
 
 RALEIGH 
 
 Bynum Printing Company 
 
 1922 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 About the year 175 — a family landed at Fernandina, 
 Florida, having journeyed from Scotland in a sailing vessel. 
 They were, of course, unknown to many on this side, but, in 
 their own country, they had held a proud position. The war 
 in which the house of Stuart fell saw many proud houses as 
 noble as theirs fall, too. History fails to explain why so 
 many noble and wise heads of families jeopardized their 
 name and fortune by alliance with that unfortunate house of 
 Stuart. Buchanan the historian says that the only way he 
 can account for this noble family's adherence is that old 
 Scotch saw which says, ''Blood is thicker than water." In 
 early days many centuries before even the royal house of 
 Stuart was heard of, they had been entrusted with the royal 
 seal and a member of their family had been continuously 
 recognized as "Keeper of the Royal Seal" until the year 
 referred to. They had married and intermarried with roy- 
 alty, and so "Blood is thicker than water" certainly applied 
 to them. In that one venture they sacrificed a position 
 which had been won through centuries upholding the crown 
 of Scotland against all comers. After-events prove that the 
 prowess that won fame and fortune as well as position did 
 not die with the dynasty of Stuart. European history teems 
 with incidents that show their statesmanship, and military 
 records fully attest their unfailing leadership of men. 
 
 After sailing up the St. Marie river this branch of the 
 family lived in Georgia for some time, then gi'adually moved 
 up into South Carolina, where the father and mother, who 
 had come direct from Scotland, died. Their offspring be- 
 came some of the most prominent people in that state, and 
 their descendants are noted for their high and progressive 
 O ideals, standing for those things that are for truth and jus- 
 
 ») tice, to the poor as well as to the well-to-do classes. It was 
 * [3] 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 a characteristic handed dovra to them, their Coat of Arms, 
 bestowed upon them by their king, crossed check, motto, 
 "Truth and Honesty will Conquer." 
 
 The lad who was the miller boy for Marion lived in South 
 Carolina until the beginning of old age, having married three 
 times. He then moved to North Carolina with his brother, 
 who later returned. Locating in the Cape Fear section, he 
 proceeded to enter large tracts of land, an instinct inherited 
 from progenitors in Scotland, they having large landed 
 estates, bestowed upon them by their king for noble service 
 to their country. It was still in the blood of the miller boy 
 to acquire land where he saw possibility of its worth. Hav- 
 ing lost his third wife, he married the fourth time after he 
 came to North Carolina, his wife being the daughter of a 
 prominent citizen who served as an officer in the Revolu- 
 tionary war. His activity caused him much ill-treatment by 
 the British Tories, being placed in the "Bull Pen" (as it was 
 called). ' His stock, cattle, hogs, etc., were used by their 
 army. He was fed, with the others imprisoned with him, 
 with the offal throwm over the pen to them, as it is thrown 
 to hogs. They milked his cows, consumed the milk and but- 
 ter, and when he complained to the officers, they would tell 
 him he ought to be proud that he could do so much for his 
 mother country. 
 
 The old Bull Pen was at the north end of an old milldam 
 that was built years before the Revolution by Englishmen 
 and Welshmen. It was in commission, grinding and sawing, 
 with the old up-and-down saws. The same old mill has been 
 in operation ever since, except when it was stopped for the 
 woodwork to be repaired or rebuilt, as it was about twenty- 
 five years ago. This work required two hundred thousand 
 feet of heart cypress framing, and nearly three years to do 
 the job. Many were skeptical when they saw it torn up, say- 
 ing that they never expected to get any more good meal from 
 the favored old mill, the rocks of which had been brought 
 from England by its first builders so long before the Revolu- 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 tionary war that the oldest inhabitants could not remember 
 when it was built. The skeptical also said that it would 
 never be as it was, as its first builders had a barrel of gold 
 when they began building it, and it was said that it took it 
 all to finish the job. They knew that its second builders 
 (Bennie and his brother) had nothing to compare with a 
 barrel of gold. However, they neglected to put any value on 
 energy, perseverance and determination, nor did they appre- 
 ciate the advantage of looking forward instead of backwards. 
 Some of these same doubters are still living and eating bread 
 ground at the old mill, afiirming that there is none so good 
 anywhere. ^Yhen the mill gets out of order for a few days 
 they begin to get nervous, and vow that they cannot eat any 
 other bread, as it is the only kind that gives them health. 
 
 Marion's miller boy, then settled in North Carolina and 
 married the fourth time, selected a place as near like the old 
 family home in Scotland as he could, guided by descriptions 
 given him by his parents in years gone by. His home being 
 between two streams of water, he named one after the one 
 that surrounded the old home in Scotland, and it has been 
 kno^vn by that name ever since; it is the pride of anglers. 
 The following verses will better describe its charm : 
 
 "CALEDONIA" 
 
 Oh, sweet old Caledonia, the sacred home. 
 Where the passing river kisses the sacred shore. 
 The land where sacred memories dwell, 
 With its forest tinged with beauty throwing kisses to the skies. 
 
 No, we can never forget the beautiful Caledonia, 
 Never while life ebbs and flows on earth. 
 For such sacred places have their finals in Heaven, 
 Then why not rejoice when its beauty is so sublime? 
 
 Oh, sweet Caledonia, where the sun and moon 
 First peep from the east out in their radiant light. 
 Will ever hold the place next to eternal life, 
 May its beauty and sacredness ever hold the key of right. 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 Sweet Caledonia, the home nearest to the skies, 
 Where the beautiful old river goes gleaming by. 
 Noted for its traffic as with fish and game, 
 Where the anglers and hunters can find no complaint. 
 
 The flowing Spring at old Caledonia, always so pure and sweet, 
 Brings us back to the sweet, innocent days of our youth, 
 Where pain and sorrow had no light in our life. 
 Where the sun, moon and stars were the light so beautiful and bright. 
 
 Old Caledonia was the sweet home on Scotland's heights. 
 Where the first Earl Marichal saw first the light. 
 For centuries there the Seal of Scotland was kept right, 
 Until the love of liberty gave the Chatties new life and light. 
 
 Thence to America some did flee for liberty and rights. 
 While others to Spain, Russia and Prussia, 
 There to give counsel to the kings and rulers of their day, 
 Holding the highest positions in all their day. 
 
 Those to America have always been true to their adopted home, 
 The young lads, with their dads, shoulder their guns. 
 When the Revolution was over, we had won, 
 Battled, with bare feet, lads along with their dads. 
 
 Caledonia, for centuries the home of our noble sires. 
 Until no more in old Scotland, beautiful land, 
 Now transplanted on Caledonia Creek in Carolina, 
 Where for century its sacredness held by noble descendants of 
 William Catti. 
 
 Oh, sing of sweet Caledonia the sacred place, 
 It's home the child should learn to love. 
 It brings love and tenderness to dear ones 
 Whose toils and anxiety have worn them away. 
 
MEMORIES 
 
 By B. F. Keith 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 BABYHOOD 
 
 The fate of man is in the hands of an all-wise Providence, 
 and whether we admit it or not, we know that He rules all 
 things. Man proposes, but God disposes, is as true now as 
 ever. And the blessed thought that comforts when nothing 
 else will, is that He who looketh after the sparrow will surely 
 watch over those w^ho trust Him. 
 
 Two years before the war (what war ever took such a 
 toll?) between the states, in a country home well off the 
 main thoroughfare, there was born a child to parents who 
 were blessed with just enough of this world's store. The 
 home was a log cabin, humble as any, yet comfortable and 
 roomy, as nearly all such homes were. Soon that home be- 
 came too small to accommodate the family, and a move was 
 made to a new home several miles away. The child spoken 
 of above was two years old by this time. All thought to live 
 in peace and happiness and plenty, but, alas ! for the plans 
 of man. ^ot long after coming to the new home the baby 
 boy fell dow^n the steps and at first was thought killed. The 
 mother was in bed sick, but when she heard the cry she did 
 what nearly ever other mother would have done under the 
 same circumstances — got out as quickly as she could. All 
 the old-time remedies were put to use to assuage the pain 
 while the mother-voice spoke w^ords of endearment to the 
 little sufferer. Who can say which was most effective ? Suf- 
 ficient to know that soon the baby eyes opened, and then 
 mother hugged him as only mothers can. Oh, what a memory 
 of mother ! Soon after that, mother went back to bed, never 
 to be well again on this earth. Oh, the memories fostered by 
 
 [7] 
 
MEMORIES 
 
 the tales of the mammy nurse, whose duty it was to take the 
 little one to the bedside, so that mother could see and caress 
 the little one she was so soon to leave behind. What a picture 
 of mother that little boy sees now. After all these years, 
 after all the crosses that have come — Mother — there in her 
 chair, with the big Bible on her lap ; the child catching hold 
 of her dress, and with her help, standing there while mother's 
 feeble hands turned the leaves for him to see the pretty pic- 
 tures. Oh, how lovingly those hands stroked his head, how 
 tender her voice as she spoke words of endearment to the 
 little boy she knew she soon must leave and who would never 
 know the tender care of a Christian mother's love. Yet even 
 at that tender age little Bennie (that was the name the 
 mother had given her boy) always felt that the prayers of 
 mother to Him who promised to be a Father to the fatherless 
 and a helper to all who need His help, were especially 
 answered in his case. As a result Bennie's faith in prayer 
 grows stronger every day. Well, about this time politics 
 became hot, and people who thought, might have stepped to 
 the front and insisted on being heard ; but, alas, they showed 
 timidity when they should have shown strength. Very soon 
 in the excitement of war, conservative thinkers were thrust 
 into the background and the wild-eyed agitator held the stage. 
 As usual many of the red-hot war lords preferred jobs at 
 home looking after the women and children (at least that 
 was their excuse), but after-events showed that they were 
 most interested in their own personal gain. If any man 
 dared to oppose, well — a place was quickly found for him at 
 the front ; if they never came back, so much the better. Then 
 as now, and even to the end of life's chapter. When the 
 reports came as to how our boys were whipping the Yankees, 
 it gave courage to our Southern boys, and all wanted to go 
 and have a hand in the linishing of the job right, but after 
 four long years of greatest sacrifice on the part of the half- 
 fed, half-clothed Southern army, well, every school-boy knows 
 the result — overpowered by circumstances, but not beaten. 
 
BABYHOOD 
 
 After days of bombardment, Fort Fisher fell, and the last 
 artery that was left to the Southern army was gone. The 
 vibrations of the cannon jarred the windows in the house in 
 which Bennie lived, and even rocked the chairs upstairs — 
 this at a distance of forty miles. Bennie remembers being 
 sent by his stepmother upstairs to get something, and win- 
 dows and chairs were rocking and jarring so continuously 
 that he became scared and ran downstairs to say that it was 
 not there ! Being told to go back, he found the thing on a 
 chair which he had to pass around ; the house was not shaking 
 so badly then as the first time. In fear he was looking to 
 see the Yankees coming every moment. The larger colored 
 children kept the smaller white children in dread of the com- 
 ing of the Yankees. They told them the Yankees would 
 kill all who had not been good to them (the negroes). By 
 such means they managed to get from Bennie what his colored 
 mammy gave him, and often Mammy Fanny had to look for 
 a switch and threaten to whip them when Bennie told what 
 they had said about "Marse Yankee" and what they would do 
 to Bennie if he did not do so-and-so for them. If he did, 
 then they would promise to tell "Marse Yankee" that he was 
 a good boy, and so he would not be killed or hurt. When 
 mammy heard them teasing him she would gather her 
 switches and start on the nearest one, then she would draw 
 Bennie close to her and tell him that the Yankees would not 
 touch him nor his sisters, as they were all good and obedient 
 children, and as such the Yankees would be good to them. 
 As all the slaves loved their master and mistress, who had 
 treated them as members of the family, the promise that 
 "Ma Fanny" had made to Bennie's mother on her deathbed 
 that she would always look after Bennie and protect him 
 from evil as best she could, was never forgotten, and the love 
 of Bennie's mother was augmented by the love of his colored 
 mammy. With old-time devotion (now, alas, too seldom 
 seen) her prayers went continuously up to heaven for the 
 motherless boy left in her charge. Only those who have ex- 
 
10 MEMORIES 
 
 perienced it can appreciate what such a love means. Mother- 
 love has seldom had an equal on earth, but the "old South" 
 often found its counterpart in the affection of the old-time 
 colored mammy. 
 
 TO MOTHER 
 
 A mother's love, say who can gauge its depth, its breadth, its height ! 
 It watches o'er us in the day and through the stormy night. 
 And when the storm-clouds gather black around the childish head, 
 They're driven away by mother's prayers, from the side of the 
 trundle-bed. 
 
 DEDICATED TO REAL MOTHERS 
 
 The loving mother over her family doth watch. 
 With a love so strong no one on it can make a blot, 
 With her routine work she presses day by day, 
 All for the love she has for her tender babes. 
 
 Once they were small but now they may be large, 
 Yet mother cannot forget they are still in her charge. 
 When old and weary, tired out with work and pain, 
 She still thinks of her children as babies again. 
 
 The sweet loving mother whose hands are so light and kind. 
 Can soothe the pains as no other hand can do. 
 All because it's mother, so true and pure. 
 When she comes to our sick bed we no longer have the blues. 
 
 So you, to you who have lost their mother. 
 The world can no more be as kind to you again, 
 For the life that first gave you light has gone. 
 If you had been her dutiful child you need not weep when you think 
 of her. 
 
 To you who still have your mother. 
 Help to make her life bright while you can. 
 If you do you will not have the sorrowing regret, 
 As so many who to her their duty forget. 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 WAS, 
 
 Wliile Bennie's father and his uncle did not think it wise 
 for the South to secede (they realized that the South, in the 
 end, would have the whole world to fight) yet when their 
 influence was overcome by the fierce war spirit, and believing 
 that each State, under the Constitution, had a right to regulate 
 its o\\Ti affairs, and after all offers of compromise had been 
 rejected, either by the North or the South, and while both 
 of them could have sent substitutes, (as many of the slave 
 owners did), they preferred to serve their home-land by going 
 in person, leaving their plantations to the care of overseers. 
 While they were almost beyond the age limit when they left 
 their homes to defend their country, they wanted to do their 
 full duty, leaving the consequences to the all-wise Provi- 
 dence who does all things for the best. Both went to the 
 call most urgent, which was at Fort Fisher. The elder 
 brother was not there long. He had taken some of his 
 slaves who were needed to help throw up breastworks, build 
 forts, etc. One morning when the muster roll was called, 
 the senior brother did not answer; upon making a search, 
 he was found dead in his bed from heart trouble. His 
 body was sent back to his old home to be put in its long- 
 resting place, where his father and mother were put to rest 
 when he and his brother were mere children. Their father 
 had been in General Marion's army when he was but a 
 lad of sixteen years and ground corn at a water-mill 
 for the army near Darlington, South Carolina, so continu- 
 ously day and night, that the rocks become so hot that they 
 crumbled to pieces like clay. 
 
 The miller had had four children by his fourth wife, two 
 sons and two daughters. The sons were the ones that 
 marched to Fort Fisher, the elder dying, the younger being 
 
 [11] 
 
12 MEMORIES 
 
 transferred to the commissary department to feed the army 
 at the Fort on tithes gathered from the Piedmont section, 
 his headquarters being at a thriving little town in that section. 
 He operated from this base, buying and assessing those who 
 could spare food above what they needed for their ovsm 
 plantations. The supplies thus gathered were sent to the 
 Fort for the army that was protecting the gateway of the 
 Southern Confederacy. While engaged in this work, he 
 often met face to face with the notorious Henry Berry Lowery 
 gang of outlaws. Those who were active in the war and 
 dared to inform on the gang, stood in peril of being killed 
 at any time. When met by the tithe gatherer and his men, 
 they w^ere spoken to and passed by. Kot once were the 
 officers of the commissary ever molested, the leader being 
 considerate toward all. Wlien the news reached him in a 
 day or two of the fall of Fort Fisher, he knew that it 
 meant defeat to the Confederate army, word coming with the 
 news of its capture that it was the last Fort to fall and that 
 all would go to their homes. Making ready to start, he had 
 his horse saddled and hitched at the back of his office, his 
 knapsack and other accoutrements being attached in readiness 
 for the trip. While inside engaged in gathering up his 
 papers and other documents belonging to the Confederacy, 
 he heard several gun shots within a short distance of his office. 
 Going to the front door, he saw one of the men who was 
 detailed to help him running up the street ; behind him the 
 street was filled with Yankees, many of them shooting at 
 his fleeing comrade, dressed in his long-tailed dress suit of 
 homespun (he had just diked out to return home to his 
 family). The subject of the present narrative watched 
 with deep concern the flight of his friend, who, with coat- 
 tail flying behind him like a swallow's tail, finally escaped 
 with his life. Being so interested in his comrade's safety, 
 he forgot himself until he was surrounded by hundreds of 
 Sherman's soldiers when he was ordered out of his office 
 to fall in line. He had changed to his Sunday suit, made 
 
WAR 13 
 
 out of woolen homespun woven at home. The first question 
 asked him by the Yankees was, ''What have you been doing 
 in the service?" By telling a lie and saying that he was 
 only a plain citizen, he would not have been bothered. How- 
 ever, he was not accustomed to tell anything but the truth 
 
 and he told it in this instance. "You are a d d old 
 
 militiaman," he was told, and then ordered to fall in line. 
 He informed them that he had had a crippled foot since a boy 
 and could walk very little, and added that he had a horse 
 saddled in the back yard w^hich he wanted to ride so that 
 he could make the march. He was sent with a couple of 
 soldiers to bring him out, as he thought, for his own use, but 
 one of the officers admired the horse so much that he insisted 
 on trying him out. After mounting the horse, he rode 
 down the line of march at a gallop and has been going ever 
 since, as he never returned with the long-looked-for horse. 
 
 Eobbed of everything worth having, he w^as placed in 
 line with thousands of other Confederate soldiers. It was 
 in the dead of winter and they had to march through sleet, 
 snow, and rain, through mud and water, by Ealeigh, Golds- 
 boro, and on to New Bern, taking three months to make the 
 journey. They often had to rebuild the roads before the 
 army wagons could pass. 
 
 During this time their food consisted of ear corn from 
 five to eight ears per man. At night with their skillets 
 they would boil it ; sometimes for a new diet they would 
 parch it. They never had anything else, unless they chanced 
 to find a shoulder bone, from which the officers had cut the 
 part suitable for frying and tossed the bone away. The 
 lucky finder in such a case would have his skillet greased 
 for the parched corn, or have bacon and boiled corn that 
 night. The cooking was all done at night, so as to be 
 ready to march from early dawn until the next night when 
 camp was struck and roped around. Those who forgot and 
 stepped across the dead line after a chip that chanced to 
 fly over when chopping wood for their sumptuous meal were 
 
14 MEMORIES 
 
 shot by the guard. Many having no teeth to grind it had to 
 swallow it whole, except what could be mashed by the gums. 
 If seen crossing the camp line, they were shot by the guard, 
 and killed as if they had committed murder. Their bedding 
 was one tattered blanket and their resting place often in 
 mud and water. Sometimes they would sit up, rather than 
 lie in mud and water. 
 
 The poor old toothless prisoners, most of them too old for 
 service, suffered more than the others, especially those who 
 came from South Carolina. They would be up half the 
 night, boiling their corn, munching and trying to eat it. 
 Many of them were found lifeless in the mornings, their 
 ragged blankets wrapped around them, sleeping the last long 
 sleep. They were put into the gTOund as so many hogs dur- 
 ing a cholera epidemic, with no friend who could help them, 
 nor relative to know their last resting place. They would only 
 be reported as missing, or buried among the unknown. Can 
 any sane Christian say that war is not the worst product of 
 Satan's manufacture ? No war is justified unless it is a war 
 of defense, in which case no red-blooded man will shirk his 
 duty, but the war lords should not be the judge of what is 
 defense. Rather it should be left to those who have to face 
 death on the firing lines and to those who have to foot the 
 bills for its cost — the tax-payers. 
 
 When New Bern was reached, the prisoners were put upon 
 steamers and taken to Point Lookout, there to be fed upon 
 hardtack with a little salt pork, the latter so negligible in 
 quantity that it hardly kept life in a system already run 
 down for lack of nourishment. The hardtack was baked so 
 long that worms had finished their feasting before the starved 
 prisoners had their first peep at it. Many died from starva- 
 tion. Some would wade into the water up to their waists and 
 necks, feeling with their bare feet for old bones and what 
 other garbage was emptied from off the walkway. The finder 
 of a bone would dive down for it, and, bringing it to the sur- 
 face, would gnaw upon it like a perished dog. 
 
WAR 15 
 
 When the prisoner had been in this mad-honse about three 
 weeks, he almost gave up hope of living much longer. He 
 thought with bitter longing of the plentiful food that he had 
 enjoyed on the farm, the game and fish, lamb, beef, fresh 
 pork and the old fried ham, and all other dishes suitable 
 for a king to feast upon, prepared by the best-trained cooks, 
 whose art was handed dowTi from manmiy cook to daughter. 
 Along with such tantalizing recollections came memories of 
 the old friends who had enjoyed such luxury, who often came 
 miles out of their way while passing on their journey to 
 spend the night, often days, in this hospitable home. Here 
 the guest and his team found plenty of the best, with a proud 
 nobleman, as he was called, whose delight it was to entertain 
 his guests and make their visit a long-remembered pleasure. 
 Eich or poor, the guests were given a welcome that made 
 them desire to return to the home where the hostess showed 
 that training which was an inheritance from centuries of 
 noble blood. This rich legacy is manifested, even in modest 
 circumstances, as it is always forgetful of self. 
 
 Despairing and ready to give up hope, he one day met a 
 boy, or rather a young officer, who had been raised almost in 
 poverty a few miles from his home. This young man, while 
 only a lad, ran away from his parents and joined the army, 
 although too young for the service. He afterwards heard 
 that his mother was sick (which may have been true, or not, 
 as many mothers and families thoughtlessly wrote distressing 
 letters to their sons and fathers). His captain refused to 
 grant him a furlough ; but, determined to see his mother, he 
 ran away, going home as a deserter. He received a message 
 from his company to return, which he refused to do, ])roba- 
 bly through fear of punishment. A posse of men was sent 
 to bring him in, dead or alive, but, seeing them in time, he 
 gTabbed his gim and ran for the woods. They fired on him, 
 whereupon he turned his g-un on them and fired also. By 
 chance, the ball struck the captain of the squad and killed 
 
16 MEMORIES 
 
 him. The boy was later surrounded and captured, was hand- 
 cuffed and sent on the train to Goldsboro, there to be court- 
 martialed and, no doubt, shot. However, while on the way, 
 he begged his g-uard to let him go into the toilet, which he 
 did. Although handcuffed, he quietly locked the door and 
 worked at the small window that was not thought large 
 enough for any one to get through, but he got it raised, and 
 squeezed through while the train was at full speed. When 
 he fell upon the ground the fall stunned him, yet before the 
 train could be brought to a standstill he had gained sufficient 
 control of himself to get on his feet and make for the near-by 
 woods. Several shots were fired at him, but all missed their 
 mark, and he kept on until aboiit ten miles from where he 
 made his escape. Working his way in from the woods, he 
 came to the house of an old negro, and persuaded the old 
 man to file the handcuffs from his wrists. He realized that 
 there was only one chance for his life, which was to get 
 across the line at the nearest point to the Northern army. 
 He worked his way through the woods to or near New Bern, 
 begging his food from negroes and sometimes from white 
 homes he could risk approaching. Also he helped himself to 
 anything he could find in the fields, and in such w^ays man- 
 aged to continue his journey, traveling mostly through 
 swamps, as the main roads and bridges were guarded. This 
 trip was nearly a hundred miles through a section that was 
 unfamiliar to him, but, as life is more precious than death, 
 he did not think of the hardships. 
 
 He finally reached the place he had learned of on his jour- 
 ney. His youthfulness won for him s^onpathy, even from 
 the mothers, who remembered that they, too, had sons in the 
 service. While they, no doubt, felt mortified by his action 
 and his endeavor to escape to the Yankees, they knew that if 
 a son of theirs was in such a fix they would be grateful to 
 any one who helped him to escape, even if he did have to go 
 to the enemv to avoid being shot at the stake. This feelino- 
 
WAR 17 
 
 helped the young deserter to find his way to where he found 
 men to take him across the river, where the Yankees would 
 give him a warm welcome. 
 
 The day that the half-perished tithe-gatherer met this 
 young deserter, dressed in full officer's uniform, with his 
 deep grey eyes, jet-black hair, and long, well-kept mustache, 
 he could not get his mind off the boy as he had known him. 
 
 The young man asked how Mr. was getting along, and 
 
 was told that he was perishing, along with others of his 
 friends who were brought there at the same time. The 
 princely looking young officer then said : ''Meet me at a cer- 
 tain gate in the morning at 9 o'clock." The time was not 
 forgotten, for at the hour named, the young officer found the 
 tithe-gatherer waiting for him. After a cordial welcome, the 
 young man said : "I have had your name placed on the street 
 commission. I have vouched for your honesty and high 
 character, and you will have freedom to go and return, in 
 and out of the prison, when and as often as you choose. The 
 only promise that I request is that you will be inside of the 
 prison gates each day before sundown." He also promised 
 that he would be given extra food and plenty to eat, and that 
 he would have a chance to make money, which all came true. 
 It was not long before he was carving out all kinds of rings 
 with silver and gold sets in them, which found a ready sale 
 at good prices, and he often made five dollars a day and 
 more. Soon he began to draw extra food of the best. The 
 money he was making enabled him to help his friends who 
 were gradually starving as he was before he ran up with the 
 deserter boy. For years after, his old prison companions 
 would drive a day's journey to visit the one who they vowed 
 had saved their lives from starvation. At such times, they 
 would sit up until the late hours of the night, telling of those 
 sad days, the sad incidents of thousands in prison suffering 
 from hunger and exposure. Still there would be some amus- 
 ing incidents that happened during the agonies of prison life 
 2 
 
18 MEMORIES 
 
 that were not funny at the time. Years afterwards, though, 
 they could enjoy a hearty laugh at some incident that was 
 no doubt pathetic at the time it occurred. 
 
 Such is the balm administered by time. It is well that all 
 are not like the old Baptist deacon, who sat in the amen cor- 
 ner of his church and was considered a model neighbor as 
 well as a good deacon. His pastor was invited to spend the 
 night with him, and after supper they sat around a big wood 
 fire and discussed various matters. The conversation soon 
 
 turned to the war, when Deacon C began abusing the 
 
 Yankees for taking his negro property away and for destroy- 
 ing other things. The longer he talked, the madder he got, 
 
 until his old pastor said: ''Oh, Brother C , you must 
 
 learn to forgive your enemies and wish them well." Where- 
 upon, the old deacon's rage appeared to become less control- 
 lable, and he vehemently exclaimed that he did ''wish them 
 well, and in h — , too, where they all belonged." 
 
 THE LITTLE PLOAV BOY 
 
 The little plow boy eleven summers old 
 Finds it hard to keep his plow straight in the row, 
 But to do his might he thinks is right, 
 When he sees to help his country is but right. 
 
 The cruel war has changed our plans, 
 And now the little boy must do the work of a man 
 Our food we must raise to command, 
 Lest we too perish, like they in foreign lands. 
 
 The little piggies they too have to be fed, 
 And when cold and frosty they require beds, 
 So they will grow large to make our meat. 
 That all may have plenty of it to eat. 
 
 The cows and calves too must have their feed, 
 If nice milk and butter we are to see ; 
 When we go to our meals hungry and tired, 
 We expect a plenty or we might become riled. 
 
WAR 19 
 
 Tlien thei-e are millions of others to be fed, 
 That makes us farm boys willing to do our share, 
 Lest suffering and misery will come to our ears, 
 Then we would be ashamed if we stayed too long in our bed. 
 
 There too are so many loafing men, 
 Strolling around when they could get work anywhere, 
 That it makes it hard on every boy and man. 
 Especially we, the boys who are doing all we can. 
 
 The loafing man, rich or poor, 
 Should be made to work or to the roads go. 
 He should not be allowed to consume what others make, 
 Any more than if he was any other old fake. 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 THE EETURN FROM PRISOX 
 
 In the course of time people often change their viewpoints 
 as they see blessings following what they once thought to be 
 calamities. During the long months that the tithe-gatherer 
 was in prison he had not heard from the loved ones at home. 
 They, in turn, knew not whether he was dead or alive. Presi- 
 dent Lincoln's proclamation was issued, which freed the 
 slaves and gave them full citizenship, including participation 
 in government affairs, elections, etc. This is yet thought by 
 many to have been a great mistake. With his wonderful 
 knowledge of human nature, it is strange that he overlooked 
 the fact that the granting of citizenship to such raw recruits 
 would be a calamity, not only to the whites, but eventually to 
 the very ones he wanted to help, as they were totally unpre- 
 pared to participate in affairs of government. 
 
 When brothers became so estranged against brothers as to 
 spend four years violently fighting each other, reason van- 
 ishes and the animal comes to the front and reigns, to the 
 perfect delight of his Satanic Majesty. This is the case in 
 every instance where the teaching of the lowly Nazarene is 
 rejected. Though Mr. Lincoln ranks with the "Father of 
 his Country," worthily, yet no man can rule alone, nor see 
 the future clearly enough to dispense with sound advice by 
 those competent to give it. Combined knowledge does not 
 prevent errors being made, but it will considerably reduce 
 the number of them. Consequently, good advice should 
 always be heeded, since "In the multitude of counsellors 
 there is safety." This applies to both sides of the family 
 quarrel. It is a great blessing to sinful, blundering humanity 
 that God so often sees fit to overrule evil with good. 
 
 After being kept in prison until late fall, he was given his 
 discharge and permitted to go home, changed from the portly, 
 [20] 
 
THE RETURN FROM PRISON 21 
 
 magnificent specimen of Southern gentleman to the appear- 
 ance of a forsaken tramp, so much so that he was not recog- 
 nized by his family until on the doorsteps. His family had 
 given up hopes of ever seeing him again. When returning, 
 his body servant and the other servants were not there to 
 welcome him, as had been the custom in previous years. Only 
 his inmiediate family were at the old home— his wife, whom 
 he had married at the beginning of the war ; his two little 
 girls, a son sixteen years of age (who had arranged to leave 
 for the war), and the baby boy, who was then six years old. 
 Despondency had come in and possessed the home, and 
 while great joy came when the husband and father returned, 
 yet it was saddening to find everything gone that was once 
 so plentiful and abundant. Farm supplies were about ex- 
 hausted, owing to the devastation of the war ; debts had been 
 made, and there was no friend to help in restoration of team, 
 provisions, etc. With a crippled foot, impaired health, along 
 with fallen ambition, and being unaccustomed to doing man- 
 ual labor, he did the best that he could in planning for those 
 that had agTced to rent the farm land on shares while he was 
 in prison. The rent that the former slaves (the most trusty 
 ones) gave, carried the family through the winter, and by 
 the sheerest economy enabled them to make another crop the 
 following spring and sunmicr. 
 
 When spring opened, though not able to do much, the 
 former tithe-gatherer and late prisoner took the plow, doing 
 the plowing, while Bennie, seven years old, and his sister, 
 nine, did the planting and hoe work ; the second sister, eleven, 
 remained at home to help with the cooking, washing, and 
 house work. Beimie's faithful old nurse, who had so closely 
 followed him and saw that his every want was attended to, 
 had been taken far away by her husband, who had been the 
 slave of another planter. This left Bennie without his nurse, 
 who loved him, it seemed, better than her own children. 
 Now at the tender age of seven, it was necessary for him to 
 
22 MEMORIES 
 
 go to the field from early breakfast till noon ; then, after the 
 midday meal, going back to his work in the field, where he 
 chopped grass and weeds till sundown ; then to drive the 
 cows up for the milking to augment the scanty food. His 
 bare feet were often sore and bleeding from rough clods or 
 stone-bruises. After the evening meal, he would climb the 
 stairway, with limbs aching so that it required the greatest 
 effort to pull himself up the steps by the railing, there to roll 
 upon his bed until sleep from exhaustion claimed him until 
 he was called next morning to get the cows from their stalls 
 to be milked, and help to do the numerous other things for 
 which the small boy on the farm is found so handy. After 
 breakfast, the same round over, working in the field from 
 sun to sun, which was at least twelve hours per day; then, 
 after leaving the farm at sundown, one mile from home, he 
 was often busy till late at night feeding the stock. Every 
 other night he went over a mile away from home to feed the 
 hogs, which were kept out on the open range. 
 
 With the blessing of Providence, enough corn and bacon 
 was made to take them through another year, with some to 
 spare. There was a good demand for it, but very little money 
 to be had in exchange. Labor was plentiful, but what was 
 raised on the farm could not be used to pay taxes. The 
 debtor came and took all the cash that could be realized from 
 sales. The blight of poverty had fastened its claws of dis- 
 tress so deep into the home that it took all that could be 
 raised the first few years to keep the shadow of despair from 
 taking possession. 
 
 DEDICATED TO JULIAN— A REAL UP-TO-DATE FARMER 
 
 The Farmer's life looks to others easy aud all right, 
 But his work, when well done, is like that of his wife, always just 
 
 begun, 
 For his routine work is from day to day. 
 In the hot sun, dew, and rain, if he is to find any gain. 
 
THE RETURN FROM PRISON 23 
 
 Yet it is often we hear the non-producer saj', 
 If I had a farm I \Aonld jj;o on it and stay. 
 If they were there, the towns they would want near, 
 And about the hot sun, dew and rain they would soon complain. 
 
 It takes no dude nor lazy man to successfully run a farm. 
 For you have to he continually on the go to make any show ; 
 The soil must be fed, if you are to be fed in return ; 
 If you do not feed it, the hunger in your stomach soon will burn. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 THE YOUTHFUL, FARMER 
 
 When Bennie was twelve years of age, the most faithful 
 old slave, Uncle John Brest, had taught Bennie to hold the 
 plow, so that he could plow very well. By the time he was 
 thirteen years old, he took charge of his father's farm, and 
 after that the father saw the farm only twice that year — 
 once when it was being prepared for planting; the second 
 time, when he, with his hired hands, were pulling the fodder. 
 Afterwards, it was seldom that he saw the farm, only to ride 
 over it with some of his friends to show them the crop. He 
 was not able to do manual labor, and some thought that he 
 seldom had a desire to do so, but had the greatest art of hav- 
 ing it done by others. He was more at home when enter- 
 taining some of his friends, but he claimed that son could 
 manage so much better than he could that he left everything 
 up to him. 
 
 About this time, abundant crops were raised on the farm, 
 as the soil was naturally rich, and its fertility was kept up 
 by resting half of it each year, which answered as a fertilizer. 
 It was well that it did, as there was but little money with 
 which to buy anything. As soon as a crop was housed, there 
 were those (kno\vn as note traders) waiting to collect the old 
 notes and securities that were given before the war, when the 
 givers never thought that they would become so that they 
 could not pay at any time they were called upon. Besides, 
 there were not many but believed if the slaves were freed, 
 that all debts would be annulled at the same time, and gave 
 but little thought to it; also the note-holders did not want 
 Confederate money, and the matter passed unnoticed. After 
 it was found that they had to pay, many of them took the 
 bankrupt oath, stating that they were not able to pay, and 
 thereby went free. Honesty being one of his principles, he 
 [24] 
 
THE YOUTHFUL FARMER 25 
 
 paid his oblig-ations, securities, etc., notwithstanding- that they 
 were made under entirely different conditions than prevailed 
 after the war. The former tithe-gatherer told his creditors 
 that if they insisted upon his paying them at once, they 
 would have to sell him out, as he would not take the advan- 
 tage of the bankrupt oath, which was intended for protection, 
 but if they would wait on him, as fast as he could make it 
 from his farm he would pay every cent that his debts called 
 for. Knowing that his word was as good as his bond, they 
 did not ask for further security, but waited on the faithful- 
 ness of his promise and the fine crops that Bennie and the 
 hired help produced each year. 
 
 When the crops were housed, the creditors' wagons and 
 carts were as thick around the barns and smokehouses as at 
 a public mill, each taking his turn to get his portion. Thus 
 the bountiful crops that were raised by the will of a kind 
 Providence were soon divided between the waiting creditors. 
 Bennie's twelve to fourteen hours daily, except on Sunday, 
 with that of his sisters, went to others. 
 
 Their stepmother soon became an invalid after her mar- 
 riage, and was able to do but very little for many years to 
 assist, except to instruct the sisters, who, with Aunt Dafney, 
 did practically all of the work. Aunt Dafney was the old 
 cook who had been with them as a slave years before the war. 
 She lived only a few hundred yards from the home, and her 
 reputation as a cook was known far and near. Her knowl- 
 edge and art in preparing tasty dishes was a great help to 
 her young pupils. 
 
 The process of paying debts continued until Bennie was 
 eighteen years of age, when the last of the old debts were 
 paid, one hundred cents on the dollar, only a few allowing 
 the interest off. 
 
 During these years of trials, there was no schooling, except 
 sometimes during the winter there were from two to three 
 months, and this was all the schooling that Bennie got. When 
 he was about growm, his strenuous work for others caused 
 
26 MEMORIES 
 
 his health to fail, and the doctor who was called to attend him 
 said that it would be only two or three years at the most 
 before he would be dead, and advised him to get all the sun- 
 shine possible. This good advice suited Bennie, not being 
 accustomed to staying in the house any longer than it took 
 him to eat his meals. He made use of his woolen shawl 
 through the hottest of the summer, and while he was too weak 
 to walk one mile to the farm, he would saddle his horse every 
 day the weather would permit and ride over to the farm, 
 where he could ride up and down the rows, following the 
 hands with the hoes, as well as the plow boys. It was said 
 by them that no one ate any idle bread while working for 
 him; yet while others often complained of lack of hands, he 
 could always get all he wanted and with the best service ren- 
 dered; while they said he worked them, they could always 
 rely on getting their pay to the exact amount promised. 
 
 His health began to improve gradually, and by the follow- 
 ing year he was able to manage his crop, from the beginning, 
 himself, although not yet able to walk to the farm. Saddling 
 his horse, he would be in the field as near sunrise as possible, 
 riding from place to place, often with his horse jumping 
 ditches, to see that each set of hands were doing their work 
 as it should be done. 
 
 The saintly old pastor of the family made his home with 
 them a good portion of the time, as it was a convenient 
 point to the churches he served so long and well. He was 
 a Princeton student, his father being one of the wealthiest 
 men in his state, Tiaving owned over five hundred slaves. 
 Bennie's father and the pastor were such close friends that 
 they were called sweethearts. 
 
 Although making the record crops in his section, Bennie 
 realized the disadvantage he would have to contend with all 
 his life, due to his lack of education. The pastor had often 
 talked with Bennie about going to school, as he realized, with 
 others, that it was doubtful if he would ever again be able 
 
 to do manual labor, 
 
THE YOUTHFUL FARMER 
 
 After housino- his crop, along came a young man with a 
 magic hmtern show, who exhibited at the school house in 
 the neighborhood. He stopped at Bennie's house from Satur- 
 day night till Monday morning. He offered Bennie one- 
 third of all the money taken in if he would go ahead, secure 
 places to exhibit and advertise the show. The offer seemed 
 good to one whose money had always come so hard, so Bennie 
 decided to accept it, though not much to his father's liking, 
 as he was a little dubious about such methods of making 
 money. While it was a new venture for Bennie, he never- 
 theless gave it a trial. He was on the road for three months 
 in his private conveyance and in that period of time he did 
 not meet a single acquaintance. All were strangers who had 
 to be met in a way to gain their confidence. He soon became 
 a pretty good judge of people and by meeting them in a 
 courteous, friendly, straight-forward manner, he was treated 
 with courtesy and consideration in return. This experience 
 was the best schooling he ever had. 
 
 The following fall he decided that he would start out to 
 do the best he could in becoming better prepared to meet the 
 problems he would have to contend with. An old friend of 
 his father's family began a school about six miles away, in 
 a village Bennie had been accustomed to go to once or twice 
 a month, generally on horse or mule back, carrying a basket 
 of eggs on his arm ; later, he went with cart or wagon loaded 
 with corn or other products to exchange for sugar, coffee, 
 flour, kerosene and other things that were not raised on the 
 farm. He was no stranger, especially with the merchants, 
 who always had a kind word for him. 
 
 Bennie enrolled in the school started by his old friend 
 and went at his school work like he did his farm work, 
 with his whole heart and mind. Notwithstanding his physical 
 condition, he made rapid progress, and was soon close to his 
 old friend who had spent many days and nights at Bennie's 
 home, where he came every time he was near enough when 
 following his profession, civil engineering. The friendship 
 
28 MEMORIES 
 
 between teacher and scholar grew wanner as years went bv, 
 until the grand old aristocrat was called to the land from 
 whence no traveler returns. 
 
 THE CHURCH 
 
 The grand old Church once stood for so much, 
 Has fallen asleep in its retreat, 
 From the once noble cause it inspired. 
 Millions it did save by drawing them nigh. 
 
 Since the lines of the world and church is so indistinct. 
 The grand old church has failed to think, 
 Its charms seem to be passing away, 
 Which must give pain to every one not insane. 
 
 For it was the old Church that placed the world so high, 
 Now it is the world that to the Church is so nigh. 
 Wake up all ye that are asleep, 
 And get closer to our Saviour's feet. 
 
 The old Church was led by men who stood for right, 
 Now often led by men that might makes right. 
 So wake up ye be born again. 
 Or the old time Church will again be slain. 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 THE SCHOOL 
 
 Beiinie's vision broadened while at the little school in the 
 village on the river bank. Here he made new friends and 
 also renewed acquaintance with older friends of his father's. 
 One of the most prominent of these, a man noted for his 
 enterprise and kindness, seemed to take a great interest in 
 him, mainly, perhaps, because he was the son of his friend. 
 When it was rainy, cold, or snowing, he would await Bennie's 
 coming and insist upon his spending the night with him. 
 Often one of the sweet little girls, not old enough to attend 
 school, would meet him at the gate with a beautiful bouquet 
 of flowers, as a token of her kindness. It began to make 
 Bennie feel that there was something w^orth living for to 
 have such good friends and their kindness made the domi- 
 hearted lad feel much brighter. The chord of friendship 
 never failed ; his old friend lived many years after Bennie^s 
 father died, and was an active man in business until his 
 death a few years ago. His kind and valuable advice was a 
 great help to Bennie, and it is no wonder that he felt that he 
 had lost a double friend in the death of Captain • 
 
 One of his daughters, who inherited a gTeat portion of her 
 father's kindness, is living in this State, and wearing her 
 mantle with honor. 
 
 During the six months school in the village, Bennie made 
 fine headway. The following year he decided to make as 
 large crop as possible, though he was still unable to do manual 
 labor. He hired hands and planted cotton for his money 
 crop, for w^hich he bought some fertilizer. The season was 
 too wet for cotton to do well that year and, consequently, 
 there was very little left after accounts and expenses were 
 
 paid. 
 
 He determined to go to school that winter, although he 
 only had money enough to buy his railroad ticket and pay 
 
 [29] 
 
30 MEMORIES 
 
 one month's board. He left for high school for one session, 
 with less than twenty-five dollars, not knowing the principal 
 nor a single person in the town. When he arrived there 
 with his trunk, on a rainy Sunday morning, he walked up 
 to the preparatory school in the rain and mud, rang the 
 
 doorbell, asked the porter who answered if Dr. was 
 
 at home. Being told he was, he asked to see him and when 
 the D.D. came to the door, he introduced himself and was 
 invited into the sitting room, where he was asked to relate 
 his business. Bennie complied, told why he went there to 
 better qualify himself for future life, relating his plain 
 simple story and telling the D.D. if he could take him in his 
 school until the session was over in the spring that he would 
 go home and make a crop and pay him every cent due him. 
 With his keen blue eyes upon him all the time, the D.D. 
 finally said he had a partner and while it was hard to get 
 enough out of the school to run it at the low price they were 
 charging for board and tuition, when everything they had 
 
 to buy was so high, yet if his partner, Professor C , 
 
 would agree to take him for the balance of the term, he 
 would also. He then asked Bennie to go to the Professor's 
 room on the second floor. Beaching there, he was introduced 
 to the big headed, though medium sized man, who looked so 
 serious that Bennie began to have doubts as to his position, 
 but the Doctor stated Bennie's request to the Professor. After 
 asking a few questions, they said they were willing to take 
 him on credit. Then the Doctor said that there was not 
 a vacant room in the College, many having over two beds in 
 each, and added that he did not know how to arrange for 
 his room, as the Professor was the only one who had a room 
 to himself and he didn't like to have anyone with him. The 
 Professor remarked that he woiild not object to taking Bennie 
 as a room-mate, which was pleasing to all, especially to 
 Bennie. 
 
 The friendship began to grow from the first day between 
 the teacher and pupil and they soon became the closest of 
 
THE SCHOOL ?,1 
 
 friends. This friendship Listed all through the Professor's 
 life, who became one of the most learned lawyers in the State, 
 while Bennie became one of the State's business men and 
 sold goods in the Professor's to\\ai for years. 
 
 Though handicapped by feeble health, the new pupil got 
 douTi to earnest work. When he was suffering too much to 
 remain in the class room, he would take his books to his room 
 and study as well as he could while tossing from one side 
 of his bed to the other, trying to find ease. In spite of 
 such a handicap, he kept up with the brightest in his class. 
 Generally, he kept to himself, as he had no money to spend 
 and w^as obliged to dress very plainly. Dress and money 
 are often the price of becoming popular, and the self-respect 
 of honest and sincere persons is sometimes mistaken for 
 sensitiveness. 
 
 Bennie never intruded on those whose actions did not 
 indicate frankness. It was two or three months after he 
 began high school before his principal, the Doctor, had 
 occasion to attend a conference near enough to Bonnie's home 
 to meet with some who knew him. Among the number was 
 Bonnie's old pastor and dear companion of him and his 
 family. When the Doctor was asked about how Bennie was 
 getting along, he was agTeeably surprised to learn the high 
 esteem in which the stranger was held, and told by the old 
 pastor that he had known the boy, now entering into man- 
 hood and his family for years and that they were the "salt 
 of the earth." He also asked that the boy be looked after 
 with all the care possible. As soon as the Doctor returned 
 to his school, he sent for Bennie, and delivered a message 
 of love from the grand old nobleman. When he was through 
 telling him the many nice things said about him, he invited 
 him into the sitting room with his family and bade him be 
 welcome and to come in and talk with them anytime he 
 wished, as he would henceforth be considered as one of 
 the family. This privilege was not extended to any of the 
 other sixty-five or seventy boys who were attending the school. 
 
32 MEMORIES 
 
 From then on he was introduced to the best girls of the school 
 as well as of the town, and his plain dress never hindered 
 or kept him from being entertained at any special fete of the 
 girls, whether in school, town or surrounding country, where 
 many fine old Colonial mansions were to be found. 
 
 When Bennie first landed at school the class of boys that 
 went to school gave him rather a cold reception, but it was 
 not long before he was consulted about almost everything that 
 the societies of the school had anything to do with. When 
 he was given special privileges by the Principal, there were 
 some who manifested more or less jealousy but he paid no 
 attention to it, being always kind to those who would let him. 
 It seemed that several of the more common ones could not 
 endure seeing him specially favored and would speak of him 
 as the young ladies' pet. They finally decided to get even 
 with him by one of their bullies insulting him without provo- 
 cation. This bully was said to be a champion and considered 
 to be some "scrapper." He was to give Bennie a thrashing 
 for the benefit of the school gossips, but when the insult came, 
 before he had time to think, he was hurled to the floor, with 
 Bennie on top of him knocking him in the face until he 
 called for help. Some of his crowd rushed to help him but 
 they were pushed back by Bennie's friends ; before the bully 
 was allowed to get up, he was made to beg pardon and admit 
 that he was in the wrong. 
 
 Apparently, this ended the matter, at least for the time 
 being. A short time afterwards, a reception was held on 
 Friday night, after the Debating Society exercises were over. 
 One big fellow, who came from another town, tried to get 
 some of the girls to be his partner in some of the games that 
 were played. They all refused, as it had gotten out in the 
 college that his large touring trunk was filled with many 
 articles that boys did not wear. As he had been a clerk in 
 a large department store, they could not understand why he 
 should buy things that he had no use for. Being sore, he 
 had to take his spite out on someone for snubs from the girls. 
 
THE SCHOOL 33 
 
 SO when he went back to the auditorium with the boys, ho 
 insisted that it was the pet who was the cause of the treat- 
 ment he had received. Looking straiglit at Bennie, lie said 
 that he could whip any s — b — who was to blame for 
 it. He was asked why he looked so straight at Bennie and 
 answered that he was the cause of it. When told that he 
 knew nothing- about his. being snubbed and cared less, he 
 
 told Bennie that he was a 1 . By the time the word 
 
 was out of his mouth, he was knocked in the face against 
 the wall and held by the throat and kicked faster than a 
 mule could kick with a hornet's nest tied to his tail. In a 
 few minutes, he cried out that he was done and begged pardon, 
 but when he was freed, he sat dowm and talked himself into 
 another mad fit ; he then pulled out his knife and said he 
 did not have a fair show and would not stand for it. The 
 professor happened to be in the hall and saw it all, and 
 he was asked if he thought it fairly done ; he and also the 
 boys said that it was. However, the big bully had aroused 
 Bonnie's Scotch fire and he proposed that they take them- 
 selves into the adjoining room and settle the matter with 
 knives or in any other way the other might suggest, but the 
 big bully, as he was called, decided that he was ready to 
 stop it all, and they were friends but never chums. 
 
 In the meantime the first fighter had gathered up five of 
 his chums, and waylaid Bennie and all jumped on him, to 
 give him what they said would be a plenty; if one could 
 not do it alone, they could do it together. They caught him 
 half-way between the town and the school. As soon as 
 they were near enough, they assailed him, two at a time. 
 It was not long before he had the first two running in different 
 directions and as the other three started in, he took a piece 
 of timber and went for them. Before they knew what had 
 happened, they were fleeing at full speed, with Bennie behind 
 doing his best to get near enough to use his piece of timber. 
 Those who witnessed the battle said that it was a complete 
 victory. 
 
 3 
 
34 MEMORIES 
 
 When the principal returned on Monday, he felt it such an 
 outrage that he had a warrant served on each one of them. 
 When the trial came off, they were all penitent and begged 
 so hard to be let off that the Justice of the Peace said he 
 would leave it with Bennie, as to their punishment. Bennie 
 told them that if he had had a g-un, he would have shot them 
 the same as he would have shot sheep-killing dogs, but since 
 they had begged pardon and showed penitence, he would 
 forgive them. The principal dismissed from school the one 
 who was to blame for the occurrence. Afterwards, there 
 was nothing but the best of feeling in the school, and when 
 the spring term closed, all went home to be friends through 
 life. 
 
 When Bennie reached home, the farm was rented out, 
 that is, all the best land. He was in debt for most of his 
 schooling, for he received very little from home. He set 
 about to tend a small crop of corn. It was the last week 
 in May when he started to work ; after getting ground ready 
 to plow, he took a team and did the plowing, while he got 
 some of the old helpers to plant and hoe the crop. The corn 
 grew rapidly and soon hid the horse and plowman. It 
 proved too much for his strength, and he became too ill to 
 finish the plow work and hired Uncle John Brest to lay the 
 crop by, which was as fine or better than any on the farm. 
 There was more than enough of the corn at one dollar twenty- 
 five cents per bushel to pay all Bennie's school debt. 
 
 As soon as he rested up, and got stronger, he hired some 
 of the farm hands to help him cut a raft of timber, and while 
 it was only common timber, it brought a fancy price, due to 
 the fact that he was on tidewater and was able to get it to 
 market at a time when the rivers were too low higher up for 
 the timber cutters to float their rafts. The mills men had 
 vessels to load, many on demurrage, and were so anxious for 
 timber that they flocked to the raft and paid twice what 
 they ordinarily would have paid for it. This was a pleasant 
 
THE SCHOOL 35 
 
 surprise for Benuie, as it enabled him to pay all his expenses 
 including doctor bills and there was enough left to buy his 
 clothes and pay the expenses of the fall term of school without 
 touching the balance of his corn, which was more than suffi- 
 cient to pay for the spring term. 
 
 He was there on time when the next session opened, ready 
 and anxious to take up his school work again, though often 
 sick enough to be in bed. However, under the kindly care 
 of the old doctor of the village, he wrestled with his pains 
 and studies and kept to the front of his class always. Great 
 kindness was shown him by the school and the people of the 
 village, the sons of noble old families often bringing him 
 beautiful bouquets from some member of the family; some 
 of them were of the family of Bennie's old pastor. This 
 grand old patriot often said that he loved Bennie and his 
 family as well as he did his own, as they seemed one family 
 to him. His first pastorate was before the beginning of the 
 Civil War, at the old church, and he was its pastor for twenty- 
 eight years. Bennie's father was the church clerk, so no 
 two men knew each other better, or had greater affection 
 for each other. 
 
 At the close of the session, Bennie had finished and passed 
 with credit to himself and the school on all his work and was 
 prepared to enter Wake Forest in the following fall. How- 
 ever, the close confinement and hard work had been a serious 
 tax on him physically, which made necessary frequent 
 
 attentions from old Dr. H , who in his kindness saw 
 
 Bennie's teacher and begged him to persuade Bennie to 
 abandon the idea of further pursuing his college work, as 
 he would be dead in less than two years if he continued to 
 confine himself in a school room. The Professor had come 
 to the same conclusion but refrained from speaking about it 
 as he knew the disappointment it would cause him, after he 
 had finished up all his work and was waiting for the com- 
 mencement. 
 
36 MEMORIES 
 
 He had been elected by the Debating Society to be its 
 orator, but being one of the principal speakers in the contest 
 before the society with the subject: "Was the Character of 
 ISTapoleon Bonaparte Worthy of Admiration ?" and he having 
 the affirmative, and there being an ambitious young man in 
 school who was only taking a law course, who was anxious 
 to be the orator of the day, Bennie refused to accept the 
 place and worked for the law student to be elected, which he 
 was, to his great pleasure. Wliile all expected a big time 
 at the commencement, none were disappointed, and the hall 
 was packed. After the oration by the orator of the school 
 (which was very creditable), the question was left to the 
 audience as to which side made the best presentation of their 
 subject in the debate of the Literary Society. When the 
 vote was taken, the affirmative had nine votes to one of the 
 negative, although the affirmative was represented by two 
 farm boys and the negative by a young lawyer and a business 
 man of the town. 
 
 Bennie's teacher had not spoken to him about the talk 
 the old doctor had with him about advising him, not that 
 he did not agree with the old doctor, but hated to make him 
 feel sad, while everyone was feeling so happy over the ex- 
 pectation of a good time at commencement, but when he 
 began speaking of leaving, the s^^npathetic professor told 
 him that he wanted to have a talk with him, in his office. 
 When they went up and were seated, he began by telling 
 him that he knew that his bad health would never allow him 
 to finish his course through college, and related what the old 
 doctor had told him, and added that he had made up a list 
 of books with which he could continue his education, as he 
 already had the foundation well laid, and if his health would 
 permit him to finish college, he then would not be educated, 
 as it only served to lay a foundation, and he would soon 
 learn that a sheep-skin was no true sign of an education, as 
 one to be educated in the true sense had to continue his 
 
THE SCHOOL 
 
 study all the time, as there were always new problems that 
 continued to come up that needed one's attention as much 
 as any lesson that the student had previously studied. He 
 said that the reason so many fail who receive their diplomas 
 was that they failed to keep on with their work. 
 
 "While he was presenting Bennie with his list of books, 
 and advising him not to jeopardize his health at the risk of 
 his life, Bennie's eyes were too dim to see anything except 
 trying to keep the tears wiped away that were running down 
 his cheeks. His train was near due but he was not in any 
 mood to tell his friends good-bye as he had promised, and 
 hurrying through the building trying to appear as if he had 
 to hustle to catch a train and telling those who blocked the 
 aisles and porch, he put on all the courage that he could, 
 and went through an unnatural process hurrying to the depot, 
 there to purchase his ticket, leaving his friends in the town 
 no doubt thinking strange of him for not keeping his promise. 
 
 Though against his will, he decided to take the good advice 
 that had been given him. Arriving home, he began to plan 
 anew, as his previous plans were all upset. A phrenologist, 
 in reading his head, had told him that his strongest talent 
 would be as a contender before the bar, that he would pitch 
 his contention on high grounds, and would not knowingly 
 defend a willful wrongdoer, and further said that he would 
 have a hard road to travel through life, as his ideas were at 
 least a quarter of a century ahead of the ordinary man, and 
 while he would always have opposition, his opponents would 
 in the end be following him. He also said that he would 
 succeed as a farmer and stock raiser or in commercial 
 business or in almost any calling that required thought and 
 energy. 
 
 THE OLD HORSE 
 
 The kind old horse that has so loug carried our load 
 Has become so feeble that he can no longer go. 
 Now to keep him, just to see him eat, 
 Makes our selfish boues think it is him we should let others eat. 
 
38 MEMORIES 
 
 What are we to do with this noble old sire? 
 To eat him is not an honest man's desire, 
 But feed to many is getting so high 
 Until we fear the time for eating him is drawing nigh. 
 
 So what to do with our noble old horse 
 Is a problem we have not yet solved, 
 But if the war lords keep telling us what to eat 
 We soon may expect them to say old horse meat. 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 THE rURCIIASE OF THE FARM 
 
 For the time being, Bennie decided to take up farming, as 
 it would give him sunshine and fresh air as well as needed 
 exercise. He started his crop the last of May, and with the 
 boys he hired, made a good crop. 
 
 There was a large farm advertised for sale adjoining his 
 father's and the small farm given him by his father. This 
 farm for sale had belonged to Bennie's uncle, who had died 
 in camp at Fort Fisher during the war, and had been in the 
 hands of an administrator for fourteen years. Bennie's 
 father allowed the largest creditor, rather than himself, to 
 settle the estate. This farm after the slaves were freed, was 
 all there was left out of a large estate. His brother found 
 that another had deeds for a great portion of the land, one 
 who had remained at home during the war, but as the older 
 brother did not learn to say "no" to his friends when they 
 wanted him to sign their notes as security, when payday 
 came after the war, they found that every note that he had 
 signed had been judgmented against his estate, and the 
 administrator had bought them up and held them against 
 the estate, (in his wife's name), and at the same time had 
 not credited any of the rent he had collected on the farm. 
 Bennie, knowing that his father had gotten nothing from the 
 estate, tried to get him to bring action and have the adminis- 
 trator removed for cause, but no one objected to lawsuits any 
 more than he did, and said they had taken all but this farm, 
 so let him have that. But Bennie did not give up, and finally 
 got his father, who was not able to look after business, to sell 
 him his interest in the estate. When this was done, at a mere 
 gift, he then brought suit to remove the administrator, who 
 had many thousands of dollars against it in judgments, 
 which was first to be paid and it being doubtful if they could 
 
 [39] 
 
40 MEMORIES 
 
 be upset; but after several trips, and contending nearly all 
 one night with the administrator, this was accomplished. 
 Bennie thought that these judgments were unjust, as almost 
 all were security money for his uncle's friends, given during 
 the war, that could have been paid, but no one thought any- 
 thing of them, or they did not want the currency in circula- 
 tion, and nearly every one thought that if the war was lost, 
 all the old debts Avould be canceled, along with slavery. 
 Knowing that he was made a slave by having to pay the 
 unjust judgments that were held against his father, he was 
 determined to save some of the wreckage of his uncle's once 
 big estate, by not paying any more than was lawful that was 
 held by the administrator, and when he had wrested the 
 remainder of the estate, which only consisted of the farm of 
 about three hundred acres — one hundred and twenty-five 
 acres cleared and tended every year for fourteen years, with 
 no improvements put on by the administrator — so eager was 
 he to get all that he could, that when Bennie came in posses- 
 sion of it there was not much hope of making anji:hing on it 
 until it was drained and brought back to its fertility ; and 
 the court, in turning it over to him, appointed him commis- 
 sioner, which allowed him the right to bid at public auction 
 the same as any one else. The first year when under his 
 charge, he advertised, according to law, that it would be 
 rented on a certain day to the highest bidder ; when the time 
 came, Bennie's bid was the highest, and he rented the farm 
 for that year. After cleaning out the ditches, cutting down 
 the hedges, etc., he succeeded in making only a fair crop. 
 The next year he again rented the farm at the highest bid, 
 and kept on improving it, until the improvements could be 
 seen, and when the note and judgment owner saw that it was 
 finally out of his possession, and while his judginents would 
 come first, he made Bennie an offer to sell his judgments, 
 which were found to be in his wife's name, to him or any one 
 else, for a certain amount of cash. Bennie knew that he did 
 not have anything like a fourth enough money to pay for 
 
THE PURCHASE OF THE FARM 41 
 
 them, but he went to see his attorney for his advice. When 
 he stated the case, he told Bennie to accept the offer, but 
 Bemiie told him that he had no way to raise the money, 
 that he did not want to mortgage the little farm that his 
 father had given him, even if he could get enough on it to 
 pay the judgments, which he had no idea he could. After 
 a few minutes of silence, his attorney, who had known him 
 from boyhood, and also his father, said to him that he had 
 two sisters who had recently come into possession of some 
 money, and believed that they would lend him the necessary 
 amount to close the trade. He added that he would see them 
 and let him know at once, which he did, and notified Bennie 
 that it was all right. A date was fixed to meet for the trans- 
 fer, and when the judgments were all transferred, he said to 
 Bennie that he would then get an order from court to sell 
 the land, and have the order made so that he could have the 
 right to bid on the land the same as any one else, if he so 
 decided. The order was obtained from the court, and due 
 notices were given, in the papers and at other public places, 
 according to law, when and where the sale would take place. 
 On the day of sale, lots of people were present — many who 
 were able to pay any reasonable price for it — and when Ben- 
 nie saw them coming from so far to bid on the farm which 
 had once been one of the best in the county, he decided that 
 they would very likely outbid him. Before the hour of the 
 sale, several of the prospective bidders called Bennie's father 
 to one side and said to him that they had come to buy the 
 farm, but if he wanted it, as it had been his brother's and 
 adjoined his own land, he ought to have the refusal, and they 
 would not bid against him if he was going to bid on it. The 
 father, who was broken in spirit, as well as an invalid, told 
 his old friends that he was not able to buy it, but that his son 
 was expecting to bid on it, and he would be glad to see him 
 ovni it, as he had had to pay his old war judgments, the same 
 as this farm was being sold foi'. His friends, who had come 
 expecting to buy it said that they would not run it up on his 
 
42 MEMORIES 
 
 son, as tliey thought that he ought to have the chance to buy 
 it. In a few minutes the sale was on, with the old friends of 
 his father's starting off the bids; then others joined in who 
 had no thought of Bennie but to get the farm, if they could. 
 The latter, however, soon dropped out when the first bidders 
 ceased to bid. When the auctioneer gave notice of the last 
 bid, Bennie signaled his bidder to raise it, which he did. 
 No one raised it after that, and the property was knocked 
 down to Bennie's agent, and the court confirmed the sale. 
 
 This was in late winter, and Bemiie immediately began 
 prejDaration for his crops, buying more teams, but not dis- 
 carding his plow oxen and his blind horse, that were his best 
 friends on the farm. He made better crops each year, and 
 as prices kept up fairly well, it enabled him to begin paying- 
 some each year on his notes. In the meantime, when his 
 crops were laid by, he would begin cutting telegTaph poles, 
 timber, shingles, etc., in order to help pay the debt on the 
 farm, which was knocked down for less than Bennie had 
 paid for the judgments. He continued to improve it until, 
 as the older ones told him, it began to look like it did when 
 there were plenty of slaves to work it. He was busy six days 
 in the week, as a rule, from sunrise to dark, most of the time. 
 After supper he would often take his horse and ride several 
 miles, getting hands for a rush of work. 
 
 His sisters had both married and moved away, and it was 
 lonesome at the old home with only his parents and himself. 
 However, he did not suffer for company so much, as there 
 were lots of young people in and out. Mindful of the advice 
 of his old friend and teacher, he spent as much time as pos- 
 sible with his books. Often he would go to his room, light 
 his lamp, and enjoy the company of the finest companions 
 the world has produced. 
 
 About the time he reached his majority, he was appointed 
 as a justice of the peace for his township, a position he did 
 not want, but, being persuaded to serve, decided to do so. 
 Soon every little frivolous thing that happened would be 
 
THE PURCHASE OF THE FARM 43 
 
 brought to him for adjustment. If he could uot persuade 
 them^ to settle the matter, he would cite them for a hearing, 
 and when both sides were heard, he could then see who was 
 in the wrong-, which was often both. He would then try to 
 show them that they were foolish in disagreeing over matters 
 that they should be ashamed of, and, if possible, get them to 
 agree on a settlement, when he would dismiss the case, with- 
 out charge or cost. If they refused to agree, he followed the 
 rule of his father, who was a magistrate for years, and sent 
 them to another magistrate, who would eagerly try the case 
 and never forget to collect his fees. It mattered not which 
 one lost the case, the cost had to come; if not by the loser, 
 then by the winner, if he was able to pay it. 
 
 Helping the cow with her adopted calf, Little Bell, 
 Seeing that she gets plenty to eat of the tenderest grass, 
 Is a duty we must perform, whether we feel right or wrong. 
 The table, as the calf, must be supplied, or the cook becomes riled. 
 
 The cook often claims the calf gets too much milk, 
 When the puny calls for things they have not to eat. 
 To supply the calf and those who meat they cannot eat. 
 Keeps the old cow busy finding things suitable to eat. 
 
 Little Bell, the orphan, had a mother refined, 
 Being of noble birth, also excelled in intrinsic worth. 
 We expect in Little Bell the trait of her ancestors to tell, 
 Like man, noble blood in beast will for generations dwell. 
 
 The little boys once had time the cows to watch. 
 Now have more of other things than they can do. 
 Which increases the burden upon those who are doing their best, 
 As the cruel war gives neither mind or body any time to rest. 
 
 Bennie threw consternation into one of these courts one 
 day, when old Uncle Harry, one of his father's old slaves, 
 came to him and told him that he had bought a horse from 
 one of the merchants and had paid the purchase price agreed 
 upon, and that the merchant had gotten out some kind of 
 papers, sent to his home and took the horse away and deliv- 
 
44 MEMORIES 
 
 ered him back to the man the old slave had bought him from. 
 Bemiie asked the old man if he had receipts for all the money 
 that he had paid on the horse; he replied that he did, but did 
 not have them with him then, as they were at his home, and 
 the trial was set for 2 :30 that afternoon. As a rule, Bennie 
 never went around a court unless he had special business 
 there, but he told the old slave that he would be on hand to 
 see what they purposed to do, and he sent the old man after 
 his receipts. He knew that the justice of the peace was as 
 putty in the hands of his friends, and he wanted to prevent 
 an injustice being done to the old slave, who begged him to 
 please keep them from taking his horse away. He met him 
 at the place of trial at 2 o'clock, and, on looking through 
 his receipts, found that he had paid what he said he agreed 
 to pay for the horse. When the trial was called, the justice of 
 the peace stated the nature of the case. Bennie then asked 
 the court how much the defendant was to pay for the horse ; 
 the answer corroborated with the statement of the old slave. 
 After asking a few more questions that seemed to upset the 
 plaintiff, as well as the justice of the peace, Bennie was asked 
 if he had license to practice law before the court, they know- 
 ing very well that he did not. He told them he didn't, but 
 had come there to assist the helpless old man as best he could. 
 After that, every question asked was treated as though it was 
 none of his business, but it threw a surprise into the court 
 when he produced the receipts, as there was no denying them. 
 There was a claim of a balance due on a store account, but 
 the horse had been paid for, as the old slave was shrewd 
 enough to have each payment marked paid on the horse, 
 acting on the advice Bennie had given him when he had 
 rented him shingle timber in order to get out shingles to pay 
 for the horse. Even this, however, did not deter the court 
 from giving judgTQent against the old slave, which carried 
 the horse back to its orginal owner. When this was done, 
 Bennie asked for an appeal to the higher court for the old 
 negTO, and said tluit he would stand his bond. When 
 
THE PURCHASE OF THE FARM 4r> 
 
 court adjourned, both returned to their homes, the latter 
 without his horse. In a few days, realizing what they would 
 have to face in a higher court, they sent for the old slave 
 to come get his horse, which he lost no time in doing, and the 
 matter ended there. 
 
 The kind feeling that was held by the slave owaiers, with 
 few exceptions, was always one of sympathy, and it exists 
 today. Many of the younger generation who were born since 
 slavery and did not have the dicipline of the old slave when 
 being raised and who were allowed to run at large, work or 
 play, are the ones you will always find in trouble. As a 
 rule, the old slave is a law-abiding citizen, and is liked by 
 those who know him. It always worried Bennie to wonder 
 what would become of the younger race of negToes, they 
 being so different from the white race. A more antagonistic 
 spirit seems to be developing between the races which is 
 likely to lead to serious consequences. Nothing but the high 
 hand of Providence can settle this vexed question. 
 
 Cunning politicians have ridden into office on the negro's 
 back, first, when he was allowed to vote, by controlling the 
 election, and the ballot boxes and counting the votes for 
 themselves, and their party. Then, since he has been dis- 
 franchised, they still ride into office on him, claiming the 
 negro will vote themselves in power, and rule the white 
 people if the whites do not continue to vote their ticket. 
 Notwithstanding that, there are about four to five white 
 votes to every negro vote, and all thinking people know that 
 there is no danger of negro rule. Yet they, with the papers 
 that they control, have been so foul in their denunciation and 
 misrepresentation, heaping all manner of abuse, even ostraciz- 
 ing, when they can, those who would dare to vote any other 
 than their party ticket, often classing those who dare to vote 
 their convictions as white negroes. Of course the non- 
 thinkers generally vote against themselves instead of voting 
 for men and measures that would be to their interest. While 
 party is all well to work through to accomplish worthy pur- 
 
46 MEMORIES 
 
 poses, yet parties, when they get so foul for the reason of 
 selfish interests controlling them, ought to be rebuked by 
 voting them out, until party becomes honest representatives of 
 the people. The following will better describe the non-think- 
 ing man: 
 
 There is a man too lazy to think for liimself 
 
 And always he leaves it to others. 
 And when things go wrong he whoops and he whines 
 
 And places the blame on his brothers. 
 
 And there's another — may God save the race — 
 Whose mind has become a pure blank, 
 
 By reason of letting his brain cells go dry, 
 And the weed of his ignorance grow rank. 
 
 The all-wise Creator, who allowed the negro to be brought 
 here, no doubt to civilize and Christianize him, will 
 eventually take him back to his former land to help civilize 
 and Christianize the ''dark continent." When this is brought 
 to pass, it is to be hoped that the great majority of the 
 white race will not be disfranchised at the dictates of the 
 special interests, in order that it will not cost them so much 
 worry and money to keep in control. When the negroes go 
 back to their home, may their shadows cease to fall on the 
 whites, who have been so long trimmed by common self-seek- 
 ing office hunters. 
 
 THE SPECIAL INTERESTS PAPER 
 
 FOR THE TOWNS, CITIES AND STATES THAT 
 LET SPECIAL INTERESTS DOMINATE 
 
 The Government now by the Press is run, 
 Often by the politician who just starts out to have some fun, 
 But as soon as the power of the paper is won 
 The traps and snares for them has just begun. 
 
 Some by the masses and their country stand 
 While many follow after Press tooteriug bands. 
 Ready to sell themselves and country complete. 
 For money, influence, or any old thing that looks to them sweet. 
 
THE PURCHASE OF THE FARM 47 
 
 It is sad that the Press to the people that once stood so high, 
 Is lioney-combed by treachery and to traitors so nigh, 
 All because the money trust over them controls, 
 And only let the editors tell the people what they want them to know. 
 
 See the cities where special interests control. 
 They have their papers and certain politicians they know. 
 If one is honest and the people he would serve, 
 These same papers will soon have him on his nerve. 
 
 The special interests papers select their man 
 And soon commence to praise him to beat the band. 
 The masses soon chime in to help elect this popular man, 
 When they awake to where they stand, they find they are already 
 canned. 
 
 When in the halls of legislation their popular man they land, 
 These same papers sing his praise to every man. 
 At the same time around their popular man they stand, 
 Until he gets for them about everything in our broad land. 
 
 See the propagandists from foreign lauds, 
 Who through greed have sunk their ship, have ours on drifting sand, 
 Now trying to persuade us to join their teacherous game 
 By destroying truth, justice, and fame, for morbid gain. 
 
CHAPTEE VII 
 
 BUSINESS EXPERIENCES IN THE CITY 
 
 In the fall of the fourth year after Bemiie had bought his 
 farm, and was about ready to begin gathering, one evening, 
 about sundown, a stranger drove up to his home. He intro- 
 duced himself and stated that he had been directed to come 
 there as a good place to spend the night and asked if he 
 could stay. As Bennie had never seen a stranger turned 
 away, nor ever charged for being taken care of, the stranger 
 was told that he might stay all night. On leaving next 
 morning, he inquired the way to a certain place in the 
 adjoining county, which was about twenty miles distant. 
 Bennie told him that he was going by the same place to a 
 point beyond, and the stranger was delighted to know that 
 he would have a guide. Bennie told him that he had to 
 settle with his hands and w^ould then be ready to go. By 
 nine o'clock they were on their journey; when a half-mile 
 from home Bennie proposed that they go through his field, 
 as it would save them three miles in distance. When they 
 
 were in the middle of the farm, among the crops, Mr. W 
 
 asked whose farm it was; on being told, he exclaimed that 
 if he had a farm like this one, he would be perfectly happy. 
 Bennie had learned enough from him to know that he was the 
 head manager of a big business in a nearby city, and that 
 he had a big office force under him, and he told him that 
 he was thinking of going to the city as soon as he could 
 gather his crop to remain at least until the first of March, 
 when he would start his crop for another year, and asked 
 
 Mr. W if he didn't have a place in his ofiice that he 
 
 could give him, which very much surprised him. He wanted 
 to know why he wanted to go anywhere, when he had such 
 a farm as that. Bennie replied that he wanted to see more 
 of the world and get more experience, that there was no one 
 [48] 
 
BUSINESS EXPERIENCES IN THE CITY 4!1 
 
 at homo except liis parents and tlie servant and that he wonld 
 like to spend a few months in the city, as a change. Mr. 
 
 W could hardly believe that he was in earnest, b\it 
 
 when he found that he was sincere, he told him that he had 
 only one vacant place in his office and that was as bookkeeper, 
 which was being filled temporarily by one of the regular 
 clerks. Bemiie told him that he had never kept books, except 
 with his farm hands, but that he would be glad to take the 
 place, if he Avould give it to him, after he finished harvesting. 
 
 Mr. W said that he would hold the place open three 
 
 weeks. Bennie thanked him and asked how much it paid 
 and was told that it paid nine dollars per week. Bennie 
 
 then inquired if that would pay his board and Mr. W 
 
 assured him that it would, as he was getting good board and 
 room for four dollars and fifty cents per week. 
 
 On the day that Bennie told Mr. W — ■ he would be 
 
 there, he was on hand. In the afternoon, about four-thirty, 
 he found the office, walked in with grip in hand, and asked 
 
 one of the clerks if Mr. W was in. He answered, 
 
 ^'Yes, back in the private office." Bennie felt lost and not 
 very buoyant, especially seeing the clerks watching him and 
 no doubt wondering what the gawky countryman wanted. 
 On entering the office, he spoke to the manager, addressing 
 
 him as Mr. W . He looked up at Bennie and said, 
 
 "I must have seen your face somewhere before, but cannot 
 locate you." Bennie asked if he didn't remember being at 
 a certain place and of promising him a job as bookkeeper. 
 AVliereupon he got out of his chair, and said that he had no 
 idea that he would ever come off that farm. In answer to 
 Bennie's inquiry about the place promised, he told him that 
 a substitute was handling the work and that he could have 
 it if he wanted it. Bennie thanked him, adding that he 
 was gTeen at the business and would like for him to help 
 him get started. He agreed to do this, saying that as the ledger 
 was ruled for different entries in different columns, he could 
 4 
 
50 MEMORIES 
 
 soon catch on. He then asked Bennie to have a seat and 
 as soon as the office force left, he would start him off on the 
 books. At six o'clock everyone was hustling for their coats, 
 hats, etc., and the boss and new bookkeeper were left alone, 
 and the first lesson in bookkeeping began. It was the first 
 set of such books Bennie had ever looked into, but he learned 
 more in that short hour than he ever learned in so short 
 a time, before or since, because he knew that his job depended 
 on remembering all that was being told. 
 
 As Bennie and his new boss were leaving the office, he 
 asked him if he knew of a good place where he could get 
 
 board. Mr. W replied that he had a nice place and 
 
 that it might be possible for him to get board at the same 
 place, although they were pretty well crow^ded, but to bring 
 his valise along and he would do the best he could for him. 
 On reaching the house, about four blocks distant, he called 
 for the landlady and after introducing his new bookkeeper, 
 asked if she could take him as a boarder. She answered 
 that she would gladly do so, but every room in the building 
 was occupied, still she could give him table board if he could 
 
 get a room nearby. She also told Mr. W that he had 
 
 one of the largest rooms in the house but that he objected 
 
 to anyone else having a bed in it with him. Mr. W 
 
 said that was true, but he would make an exception of this 
 case and told the landlady if she would put a bed in the 
 room for his new friend, he would have no objection. She 
 said that she would put one while they were eating supper, 
 as she had some ready in the house. The room was nice 
 and comfortable, and a warm friendship between the two 
 began, one a Yankee, who was considered by the rest of the 
 boarders as being a selfish person who cared for no one but 
 himself, ^vhich was all wrong, as they had held off, expecting 
 him to do all the advancing. 
 
 The next morning they were at the office by eight o'clock. 
 The l^oss told the substitute bookkeeper that he had gotten 
 
BUSINESS EXPERIENCES IN THE CITY 51 
 
 this young man to take the books, and that he would take 
 up the work that he was doing- before he took the books, and 
 asked him to assist the new man whenever he needed help. 
 Bennie, having watched so closely all that he was shown the 
 night before, did not need assistance; besides, he thought 
 he could see a spirit of jealousy among the older clerks and 
 for this reason he was determined to get along without call- 
 ing on them. The work became easier until he had no 
 trouble with it ; he remained at the office each day until he 
 had completed the work for that day. 
 
 As the boss and new bookkeeper learned more of each 
 other, quite a change began to come over the cold Yankee — 
 as he was called by the boarding-house family The new 
 roomer was soon on good terms with all in the house and it 
 was quite an agreeable family. 
 
 It was in November when Bennie began his first and only 
 work for another, except the three months he spent in the 
 magic lantern business. One day the manager came out of 
 his office and said to the bookkeeper : "I want you to go with 
 the driver out to a certain street and number and bring in 
 a machine that the party refuses to pay for," He further 
 said that those that he had instructed to get the machine 
 had failed to do so. The bookkeeper looked up at him and 
 
 said : "Mr. W — ■ , I want you to discharge me." "Why 
 
 do you say that ?" the manager asked, Bennie replied that 
 he did not want to go with the wagoner to get the machine, 
 as he was offered more than three times the salary he was 
 getting to become an agent for the company, but had declined 
 it rather than haul sewing machines around for sale, though 
 
 he would not blame Mr, W if he discharged him. The 
 
 manager did not say anything but Bennie would not have 
 been surprised that night had he been told that his services 
 were no longer needed. The incident was never mentioned 
 again after that, and things went on in fine shape. 
 
 He would often see his father's old friend. Captain , 
 
 who lived at the village on the river bank and owned and 
 
MEMORIES 
 
 ran a steamboat regularly from his home to the city, carrying- 
 passengers and freight. With an interest always manifested 
 in him, he would give him advice as if he were his own child. 
 One day he said to Bennie : ''There is one of the best open- 
 ings in this city for an honest commission man, to handle 
 country produce and other things that are shipped here, and 
 I have been thinking it would be the very thing for you, 
 and I want you to think about it, and if you will go into 
 it, I can throw^ into your hands lots of produce to sell, as 
 everybody who knows you has confidence in you and there 
 will be no doubt that you will succeed from the beginning. 
 Think it over and let me know." This was quite a surprise 
 to Bennie, as he fully intended going back to the farm the 
 first of March, but he then began to think over the advice 
 from the captain whom he knew could be of great help to 
 him, should he decide to embark in the new business. After 
 two or three weeks he saw Captain again, who in- 
 quired what he had decided upon. Bennie told him he was 
 seriously thinking of going into it, at the beginning of the 
 year. His old friend put his hand on his shoulder, saying: 
 "I am glad to hear it, and I will begin to tell the people 
 about it, so they can know to whom to ship." After going 
 back to his place of business he began to think it was his 
 duty to notify his boss of the decision, but concluded to 
 wait until all the clerks left at six o'clock, when they would 
 be alone in the office. Just before they left for their board- 
 ing house, he mustered up courage enough and told him of 
 his intentions, so that he might have time to secure another 
 bookkeeper. After hearing his plans, the manager told him 
 that it would never do, for he had already recommended 
 him to the main office of the factory for appointment as 
 manager at a thriving towai near the size of the city where 
 he was, at a salary of one hundred and twenty-five dollars 
 a month and a commission of fifteen per cent on all sales 
 that w^ere made by the nine to eleven salesmen that worked 
 
BUl^iyKlSS EXPERlENCEii IN THE CITY 
 
 from that office. The commission, he added, would he at 
 least as much as the salary, and that he could depend on the 
 appointment. 
 
 This was another surprise to Bennie, who had no thought 
 of such promotion, hut he had told the Captain that he 
 would embark in the new business at the first of the year. 
 He was sorely troubled, as he looked upon one as a certainty, 
 the other to be tried out. After thinking a bit, he asked 
 the manager : ^'Suppose I should accept the position you 
 say I can have and should make good, would they later send 
 
 me somewhere else ?" Mr. W replied that as he grew 
 
 in the business, they would keep transferring him to larger 
 cities, always with increased salary, that in five years he 
 might be in a city of several hundred thousand people, draw- 
 ing anywhere from five to ten thousand dollars a year salary, 
 as the salary always followed the worth of the manager to 
 the company. While this was a flattering offer, and one to 
 be proud of, Bennie asked that he be given a week to think 
 it over. He pondered it continually, but when his mind 
 returned to his father, who was old and almost helpless, so 
 far as looking after business was concerned, and of his mother, 
 who was far from strong, he felt that his first duty was to 
 look after them. He could not bear the idea of being so 
 far from them that he could not run up to see them two 
 or three times a month, nor hear from them every few days 
 by those who came to the city from the neighborhood, which 
 gave him the opportunity of sending them any little thing 
 that he thought they might enjoy. 
 
 Taking everything into consideration, Bennie fully made 
 up his mind that he could not accept the offer, much as he 
 appreciated it, so when the week was out that he had asked 
 for in which to think the matter over, he told his friend 
 that he had decided to remain near home, to be near his 
 helpless father. A look of more than sadness came over the 
 manager's face, who had become much attached to him. He 
 told Bennie that he was gTcatly disappointed, as his appoint- 
 
54 MEMORIES 
 
 ment had come in last night's inaih However, he wished 
 him well in his new undertaking and added that he did not 
 doubt that he would do well. Beunie was only in the office 
 about one week longer ; when the time came to say good-bye, 
 it was sad for the manager and himself. 
 
 After spending two weeks at home with his parents, 
 arranging with his tenants to work the farm, he went back 
 to the city, to occupy the building he had rented to conduct 
 his new business in. It was only a few days after his 
 advertisement appeared in the paper before produce of every 
 kind began to pour in. The Captain brought in big con- 
 signments which, with the other shipments, made more than 
 he could attend to alone and he had to hire help. 
 
 A big man, in heart as well as in stature, had moved near 
 Bennie's home a few years before he went to the city. This 
 man ran four large stores and seemed to take a liking to 
 Bennie, and began to ship him not only all of his country 
 produce, but lighters loaded with shingles, often a hundred 
 and fifty thousand shingles at a time, to be sold. That was 
 the beginning of giving him the control of the shingle market 
 in the city as long as he did business. 
 
 When he embarked in his new undertaking, his old friend, 
 the Captain, had on his boat a young boy, as his mate, near 
 Bennie's own age. After a few years, he bought a boat 
 and ran up to the head of navigation, making two trips a 
 
 week. Captain B saw that Bennie got all that he 
 
 could get from his run. AVhen the business grew so far 
 beyond expectation, and so many orders were sent to him to 
 buy for people who shipped, and often for the people who had 
 no produce to ship but would send their order and money 
 for him to buy for them, he soon saw the need of a stock 
 of goods and a larger store in which to fill his orders more 
 conveniently. He then secured a larger building, but when he 
 began to count up the cost of the stock needed, he saw that his 
 funds were lacking. One of the large merchants of the city, 
 Mr. H , who filled Bennie's orders, and waited on liim for 
 
ins/XI'JSS EXI'KJx'lENCE.^ J .\' THE CITY 55 
 
 the pay while he was struggling on the farm, went to him and 
 proposed to fill his store up with anything he wanted. It was 
 agreed upon to give him part of his order, and when the goods 
 
 all came in, he saw that Mr. II had sent a good many 
 
 things that were not put down on his memorandum. When 
 he went to see about it, he was told that they were not to be 
 paid for until they were sold, and if any could not be sold, 
 they could be returned. That was the beginning of the 
 annoyance of the drummers, and while he never bothered 
 to give any statement to the commercial agents, he was put 
 down as number one for all that he bought, but he soon 
 learned that buying right was half sold to start with, and 
 while he was always busy, he was never too busy to give a 
 drummer a few minutes to see his goods, and get his prices, 
 either at the moment he came in or a little later. He would 
 take anything offered at attractive prices, if he saw that he 
 could sell it, and pass on the things he did not need. He 
 soon became known by the drummers and brokers as a close 
 buyer, never appearing anxious to buy, as he let the drummer 
 have that part of the job. Often when the salesman would cut 
 to his limit from his importers, as Bennie soon found that he 
 could buy as cheap as the jobber, he would make him an 
 offer to submit, sometimes by letter or wire if the goods were 
 needed at once, and often he got them at his offer. In this 
 way he could meet prices of any of the large jobbers that his 
 men or brokers, whom he had in most all towns, would come 
 into competition with. 
 
 For the first three or four years he both retailed and whole- 
 saled. ^Vhile in the retail business, he captured most of the 
 vessel trade that came to the city. As the principal ship- 
 broker's office was next door to his, he managed to get on the 
 good side of the old gentleman and his sons, and soon had 
 their customers' trade, as there was always a vessel in port 
 that had not finished loading. The captains would tell their 
 brother captains where was the best place to buy their 
 
56 MEMORIES 
 
 supplies. There is no attaclimeut strouger than seamen hold 
 for each other. Their own perils give them s_^anpathv for 
 their brothers of the same calling. 
 
 About this time he was having all the trade that he and 
 his help could well look after, and had partly filled orders 
 one day for eight or nine vessels that were in port. Being 
 in February and a dry stormy day, the mischievous office boy 
 of the ship-broker's went out behind the building to shoot off 
 a cannon that he had made. He had bought a half pound 
 of powder and poured it into the cannon ; then packing his 
 wadding, he applied the torch but the wind blew it out. He 
 then got a coal and put his mouth near enough to blow it 
 and ignite the powder. When the powder caught, the cannon 
 exploded, knocking the boy down, singeing his hair and eye- 
 brows off, and leaving him senseless. The fire ignited the 
 heaps of paper, and, fanned by a heavy wind, the ship- 
 broker's office was soon afire and the flames spread rapidly to 
 Bonnie's store. As it was Saturday, Bennie had gone up to 
 his boarding house for an early supper. While at the table, 
 he heard the fire bell ringing, but paid no attention to it, 
 until someone came in and said that the fire was near his 
 store. As soon as he heard that, he was up from the table 
 and was running to the fire. Just before he got there, he 
 met an old negro running with a box of tobacco under each 
 arm. Bennie knew him, as he had often given him small 
 jobs around the store, and he called out : "Johnson, what are 
 you doing with that tobacco ?" "Oh, Mr. Bennie, your store 
 is on fire!" "Well, what are you doing with that tobacco?" 
 he asked. "Nothing, only I am going to save it for you," 
 was the answer. He afterwards claimed that he carried it 
 back, which was doubtful, as it was never seen by anyone at 
 the store. 
 
 Bonnie's hopes were cut down as he remembered that he 
 had only one thousand dollars insurance on his entire stock 
 of goods, which was taken out when he first went into 
 business, as he thought it was useless to pay out money for 
 
BUSINESS EXPERIENCES IX THE CITY 
 
 iusurauce on a building that had been standing twenty-five 
 years, but too late he saw his mistake. The news was flashed 
 all over the country about the fire and the amount of 
 insurance. 
 
 Bennie had agreed to take in an old man who claimed 
 that he would put in the business many thousand dollars. 
 After he had been there two months he had only put in three 
 hundred dollars ; when Bennie told him to put in the amount 
 agreed upon, he said, "Why man, what do we need it for? 
 We are buying all the goods we need and paying for them as 
 the bills become due." Bennie told him that he wanted the 
 money so that they could pay cash, to get the discount, and if 
 he wanted a partnership with him, he must put up the 
 money. 
 
 The first thing that Bennie did was to go over his books, 
 to see how much he owed, and how much was owing him and 
 find out the amount of his bank account, then he began to 
 figure the percentage his total resources would allow him to 
 pay on the bills of his creditors. When the old would-be 
 partner saw Bennie's purpose, he began to contend, saying 
 the thing to do was to take what money he received for 
 insurance and the amount in the bank and divide it among 
 themselves and let the creditors take what accounts there 
 were for what they owed them, as all of it would pay only 
 a small per cent to the creditors. Bennie told him that when 
 he went to supper that night of the fire there were fifty or 
 sixty dollars in the drawer, not put in the safe but left for 
 change, besides a good deal in paper, but the old man claimed 
 that he was too excited to take it out, but there was no silver 
 found when they cleared the debris away. Also he said that 
 he had more than thousands in the business when he had 
 only put three hundred dollars in, and had drawn all of that 
 out except about seventy-five dollars and he could have that, 
 and every dollar of the balance was going to the creditors. 
 Then the old man insisted on each taking what they had 
 first put in and the five hundred each, exemption. Bennie 
 
58 MEMORIES 
 
 refused, saying that they did not have a cent in the business 
 until the debts were paid. The old man objected to this 
 and said that he would stop the insurance, as he had no 
 right to give a check on the bank, but the insurance agent 
 was seen, who promised that the insurance would be paid 
 him, as it was in his name. 
 
 In a few days the percentage of resources on the liabilities 
 was worked out. About that time the northern creditors 
 began to come in and after having a conference and finding 
 out how much was left, and hearing Bennie's proposition to 
 pay them proportionately, as far as the money would go, his 
 largest creditor inquired: "Wliat are you thinking of doing 
 now?" Bennie replied that he would soon get a job some- 
 where, and pay his creditors all he made, except enough for 
 his board and a few clothes. This creditor then said to him : 
 "Before you do anything, I want to have a talk with you." 
 Bennie thought that he was going to give him a job, and he 
 asked him if he could meet him at a certain hotel at two 
 o'clock. He was told "yes" and when the time arrived, so 
 had Bennie. After being offered a cigar, he was asked to 
 sit down and "let's talk business." The first question asked 
 was: "Would you go back into business if you were able?" 
 Bennie answered "Yes." His creditor then said : "I have 
 been in communication with my partner, and we have agreed 
 to put you back into business, you giving us your plain notes 
 for what you owe us. We will sell you all the goods that 
 you want and assist you to buy from any jobber or importer 
 any goods you may need that we do not carry. You can 
 take the money you have and give it to the other creditors, 
 with the understanding that you will have no partnership with 
 the man you were to take in with you." Bennie readily 
 complied with this condition, saying that he had already 
 determined to have no further business relations with the man 
 referred to. 
 
 Before the manufacturer and jobber left, Bennie had paid 
 all of his creditors, except one or two who agreed to wait 
 
BUI:^INESS! EXPERIENCES IN THE CITY ',*) 
 
 until be was able to pay them after lie got in business again. 
 When be went around with bis cbeck book and statements, 
 most of tbose be owed agreed to give bim ten per cent off, 
 and wanted to sell bim all be needed, or would take in bis 
 store. Wbile be was getting straigbtcned out and trying to 
 get a store in a suitable location, a big mercbant, just balf a 
 block from wbere bis store was burned, failed. His receivers 
 sold goods at almost any price. Wben tbe staple goods were 
 sold, and be saw tbat tbere was not enougb casb taken in 
 to pa^' bis clerks, be went to Bennie, and offered to sell at 
 bis o^\ni price. Wben it was reported tbat Bennie was going 
 to buy tbe stock and move in tbe unlucky corner, some of tbe 
 old men wbo bad known Bennie's fatber wben tbey were 
 boys, went to bim and asked bim not to move in tbat store, 
 as no one bad ever done business tbere without failure. 
 Besides, it seemed tbat no one could succeed on that street 
 without selling whiskey. Bennie told them that he had never 
 sold whiskey and didn't intend to, as be would plow an ox 
 again before he would sell it. Also that be was going to try 
 to make that corner tbe "lucky corner" from then on. 
 
 The deal on the old stock was closed and new goods began 
 to come in. Business became better with bim than it had 
 ever been before. All bis obligations were met promptly, 
 including the notes given to bis northern friend. His credit 
 was all that he desired, and he knew bow to keep it that 
 way, by being cautious in bis business. The old corner that 
 bad been known as the "unlucky corner" changed its name 
 to the "lucky corner" as tbe business increased each year, 
 through the friendship of the hundreds of new customers 
 tbat were gradually increasing throughout tbe territory tbat 
 supported the city. Several steamers made regular trips, 
 some of them each day, whose officers were old friends of 
 Bennie's, wbo directed their passengers to bis store as tbe 
 best place to trade. This had its effect, and his business 
 soon became popularly known by the many nice things said 
 of him by others, some of whom were old citizens wbo bad 
 
60 MEMORIES 
 
 known his father before he married Bennie's mother. The 
 good name of the parent is one of the greatest assets that 
 children can have, as it will take them where money cannot. 
 
 OUR FRIENDS THAT HAVE GONE 
 
 Dedicated Christmas Day — December 25th, 1920 
 
 Where are our old friends gone? 
 Those that we knew and loved years ago, 
 We loved them, we miss them, more and more ; 
 Will we clasp their hands on the other shore? 
 
 Yes we will see them and feel their clasp, 
 They signal to their friends come, 
 We are waiting, watching and praying; 
 Come to the happy home we are staying. 
 
 Come, say they, give us your heart clasped hand, 
 And join the Holy Christian Band, 
 Who are waiting there in their mansion ; 
 In that long looked for promised land. 
 
 Our earthly home is fast becoming frail, 
 We soon will need a new abode. 
 Have we been building a home on high, 
 Where there will be no sorrow, guile or sighs? 
 
 Yes, we again expect to be with our friends. 
 Where there will be no more parting. 
 But Joy unspeakable in that Heavenly abode; 
 Where sin and sorrow cannot go. 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 
 THE NEW ERA 
 
 In hiring his help, Bennie generally employed well-raised 
 bovs from the country, as they were not so accustomed to 
 watching the clock. Although crude at first, they usually 
 developed into the very best of help, and he advanced them 
 as fast as their interest in the business justified, paying them 
 far better salaries as a rule than other clerks received. He 
 also paid them weekly instead of monthly, and placed the 
 fullest confidence in them and demanded the best service in 
 return. No drinking or cigarette smoking was tolerated, 
 and full weight and good treatment of customers was insisted 
 upon. This method of training developed very good help, 
 which gave Bennie time to pay more attention to the better- 
 ment of political and other affairs. Like his father, he had a 
 contempt for the professional office hunter and took delight in 
 helping defeat corrupt office holders, so he led the fight in his 
 own township while on the farm, to put out of business the 
 corrupt machine that was not careful in dealing out justice, 
 except as it suited them. Before he left his farm, they were 
 not to be seen at a convention and were considered a thing of 
 the past. He found that city politics were far worse than 
 politics in the country, as the political machine and big 
 business were in partnership, to a gTcat extent, the politician 
 holding the offices and drawing the salaries and the special 
 interests being allowed all the advantage they might want, 
 contrary to the best interests of the citizens themselves. He 
 soon lined himself on the side of those who were fighting these 
 evils, but as it had been for several years past led by a rich old 
 Jew merchant who was as shrewd as he was thought to be 
 corrupt, and it meant defeat every time for those who dared to 
 try to get better men at the head of the city government. As 
 he had always taken great interest in the advancement of his 
 
 [61] 
 
62 MEMORIES 
 
 State, even when on the farm, he began writing- articles for 
 many of the leading papers, advocating protection of the 
 forests, good roads, better stock and drainage, and more 
 equitable rates from the railroads, telegraphs, etc. His 
 letters caused a great deal of comment. 
 
 At that time the larger papers were not so much under 
 the influence of big business as they have become since, and 
 many were eager to have articles out of the old, long-used 
 rut, but when the people began to think, as so few do, the 
 special interests of the State began to tighten down on those 
 papers that they could bring pressure on, through their 
 owned politicians in the different counties. Consequently, 
 it was not long before those who dared to advocate those 
 advanced ideas were branded as wild-eyed populists that 
 were a menace to the country. Of course, those who had 
 left them to do their thinking believed them, as they saw it 
 in the papers. It was natural that these papers only let 
 their editors tell them what they wanted them to think. In 
 this way, any man who had given his thought and time to 
 the honest betterment of humanity was only a dissatisfied 
 office-seeker and an enemy to his country. When he found 
 that new ideas of pleas for the betterment of conditions 
 would not be published in the majority of the papers of the 
 State, he started a small weekly paper of his own, filled prin- 
 cipally with his owTi editorials and ads. His little publica- 
 tion needed no extra advertising, as the special-interests 
 papers saw to that without pay. 
 
 Few people in the State were better known than he was, 
 and his business continued to grow. He went to the manu- 
 facturing companies and importers and arranged to handle 
 most of his goods direct, through brokers and agents. He 
 had all of his orders, except for his local territory, shipped 
 direct from the factory to his customers, the invoices coming 
 to the main office to be rebilled. Mainly he handled the arti- 
 cles that would sell and give a fair profit, content to let his 
 competitors handle the heavy goods that required more money 
 
THE NEW ERA 68 
 
 to handle, but less profit to the jobber. His trade was on 
 anything that he could sell, and extended as far north as 
 Boston, west to the Mississippi, south to the West Indies. 
 When shipping- his cargoes of shingles and other products of 
 his home territory, he would have the vessel bring back a 
 cargo of fruit to distribute to the trade throughout the towns 
 near by. He supplied the lumber mills' orders for shingles 
 (his largest booking for one week was eighteen hundred 
 thousand), handling about all the output that were either 
 sawed or rived. He knew where to place his order, as all of 
 them were his customers, and he felt that the more of their 
 products he could sell, the more trade he would likely get 
 from them in return. 
 
 The same applied to merchants handling farm produce. 
 When the market would become stagnant on any commodity 
 at his home port, he would get busy at distant cities to find 
 a market for them — field peas, eggs, deer tongue, etc. When 
 finding where they could be disposed of at a fair price, he 
 would have his men buy up all that they could, at prices that 
 would enable them to sell, to be shipped to his places of busi- 
 ness, to be reshipped in car lots, unless he could buy car lots, 
 such as field peas or peanuts, then he would have them loaded 
 in car lots and ship to himself to points where sold. In one 
 season he shipped thirty-one solid cars of field peas to New 
 OTleans and Cincinnati for farmers, who used them to sow 
 do^vn and turn under for fertilizing the soil. The price to 
 the home growers in North Carolina was raised from thirty- 
 five cents per bushel to ninety cents the first year. The next 
 season they received one dollar and ten cents, and on, until 
 those who did what they saw others doing went in and soon 
 had the market down. It was generally the practice of those 
 who didn't know how to find and keep business, but he had 
 two to three years before they got on to his home shipments 
 of new business. 
 
 All this time he ran his paper, doing his writing after he 
 went home to his family, as he was then married and had 
 
64 3IEM0RIES 
 
 three or four children. Often he would work until after 
 midnight, getting material ready for the printer. His paper 
 was independent democrat, but its independence from 
 party slavery did not suit the other controlled political organs, 
 and first one and then another would pitch on the paper with 
 all their might to crush its influence, but when the Neiv 
 Era came back at them to the blare of the public and the 
 influence behind them, they no doubt held their spite against 
 its editor, but never tackled it more than the second time. 
 His independence was cutting rather a breach in their well- 
 padded berths, as with his growing business and influence 
 he was exerting in the territory he was becoming a competitor 
 to some of his most piqued rivals. It gave some of them the 
 necessity to do anj^thing they thought would injure his influ- 
 ence, but that did not stop his determination to do all he 
 could to defeat the corrupt political ring in his city; and 
 about this time, demonetizing of silver began to be advocated, 
 and it was not long before the big banking houses, headed 
 by G. W. Williams & Co., of i^ew York, began sending out 
 letters to all the banks and merchants of the country, calling 
 on them to do all they could to get their representatives in 
 Congress to vote to demonetize silver. Bennie received one 
 of these urgent letters himself. Williams & Co., the ITew 
 York bankers, stood at the top of Wall Street trust about 
 as Morgan, Kahn & Co. do now. Having been a close stu- 
 dent of political economy at school, under a noted teacher, 
 he could not help seeing the injustice of the large banks call- 
 ing in all the gold in the country and getting it in their pos- 
 session, and then demonetizing silver, which was half of our 
 basic money, and that its certificates were used for trading- 
 purposes, as the gold was held by the banks. Besides, the 
 bankers were the holders of most of the nation's bonds, issued 
 when silver and gold were on a par, as well as other debts, 
 notes, etc., when silver was basic money along with the gold. 
 His transformation from luxury to slavery, the long years 
 he had to work until he was nearly gT0A\ai, to pay old debts. 
 
THE NEW ERA 
 
 made when money was cheap, and paid at the sacrifice of 
 everything except honor, when money was scarce, had tanght 
 liini something that few had an occasion to learn, and after 
 giving much thought to the ([uestion, lie knew that to cut off 
 half our money supply would give the half left double its 
 purchasing power, and the banker or man that had his wealth 
 in bonds or money would share the gain, while those in debt 
 or who did not have their wealth in gold currency would be 
 the ones to suffer at the expense of the money monopolists. 
 For that reason, the day that the mass-meeting was called, 
 advertised for days by all the papers, as they never tire of 
 serving those they depend upon, such a crowd had not before 
 been seen in the chamber of commerce, there being seats to 
 seat not more than a third of the crowd — the remainder 
 stood like sardines in their cans. The meeting was called to 
 order by its president, he calling on some one of the bank 
 directors to explain the object of the meeting, as had been 
 sent him and all other bankers and chambers of commerce 
 over the entire country. When he had finished making his 
 audience believe that silver ought to be demonetized, as it 
 was being mined and coined as fast as precious gold was, 
 and that the country would soon be i*uined if its coinage was 
 not stopped, he did not tell them the government could de- 
 monetize gold in the place of silver if it chose. This would 
 have been equally as wrong, but that was not orders from 
 Lombard Street in England and Wall Street in New York, 
 hot from our money manipulators, nor did he tell them that 
 the government could demonetize both silver and gold, and 
 stamp or print its money out of paper or raw hides or any- 
 thing it might choose, and make it legal tender for all debts, 
 etc., and all the wealth of the government would be the 
 security for the notes it saw fit to issue. This would take 
 the representation of all our wealth out of the mone}' trust 
 that manipulates, and the financial destiny of all the people, 
 held so long, until they think it their divine right to thus 
 hold those special privileges that enable them to control every- 
 5 
 
66 MEMORIES 
 
 thing here below, and many no doubt think their liberal gifts 
 to the poor, whom they make and help keep poor, will entitle 
 them to a seat in Heaven, but they are as blind in that as 
 they are in most of their doings. Being able to control news- 
 papers, railroads, banks, and our money, they well know that 
 the balance is easy, but they have never stopped to think in 
 any age, until they find it too late, as was in the case of the 
 original starter, Williams & Co., in Wall Street, of the war 
 on silver. When they had carried their point, the people 
 became frightened, withdrew their deposits from the banks 
 to a great extent, and banks began to break all over the 
 country. Before the end, Williams & Co., the greatest bank- 
 ers of Wall Street, had to close their doors, and its head 
 passed out to a place where he had to meet a Judge that has 
 no respect for persons, except those who follow His teachings. 
 After the cut-and-dried program had been debated, a mo- 
 tion was made to adopt a long resolution to be sent our Con- 
 gress. On being put to a vote, it was unanimous, with the 
 exception of one vote, which was Bonnie's, who arose and 
 gave in a few minutes his reasons for voting against it. If 
 a bomb had fallen into the meeting, it would not have caused 
 more comment, as many in the meeting had voted before they 
 had given any thought to the question. One lone voice for 
 silver, out of an audience of about two hundred. This gave 
 Bennie a chance to answer the headlines in one of the leading 
 papers, which gave a slur, as he took it to be, by giving his 
 reason for voting "no." In a day or two, there was a reply 
 to his article from one in a town of the State, signed R. M. C. 
 Bennie answered it, which came out Sunday morning follow- 
 ing. The matter became quite an interesting topic on the 
 streets and wherever the paper was read. The next Sunday, 
 R. M. C. had replied, and each one had his reply alternately 
 in each Sunday's paper, but the readers said that Bonnie's 
 articles were far in advance of R. M. C.'s, and it was learned 
 afterward that R. M. C. had gotten one of the leading attor- 
 neys in the city to help him get up his articles; and when it 
 
THE NEW ERA 67 
 
 was beginning to be talked that Bennie was swamping both 
 in one of his opponents, this prominent attorney, whose 
 father was a Wall Street Stock Exchange member, is said to 
 have sent Bennie's articles there to be answered. They came 
 back, signed R. M. C, but postmarked in R. M. C.'s own 
 town. Bennie discovered, as soon as he read the first answer, 
 written by the shrewdest Wall Street attorney, that there had 
 been more help added to the controversy, and while he was 
 quite busy attending to his business, yet he would take a few 
 minutes at his desk alone and answer R. M. C. and his help- 
 ers' arguments. 
 
 This series of pro-and-con controversy went on for about 
 six months. The proprietor said that he sold more issues of 
 the paper than ever before, and never had enough to fill his 
 orders from every section of the country, as the more it was 
 discussed, the more interested the people became. It was not 
 long before Bennie had his New York competitor where he 
 needed help, and when he began to send out letters that con- 
 tained mostly what Bennie had seen in circulars stereotyped 
 and sent out from Wall Street, he knew that they were at 
 their limit, and it was not long before even the ''goldbugs," 
 as they were called, had to admit that their advocator got 
 the worst end of the argument. One of Bennie's friends, 
 who was closely connected in a large bank, told him the 
 secret of the plot to down him on the argument, and while 
 he was one of the so-called goldbugs, he said the secret was 
 too good to keep, since he had won over his opponents by 
 the consensus of the people generally, and said the man who 
 fathered all the articles reversed his initials, but he made 
 Bennie promise not to give the information away. Soon 
 after the controversy closed, which was after Bennie put 
 questions to him that he dared not answer, as he was aware 
 that he was arguing against all the talent the goldbug could 
 muster, and when they were asked for full particulars of help 
 employed, they were not heard of any more. 
 
6S MEMORIES 
 
 In the meantime, Beimie had been sending a copy of the 
 paper during the controversy to W. J. Bryan, who had come 
 out against demonetizing silver, and who wrote to Bennie at 
 the close of the controversy that he had not received letters 
 with more convincing arguments from any one than were in 
 his articles. The articles were printed in some of the leading 
 papers of the West, and later Bennie received a compli- 
 mentary copy of "Coin," Harvey's book, and wrote him that 
 while he did not need his book, as he had kept up with his 
 articles on coinage and against the demonetizing of silver, 
 which he considered one of the best arguments that he had 
 had the pleasure of reading. 
 
 During this time the State Democratic Committee had 
 issued a call to all its members to meet at the State capital 
 to consider the policy of the party. When they met, as might 
 have been expected, they voted that in their opinion it would 
 be for the best interest of the country for the party to advo- 
 cate the single gold standard, and so recommended it. He 
 knew that the party leaders were expecting to decide before 
 they went to the capital, as there are few servants that know 
 not their masters. 
 
 In the meantime Bennie's weekly was kept full of his rea- 
 sons for opposing the demonetizing of silver, and he was 
 sending a copy to every merchant in the State put down in 
 Bradstreet, as well as an equal number, if not more, of the 
 farmers and other citizens, and received letters from all over 
 the State commending his stand and volunteering service. 
 
 OUR CONSCIENCE 
 
 Is it not well we do not see the Ghost, 
 The one that knows of us the most, 
 Of all the things in our life, 
 Things done that keep us from feeling exactly right. 
 
 Though it is our Ghost we all should fear, 
 Though we may not think it is always near. 
 Yet it reminds us that we are weak. 
 And it is well that to us our Ghost sometimes speak. 
 
THE NEW ERA («> 
 
 It is this Gliost ttiat shadows our lives 
 Of the things we thinlc we safely keep, 
 Though in silence we may think it is asleep, 
 Yet he keeps whispering to us of the past, 
 The things we would like to forget. 
 
 Then be careful not to fall asleep 
 At the Evil One's cunning feet ; 
 If you do, he will soon have you on the retreat. 
 Instead of becoming meek, so we may rest in our sleep. 
 
 He soon had a strong organization in over half of the coun- 
 ties of the State, and they plainly announced that they would 
 not vote for any candidate or party that was opposed to the 
 coinage of silver equal to that of gold. When the State Demo- 
 cratic Convention was called, there were more than a few of 
 the merchants, who had found no time before to attend con- 
 ventions, that were so far from their homes, but the Execu- 
 tive Committee found that they were to be considered, and 
 soon began to fall over each other to take side of the boys 
 who carried the votes, and they adopted resolutions condemn- 
 ing the demonetization of silver, and would count it the 
 greatest crime of the age to do so. The Populist party had 
 already endorsed it, and sent a committee to wait on the 
 Democratic Convention, offering to co-operate or fuse with 
 the Democrats if they would give them recognition by letting 
 them have one of the State offices, any one, to show recogni- 
 tion, but the goldbug element almost foamed at the mouth, 
 as they had already planned to run an independent Demo- 
 cratic ticket, which they did later — Palmer and Buckner. 
 They were working to keep the silver forces separated. The 
 convention did its work and went home, but it was noticed 
 that some of the electors that were nominated were thought 
 to be for gold, though soon afterwards the Populist Execu- 
 tive Committee met, and invited the Executive Committee of 
 the Democratic party to meet at the same time, as well as 
 the silver organization. When the day arrived, the com- 
 mittees were there, as well as the delegates from the silver 
 
70 MEMORIES! 
 
 clubs of the State. Berrnie, being chairman of the silver 
 organization, was its principal spokesman, and the proposi- 
 tion of fusing with the Populists on electors and one State 
 office came up again at the same time. The Republicans had 
 offered to fuse with the Populists, who held the balance of 
 power in the State, by letting the Populists name their terms, 
 but their chairman and State Senator, Marion Butler, had 
 repeatedly refused to consider their overtures, as their party 
 stood for the gold standard, while the Populists were for 
 both gold and silver. 
 
 After the friends of silver worked two days and nights 
 trying to get co-operation between the two parties, the red-hot 
 partisans in the Democratic party refused to yield a single 
 State office, as they seemed too anxious to hold all for them- 
 selves, but they were warned by Bennie that they would lose 
 the State offices. The majority said they would win, and 
 would risk it ; so, after the salaried officers could not be got- 
 ten to give up one office to the Populists, the earnest silver 
 men in all three organizations began to try to get co-operation 
 on the electors. After a day and night more, there was an 
 agreement reached between the two parties to co-operate on 
 the electors — there were eleven to be chosen — the Democrats 
 were to have five, the Populists five, and the silver organiza- 
 tion one. The organization settled on Bennie for the eleventh 
 elector, but ho flatly refused to serve, telling them that he 
 had more than two men could well look after; besides, he 
 never had, and never wanted to have, any ambition to hold a 
 public office. However, he did ask the privilege of naming 
 one of the best men in the State, who was strong, with a 
 large following that had walked out of the National Eepvib- 
 lican Convention with Senator Tellar and others, condemning 
 his lifelong party for its betrayal to the money trust, that he 
 was honest and honorable as well as courageous. When they 
 
 asked who he was, Bennie named him — Dr. Al thinking, 
 
 as most of the others did, that he was a splendid fit. 
 
THH MEW EliA 71 
 
 Feeling- that everything had been arranged satisfactorily, 
 Bennie bade his friends good-night, warning the leaders of 
 the Democratic party that they were making a big mistake 
 in not co-operating all the way down, and many of them 
 thought the same thing. Everything being settled, as he 
 thought, he took the late train for home. The next night he 
 received a telegram, saying that some of the committee 
 
 wouldn't consent to putting Ur. M on the ticket, and they 
 
 wanted to use his name. He wired back, expressing his 
 regrets at their action, and suggested another name, who was 
 a splendid man in every way, and a Democrat. The next 
 day a telegram came, saying that the Democrats wouldn't 
 agree to accept anyone but him, and if he refused to serve, 
 all would fail. He then wired that he did not want the place, 
 under any consideration, and would only consent to keep the 
 co-operation from failing ; then only would he consent to the 
 use of his name. In the next morning's paper the dispatch 
 reported that, after a week of virrangling, they had settled on 
 all of the electors, and, to Bonnie's disappointment, his name 
 was chosen. 
 
 A few days afterward, Bennie received a letter to go to the 
 capital to help arrange for the campaign. After spending a 
 day helping- to get all the plans made, he was ready to leave 
 on the four o'clock train next morning. Upon arrival he was 
 told by the night clerk at the hotel that the Democratic com- 
 mitteeman of his town was in the city, and supposed to be 
 stopping there, but he had not been there in several nights, 
 and ought to be looked after. Upon inquiring of the clerk if 
 he knew where he was, he was told where the clerk had heard 
 he was. They found a hackman who promised to be at the 
 place for him at two o'clock and have him at the hotel in 
 time to be at the depot for the train. When Bennie went 
 down into the lobby to settle his bill, the hackman had his 
 man, but he wasn't in a traveling condition ; also his money 
 was gone and he did not seem to know what had become of it. 
 Bennie took charge of him at the depot, paying for his break- 
 
72 MEMORIES 
 
 fast. The man had a pass, being a newspaper man, and 
 Bennie looked after him until he landed in his o\\ti town. 
 ^Vhen Bennie arrived at the capital, he was told that the 
 Colonel he helped to get back home had done all he could to 
 keep the other committeemen from putting him on the Elec- 
 toral Committee. Bennie replied that he was sorry that he 
 did not succeed. He then came home, the work of the cam- 
 paign having been planned. 
 
 He filled his paper with interesting reading from then on. 
 A summons came to him in a few days to meet at Kansas 
 City with the Populists and the silver organization of the 
 entire country, to see if there could be a co-operative ticket 
 named, so as to get all of the silver forces to vote for Bryan, 
 who had been nominated by the Democrats. Bennie was 
 there to attend the meeting, arriving the day before, mingling 
 with all of the "silverites" — men like St. John, of New 
 York, a noted banker, who, rather than submit to what he con- 
 ceded to be a great injustice, offered his resignation to his 
 directors, which, of course, was accepted, as no man's opinion 
 counts for anything with those whose whole aim is more 
 money, by any means. 
 
 When the meeting was called to order, the great hall was 
 packed, from every part of the country, the Populists outnum- 
 bering all others many times. Bennie had found out by 
 mingling with them that they were opposed to any compro- 
 mise, and wanted nothing to do with the Democrats, as they 
 only wanted their votes, and in the end would swallow their 
 party whole. Wliile it looked gloomy, yet there was not any- 
 thing to do but to make the fight on the fioor of the con- 
 vention, and Bennie was one of the first on his feet when 
 the convention was called to order, making a motion that 
 Mr. St. John be made chairman, and while it was being 
 seconded there were several others nominated. After the 
 nominations were all made, he got the attention of the chair 
 and spoke in behalf of his motion, giving his hearers his 
 reason for naming a man who had sacrificed his great position 
 
THE NEW ERA 
 
 for conscience's sake, and that the convention would show its 
 unworthiness in meeting if they did not show their gratitude 
 for such heroism. After he sat do\m, the question was called 
 for at once, the vote taken giving St. John a majority of the 
 votes, and he was declared elected. 
 
 The meeting was declared ready for business. Scores of 
 resolutions were offered at once, all opposing co-operation. 
 Each resolution was referred to the committee on resolutions, 
 which was soon named by the chairman. In the meantime 
 it seemed that every one wanted the floor at the same time, 
 but the chairman, being a fine parliamentarian, kept all in 
 line and motions in order. When the convention closed for 
 lunch it was about where it started, only it could be seen that 
 there was no intention on the part of the majority to have 
 only a straight Populist ticket ; but after the resolutions com- 
 mittee commenced, it did not want to report until the temper 
 of the crowd had changed or gotten tired and left. It was 
 two days in getting its report before the convention. Wlien 
 it was reported, Bennie, with many others who were on the 
 committee, spoke for its adoption, which was that each party 
 should nominate its regular ticket, then co-operate with the 
 Bryan electors in order that the electoral vote could be cast 
 for Bryan, and in the State where the Populists carried, for 
 the Populist Vice-President. Had a vote been taken when 
 the resolution was presented, it would have been overwhelm- 
 ingly defeated. The chairman having to recognize various 
 speakers, it was kept from coming to a test until the com- 
 mittee was ready to report, and many of the fire-eaters got 
 disgusted and left. Others were persuaded not to throw 
 away the only chance there was to elect a man for President 
 who was truly for silver coinage as well as for gold. 
 
 After the convention finished and all had become recon- 
 ciled, those in attendance dispersed for their homes. A few 
 days later, reports came that there was no way, apparently, 
 to untangle the situation in regard to electoral votes, with two 
 sets of candidates running. Up to then, no thought had been 
 
74 MEMORIES 
 
 given to it, but after many days of heated debates on the 
 knotty problem, "Coin" Harvey offered the solution, which 
 was accepted by all as the plan. Bennie had offered the 
 same plan, after worrying over it for days and nights, to the 
 Associated telegTaph dispatcher, whom he had brought home 
 from the State capital, and had opposed any co-operation. 
 He being the owner of the oldest Democratic paper in the 
 State, but being blinded with party prejudice, refused to 
 take it as news, or even print the plan that would untangle 
 the situation, stating that the Democrats would not vote for 
 
 d Populist electors if they were on the Democratic ticket, 
 
 but the plan offered by Bennie was published in an afternoon 
 paper three days before Mr. Harvey gave out his plan, which 
 was the same that was offered to the Associated news dis- 
 patcher. They did vote for the Populist electors in this 
 State, carrying it for Bryan by thirteen thousand and five 
 hundred votes. The Populists who fused with the Republi- 
 cans in State and county offices, after the blind partisanship 
 in the Democratic party had refused to co-operate with them 
 on their own terms, were defeated by twelve thousand votes, 
 thus electing Russell for Governor, while the Democratic 
 candidate would have been Governor if the Democrats had 
 acted wisely. When they saw that they were defeated, there 
 was great disappointment, as is the case when one set of 
 officers have to move out to give their warm berths to their 
 political opponents. 
 
 As the negro was voting then, and the Democrats owned 
 about all the newspapers, it did not take long to make the 
 people of the State and the balance of the world believe that 
 the State was in a fearful condition, when really all the im- 
 portant offices of the State were held by white people, mostly 
 from the Farmers' Alliance and the Populist party. Few, if 
 any, negroes were elected to any office, certainly not to any 
 office of consequence, but the first Legislature which, as soon 
 as all officers had taken hold, appointed, as a rule, about one- 
 third of the school committeemen in the eastern counties, 
 
THE NEW ERA T5 
 
 where their vote was largest, the same as the Democrats had 
 formerly done, two white school committeemen and one negro 
 for each township, the latter supposed to look after and take 
 the census of the negTO children, with the law that two of the 
 committee were sufficient to control the schools, sign all vouch- 
 ers, which left with the two white committeemen control of 
 the schools. A few minor offices were filled hy negi-oes, but 
 not enough to give them power to control. The Populists 
 were a part of the old Democratic party who had rebelled 
 and left it because they claimed that it was completely con- 
 trolled by the railroads and other corporations, and the for- 
 mer Populist-Democrat would not stand for it. 
 
 The Legislature made many new laws, putting more of the 
 burden of State upon these corporations by reducing railroad 
 fares, telegraph and telephone charges, and forming a rail- 
 road corporation commission for the State, to look over the 
 railroads and other public utilities, to reg-ulate them, etc. ; 
 also it elected two United States Senators. State Senator 
 Marion Butler was elected for six years to fill the place for- 
 merly held by Senator Ransom, and State Senator Jeter C. 
 Pritchard was elected to fill the unexpired term of Senator 
 Vance, who had died. 
 
 A change in many of the State laws was made, but when 
 they began to reduce fares and freight charges, telegraph and 
 telephone expenses, etc., then war broke out, and every means, 
 both fair and foul, mostly the latter, was used to discredit 
 the party in power, as these big gentry had held sway for 
 years, and they could brook no equal nor endure any law 
 they could not dictate. 
 
 While the Legislature was in session, there were two or 
 three negToes representing one or two of the eastern counties 
 having a large negro population. This was also true in for- 
 mer years under Democratic administration. This was more 
 than the Democrats and the corporations could stand, aftei" 
 the Democrats had foolishly throwni away their chance of 
 
76 MEMORIES 
 
 election. With their army of attorneys, riding on free passes 
 and controlling the press, their papers put on red paint, which 
 the Populists said was poke-juice. Whether is was, or not, 
 their headlines were large and red enough to frighten a blind 
 man if he had been told what they looked like. No man's 
 character, regardless of his record, was immune from their 
 attack if he was a Populist or Republican. A preacher of 
 the Gospel (and there were several in the Legislature) was 
 shown no more consideration than if he were a criminal, as 
 many weeping wives, mothers, and sisters could bear testi- 
 mony. 1^0 doubt some of the leaders in these outrages have 
 gone to answer for them before a just Judge. It took nearly 
 twelve months to get these laws enforced against railroads; 
 then they carried their cases from court to court, until the 
 people never received any reduction of charges, as the Repub- 
 licans and Populists only controlled one more Legislature. 
 
 When the third Legislature was to be elected, the Demo- 
 crats went down in one of the strongest negro counties in the 
 State to secure a chairman as manager of their campaign, 
 who, it is said, had learned to count the Republican and negro 
 votes for the Democrats, and who instructed his pollholders 
 and workers all over the State as to his method of counting ; 
 also how to dress in red shirts and big plumes. There was 
 plenty of "red-eye" to be had for the mere hunting, with 
 plenty of money, and it was said that guns were stored in 
 some of the railroad storage rooms. All this came on during 
 the panic that came during and after Cleveland's adminis- 
 tration. With thousands of loafing men everywhere, it was 
 doubly easy for the Democratic chairman to gain recruits, 
 and when the election returns were all in, he had carried his 
 State by the biggest count ever given his party, the largest 
 majority coming from where there were the most negroes, 
 though it was claimed that but few of them in the eastern 
 counties pretended to vote, but the returns did not indicate 
 that their vote was not counted, and thus the State had been 
 
THE NEW ERA 
 
 saved, as it was claimed, from negro domination, notwith- 
 standing the fact that there were from three to four white 
 voters in the State to every negro. 
 
 Judging from this, the North Carolina negro must be the 
 smartest in the world, to have such power against such a 
 majority of white people. The character of the white men 
 who were elected to office by the Populists and Republicans 
 compared favorably with those holding office under the 
 former Democratic administration, and many of the laws 
 that they enacted were needed, and were some of the best that 
 the State had up to that time. It could be said at least, 
 that it was not under the ruling corporation of the State, 
 though they used gTeat influence, and caused much trouble 
 among the two factions of the Republican and Populist 
 parties. Of course the State Democratic Chairman rose at 
 once from the Railroad "cow lawj^er" to be senator of the 
 United States and the everlasting gratitude of the little county 
 officers as well as those who feed from the county and State 
 crib was given, and they still feel grateful to the chairman for 
 teaching how to count, and with their little county machine, 
 they have formed one big State machine, that also expresses 
 gratitude to themselves, as well as to the chairman, who knows 
 so well how to control correspondents of newspapers, and the 
 office holder as a rule in his State that it would be a crime 
 to deprive him of his high senatorial seat, when he is of such 
 great service to big husiriess firms all over the country, at the 
 same time knowing how to do so much for the masses through 
 the headlines of the controlled press to be tuned and sung 
 by his machines who look after his interests so cunningly, 
 that he had them all guessing except the big business interests. 
 
 Our Creator, our family, our country we should love, 
 This we must show by our actions now begun. 
 If happiness, prosperity and contentment we are to gain, 
 Lest we will continue to be cursed by the present Simmons reign. 
 
78 MEMORIES 
 
 When the honest and righteous rule, the people rejoice, 
 Not since the Simmons machine has debauched the good name of our 
 
 State, 
 Now isn't it time for all honest people to be on the go, 
 And dethrone the wicked who should not be allowed to rule any more. 
 
 If peace and justice you and your family are to have, 
 Arouse your neighbors and do all you can 
 To elect a man we can all trust and understand. 
 And happiness and contentment will no longer shun our land. 
 
 Honest men, our State will shun, 
 If many reforms from this wicked reign is not begun, 
 In this we are expected to do our best. 
 Then we all will see that to elect honest men will be the best. 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 POLITICS IN THE CITY 
 
 During this time, the city government of the largest city 
 of the east had changed hands. The leader who had ruled 
 it for about fifteen years, and most of the time had been 
 its mayor, was soon to be elected again, as the city had five 
 wards, each electing two aldermen, and they in turn electing 
 one of their number as mayor. Knowing the art of ward 
 politics, he would have two of his friends in each ward to 
 run, having disbursement of most of the funds, he and his 
 friends for the city government, working streets and all 
 other work needed, he naturally knew how to keep his fences 
 in order; besides, he had the largest clothing and gents' 
 furnishing store in that section of the State, and any who 
 would vote for him, it was said, could run an account at his 
 store. 
 
 When the time came for his next election, a notice was 
 given of a caucus to be held by the voters of his ward to 
 meet on a certain night, and select a candidate to be voted 
 for the following night, the program going through as 
 planned. Bennie was out of the city for a few days, and on 
 reaching his ofiice about ten o'clock a. m., it was not many 
 minutes before there came into his place a broker. Bennie 
 inquired for the news of the city. The broker said : "I 
 suppose that you have heard about the caucus last night." 
 Bennie replied that he hadn't and asked to be told all about 
 it. He was then told that the same old candidate was 
 nominated for mayor that they had tried to defeat for fifteen 
 years, and his re-election was practically certain. ''What 
 is being done to defeat him ?" Bennie asked. ''Not a thing," 
 said the broker, "as we have decided it is useless. He has 
 so much money and the city machinery is in his hands so 
 completely that we have decided not to make another useless 
 
 [79] 
 
80 MEMORIES 
 
 fight on him." Bennie said that he would not let him walk 
 over again if it could be prevented, and asked the broker, 
 who had been one of the faithful ones to relieve the city of 
 its burdens, who would, in his opinion, form a good committee 
 to have in conference. The broker gave him twelve names 
 wi'itten on a slip of paper, including the two who were 
 talking. In a few seconds he was at the telephone calling 
 each one as their names appeared on the list, asking if they 
 would come down there at once. Each wanted to know 
 ^'What is it ?" The answer was that it was too important 
 to tell over the telephone. J^aturally each one's curiosity was 
 aroused, and their answer was "Yes." 
 
 In less than a half hour, all were there, and they were 
 asked to go back where persons on the street could not see 
 them. As soon as all were there, Bennie explained the 
 object of the call. All thought like the broker, when told 
 that the object was to keep it from being known to the other 
 side, and that the only hope was to catch them on the blind 
 side, as that was the case of the leader. The first thing 
 that was asked was, would each one start out at once, and 
 see every "anti" man in his block, when he went for his 
 lunch, and get them to get all the anti men that they could, 
 to meet at the same place at four o'clock sharp, but to go 
 upstairs by a back step so as to attract as little attention as 
 possible, but to bind every man who came to secrecy. 
 
 At four o'clock sharp, there were between thirty and forty 
 men upstairs, seated on benches or planks, supported by boxes, 
 etc. As soon as the meeting was explained to those that 
 were not at the meeting in the forenoon, the first question 
 that came up was whom would they suggest for alderman. 
 In less time than it takes to tell it, some one had proposed 
 Bennie's name, and before he had time to say anything, it 
 was agreed to by every man there. Having no desire for 
 it or any other ofiice, he refused to let his name be used, 
 but suggested a neighbor who lived next door to him, and 
 insisted on making him the candidate, but there was so much 
 
POLITICS IN THE CITY S] 
 
 u|)pi)sition to his name that it was withdrawn, and anothei' 
 man who was present, and there was no better in the towii, 
 was nominated and elected nnanimonsly. It was five-thirty 
 p. m. and no tickets printed, and the real primary was to 
 commence at eight p. m. A committee was sent to a friendly 
 printing house, with instructions to stay there and have the 
 tickets ready by seven-forty. At seven-thirty, the antis began 
 to come, as every anti had promised to be there that was in 
 the ward. 
 
 At eight o'clock the large building was well crowded, but 
 no tickets yet. Bennie paced the floor up and down stairs, 
 smoking his cigar, often chewing the end off ; every anti man 
 would either smile as he passed or stop to ask a question in 
 a low voice, receiving as an answer only a nod or a shake 
 of the head. Becoming more and more impatient about 
 the tickets, he went down to the sidewalk, and saw two men 
 coming in a gait between a walk and a trot. He soon recog- 
 nized them and as soon as they were near enough, the tickets 
 were handed to him, but he gave one package back and asked 
 that they help to distribute them, quietly to all the antis. 
 When all the tickets were distributed to the right crowd, it 
 was going on to nine o'clock. 
 
 The cry soon began, open the polls to the registrar, who 
 held the books, and while more time was asked, so that others 
 might get there, the demand to open the polls could not be 
 resisted, and then two men with tally sheets to take the names 
 of all the voters, asserting whom he voted for (though every 
 anti man knew every other anti man in his ward), and as 
 some of them had hunted foxes with their hounds, they knew 
 that every once in a while they would come to an old 
 cunning fellow that would fool the dogs every time, and it 
 would often be years before he was captured, so all of a kind, 
 who had been chasing the old fox for about fifteen years, 
 knew that he had to be watched to the very last minute. 
 "When the ballot box was opened, the old fox's fellows flocked 
 up and shot their big gun at the beginning, but when the 
 6 
 
82 ' MEMORIES 
 
 antis began, they kept tilings moving so fast that it was 
 seen by the old fox's men that they were outwitted, and 
 when time came to close the books and count the votes, the 
 antis had won by a majority of about eighteen, to the surprise 
 of the entire city. The old pro-crowd were so certain that it 
 would be only a ratification meeting that there was no great 
 eifort to get their vote out. 
 
 This was the first time the old fox had been defeated in 
 about fifteen years and meant that he would not be mayor 
 the next term. The regular election came oft" in a few weeks 
 and each of the candidates that were nominated in the 
 Democratic caucuses were elected ; the legislature, under the 
 influence of the governor, had gotten through a special act 
 to appoint one alderman from each ward and the voters to 
 elect the other one. There being five wards, it meant five 
 to be appointed and five to be elected. There were more 
 whites than negroes in all the wards except two. The negroes 
 generally voted for whomever their boss told them to, some- 
 times a Democrat and sometimes a Republican, so the negro 
 had always been represented on the board of aldermen. The 
 governor had named three white men, with the three whites 
 that were already elected, and was being besieged to name 
 the fourth white man, which he said he would do, but the 
 Democrats, who camped at the capital, wanted the defeated 
 mayor named, or at least one of his kind. Also they wanted 
 him to use his influence to have the old incompetent chief 
 of the fire department, who worshipped his position more 
 than he did anything else, as they drew seventeen thousand 
 five hundred dollars from the city on which to have a good 
 time. 
 
 The runners ran fast, and every day you could hear of 
 different delegations that were at the capital, pleading with 
 the governor to appoint this one or that one, and it was the 
 fox crowd that was generally before him, but a week before 
 time for the aldermen to meet and organize, Bennie received 
 a telegram from the governor, asking him if he would accept 
 
POLITICS IN THE CITY 83 
 
 the aldennaifs place from his ward. Beniiie wrote him that 
 he could not see why he should offer him the place, that there 
 were but few who w^ould not accept it, including Democrats 
 who had voted for the governor, while Bennie did not ever 
 raise his voice, or his paper in his behalf, and had besides 
 spent several days at the capital, writing bushels of letters try- 
 ing to persuade the Bourbon machine to co-operate with the 
 Populists, and carrying the State as the electoral vote was, 
 while he felt kindly towards him for the kindness shown 
 his father during the war, but did not attend the governor's 
 inaugTiral reception when he was in the capital. (He also 
 wired the governor on receipt of his telegrams thanking him 
 and stating that he could not accept.) He then wired his first 
 lieutenant, who was chairman of the board of audit and 
 finance of the city, the others were Democrats and had been 
 for years, giving the entire control of the finance to the Demo- 
 crats, as every dollar that was expended had to be approved 
 by them before they could get the money. So when the chair- 
 man came to see Bennie with his urgent request from the 
 governor to accept, stating that he knew he was honest and 
 would give the city his best efforts and see that no grafting 
 was allow^ed as it appeared in former administrations, his 
 reply to the chairman was the same as it had been to the 
 governor, only he told him that he was offered the place 
 by the Democrats and had refused, but got a good man in his 
 place. The chairman said that the same old gang that had 
 used the city so long as if it belonged to them, were camping 
 on the governor's campus and that if he did not take it, 
 one of them would no doubt get it. Bennie answered that he 
 was sorry, but that he did not want it, and did not have 
 the time to attend to it. That night about nine o'clock his 
 doorbell rang ; when he answered it, he found the chairman, 
 with another telegram telling him to see Bennie, and ask 
 him w^here his patriotism was that he preached so long in 
 his paper, that every man owed to his home and his coimtry 
 enough of his time and thought to help make it a better place 
 
84 MEMORIES 
 
 to live in, and said further that if he didn't accept, that he 
 would see some one else appointed he would not like to have 
 the place; also that the fine work that had been done would 
 be lost if Bennie refused. Bennie tried to suggest several 
 names to him, but he said every man nearly in his ward 
 had been mentioned that was worth considering. When he 
 was leaving Bennie asked him to let him have until the next 
 afternoon to see some of his friends. He agreed, saying 
 that he would wire the governor that he would let him have 
 a definite answer on the next afternoon before six o'clock. 
 
 He worried all the night, thinking over the matter. Early 
 the next morning, as he left his home, he saw every anti man 
 he could, and asked them what to do. Every single one 
 insisted on his taking the place, by all means, even going so 
 far as to condemn him harshly for not taking it at first. 
 Going from home after lunch, he met the chairman at two 
 o'clock at the postoffice, and told him his friends had per- 
 suaded him to accept the place. He wheeled at once and 
 said that he would go and send the telegram. Speaking of 
 the chairman, there was no better business man in the city. 
 With all the dealings Bennie had had with him and his firm, 
 selling them hundreds of thousands of shingles for their 
 foreign trade, he never had the least trouble or misunder- 
 standing with any of the firm. The only thing that they 
 
 could say was, "Mr. C is a Eepublican, though a high 
 
 Mason, and stood equally as high in his church." 
 
 The next morning the announcement of the appointment 
 was made. Bennie had gained the prejudice and animosity 
 of many of the politicians by his preferment over the pro- 
 fessional politician by being chosen as a Bryan elector, and 
 one of the two men in the State whom Bryan personally 
 requested to go with him in his private car over the State 
 during his campaign, and he was also invited to be one of 
 the three guests of Vanderbilt for three days when he gave 
 his great banquet in the interest of forest protection. All 
 these things were too nnich for some, and they began to wins- 
 
I'U LIT It's JX THE CITY ST. 
 
 per it around that if Bryan was elected, the coimtryman 
 from the backwoods would have the say as to every office to 
 be given out. Many were asking what office he was going 
 to have; his choice, of course, some would say, although 
 Bennie assured them that he did not want a single office. 
 Then some would ask who was furnishing the money that it 
 took to do the work he was doing, to which he could truth- 
 fully reply that every cent he was spending was coming out 
 of his own pocket, as he had not received one cent for what 
 he was doing, and never expected to. That was another 
 puzzle to those who made politics a financial gain, rather 
 than that of duty one owes to his country, as long as he is 
 able to help make better government. 
 
 Before the day arrived for the organization of the board 
 of aldermen, he had seen two of the Republican aldermen 
 appointed by the governor, both being contractors, Bennie 
 having sold them shingles for years. He got their faithful 
 promise that they would vote with him, and the three Demo- 
 crats elected to organize the board ; but the defeated, who 
 had made their money out of controlling the affairs of the 
 city, began to use their influence to keep the Democrats that 
 were elected from qualifying. Having heard of their inten- 
 tions, each of them was seen and urged to qualify when the 
 day came, and each promised to do so. 
 
 The morning they were to be sworn in, each was present 
 to take the oath of office. A few minutes before the time for 
 them to take the oath, three of the leaders, including the de- 
 feated mayor and disgruntled who were defeated at the pri- 
 mary, as well as at the capital, marched up, each taking one 
 of the elected Democrats by the arm out on the street, per- 
 suading them not to qualify, as it all was unconstitutional 
 and w^ould be so held by the higher courts. These dis- 
 appointed politicians, after pleading earnestly for ever so 
 long, finally succeeded in getting them not to qualify. This 
 was their first successful move in bringing about what was 
 their aim. The others were sworn in, but postponed 
 
86 MEMORIES 
 
 organizing, waiting on the others to qnalifv, but in 
 the meantime influence was brought to bear on Bennie 
 to get him to refuse to serve. His answer was, that he did 
 not want the place, and only accepted it in order that he 
 might be able to help protect the interests of his city, and 
 he felt that if ever the city needed him and the other Demo- 
 crats that were elected, it was then, and he expected to stand 
 by the old town — not the Republican party — doing, without 
 pay Or hope of reward, all that he could to protect its rights. 
 
 When he could not prevail upon the rest of the aldermen 
 to wait longer on the three Democrats to qualify, they then 
 went into organizing the city's government. When this was 
 agreed to by the majority, Bennie saw that his hope and 
 plans were defeated, but refused to go into a secret caucus 
 to name the officers, as he reminded them that, as it stood 
 then, the Republicans would control the caucus, and if he 
 went into it he would be bound by its action, which he refused 
 to do, but would vote for men he thought worthy and com- 
 petent of holding various positions. When the caucus had 
 finished its work and came out to make its report, he voted 
 against every one that he thought not competent of filling 
 the place as well as they could be filled by some others, and 
 put in nomination some one to be substituted, but the tAvo 
 who had promised to help organize saw that there was no 
 chance after the three were kept from (jualifying and serv- 
 ing; and while efforts were mostly futile in getting in those 
 that were suggested by him, there were some very good men 
 put in different places, though only a few Democrats. 
 
 When the various committees were created to take care of 
 the city's financial interests, Bennie was named as head of 
 each, such as chairman of finance, street improvements, 
 water-works, and fire department, which was more than 
 plenty; but he tackled his job like he did his own business, 
 beginning by cutting off everything that appeared as favors 
 rather than business. After three months work with the 
 clerk of the board of audit and finance, who was a Demo- 
 
rof.rrirs /.v the city 
 
 crat, and no one with liigiier character, working from eight 
 o'clock nntil eleven at night, the budget was completed, 
 which enabled a reduction of ten cents on the tax rate, mak- 
 ing the rate eighty-three instead of ninety-three, which gave 
 an income of about one hundred thousand a year. The 
 expenses of the fire department were cut down, and after he 
 and the clerk of finance committee got through with shaving, 
 they had appropriated eleven thousand dollars instead of 
 seventeen thousand five hundred, as they had been getting. 
 This was not done until an estimate of all the feed, drivers, 
 blacksmiths, hose, engines, etc., had been ascertained. When 
 totaled up, it was about one-half of what they had been 
 drawing from the city under the former city administration, 
 but there were about three hundred of them, most all boosters 
 for the old regime, who were so free-hearted in allowing them 
 such heavy allowance to keep up their pool clubs, etc., their 
 wines and their dines ; and they, being volunteers, had to be 
 at their work. 
 
 The town was suffering at such a rate with fire losses that 
 the leading fire insurance companies were threatening a with- 
 drawal from it, but the row was on when they learned of the 
 estimate for the department, the newspapers of the city being 
 completely in sympathy with them, and the three hundred 
 firemen, counting five to the family, there were one thousand 
 five hundred people, with all their friends who had put on 
 the w^ar paint, besides the old fox with his new lieutenants, 
 especially two who were with him to keep the men who had 
 been elected to serve from doing so. The next day the 
 announcement was in the papers of the cut in the allowance 
 that was made, with woeful, threatening editorials. It must 
 be remembered that the old fox was still the largest clothing 
 dealer, and the papers pronouncing an anathema on the 
 heads of the incompetent rulers of the city's affairs. The 
 papers gave notice that there would be a meeting of all the 
 controllers of the fire companies that night to decide what 
 they would do. They held this meeting and passed resolu- 
 
88 MEMORIES 
 
 tions condemning the outrage, and said the keys of the fire 
 department houses, etc, were at the disposal of the fire com- 
 mittee, as they refused to serve any longer. The chairman 
 of the board of audit and finance saw Bennie as soon as he 
 reached his ofiice, and asked him what was to be done, as the 
 mayor was all up in the air, as he did not know what to do. 
 The chairman of the audit of finance was in his buggy, and 
 he was asked if he would go up to the mayor's office and ask 
 him if he would send some of the best policemen around to 
 each of the fire departments and get the keys and keep guard 
 over the property until new men could be gotten, and see 
 those who manned the engines, equipment, etc., that they 
 were receiving regular salaries. By twelve o'clock the chair- 
 man came back and all instructions had been carried out, 
 and all the regular employees had agreed to remain. Before 
 night, several of the volunteers had learned that it was the 
 intention of the fire department to organize a paid depart- 
 ment, and there were soon enough applicants to handle the 
 department better than by volunteers. But when the notice 
 was in the papers of the companies that had resigned, the 
 oldest company had not made its decision, but would that 
 night. Bennie lost no time in seeing its captain, and asked 
 him not to let his company resign, and told him his intention, 
 and while its captain was considered the best fireman in office 
 in the city, he was told that if he would stand by his city in 
 its hour of need, he would see that he was made chief, if he 
 wanted it. The third chief, who was then in charge of his 
 old company, had been offered another good place. 
 
 At the meeting that night, the action of the old company 
 was postponed. The chief of the paid fire department of 
 Atlanta, Ga., was asked if he would come and give instruc- 
 tions of how to organize the city's paid fire department, etc. 
 The wire came back, "Yes." He was there in a few days, 
 and all plans were made and extra equipment ordered. About 
 this time fires were springing up all over the city, day and 
 night, which gave the mouthpiece of the controlled press more 
 
POLITIC!^ IX THE CITY 89 
 
 excuse to pour out its vitriol upon the incompetent negro 
 administration, when the negroes had no more to do with it 
 than the man in the moon. But the politicians in the city, as 
 well as many over the State, saw that their point was made. 
 The fires grew more and larger, until the largest school build- 
 ing was burned in the heart of the city. The next night a 
 large vessel on the water front was burned, with minor fires 
 here and there. When it was at its worst, the State press 
 commenced their howl of sympathy for the negro-ruled town 
 that was being destroyed as fast as time would let it. 
 
 When the State papers began in earnest in their blind 
 indignation, it was the general topic of the streets, and no 
 doubt martial law would have been asked for, if the governor 
 had not been a Kepublican. It had gotten so hard on the 
 nerves of the chairman of the audit and finance committee, as 
 well as the mayor, that the chairman rushed to Bennie : "My 
 God, what are we to do ? They are going to burn the city if 
 we don't turn the fire department over to them." "There is 
 nothing else to do," Bennie answered. "The most sensible 
 people of the city must know it is not the negroes, and if they 
 haven't patriotism enough to help save the to\vn by helping 
 to get up with the firebugs, the town had just as well burn, 
 as there is no hope for it." 
 
 About the time that the chief came from Atlanta, there 
 was another big fire on the river front, and the next day the 
 topic of the streets was the fire and the need of the old de- 
 partment. During the day, a young man, about grown, from 
 Bonnie's neighborhood, told him that he saw the man that 
 set fire to the tar yard, when he lit a newspaper and applied 
 it to the tar on the yard. W^ien the fire first started, the 
 light of it showed through the cabin door of the lighter that 
 was tied to the wharf at the yard where the fire began. When 
 asked if he knew the name of the man, he said that he did 
 not, but saw him buy a pint of whiskey the day before from 
 a groceryman, and that he would know him if he saw him 
 again. He was asked to keep a watch on the streets for him, 
 
90 MEMORIES 
 
 and where he saw him buying the whiskey, and if he found 
 him, not to say anything, but to hunt a policeman, and tell 
 him to arrest the man at once. Before night he had found 
 his man, also the policeman, who arrested him and took him 
 to the gaiard-house. The young man from Bennie's neighbor- 
 hood was positive enough to swear that it was the man he 
 saw set fire to the tar yard, and the guilty man was found 
 to be one of the members of the volunteer fire department, as 
 well as having been a warm supporter of the old mayor. 
 
 The firebug was tried, convicted, and sent to the peniten- 
 tiary for a number of years, and the mysterious fires ceased, 
 and the newspaper organs had no comment to make when it 
 was found out who was doing the burning, and the three 
 chiefs of the plotters had to take new steps to carry out their 
 plots. About the close of the year, it was seen that taxes 
 were being reduced, with the treasury in better shape than 
 it had been in some years, with a paid fire department, the 
 only one in the State, costing only about twenty thousand 
 dollars a year, and all extra equipment had been paid for out 
 of the first year's budget. Also the National Insurance 
 Company's Association that were threatening to withdraw 
 from the insurance in the city had ordered a reduction in 
 their rates, which saved the citizens twenty thousand dollars 
 on insurance the first year. 
 
 When the board of aldermen were electing their men to 
 hold certain positions, Bennie voted alone most of the time. 
 A wire came from the governor to elect the old fire chief, who 
 had charge of the old volunteer department, but as it had been 
 promised to a competent man, he thought it his duty to pro- 
 tect the city in time of peril, notwithstanding that all mis- 
 representation that could be heaped on any city was resorted 
 to by the plotters. The chairman of the fire committee 
 told the remainder of the board if they decided to obey the 
 governor to accept his resignation from the Board. This 
 was made known to the governor and he wired back to let 
 
POLITICS IX TJIK CITY 91 
 
 hini liiivo his way, and the eliief who had served so loii"- with 
 such ability still proves himself to be worthy of the position 
 he holds. 
 
 The several hundred thousand bushels of oyster shells that 
 had been contracted for paving the streets wQve cancelled, with 
 threats of a suit against the city by one of the right hand 
 bowers of the former mayor, which was another coal to help 
 keep the fires burning, but it was seen that streets made out of 
 such inferior material were not fit for a city ; the lime dust 
 was ruining the paint on the dwellings as well as the furni- 
 ture on the inside. Arrangements were made by the chair- 
 man of finance of the board of aldermen, by getting the 
 audit committee to approve same, to buy machinery to 
 crush suitable rock that was found some miles from the city 
 and while it was being hauled into the city, real street work 
 began by beginning at certain places in the city to give it 
 a thorough test. It was found to be fine street material, 
 and that was the beginning of giving the city and county 
 the best streets and highways in the State. 
 
 The street chairman soon began to work to get the city 
 to own and operate its own water works, as the one that 
 it had then was a disgrace. Water was so polluted that it 
 was not fit for washing purposes, much less for drinking, and 
 he got the board of aldermen to pass a resolution empower- 
 ing the chairman of the water committee, with the consent 
 of the majority of the audit and finance committee, to 
 negotiate with a contractor for the drilling of a well, and 
 erecting a plant with what surplus there was in the city 
 treasury, and the back taxes that were not paid, though 
 could be collected. The advertisement was inserted in the 
 Manufacturer's Record, and other journals, and there were 
 plenty of bidders. The contract was made with a party in 
 Pennsylvania. They were to be paid so much per foot for 
 a suitable sized well and were to stop as soon as a sufficient 
 flow of water, fit, by chemical tests, for domestic use, was 
 
92 MEMORIES 
 
 obtained. And they were not to receive any pay until the 
 work was completed in a satisfactory manner to the chair- 
 man and chemist of the city. 
 
 When the contractor had all of his outfit, three or four 
 car loads, on the spot and began work, he was notified by 
 a director of the leading bank that if he drilled the well he 
 would get no pay for it, as the board of audit and finance 
 had not given any approval of the city's contract, and would 
 not. The chairman of the audit and finance committee and 
 one other of the three on the committee, who was a Democrat, 
 which was a majority of the three, told Bemiie that they 
 highly approved the drilling of the well, and that they 
 would stand with him, the Democrat even patting him on the 
 shoulder, commending him for his courage, and they said 
 that up to then every man that attempted to force the com- 
 pany to give good water, was managed to be defeated for re- 
 election if he dared to run again as a candidate for alder- 
 man, but they asked that he go on with the good work that 
 was so much needed. However, it was only two or three 
 weeks after when they saw the city would soon own its water 
 works when every director in this big bank, even the one who 
 patted him on the shoulder, bidding him God-speed in his 
 good work, began fighting the new water works plant. The 
 chairman of that board, whose partner was one of the 
 directors, began to doubt when the showdown came. 
 
 When the cause of the change of forces was found out, 
 it was said that this big bank had about sixty thousand dollars 
 of the old water works company bonds being hypothecated 
 in this bank, and it meant no doubt a big loss to them if the 
 city should have a plant of its own. The chairman fought 
 on, threatening to force by law if possible the approval of 
 the contract that they had given verbally. The committee 
 of audit and finance saw that something had to be done, 
 and proposed that if the old company would give the man 
 that was there to dig the city's well a contract to dig them a 
 now well and gauirantee good domestic water fit for all pur- 
 
POLITICS IX THE CITY 93 
 
 poses, would the chairman be satisfied? He told them no, 
 in the presence of its officers, that all towns and cities ought 
 to own not only their water and sewage systems, but should 
 own their gas and electric plants, and also operate its own 
 street car lines. However, seeing that he was up against it 
 with the board of audit and finance, he agreed that if 
 they would give pure water in six months time, and twelve 
 fountains for the people's use, as well as for the animal's 
 free use, to be placed in the city wherever the chairman of 
 water designated, and would give a contract agreeing to do 
 it, in a certain number of months, he would cease on it then. 
 
 The chairman met the officers of the water works com- 
 pany, and there was an iron-clad contract drawn up to be 
 fulfilled in six months. This made the old contract with 
 the city null and void, though it had been broken repeatedly 
 for years. The chairman had the contract put in an enve- 
 lope, marked and put in among the city's contracts, in the 
 city's safe. ISTot living up to their contract, a few months 
 after the plotters overthrew the city government, one of 
 their officers being prominent in the overthrow. When things 
 became more sane again, there was no second contract to be 
 found, the ox having known his master's crib. The same 
 energy was used to get the city to own its ferry, that was 
 hindering the progress of the city, but after an order was 
 gotten through the board of aldermen empowering the 
 city to buy, it was rushed to the chamber of commerce for 
 its indorsement as a matter of courtesy, but the o\\'ners of 
 the stock were prominent members who stood always with 
 special interests, and their influence kept the chamber from 
 naming a committee for thirty days after the resolution to 
 go to the capital to have the bill passed, until the prime 
 mover in getting the free ferry, or bridge, saw the object 
 of the president of the chamber of commerce was to block 
 
 it. He then wrote to Dr. McN , who was a State senator 
 
 from the adjoining county, and asked that he get through 
 a bill before adjournment, empowering the city to issue 
 
94 MEMORIES 
 
 bonds to buy same. He did so and three days before the 
 legislature adjourned, the president of the chamber of com- 
 merce appointed his committee to go to Ealeigh to get the 
 bill through. His notice was answered, and he thanted him 
 for his fine spirit, but informed him that the bill had been 
 passed two weeks, if not, then it would have been too late, 
 as no new bills would be considered fifteen days before 
 adjournment. 
 
 The negotiating began — two business men, both Democrats, 
 and the chairman of the finance committee to negotiate 
 the deal. The OMmers wanted about three times what the 
 committee thought it was worth, but the chairman saw the 
 need of it for the city's interest, so much so that he got 
 the committee to double what they thought was a big price 
 for it. Even then they wanted more but the two citizens 
 that were on the committee would not consent, and it was 
 left to rest, to be taken up later. When the plotters suc- 
 ceeded, a few months afterwards, it was sold for a good deal 
 less than half to private parties of what they were offered 
 by the city, and for twenty years the heavy tolls to a private 
 corporation were paid, as it had been for years before. 
 
 This was one of the troubles of the old citv, that ouoht 
 to have two hundred thousand inhabitants, and would have 
 had, if it had not been for the selfish interests that controlled 
 it. The leading clubs, as well as some of the leading- 
 churches where the little person thought that he had gTOwn 
 to become large and important when he was admitted into 
 them, for his fine service rendered, and everything else that 
 could help keep things as they were, were considered the 
 best, yet they would still be little — brains, courage, and 
 honest service counted for nothing if they would not bow 
 to the will of those who were looking only for special service. 
 It is true, the gTeater one's ability to serve, the more they 
 were praised in the way that would be most effective. The 
 man who was bold enough to contend for the best interests 
 
POLITICO IN TUFj city 95 
 
 of the masses had to be ii,ottcn rid of and would be treated 
 with as little consideration as a vulture would a pig's maw. 
 
 Before the next election, the new mayor, a Republican 
 doctor, wanted to run for sheriff, and as the place had been 
 long held by a foxy Republican, there began much active 
 work by both of the aspirants, and as most of their votes 
 were negroes, it was who could win over on his side the 
 majority of their leaders and the mayor, through his influence 
 with the Republican aldermen, succeeded in adding to the 
 police force about half a dozen more negroes than was on 
 it before though warned four or five times in public meet- 
 ings and had refused to vote for any of them for any place 
 a white man could better fill, but the mayor kept the first 
 that he had appointed out mostly in the negro settlement, 
 but when he put more on the force, and let some of them 
 go down town on the main streets, showing their ivory and 
 brass buttons, though with instructions, it was claimed by 
 the mayor, not to arrest any white man but to go for a 
 white policeman if such an arrest was necessary, and seeing 
 a big, black burly negro in his uniform beating on any street 
 in the city, in the former administration, if he was a good 
 negro, voting the Democratic ticket each year, the mayor 
 may have thought that he could make some more good negroes 
 by getting them to vote for him in place of his rival, the 
 sheriff at that time. The papers in the city hardly let a 
 day pass that they did not take the side of the negro, claiming 
 that he was entitled to many times more of the offices than 
 he was getting and better serving himself, the mayor taking 
 the advice of the controlled press, he did what he did on 
 his own volition, for no one seemed to approve of it. 
 
 THE TATTLER 
 
 The tongue of the tattler is Satan's hest rattler, 
 It is hung on a pivot and its scope has no limit, 
 Angels it would as gladly destroy 
 As a vulcan would a pig's maw. 
 
96 MEMORIES 
 
 The tattler's work is never doue, 
 For it is so full of energy already spun, 
 Its work once begun is never done, 
 Until every thoughtful person from it is on the run. 
 
 So beware of the tattler's tongue ! 
 Let him learn that you have begun 
 To fear him worse than a gun, 
 Then his work will soon be doue. 
 
 Induce him his Bible to read, 
 In it he might begin to see 
 That there is no decent place he can hold 
 As long as he lets his tattling tongue control. 
 
CHAPTER X 
 
 RIOTS 
 
 About this time, the Ked Shirt campaign had begun to throw 
 their shirts to the wind, over the Eastern part of the State, 
 and more crimes were conmiitted by the impudent negi'oes 
 and their leaders than were committed by the Germans upon 
 the French and Belgians, until the facts were known what 
 big liars there were in Europe, but the facts were not allowed 
 to be known in l^orth. Carolina. The multiplication and add- 
 ing machines, that do not lie unless you make them, were 
 nowhere, compared to the way every little insignificant thing 
 was magnified that happened in the city. These public news- 
 papers, eager for excitable news, would print some frivolous 
 thing, comment on it, twisting what was written to please 
 their political bosses, some paper or many it might be would 
 take up the outrages, as they were termed and after adding 
 to it to suit their wits and prejudices, would send it broad- 
 cast to the public. It was often so changed when written 
 by exchange papers that the original article would be printed 
 by the first newspaper starting the report, and credit it as 
 coming from the paper probably two hundred miles away, 
 as what had happened in the city where the plotters were 
 controlling the minds of the unthinking people. One of the 
 editors and owners of a paper was an associated press reporter 
 and he let loose all that a credulous people would believe. 
 They had most of the innocent people, women and children, 
 with the feminine men believing everything that was printed, 
 as well as the news that was circulated and peddled on the 
 streets. 
 
 This frenzied excitement went on until every one but 
 
 those who were behind the plot, with a few exceptions, were 
 
 led to believe that the negToes were going to rise up and 
 
 kill all the whites, including women and children. In the 
 
 7 [97] 
 
98 MEMORIES 
 
 meantime Red Shirt clubs, called White Supremacy clubs, 
 had been organized in every ward of the city and every white 
 man in the city must sign. The call for the first mass 
 meeting was signed by the three plotters that went up to 
 the city's municipal building and led away the three Demo- 
 cratic aldermen that had been elected and went to qualify 
 and serve the city. The mass meeting was well advertised, 
 and the next morning the papers were filled with their 
 patriotic utterances, advising all white men to arm and be 
 ready to defend themselves. They failed to tell them that 
 the negroes were already frightened out of their wits, and 
 were affirming that they had not done anything and would 
 not think of such things as they were accused of, and had 
 already made up their minds that they were not going any- 
 where about the polls on election day. Nevertheless, the call 
 was made for another mass meeting for the next night, with 
 hand bills distributed all over the town, saying that it was 
 expected that every white man would be present to prepare 
 to protect his family. With big headlines in all the papers, 
 every white man was requested to be present and it was stated 
 that there would be a meeting each night until all had joined 
 and thoroughly organized. When the hour for the meeting- 
 arrived, they were there and the three original plotters had 
 several fiery orators to help inject their fire upon the audi- 
 ence. It was claimed that the inward fire was free on 
 most any corner, as these were the times before prohibition, 
 and the dispensers of the liquor are like special interests, 
 they can always be expected on the winning side. 
 
 These meetings went on nightly in the main building, and 
 daily on the street corners, as nothing else was doing, and 
 were apt to be near some bar, whose owner was one of the 
 leading boys ; when they had the town bubbling over with 
 excitement, they had put out the word that the negroes had 
 planned to burn the town, women and children included, 
 and those who had refused to attach their names to the 
 pledge that was drawn uj) by the plotters, were waited u])on 
 
RIOTS 99 
 
 and told they had to join. Many of the good people were 
 marched from their homes, some by committees and taken 
 to headqnarters, and told to sign. Those that did not were 
 notified that they must leave the city. It was advised that 
 the big six of the Kepublican leaders be dealt with, if neces- 
 sary, as there were plenty of ropes in the city. 
 
 The matter looked serious, and the chairman of the 
 board of audit and finance was asked to go and see the 
 other two of his committee, who were Democrats, and 
 directors in their bank, and asked them to approve of the 
 naming of one hundred men of the town to act as policemen 
 in order that the city might be properly guarded on account 
 of such bitter feeling against the administration, and as they 
 had the money in the city's treasury to spare, it was their 
 duty to do so, and as the mayor had withdrawn his down 
 town negro policemen, and was one of the big six, who had 
 heard of the rope so repeatedly, he was like Brer Eabbit, he 
 was laying low. The two Democrats on the board of audit 
 and finance, especially the bank officer, said that they did 
 not have any money to waste, he having allied himself with 
 the boys, knowing it would have interfered with already 
 arranged plans to do otherwise. 
 
 About this time, Bennie having refused to be a party to 
 what was going on, he told those who came to wait on him and 
 have him sign, up that no man in the city would shoulder 
 his gTin quicker than he would, if he saw that the negroes 
 intended to rise against the white people, and told them 
 that the negroes were so badly frightened already that they 
 were begging the white people to please protect them from 
 the drunken Red Shirts that were terrifying everybody they 
 could and affirming also that they would not attempt to vote, 
 but that had no effect on those who were doing the leading. 
 Anonymous letters began to come to Bennie in nearly every 
 mail, with coffins, skulls, etc., drawn on them, advising him 
 to leave at once or join the Red Shirt club. A few real nice 
 letters came to him praising him for his noble work and worth 
 
100 MEMORIES 
 
 he had been to all the leading enterprises, but for the sake 
 of his family, wife and young- children alone he ought to 
 join, as his character and business would be ruined if he did 
 not join. 
 
 This went on for some weeks and finally a committee of 
 three of the leaders, one being an elder in a prominent church 
 of the city, the other two being churchmen and prominent 
 in the old administration, went into his office, saying that 
 they were sent by the club to get him to come and join them, 
 that about all the rest had done so, and they knew there was 
 no better man in the town than he was, and they were author- 
 ized to say to him that if he would come and join the club, 
 he could have the mayor's place or be State Senator or 
 anything else that he might want. They were told that he 
 wanted no office of any kind, as he had taken the place of 
 alderman with no pay only as a matter of duty, in trying 
 to protect the city's interest, and while he had seen that his 
 service was not appreciated by those he was serving, yet 
 their interest had been well taken care of, and many reforms 
 had been attempted, some of which were defeated by the 
 Democrats who were interested in their personal affairs more 
 than they were in those of the people. He further said 
 that he was not for sale, and there were neither offices nor 
 money enough to keep him from doing his duty as he saw 
 it. They soon left, with oaths and threats of what would 
 happen to him for his refusal to join. 
 
 About four o'clock in the afternoon, they came again, walk- 
 ing into his place of business and stating that they were sent 
 back by the committee to get his ultimatum, and to notify 
 him that he would either have to join their Red Shirt organi- 
 zation or leave the city, or his life would be in his own 
 hands; besides, there was an arrangement already to ruin his 
 business (which had taken years to build up and which was 
 paying him ten to twelve thousand dollars a year or more 
 net) if he did not join. In the meantime they were acting as 
 drunken hoodlums, some cursing and swearina". When he 
 
7»707'.s' 101 
 
 could not stand their epithets any longer, he walked from 
 behind his desk to an open space in his store, and told them 
 that he could whip all three of them, if they would come 
 on, that they were nothing more than an intimidating mob, 
 and they could go and tell their Eed Shirt mob that they 
 could send their Ked Shirt, drunken butchers to kill him 
 any time, as that is what they intimated, but to say to them 
 that he had not done anything to leave the town for, only 
 tried to protect its interest, and when they sent their mob 
 to run him out of to\vu or butcher him, to tell them that a 
 dozen or twenty-five would go with him to another world, 
 and that if he did nothing else his life would not have been 
 in vain. 
 
 They left, going up the street to where a large crowd had 
 gathered near a place where there was plenty to drink, as well 
 as to eat, Wlien the three wild, courageous committee 
 w^alked up, the first question asked was: "What did you do 
 
 with ?" The answer was: "I^ot a d thing." 
 
 One of the most patriotic of the group, who had been seek- 
 ing for an office these many years to get something to support 
 him without work to lighten the burden of his wife, and 
 who was declared later by the mob to be mayor, remarked 
 that a shot g-un could bring him down ; but his life ended in 
 sadness. 
 
 'Next morning, by the time Bennie got to his store to open 
 it, as they had coerced about all his help to leave him, he 
 saw standing at his door a man who had been his friend, 
 but who was like all the other friends who had not been 
 embittered against him — afraid to be seen talking with him, 
 and when he was met by them on the street, rather than be 
 seen speaking, they would go in another direction for fear 
 that they would be shot down and killed, so they afterwards 
 told him. When the store door was opened, his friend asked 
 to go back into the back of the store, so no one would see 
 him, and this friend being under the greatest excitement, 
 commenced to beg him to leave the citv, as he was satisfied 
 
102 MEMORIES 
 
 that he would be killed, that the leaders were doing every- 
 thing in their power, he said, to have him put out of the 
 way in some way. He was told that his hands and con- 
 science were clean, and his wife and little family seemed 
 to be the only friends who were willing to stand and die 
 with him, but he put his trust in his God who had always 
 been his helper in time of need, and had asked on his knees, 
 during these trials that he was going through, that if it 
 was the right thing for him to do, to put it into his heart 
 and mind to join with them, but further asked to keep his 
 hands and influence from being the cause of shedding inno- 
 cent blood and to lead him to do the right thing in His 
 sight, and that there would be no stain left upon him or his 
 family. After becoming thoroughly convinced that there 
 would be innocent people killed, if they were negroes, (they, 
 too, were of God's creatures the same as all other races), he 
 then became thoroughly resigned to be killed, but felt it his 
 duty to protect himself as best he could, and had no more 
 dread of the mob than if they never had been in existence. 
 
 In the meantime, he had one hundred shells loaded with 
 buck shot, and had bought another pistol, and sent for his 
 extra gun on the farm. The news no doubt was out about 
 his shells being loaded, as he had them loaded at one of the 
 hardware stores, as these were about the only busy people in 
 the city, except the fire water distributors. 
 
 The following night, after his excited friend had begged 
 him to leave before he was killed, there was another big 
 rally at headquarters, where they had some of the preachers 
 of the city, all called on to speak. One pompous, beaver- 
 diked specimen of their number got up and made one of the 
 bitterest talks, urging the boys on. He was one of their first 
 recruits, and his name always had big headlines in the papers. 
 He stated that he had been in one riot South, before he came 
 here, and was itching to get in another one, as they killed 
 nine, and he was ready at any time. He finished with 
 great cheers, the paper said. The next speaker to arise 
 
RIOTS ina 
 
 was a brother of one of the committeemen that waited on 
 Bennie twice the day before ; when he refused to obey orders, 
 the speaker said, the river was near his place, and he slionld 
 be dealt with. 
 
 It was said that all of the s])eech making was received 
 with great ovation, except when the business man insinuated 
 that Eennie's place was near the river and should be dealt 
 with. Then one could have heard a pin drop on the floor, 
 but no one volunteered to make the move. The next speaker 
 was a leading talker in his church, but became almost a 
 ward before he died. When he arose, after the fiery speech 
 in which the river was said to be so close, the fiery old church 
 talker started by introducing an old horse pistol, and telling 
 his enthusiastic hearers that it was his liver regulator, and 
 was the medicine to use. 
 
 The next night when Bemiie went home, his two little 
 daughters, one seven and the other nine years old, began to 
 cr}' and beg their father not to send them to school any more, 
 that those pale faced children, who no doubt had eaten rations 
 contributed by Bennie by the dray loads to the unemployed 
 months before, who claimed that they were suffering, were 
 always saying to them that they ought not be allowed to 
 come to school there, but ought to go to the negTO school, 
 and his wife was always in tears when he left the home, 
 expecting that she would not see him alive again. After 
 supper was over, she began crying, telling that her mother 
 was worried almost to death, and had come in the back way 
 that evening to persuade her to get him to go out of the 
 to\\Ti, that their friends were awfully worried, and some of 
 them were coming in to see her all the time, to get her son- 
 in-law to leave, at least until after the election. When she 
 finished telling the sad news, which was the only kind they 
 had for months, she said : "If you are going to stay here, 
 I will load the gims as fast as you can shoot them." Her 
 experience on the farm, shooting snakes, targets, etc., had 
 taught her how to handle a gun. The little eleven year old 
 
104 MEMORIES 
 
 boj, who was sitting at the table with his hands holding 
 his head, looked up and said : "Papa, my little gun that you 
 bought me will kill anything, if you are not too far from it, 
 and if the mob comes here to take you out and kill you 
 at night, like they say they are going to do, I'm going to 
 shoot as long as you do." 
 
 A few nights afterwards, about midnight, there could be 
 heard coming up the brick sidewalk, apparently trying to 
 walk lightly, quite a number of persons. The wife whispered 
 that the sidewalks were full. They were both up by the time 
 the mob reached the iron gate, which was kept shut. As 
 soon as they were heard on the pavement that led from the 
 gate to the house, Bennie and his wife, both with guns in 
 their hands, were going dowoi the stairway to give them the 
 long-looked-for reception. When they were about half way 
 down, the butt of his gun struck one of the baluster supports 
 with such force that it could be heard all over the house, 
 as well as out in the yard. Before he could get to the door, 
 which had glass panes on both sides which he expected to 
 shoot through, the mob broke in a run, some jumping over 
 the sharp iron pailings, and were running down the street 
 like a drove of wild mules, in every direction. Some of 
 them told about it later on, and said they knew what they 
 would have gotten had they not run, but they said that was 
 the last crowd that could be persuaded to wait on him day or 
 night. 
 
 A few days previously there had appeared in one of the 
 morning papers the most scurrilous and damnable lie that 
 was ever hatched up against any respectable person, expecting 
 it to kill any influence that Bennie had in the State, and 
 among his trade elsewhere, claiming that he was advocating 
 social equality between the whites and the negroes, which 
 meant that he wanted white women to marry negro men. The 
 State was afire over the Simmons Red Shirt issue already, 
 and when a rival competitor's salesman would see any goods 
 with his name printed on them the first thing the salesman 
 
RIOTS lOy 
 
 would say to the storekeeper would be : "Do you buy your 
 goods from a man who is preaching social equality, advocat- 
 ing your daughters marrying negroes ?" ''Well, he doesn't, 
 does he?" "Yes." "Well, I will never trade another dollar 
 with him again." This went all over the country, until all 
 that was possible to be poisoned was done so. 
 
 The article was published in the leading daily, with an 
 anon>Tnous name as authority, but it had created a townful 
 of talk. x\ll the people that had any sense of honor, knew 
 it was false, but some who knew him better pretended to 
 believe it and would say : "Well, his influence is dead now ; 
 he can say what he pleases, and no one will believe him, 
 and none of the papers will publish an3i;hing that he says 
 or writes, he is done for. l^o doubt he is sorry now that 
 he did not join our club, which would have saved him and 
 his family all the humiliation that has befallen them." 
 
 The editor refused at first to give the name of the author, 
 saying: "You know that it is politics," and told him not 
 to notice it. Wlien pressed for an answer, his reply was 
 that the man was a friend of Bennie's and he had promised 
 not to tell who he was. Bennie then told the editor that 
 he would hold him personally responsible, that he knew that 
 he could get no redress by going to law, but whoever put 
 the article in the paper would be punished if it was the 
 last act of his life, and the man that would print such an 
 outrage was no better than the scoundrel that had it printed, 
 and then and there he demanded to know its author. When 
 he realized what was up, he told him, but begged him not 
 to notice it as everybody knew that there was no truth in 
 the article. When he was told who gave the editor the 
 article, Bemiie was surprised to learn that it was his envious 
 neighbor, after he had been his only friend on the square, 
 and had tried to act the peacemaker for ten years, taking 
 more and having his family do the same, than he should 
 have done, but did it for peace. 
 
106 MEMORIES 
 
 There was not much sleep that night, as all he could 
 do was to do like some of the neighbors had threatened to 
 do, going to his home if it was night, and settle with him. 
 The first thing next morning was to go out about six o'clock 
 to his place of business, where he had discharged all of his 
 former hands, which were negroes and had given their places 
 to the Red Shirt brigade, who were doing the political trick 
 so well for them. "Wlien he got to his place of business, 
 
 he went in and called for Mr. on the inside of his 
 
 office. No sooner than the anonymous letter writer saw 
 who it was, he jumped up from his desk, so glad to see him 
 and asked him to sit down as he wanted to talk with him. 
 He then said, "I am so glad that you came out ; let me tell 
 you about that article. I told an attorney something but 
 not anything like what he wrote." Bennie asked that they 
 go on the outside, where they could be alone. When they 
 had gotten a few yards from the office, the first word that 
 was spoken was : ''What kind of an outrageous lie w^as that 
 you had published ?" With that the lick went with the 
 question, and he commenced to beg, saying that he did not 
 do it, but the attorney who was one of the three to make the 
 first call for the mass meeting, and one that helped lead 
 the three aldermen away to keep them from qualifying. 
 But the licks were being driven wath all the power that 
 an outraged person could command, whose wrought feel- 
 ings gave renewed strength. When the author found that his 
 resistance amounted to nothing, he began at the top of his 
 
 voice to holler "Murder, come, come, for G sake, come!" 
 
 The first one to see and to run to his assistance was a dray- 
 man weighing two hundred pounds or more. When he came 
 sailing up, the anonymous writer missed that lick, which 
 went to the big drayman, taking him on the side of his 
 face and ear, who was then told that if he moved another 
 inch toward him, he would shoot him full of holes. The 
 job went on, only instead of one hollering for help, there 
 were two. The drayman thought that his boss would be 
 
RIOTfi 107 
 
 killed, so lie began jumping up and down, liolUn-ing at the 
 top of his voice, wliicli caused the other thirty-odd Red 
 Shirters to hear, as the noise of the mill had kept them from 
 hearing the calls and cries of murder. Each one of the 
 rescuers came with a board, slab, or scantling in their hands, 
 so heavy it was all they could do to raise them, but the licks 
 went on until the recruits came within striking distance, 
 when they were told to halt, which they all did to a man. 
 Bennie with his pistol and plenty of balls kept his hands on 
 them and told them that the first one that attempted to come 
 a step nearer, he would blow their brains out. Wlien they 
 had come to a stand, he then walked sideways back to the 
 gate ; all the time the trouble-maker was begging the new 
 army to kill him, kill him, but they only kept their timbers 
 up in the air. On reaching the gate and street, he stopped 
 to tell his supposed neighbor how mean and little he was, 
 and what he and his family had taken in order to have peace, 
 and that he had been his only friend on the square. The 
 trouble-maker had ventured up and was leaning on the gate 
 post; Bennie decided that he would give him one more 
 punch, but he jumped back so far that the lick merely glazed 
 him. When he jumped back, all of his protectors jumped 
 back with him, some of their fighting arms so heavy the 
 weight of them liked to have carried some of them on their 
 backs. 
 
 About this time a young man came sailing by in his buggy. 
 Bennie asked if he could ride down to\\m with him ; he was 
 told to get up, and in twenty minutes, he was at the magis- 
 trate's office, submitted his case, and paid the cost and got 
 a receipt. About four o'clock, p. m., an officer came with a 
 warrant, but when he was shown that the case was submitted, 
 he said that he was too late. 
 
 When the news became circulated over the city of what 
 had happened, those who knew Bennie said that they did 
 not blame him, and instead of gaining popularity, the letter 
 writer finally lost about all the little he had. His partner in 
 
108 MEMORIES 
 
 the business was one of the Big Six that caused the rope to be 
 mentioned, and having had one of the large businesses of 
 the city, he was favored by giving him thirty days to settle 
 everything and go back North. Having the greater part of 
 the money in the business, and being no fool, to the surprise 
 of his partner (who joined so readily with the plotters), he 
 called about three hundred of his friends and active workers 
 of the Red Shirts to his house one night for a conference. 
 To their surprise, they found that the table was loaded dowm 
 with all that one's appetite could call for; besides, the side- 
 board was filled with anji;hing the thirsty could think of, 
 with help to serve each guest his particular fancy. After 
 the glasses had been filled two or three times and all made 
 happy, he told his giiests that he had something still to sur- 
 prise them with, that he had decided to resign as county 
 commissioner and its chairman and join the Democratic 
 party, and it was said that his partner was not there either. 
 Cheer after cheer went up, as the glasses were refilled, w^iich 
 continued until the early hours of the morning, and all of 
 a sudden he became a big man of the party; this all in one 
 night, and the papers with their great headlines rejoiced 
 and were exceedingly glad. The order of this dismissal and 
 request to leave the city was revoked, but the trouble maker 
 had to take his bed the day that his guests went to his place 
 to see him and was in the doctor's care for two weeks. The 
 Doctor, who was Bennie's also, confided in him that his old 
 neighbor was in such bad shape that he had to go to bed 
 and remain for two weeks, then to the mountains for over 
 two months. When he returned the election was all over, 
 and he missed his vote after so strenuously turning the ras- 
 cals out, but "hubby" is not always to blame for everything 
 if he is not capable of thinking for himself. The election 
 came and the State went Democratic, but they could not 
 wait for the city election, and on the third morning after 
 the State election, when it was as quiet as a Sunday morn- 
 ing everyone thinking that it was the quietest election that 
 
RIOTS! 109 
 
 had ever been held in the old town, as it was noted far and 
 near as a town wliere factional fights in their own party 
 were waged with all the feeling and bitterness that could be 
 thought of, and was at its height and glory during the 
 campaigi], but there had been only a one sided campaign 
 during the three months having everything in their own 
 hands, negroes frightened into a pitiful condition, asking 
 their white friends not to let them be hurt, and that they 
 were not going to the ballot box. The politicians, feeling 
 so elated over the great victory of the State, the Red Shirt 
 campaign had won, they who were hungTy and thirsty after 
 office, could not wait several months for the city election, 
 and the third morning after the election, some of the leaders 
 decided to run out of the city or kill the yellow rascal who 
 had been running a little newspaper that printed an article 
 that was outrageous and false concerning white women. 
 
 In the meantime all the partisan press of the State made 
 great capital out of it against the Populists and Republicans, 
 and caused thousands of them to believe that it was time for 
 a change. But when they went down to deal with the traitor, 
 to kill him if necessary, the crowd being armed with guns, 
 being several hundred of them, they seemed to have forgotten 
 that it was printed in the leading paper of the city, eleven 
 days before, that this yellow negro editor was then in Asbury 
 Park, ^N". J., having fled from town for fear of being injured 
 or killed; but as the leaders must have forgotten it, and to 
 make good all the terrible mismanagement of the city admin- 
 istration, in having gotten all the Democrats, women and 
 children to believe all that was printed and said was true, 
 and then some more, they ran no risks, as far as sentiment 
 was concerned, as well as no danger in killing this little yel- 
 low traitor. After getting where he lived, and finding no 
 one there, and that there had been no one there for over ten 
 days, they set fire to the building, burning it and the print- 
 ing press up together; but the excitement was on, and back 
 uptown they came, with excitement gTowing all the while. 
 
110 MEMORIES 
 
 with more joining in with them, with guns, it being their 
 intention of protecting the town ; and having started out to 
 have some fun, thej were like Katy Walker was, when want- 
 ing to wait at the wedding of a cousin, and being persuaded 
 not to do so, as everything was already arranged, her reply 
 was that she had come there prepared to wait and she be d — 
 to h — if she wasn't going to wait. 
 
 They had their fun, but it must be too sad for those who 
 are still living now to make any pretensions to believe in the 
 only true and living God to be haunted by the innocent 
 negroes that were helpless and begging for mercy, when the 
 influence of the better people seemd to have been dead to 
 usefulness during these momentous times, where prejudices 
 were substituted for reason and justice. 
 
 Scores and scores of good men thoughtlessly were tempted 
 by the politician that afterwards told Bennie they wished 
 many times since that they had the courage he did; if so, 
 they would have had no part in it and would have no stain 
 on their hands or minds. 
 
 When the high-hat preacher, with the spike-tailed coat and 
 with gun on his shoulder, went out hunting blackbirds, it 
 was not much of a surprise to see others not so prominent in 
 church affairs acting as he did. To the credit of those 
 churches whose preachers so far forgot their sacred duty to 
 their God that they professed to serve, they were soon hunt- 
 ing for another pulpit, and not one of them remained but a 
 few months after disgracing their calling. But God works 
 in a mysterious way. One who claims to have kept an 
 account of the unnatural deaths of some of those who were 
 the most active and unmerciful, claimed that there were 
 eighty of them who went to an untimely death before the 
 JudgTiient bar in less than two years, and many since then 
 have gone to the Judgment seat. 
 
 There were as good people in the city as could be found 
 anywhere, but many of them lent their influence to the plot- 
 ters, never thinking, no doubt, that it would terminate as it 
 
RIOTS 111 
 
 did. But whom the gods would destroy, they first deceive. 
 Wlieu people get wrought up over anything, whether true or 
 false, they become like frightened wild horses and cattle — 
 they will trample over each other in frenzy. It is like striking 
 a match to an old field of broomstraw on a windy day — once 
 it is started, it is soon out of control ; and many must have 
 seen it that way before they were called to see about it. i\.s 
 many species of trees are lifeless after the fury of the fire 
 has swept through them, so many consciences are endangered 
 by the burning fire of hate, which is here penned as a warn- 
 ing for those who let it get control of them. 
 
 HATE 
 
 Hate is a dangerous word, 
 
 It dwarfs the mind and shrivels the soul, 
 
 Its thoughts are fearful to behold ; 
 
 If you indulge in it you will lose your soul. 
 
 It is Satan's most cunning sword : 
 With it he reaches the world over. 
 And every man he can induce to accept, 
 He then has added another to his set. 
 
 Beware, then, of that fearful word, 
 
 For it is one that is hard to curb. 
 
 It destroys the mind, impoverishes the soul. 
 
 And encourages Satan to continue on the go. 
 
 Its business with others is to hinder 
 Any good that might be accomplished ; 
 It then is in its glory, 
 But its ending is always a sad story. 
 
 See the man whose mind it dwarfs : 
 
 For the good of the world he is lost. 
 
 The seed he has sown 
 
 Will deprive him of the most humble throne. 
 
CHAPTEK XI 
 
 THE COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS 
 
 There is always a way to manage by law, and correct the 
 evils, when it is rightly gone after ; but the better people stand 
 back when they ought to come to the front, as it is as much 
 their duty in serving the Lord as in their various churches, 
 for the politicians are often churchmen and often take advan- 
 tage of being a church member ; that being true, he ought to 
 be dealt with in his political crookedness as quickly as if he 
 stole his neighbor's horse. 
 
 There were many who were prosperous before, that became 
 dependents before they died; but God lets many prosper 
 while they remain here, but they have to go before Him in 
 rags and poverty, unless they have made amends for the 
 things that He has forbidden them against. 
 
 When they came back from running out or killing the 
 negro that said such mean things in the paper, and who was 
 running the paper without negro subscribers or white Eepub- 
 licans, they went to shooting, and declared the city under 
 martial law, ^nd proceeded to the city's building and elected 
 the brave leader, who led the boys to go and kill the negi-o 
 editor, as mayor, to the gTeat surprise, it was said, of the old 
 ex-fox mayor, who was one of the three to call the first public 
 meeting to turn the rascals out. They also appointed men 
 for all the city offices, except one alderman, whose resigna- 
 tion was not sent in until about ten days later, when he saw 
 that they wanted it all. They only appointed one of the 
 three original leaders to an office, he being appointed city 
 attorney, which was no doubt his apple from the beginning. 
 At the first election, a few months afterwards, he was de- 
 feated, but it did not discourage him, for he ran regularly 
 for about ten or twelve years in the primaries and conven- 
 tions in his party. Having never gotten any nearer than 
 [112] 
 
TIJK COLLECTOR OF CIJ^TOMB 11.'! 
 
 waiitiiii;' soinclhing during' these long years, lie afterwards 
 began running in the Republican party for places the old 
 party bosses knew they could not get, else they would have 
 taken it themselves. To hold the voters together, they would 
 flatter him by letting him run, and when he had about run 
 out, he had to depend upon the astute popularity of those 
 who had some sympathy for a man who seemed to have the 
 heavy hand of misfortune against him, but his partners in 
 the iirst call, their lives ended too sad to dwell upon. 
 
 W\[iGu the wares flashed the news all over the country that 
 the negroes were killing white people in a regular race war, 
 calls came for the Governor to send help to quell the riot and 
 help the light infantry, who were prepared to settle matters, 
 and could have done so, if desired, in short order. When the 
 companies arrived on the field, they claimed that they saw 
 no negroes to shoot, and those that they ran across were so 
 frightened that they were to be pitied. The reporters who 
 represented the big New York and other dailies were care- 
 fully looked after on their arrival at the depot. Bennie had 
 told many of those who pretended to be so frightened that if 
 it became necessary, to give him one hundred men and he 
 would put any negroes to flight that pretended to do any mis- 
 chief. He was told months afterwards by one of his old 
 friends, who knew what Bennie said was true, but it was 
 politics he said they were playing, he claimed, to carry the 
 election. 
 
 As the telegTaph company was interested, as their charges 
 had been cut forty per cent, as well as the railroad and tele- 
 phone charges, and every man from them could be seen on 
 the job, and the club was the most secluded place to tell the 
 reporters of all the heroic deeds, many of them remained for 
 several days, not seen only by those who had them in charge, 
 and it was said that there was no need of water at the club, 
 except for bathing purposes. In consequence, there were lots 
 of ghost stories, hobgoblins, and anything else necessary to 
 make up a newsy story that was flashed all over the country. 
 
114 MEMORIES 
 
 About this time Tom Dixon came into fame so completely 
 that he forgot the God that he first pretended to worship, in 
 order to worship the one that gave him so much fame while 
 here on earth, along with the glittering gold, and before his 
 first book was published (certain portions of it were given to 
 the press) he was met face to face by an earnest man, who 
 told him of certain things that he had published which were 
 entirely erroneous and were calculated to bring great shame 
 upon the city and do great harm throughout the country in 
 the end, as the circumstances were entirel}- different from 
 what he had printed, and he felt that it was his duty to tell 
 him the real facts in some of the particular matters that they 
 were discussing. His reply, after hearing what was told 
 him, was that he knew that it was all politics and bunk, yet 
 he did not change any of his wild lies, as he found they 
 would sell his book. What will be his excuse when soon he 
 will have to meet the honest Judge, when he finds that he 
 has led thousands by the little word ''hate" to destruction? 
 
 The Red Shirt campaign, from that year, spread until it 
 has reached all over the United States. Where there are no 
 negroes, the ones of that training mob each other when they 
 see fit. Many of the pulpits seem to act as though it was 
 none of their business ; then wonder why the old church is 
 losing the influence it once had, when stealing was treated as 
 stealing, and murder and other crimes were treated by God- 
 fearing people as such. 
 
 After ten days of strenuous watching and waiting, with 
 hundreds of the citizens, some through fear, and others be- 
 cause they were ordered, the city became safe enough to let 
 the visiting companies go home, but many of them said that 
 they greatly regretted doing so, as they had had the times of 
 their lives. The reporters could say the same, but one of the 
 New York reporters happened to step aside, and picked up 
 an inkling from one of the boys of how the game was being 
 played, and wlien he wont back to New York he wrote an 
 
THE COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS 115 
 
 article giving a good inauy of the facts as they really were, 
 and the politicians have never forgiven that paper, from that 
 day to this. 
 
 To pay the ten days expenses, after spending the thousands 
 they found in the treasury, they began to borrow, until the 
 tax rate is from two to three times higher than it was when 
 they found it, and the valuation of the property has been 
 increased two to three times. During the last few years 
 there has been much improvement in the old city, yet there 
 is too much expense, and the expenses must be reduced, if 
 owners are to continue to ow^i their property. 
 
 When the public temperament was thought modified, 
 though prejudices were still steeped and running over in 
 many of the active ones, Bennie went about to try to get 
 together the business that was once so fair and promising, 
 but he found that the plotters had and were still putting in 
 their nefarious work against him all over the territory in 
 which he sold goods. They could get the business probably 
 themselves, and obey orders at the same time, and having to 
 go down and open the store after all his clerks were beguiled 
 away from him, with the "grip" on him he became feeble and 
 a deep cold fell upon his lungs that lasted him for years. 
 At the same time, when sending his men out later on the 
 road, they would come back with not an order on their books, 
 saying to him they had never seen or heard of a man so 
 belied in all their lives. When he quit trading, many who 
 could pay would not, and he not only lost one of the best 
 businesses, but the greater portion of what was owing him, 
 as he saw there was no use to go before a court, as they had 
 so cruelly poisoned the minds of the people against him. 
 
 He then started a new business that none of his competi- 
 tors were in. He soon began to make money as before, as 
 well as to try to forget and forgive those whom God will 
 settle with. W^hen those up North, as well as some in the 
 city, saw that the new business was doing well, especially 
 after they learned that he was clearing a thousand dollars 
 
116 MEMORIES 
 
 per month above expenses, they commenced to come in from 
 the l^orth and elsewhere, trying to divide the trade with him, 
 but they soon found that they could not get the business 
 unless they paid more than the price he was pa^dng. As they 
 raised the price in order to turn the business their way, so 
 would he have to raise, and it was not long before the new 
 competitors were paying more than they were getting, besides 
 losing the trade, but as Bonnie was under a sig-ned contract 
 to deliver so much each month at a given price, so were his 
 competitors, and he soon began losing about the same amount 
 each month as his profits were at first. When the wild-cat 
 firms had gotten all the advancements from the banks and 
 timber factors North, they began to fail. The smallest of 
 the failures was one of Bennie's clerks during the Red Shirt 
 campaign, and amounted to over $20,000 ; the next failure 
 was for $65,000 ; the next, $77,500 ; the next, $400,000. 
 
 While all this unfair competition was going on, Bennie 
 was fulfilling his obligations each month, which took all that 
 he had in his corporation; and though he was not legally 
 responsible for any more, yet to protect his creditors he sold 
 nearly two thousand acres of land and fulfilled his obligations 
 to the letter, winning thanks from those who knew the great 
 sacrifice that he had made. He was often told that they said 
 in New York and Boston and elsewhere that there was one 
 honest man do^\m in the tide region, if there were lots of 
 crooks. 
 
 In the meantime he had been offered three government 
 positions, including the postoffice, through the friendship and 
 sympathy of the two Senators whom he had not sought to 
 elect. He refused all of them. Later, there came up a big 
 fiffht for the collector of customs, with six avowed candi- 
 dates. One was the ex-Governor, one the wealthiest man in 
 the old city, and the balance long-experienced office-getters. 
 Having no thought or desire to ask for any place, Bennie 
 was continually being approached by some of his friends, 
 who could be seen then talking to him, insisting that he ask 
 
Tin: COLLECTOR OF CLtiTOM^ 117 
 
 for the place. They proposed to take a petition around to 
 his friends, who it was said would be glad to sigii it. To his 
 surprise, a great many of those that he had no idea of seeing 
 their names, among the business men, were on it. The peti- 
 tion was virtually out of his hands, and as soon as it became 
 known they began sending telegrams and letters to the Presi- 
 dent. He saw one of the telegrams, which cost about twelve 
 dollars to send. On offering to reimburse the sender, it was 
 refused, notwithstanding he did all he could to elect Bryan, 
 and it was known to the President, but after a month of 
 strenuous fighting, put up by his opponents, he was appointed 
 by President Roosevelt, after it had been offered to the ex- 
 Governor by two Senators. The wife of one of the Senators 
 contended that the young man from the old city had to have 
 the place, and while both Senators wanted him to have it, yet, 
 to pacify the ex-Governor, who was asking for another place, 
 they offered it to him. When offered, it was accepted, and 
 things changed and changed. 
 
 When the young man of the old town finally worked his 
 way through policemen, detectives, and doorkeepers until 
 he got to the inner door, where the old colored man, who had 
 been there since Lincoln, but finding him easy to get ac- 
 quainted with, he made a plan with him to speak to the secre- 
 tary to the President, Mr. Loeb, but while waiting for his 
 turn, he found that the old man was raised near where his 
 new acquaintance was. That made things look easy; but 
 when he finally said that he was once whipped in the old 
 town by a patroller of the same name as the new gaiest, and 
 had been wanting to see him for a long time in order to get 
 even with him, things began not to look so bright. When he 
 told the old inner doorkeeper that his father was in the serv- 
 ice, and had left the old town years before, besides he did 
 not allow his own foreman or overseer to whip his slaves, nor 
 any one else, and that they were cared for like the family, 
 also that the other family were no relation of his, the old 
 doorkeeper began to feel more kindly, and it was not long 
 
118 MEMORIES 
 
 before he could see the secretary to the President. The door 
 was soon opened ; the Secretary was pointed out to him, as 
 the new guest had already sent in a slip with his name on it, 
 with the message that he just wanted to shake his hand. He 
 was met and cordially received, as he M-as a prince of a man. 
 
 After a few minutes of talking, both standing, the Secre- 
 tary was told that there was a petition gotten up by some of 
 his friends in the old town, asking for his appointment as 
 collector, and was asked if he would mail it from his hotel — 
 would he see that the President got it ? The reply was, ''Cer- 
 tainly ; it will be a pleasure to do so." After thanking him 
 and starting out, he was asked if he had ever met the Presi- 
 dent. He was told no. The Secretary then said, "Wait a 
 few minutes ; he will soon be out, and T will be glad to pre- 
 sent you to him." Beunie thanked him again, and in less 
 than five minutes the President came from his private room, 
 speaking to some of the Senators that were waiting near his 
 door, and when he reached the Secretary he was taken over 
 to where Bennie was. The Secretary introduced them, tell- 
 ing the President that Mr. had a petition from quite a 
 
 number of citi;^ens in North Carolina, in the old city, that 
 he wanted him to consider. He said that he would consider 
 it with pleasure and to send it up any time. 
 
 The meeting, after getting in, tvirned out to be real pleas- 
 ant, as well as hopeful, though it was said by all at the capi- 
 tal that no one could get an interview Avith the President 
 without a Senator or Ilepresentative or other ]n'omiiient per- 
 son; but, having overcome all of that, and the cordial recep- 
 tion just received, he hastened to his hotel, found the stenog- 
 rapher, writing first what he wanted to say. When copied, 
 it filled more than two sheets of foolscap paper, and every 
 word meant something. At four o'clock p. m. it and the peti- 
 tion were put in the j)ostofiice. By eight-thirty he had re- 
 ceived an answer, saying, "Come up next morning." By 
 eight-thirty a. m. he was back at the White House, talking 
 to the newly acquainted doorkeeper, who no doubt still re- 
 
77//; COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS 119 
 
 membered that his new acquaintance's name was the same as 
 the one that he had been wanting to meet, but it was soon 
 forgotten and was ghid to know his new North Carolina 
 friend, as both came from the same State, and near adjoin- 
 ing counties. 
 
 When the princely Secretary saw who it was, he gave the 
 same kindly welcome, and was told to call that afternoon, but 
 in the meantime the good Senator's wife was harassing him 
 so, he said, he was not able to sleep the night before, telling 
 him what was what. The other Senator had taken a flying 
 trip to Kew York to catch the ex-Governor, to persuade him 
 to decline the offer, but he was told no — he had it and was 
 going to keep it ; but the next morning the Senators were 
 sent for by the President, and were told that he had decided 
 to take the collectorship in hand and would decide that mat- 
 ter to suit himself. 
 
 In the meantime, calling one of the secretaries and asking 
 for a piece of paper, he wrote the name of the supposed 
 intruder to the White House, and requested that it be sent 
 over to the Senate. When the news was flashed all over the 
 capital city and country, it was the least expected, as those 
 who were stopping at the same hotel, although sympathizing 
 with him, were remarking to one another that the poor fellow 
 had better be home, saving his expenses, as they would not 
 give two cents for his chance. Even the old fox, the ex- 
 mayor, when his plotting did not give him the mayor's place, 
 as he expected, went to Washington with some of his friends, 
 trying to get the collector's place, willing to turn the old 
 town bottom side up, politically, if the place was thrown on 
 him; but a Republican who was for Bryan, and whom the 
 Democrats refused to let be one of the eleven electors, heard 
 him telling what he could do if he could get the place. No 
 sooner than he finished, this tall mountaineer, with his keen, 
 sparkling eyes, with the courage of a lion, walked up to him, 
 pointed his finger at his face and began to pile up epithets 
 upon him that could not be published, telling him that his 
 
120 MEMORIES 
 
 blood-stained hands were not vet dry, and that if he was 
 there twelve hours longer he would be arrested for the offense 
 he had committed, and that was the last seen of him at the 
 capital. Consequently, there was one less applicant for the 
 little-paying office, though much-sought one, the salary hav- 
 ing been cut from four thousand five hundred by the Demo- 
 crats just before they went out under Cleveland, to one thou- 
 sand dollars and two and one-half per cent commission on all 
 duties collected on imported goods. As the Gorman and Wil- 
 son tariff took off most all the tariff that came through that 
 port, there were but little fees ; and salary and fees, during 
 the first year of Bennie's administration, was only thirteen 
 hundred dollars ; but the office was then sought more for 
 honor than emolument — that is, by honest men. In this case 
 it was sought not only for the honor, but to show the plotters 
 that they could not hoodwink the government if they could 
 the inhabitants of the small city. 
 
 When the new collector took charge, the affairs were con- 
 ducted so very differently from the way that he had always 
 conducted his private business, that it seemed a mystery how 
 the government put up with the sleepy go-easy way of allow- 
 ing it to be run, but after it was learned that the collector 
 of customs in most places, was moving along in the same 
 way waiting for the first of the month, with no idea of letting 
 up on any of the requisitions, for all that they could get to 
 be stored away, to be wasted, etc. However, there was a 
 change; gradually the old Rip Van Winkles were not com- 
 fortable long, one in one chair, and one in the other, keeping 
 time, making music by the bow and time that they would 
 keep one with another, but something was soon found for 
 them to do, and the inspector did the guaging as well as to 
 sign his daily reports, and all the extra expense was cut 
 off, when it was found not needed, and there was soon a 
 general cleaning up, all through, but as it is hard to teach 
 people things that they do not want to learn, they were 
 gradually weeded out, and new up-to-date men were received 
 
THE COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS 121 
 
 into the office, who were willing and anxious to learn, and 
 be trained by the new collector, who knew no man except 
 to treat him right, no more, no less, from the richest to the 
 poorest, and to spare no means, to give all who had business 
 through the office all the help that they could. 
 
 It was not many years before the office was praised, not 
 only by the local men, who had continuous business with it, 
 but masters and sailors, from everywhere over the country, 
 the convenience of the shippers and the captains were con- 
 sidered, and when they wanted to clear, there would be 
 some one in the office, to sign the papers. Formerly the 
 old Eip Van Winkles would not move before nine in the 
 morning, and close at four, and if they felt like accommodat- 
 ing any of the masters or shippers, they would consider they 
 were doing a special favor. 
 
 When the captains and sailors of any of the vessels had 
 any diiferences there were always constables and runners to 
 get them to take their case to trial justices, no doubt the 
 fees being divided with them, but after finding some one 
 in the collector's office so often, collecting money from the 
 master or his crew, after finding out their method, the col- 
 lector, as custodian, had the right to have such matters 
 brought before him, which he did from then on, for over 
 ten years, with his saving of thousands of dollars to the 
 master and his sailors, with not one cent in the custodian's 
 pocket, as there were no fees attached to that office. During 
 this period, every single case, except one, was amicably 
 settled, though many times, when coming in the office, they 
 had to be guarded from injuring each other, often threaten- 
 ing each other's lives. After the case was heard by the 
 custodian, they would often go out locked arms, or on each 
 other's shoulders, better friends than ever. 
 
 The case that would not be settled by one of the sailors, 
 claiming that he was the head of one of the New York 
 unions, and after rejecting the decision of the custodian, 
 he appealed his case to Washington, D. (.\ There the court 
 
122 MEMORIES 
 
 held with the custodian, and his attorney's fees were for 
 nought, and he had to come hack and take the money awarded 
 him by the custodian. 
 
 When the authorities at Washington saw that the office 
 was run on a business basis, and the receipts were climbing 
 up each year through the energy^ of the collector, by getting 
 the importers to have their goods to come to their own port 
 for the duty to be paid instead of New York, Baltimore, 
 and other points, when it was turned through the gateway, 
 (as he named it) of their own port, something the importer 
 had not thought of, nor did not think it could be done, as 
 many said it could not. There was no further attempt to 
 have the main collector's office, for the State, to be moved 
 to New Bern, by the one who had taught that where there 
 were more negro voters, whether they voted or not, the 
 greater the Democratic majority was, and the same stands 
 against those who vote against the machine today, though 
 all are white people. Wlien the receipts began to increase 
 so rapidly, and the collector having seen all the while the 
 need of a new custom building, as the repairs on it each 
 year seemed to be useless, notwithstanding the inspectors of 
 public building, whose duty it was to look after them, said 
 that Uncle Sam wanted his money spent that way. 
 
 The collector, believing it a perfect waste, began to take 
 the matter up with the Secretary of the Treasury, and finally 
 prevailed upon him and his First Assistant Secretary, Mr. 
 Winthrop, to send down an architect to inspect the building, 
 and see if it was worth repairing, and if he saw proper 
 to condemn the old building, to do so, and provide a plan 
 for a new one. The special architect was sent, and he 
 turned out to be a friend, and one who was raised in the 
 adjoining county from the collector, whose family the col- 
 lector had known from boyhood. For one week he remained, 
 and was shown every crack and ugly spot inside of the 
 old building that could be seen, and when he was not busy, 
 he was taken care of in an agreeable manner while he was 
 
THE COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS 1*2:J 
 
 ill the city. When he left, he expressed his appreciation 
 and said that he would make an early report, with recom- 
 mendations for a new customs building. 
 
 The collector had spoken to many of the business men 
 about the new building, and many agreed with him, thinking 
 that there ought to be a new one by all means, as the old 
 trap was over a hundred years old, inadequate in all respects, 
 while others would say that as it had been there about one 
 hundred years and they had gotten along very w^ell with 
 it, they thought it good enough for many more years. How- 
 ever, that did not dampen the collector's zeal for something 
 in keeping with other cities whose export and imports did 
 not equal that of the old city, and he decided to get the 
 chamber of commerce, of which he was an active member, 
 to indorse the recommendation for a new building. To 
 his surprise, some of them, as he saw it, still had it in 
 for him and were against anything that he might get credit 
 for. When he read the resolutions, as coming from the 
 chamber of commerce to Congress, asking for five hundred 
 and fifty thousand dollars for a new building, there were 
 six speeches made, five against the appropriation and only 
 one for it, the collector himself. After listening to each of 
 the wise and various remarks, his patience was exhausted 
 
 and he got up and said : "Men, for G sake, if you are 
 
 not willing to help me do something for your to^vn, hold 
 your hands down, and I will do it myself." 
 
 The president of the largest bank in the city got up and 
 said, "I move that the collector be let alone, and given a 
 free hand to get it if he can." This was the beginning 
 of six years of fight that kept him busy a great portion of 
 the time, when not attending to his work, going to Washing- 
 ton dozens of times, paying his own expenses, as well as 
 for all telegTams during those strenuous times, using every 
 efi'ort to secure the six hundred thousand dollars appro- 
 priation for the new building, which he got in the end, 
 
124 MEMORIES 
 
 working almost alone, certainly, with few exceptions, with- 
 out help from those who shonld have taken more interest 
 in it. 
 
 In the meantime, he had gained the friendship of Secretary 
 Hillis, who was then Secretary of the Treasury, who had 
 begam to appreciate the work of the collector, stating to the 
 committee that the collector would not ask for anything 
 that was not needed. After the first three and one half years, 
 they had gotten five hundred and fifty thousand dollars, 
 and were very much elated. The collector was told by the 
 secretary that Congress adjourned that night, and it was 
 all fixed, but to be certain the secretary, in the presence of 
 the collector in his ofiice, called up each of the appropriation 
 committee and all said that it would go through at the 
 closing session that night, as it had been unanimously agreed 
 upon. 
 
 The collector saw that it was unnecessary to remain over 
 another day, and told the secretary that he would go home, 
 which was agreed, but on his way home next morning, he 
 picked up a paper, and saw that just before adjournment 
 that the appropriation had been cut to three hundred 
 thousand dollars by the influence of some one who did not 
 care to let it be known. On reaching home, the collector 
 was complimented, and advised not to try any further, but 
 as soon as Congress convened in the fall, the Senator, who 
 had tried to abolish the customs service in the old city, and 
 move it to his to\vn, introduced a bill in the Senate, asking 
 for an appropriation of three hundred thousand dollars for 
 a new customs building in his own town., that had not more 
 than nine to eleven feet of water available. The collector 
 had fox hunted when a boy, running them mostly moon- 
 light nights, and he had then learned there were some cun- 
 ning old foxes that could fool the dog every time, often 
 by back tracking, then running fences, running bent trees, 
 high logs, etc., and he had observed many of the fox's tricks, 
 which are used to this day by some of our representatives 
 
rilE COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS 125 
 
 to fool their followers. Ko sooner than the collector saw the 
 bill for a new appropriation had been introduced by the 
 old fox, for three hundred thousand dollars for a customs 
 house at l^ew Bern, he got in touch with the treasurer, Mr. 
 Hillis, whose heart had gotten in the work, and got his assur- 
 ance of help ; he then went to the other Senator, who promised 
 to help get it back the first opportunity, also to the Congress- 
 man for that district, with some of the other CongTess- 
 men from the State, who had helped in the matter, and it 
 w^as agreed with the CongTessman who represented the old 
 city that they would ask for three hundred thousand dollars 
 more, the same the old fox had, for his town. The collector, 
 having gone to Washing-ton so often after his Congressman 
 having introduced the bill, going before the appropriation 
 committee, having no committee with him from the same 
 town, but there being large delegations from many of the 
 cities of the country, to go before the appropriation com- 
 mittee when they met, to make it appear that he was not 
 alone the collector would sit in the midst of some of the 
 large delegations from Oklahoma or from some other state, 
 and when the opportunity presented itself, he would speak 
 for the entire committee from his city. The additional three 
 hundred thousand dollars was finally secured, after three 
 years more of strenuous work, making in all six hundred 
 thousand dollars, and as Uncle Joe Cannon, who was the 
 boss of the appropriation committee, and had put his foot 
 down on any big appropriations, but being like the old 
 colored inner door-keeper at the White House, a kind of 
 friendship existed between the collector and the old states- 
 man, as both felt the tie that binds all North Carolinians 
 wherever they are found, and after the appropriation had 
 passed, he remarked, with cigar in mouth, that it was the 
 largest appropriation that had ever been gotten through 
 Congress, since he had been there, by any single man. 
 
 Soon after this, the plans for the new building were drawn, 
 with a roof garden on top, at the earnest request of the 
 
126 MEMORIES 
 
 collector, where the band of the cutter could go up bv elevator, 
 as well as for others to attend the various entertainments, 
 where the musicians could make music for the delight of 
 the people, with parks and iron benches and cement walks 
 for the women and children to rest on while enjoying the 
 music. This suggestion of the roof garden for the young 
 cutter boys to play, came by suggestion from the captain 
 of the cutter, as he said that it would enable him to keep a 
 better class of boys. Having gotten the use of the cutter, 
 every time it had been suggested by the collector, for the 
 various entertainments of the various organizations, farmers, 
 etc., as well as having gotten it to entertain President Taft, 
 and the invited guests, after the collector had induced him 
 through the friendship of the Secretary of the Treasury, 
 to visit the city on his three months trip, spending an entire 
 day and night, which was several times more than he gave 
 any other city on his trip. The plans were marked out 
 and approved before the invitation was accepted. Had it 
 not been, there were men little enough on the entertainment 
 committee of the city to have taken the management entirely 
 out of the hands of the collector, and of those that he added 
 in the beginning. 
 
 The collector was real glad that the plan for the new 
 building was accepted, for the roof garden and the small 
 park, that was to have been around the building would 
 have been such a gTcat pleasure to the people of the city. 
 No sooner than Mr. Wilson was elected president, than 
 there began a conspiracy against the collector to get him out, 
 but his commission lacked two and a half years of being out 
 (as the collector is always appointed for a term of four 
 years), and he may not be removed except for good cause, 
 until his commission expires, and, although no other in the 
 United States was removed from office without cause, yet 
 he was to be made an example of by one of those who waited 
 upon him twice in one day telling him that he either had 
 to join the Ked Shirt club, or leave the town or have his 
 
THE COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS 127 
 
 business destroyed and take the consequences. Whenever 
 they could discredit him in any and every way that it 
 could be brought about, they did so. It is strange, but 
 true nevertheless, that whenever you have been deeply and 
 grievously injured by another, without any cause, they are 
 often the last one to forgive the one that they have injured. 
 It is true that one of the three committeemen, who w^as not 
 an active church worker, met the collector about two years 
 after he was waited on by him, on one of the principal streets 
 of the city, and asked the collector to let him talk with him. 
 He was told to go ahead, and he commenced to apologize 
 for what he had done, telling the collector that he was then 
 willing to get do\\ai on his knees in the middle of the street 
 and beg his pardon for the mean way that he had helped 
 to treat him, and further stated that he had not been able 
 to look him straight in the face since that time, his conscience 
 had so annoyed him. The collector told him that he had 
 forgiven him long ago, as it was not in his heart to carry 
 malice against anyone, and he had no ill feeling toward him, 
 as that was a matter for him and his Creator, for which he 
 hoped that he had been forgiven. After that, he and the 
 collector were again good friends, and the latter was in a 
 position to throw many things in his way, which he did, and 
 they were highly appreciated. 
 
 During the trial and persecution that Bennie went through, 
 he often wondered why he was not allowed to remain dead 
 when he was almost drowned at the old mill when a lad of 
 six years of age. He had gone with his older brother to the 
 mill to get corn ground, and they had gone in bathing. Get- 
 ting in beyond his depth, he had gone down the last time, and 
 was dived for, and brought out lifeless, apparently, and they 
 rolled him on the dam until life came back. The last thoughts 
 he remembered were that he would not see his papa and sis- 
 ters any more, with no pain, only that of a strangle, except 
 w^hen coming to. When all had deserted him save his little 
 
128 MEMORIES 
 
 family, he could not but think that it would have been better 
 for him to have died then, but God seemed to have a special 
 purpose in protecting him then, as well as on other occasions. 
 In a short time afterwards, the attempt began to get rid 
 of the collector. The news gatherers at Washing-ton had hot 
 and caustic articles concerning the dismissal of the collector, 
 because he had in reorganizing the customs service of the 
 State gone by the Treasurer's request to appoint the best 
 qualified clerks they could obtain to fill the various places ; 
 but when article after article came out, which were circulated 
 all over the State, claiming that he had not consulted the 
 senior fox Senator, which he had no right to do, he then was 
 accused of filling the offices with Republicans. When that 
 was investigated, it was found that there had only been one 
 deputy appointed out of the entire lot who was a Republican, 
 all the rest being Democrats. The dispatch reporters often 
 reported certain men in Washington who were connected with 
 one of the larger banks, all being directors, and in a day or 
 two the papers would be reporting that the old fox was deter- 
 mined to see that the present collector should go, and that a 
 certain fox's man would be recommended for the place as 
 well. He was also a director of the bank, as well as part 
 owner of the leading newspaper in the city; and while the 
 manager of the paper had often said of the then collector 
 that he had done so much for the city in securing the appro- 
 priation and other things, that if he w^anted the place he 
 ought to have it as long as he lived. However, when the new 
 aspirant came into the ring, the old collector could not get 
 anything further in the controlled paper, but it began to cry 
 to turn every one out who was not a Wilson idolater and who 
 had refused to vote for him. Many of the other machine 
 papers of the State said the same thing — that, as custodian, 
 the new collector that was soon to be, would get a commission 
 of six thousand to twelve thousand dollars on the building 
 fund, and of course all he had to do was to have the six hun- 
 
THE COLLECTOR OF CV^TOMfi 129 
 
 drcd thousand dollars transferred to the bank, that he and 
 his friends were interested in, and who were so often in 
 Washington with him. 
 
 When a new set of batteries would be turned loose on the 
 collector, it must have been after thinking of the twelve thoii- 
 sand commission and the six hundred thousand that would be 
 placed in their bank. Of course, it must have looked good to 
 them. But the collector was too well informed on customs 
 regulations not to know that they were badly fooled. For 
 twelve years he was custodian, and had never received one 
 cent, as all moneys were kept in the treasury in Washing- 
 ton, and was only paid by vouchers, in new buildings, signed 
 by the supervising architect, but he let the joke go on. 
 
 When the attacks began to occur almost daily on the col- 
 lector, and no chance to deny anything through their kept 
 paper, he went to Washington, saw the Secretary of the 
 Treasury, who treated him kindly, and when he was asked 
 if he had seen any of the papers in which the collector had 
 been continuously attacked, he replied that he had had several 
 marked copies sent him. He then asked if he would have 
 the record of the present collector searched, from the time 
 that he took the office to the present, to see how it stood. The 
 Secretary replied that it had been thoroughly examined and 
 was found to be number one, and said that they would not 
 get the collector out by his consent. But as the old fox Sen- 
 ator had fallen in line by seniority promotion to be the chair- 
 man of the finance committee of the Senate, which e:ave 
 him a powerful weapon over the Secretary of the Treasury, 
 the collector, knowing it, said to the new Treasurer that if 
 the old fox tried to take the advantage of this position in 
 order to force the collector out, all the Treasurer had to do 
 was to notify him, and, rather than embarrass him, he could 
 have his resignation ; that he had plowed an ox and would 
 do so again if it became necessary. The collector was 
 thanked, but was told that they would not get him out until 
 his commission expired. 
 9 
 
CHAPTER XII 
 
 BACK TO THE FARM 
 
 About sixty days after that, the collector received a pri- 
 vately marked letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, 
 recalling vt^hat had been said about being embarrassed, and 
 went on to say that he was continually being sought for the 
 place, in order that it could be given to a friend of the party 
 who was so anxious to get it for him. The collector's resigna- 
 tion went forward immediately. In a few days he received 
 a letter of thanks, telling him to hold his office until he wrote 
 him to turn it over to his successor. In the meantime the old 
 fox Senator had had his young fox appointed collector, but 
 for some cause it was held up for some weeks, but it was 
 reported the presence of the young fox was often seen in 
 Washington, and some of his acquaintances said that he 
 showed nervousness, but after waiting and waiting for so long 
 a time, his nomination was confirmed. After some days his 
 commission was sent to the acting collector, marked "Pri- 
 vate," but the collector being out of to^\m when the letter 
 came, the news was soon gotten to the newly appointed col- 
 lector, who, it was said, got his information from the stenog- 
 rapher and bookkeeper, who was the only "Wilson man in the 
 office, and of course thought that he would be first deputy, but 
 as soon as the new collector was apprised of his certificate of 
 appointment in the postoffice, he goes down to the customs- 
 house and requests the deputy collector to go to the postoffice 
 and get it, and open same in the absence of the collector in 
 charge. The deputy collector opened it, against his better 
 judgment, and when the collector returned to his office the 
 next morning he found the newly appointed collector in his 
 chair, at his desk, who turned to the former collector, without 
 any explanation, and wanted to know if there was anything 
 [130] 
 
BACK TO THE FARM 131 
 
 he could do for him. The only thing that was said by the 
 former collector as he turned to walk out, was that "You will 
 be sorry you got this office before you die." 
 
 In about ten days afterwards, the former collector received 
 a letter, addressed to him, telling him to turn the office over 
 to the newly appointed collector, but the old collector had 
 gone to his farm, and the letter was forwarded to him there. 
 The new collector had appropriated the time, eight to ten 
 days pay, to himself, and continued to do so. It reminds 
 one of Jezebel's cunningly devised plan to get for her hus- 
 band, Ahab, l^aboth's vineyard. God's word is always true, 
 though, as long as light and life hold out. When a heart is 
 penitent, He is ready to forgive. Through the long years of 
 persecution, when it was popular to misrepresent the one 
 who did not bow his knees to those who had so persistently 
 sought to keep the misrepresentation in light, in order that 
 the truth might remain buried, as it was so well planned and 
 carried out, and is now written into history, dedicated by 
 those who plotted the act, and did it so well that those who 
 did not approve of it spoke not above a whisper for fear 
 they would be classed a negro-lover, or to a worse fate. 
 
 When it became generally known that the press that the 
 yellow negro had used to arouse so much bitterness belonged 
 to one of the editors, and the building that he occupied be- 
 longed to another Democrat, the city aldermen appropriated 
 money out of the treasury of the taxpayers, thoiigh without 
 any tooting of horns, and paid for same, but it was not 
 known whether or not it paid for the expense of running the 
 negro newspaper, as it was claimed by the negroes, and white 
 Republicans as well, and also the Populists, that not a single 
 copy was taken by them nor allowed to enter their homes. 
 A very frank old citizen, before he died, is said to have told 
 who was the father of the article that caused the death of 
 the innocent negroes, as well as the persecution and banish- 
 
132 MEMORIES 
 
 ing of some of the former Republican officeholders. The veil 
 of mystery will soon be pulled off the faces of those who 
 had things as they liked them to be seen. 
 
 THE GREAT ARTIST 
 
 Sunset at dear old Caledonia in Autumn's days, 
 When touched with tinges by the Great Artist's hand, 
 Reminds us of the grandeur which awaits one in heavenly land, 
 Where we will find all beauty by God's own hand. 
 
 The old river passing its water gently on, 
 Furnishes the background for the artist here who has begun 
 To bathe in the beauty of the life to be in this beauty land, 
 Where the beauty has been promised on every hand. 
 
 W^hy is mortal man so slow to understand? 
 That the Great Artist has ready prepared this glorious land. 
 There patiently waiting for every converted man. 
 In a land that its beauty and grandeur is more than man can under- 
 stand. 
 
 Is man too busy to stop, think and understand. 
 
 Or is it he allows Satan around him to stand. 
 
 And fear man may become wise, expel Satan to his own land, 
 
 Where there will be legions of men who refused to understand? 
 
 This beauty land has been prepared for man. 
 Will you put Satan out and occupy this land? 
 For it is yours if you will only it accept. 
 By serving the great Artist, and Satan reject. 
 
 As soon as the new collector took charge, and the new tariif 
 was made, the receipts began to fall off, so much so that the 
 duties under the low tariff paid at the port scarcely paid the 
 running expenses of the office ; but to show that a great im- 
 provement was made by the new collector and the progressive 
 administration at Washington, the old fox conceived a plan 
 to boost the office of the little fox, who during the last elec- 
 tion, when the old fox was running for reelection against his 
 opponent, the little fox wrote an article for the paper that 
 he was interested in, almost claiming that the old Senator 
 
BACK TO THE FARM 133 
 
 was a supernatural power, and that the State had never had, 
 nor probably would ever have again, his equal. (About three- 
 fourths of the people agreed with his last statement.) To 
 boost the new collector's office, seeing that it was running on 
 the back track, the big head of the finance committee of 
 the Senate had all of the internal revenues that were collected 
 in the State, which formerly were sent direct to the treasury, 
 sent through the collector's office of the old town, then on to 
 Washington, amounting to over a million yearly, though it 
 did not add one cent to the duty collected at the old port, but 
 his administration was given credit for the great increase 
 through the kept paper that he was connected with. Columns 
 of it were used to show the world what a wonderful collector 
 he was. The machine papers of the State sang his praise, as 
 was expected, not knowing or caring that it was only a confi- 
 dence game. With this big increase, the old foxy Senator 
 introduced a bill, got it through the Senate, to double the 
 collector's salary, owing to the fine showing in collection, as 
 well as the fine trained men that he found in the office. It 
 had to go through the House before it became a law, and as 
 the chairman of the finance committee of the House was 
 well known to those who were keeping up with the game, and 
 was giving a full history of the facts in the case, as dated 
 from the time the plotters had decided to take the leased 
 vineyard, and being familiar with the work of the former 
 collector in building up the port, he himself lending his good 
 influence in getting the appropriation of six hundred thou- 
 sand dollars, and seeing the new collector's receipts had fallen 
 off so materially, he put his foot down on the increase and 
 did not allow it to pass. 
 
 The old fox Senator did not think that when he was using 
 his influence against the old collector in having his salary 
 and commission reduced from thirty-six hundred dollars a 
 year to twenty-five hundred that it would be against himself 
 later on, yet the twenty-five hundred that the old collector's 
 salary was placed at by the Senate was the lowest price of 
 
134 MEMORIES 
 
 any in the country that had anything like half as much duty 
 as was collected by the former collector. Little did he think 
 that he was doing the thing that later would react against 
 his plans, nor had he thought probable that the seed that one 
 sows he will have to reap. 
 
 Before the former collector was out of office, the supervis- 
 ing architect at Washington had about gotten down to the 
 new customs-house in the old town, as there were about sixty 
 buildings ahead of it, and each one had to take its place on 
 the list, but for some cause the new building was held back 
 for some time, until the old collector could be disposed of; 
 then at once great interest was manifested in beginning the 
 new building, and the old plans that were drawn by the old 
 architect, with suggestions of the former collector, were put 
 aside for a new one, leaving out the roof garden, plot, grass, 
 shrubbery, the walks, with seats for the weary to enjoy the 
 breeze, as well as the music from the band. Everything was 
 changed, of course, but sadly for the interests of those who 
 have been denied the pleasure that was intended for them 
 under the plan of the old architect. 
 
 After two or three years the building was completed by 
 the supervising architect and with the assistant who remained 
 with the job, and it stands there today as a monument to 
 many a trial and tribulation. 
 
 One of the largest shippers of the country wrote the for- 
 mer collector, after he retired to his farm, to take the sun- 
 shine, the dew and the rain, finishing his children with the 
 practical part of their education, that his monument was 
 ready built out of granite that would stand through the cen- 
 turies to come. 
 
 INGRATITUDE 
 
 Alone in sadness, only my Creator as Comforter, 
 I find my own will steeped in Sin and Selfishness, 
 But it is through Him I discover my weakness, 
 And by His grace my weakness makes my strength. 
 
BACK TO THE FARM 135 
 
 Left alone by flatterers I deemed my friends, 
 
 I flee from their presence to my country home, 
 
 There to labor in my declining years with my hands and hoe, 
 
 And forget ingi-atitude and raise peas, corn, potatoes, if no more. 
 
 But cotton, wheat and rye is essential as are things to fry, 
 
 While beef, pork and mutton may satisfy the glutton ; 
 
 Yet our lives are not our own, 
 
 And we to others should kindness show, by word if nothing more. 
 
 Life, after all, is one's self in a passing scene. 
 
 To be interpreted and assorted by the screen, 
 
 Separating the good from the bad, by tlie Great Judge. 
 
 Will we be found with the honest in heart, or as a tinkling sound? 
 
 Our friends are many in the days of plenty ; 
 Their smiles and nods are with us on every street ; 
 But when you can no longer serve many of them, 
 You are as soon forgotten as an autumn leaf. 
 
 Why, then, be so foolish as to forget God our Creator, 
 When in Him we find the only friend with us to stay — 
 One who never fails us when man runs away? 
 He is always ready to comfort us to the last day. 
 
 But when the new collector failed to get the increase in 
 salary, he soon resigned, and took with him, or tried to take, 
 the credit of all the big monument, and would have, had it 
 not been for thousands of honest people all over the country, 
 especially in Washington, and by every Congressman in the 
 State, who helped when the}^ could, by word or deed. 
 
 About this time the World War was on, and the former 
 collector, who was transferred from luxury to slavery at seven 
 years old, to take up the work of the former slaves, knew 
 what war meant, and the slavery that would follow it, and 
 at his spare time he was writing to each Senator and Eepre- 
 sentative at Washing-ton, before this country got into the war, 
 begging them to keep us out of the mad slaughter-pen of 
 Europe, as it was a war of jealousy, envy, and plunder, and 
 if we were forced into it we would only be able to see the 
 glory of our beautiful country by looking at it backwards, 
 but if we remained out, when they in their madness finished 
 
136 MEMORIES 
 
 destroying each other, scuttling their own ships, we would 
 be able to give them a helping hand until they got on their 
 feet again. 
 
 He referred them to the critical condition the South was 
 left in, though only a star on the world's map. He knew 
 then that the speculators, international bankers and their 
 agents were raising a campaign of propaganda, controlling 
 hundreds of the largest dailies that they had gotten con- 
 trol of, with their pot-metal plates for the weeklies, and that 
 the hundreds of thousands of various societies, the product 
 of those that were trying to get us into it, were financed by 
 our own money, furnished by the international banks, and 
 finally by our ovni country and taxpayers, which ought to be 
 a warning to every honest man and woman, as well as to our 
 lawmakers. 
 
 A great majority of those who were pleaded with to keep 
 us out claimed that they saw it in the same light ; but a short 
 time afterwards the propagandists of the controlled press 
 became so bitter that honest public opinion was swept aside, 
 and war was declared. The plotters had won their first skir- 
 mish, and no wonder that many of the stout-hearted wept 
 while they voted yea; and while we won in name, still the 
 world is badly defeated, and it will be generations before 
 the new order will be as of old, and we will have to acknowl- 
 edge our deception before God before we have peace. An old 
 friend who, with his gTcat influence and fine diplomacy, had 
 been implored to use his good influence to keep us out, replied 
 that he was sorry to hear that his friend was so disturbed 
 over the likelihood of this country's getting into the war, 
 which no doubt it would, but it would be the best thing, as 
 it would be only three or four months after our country 
 entered in before we would finish it up, then everything 
 would become all right and normal again. But, with the 
 income-tax collector, with every other tax that is and will be 
 for years to follow, the old friend will have time to have 
 another think coming. 
 
BACK TO THE FARM 137 
 
 As soon as war was declared, every lover of his country 
 knew that there was nothing else to do but to roll up their 
 sleeves and do their best to win — either whip or be whipped; 
 the latter was not thinkable; and the former collector, now 
 farmer, had two sons to volunteer their services at the very 
 beginning. A third one, who was running the larger farm, 
 insisted that he was ready to go any time, but with all labor 
 gone where they were getting from five to ten dollars a day, 
 which left the large farm helpless, except what could be pro- 
 duced by the manager with machinery, in person, and the 
 cry for raising more foodstuffs coming from everywhere, 
 caused the best farmer of his county to be left for later call. 
 His crops, raised mostly by himself and machinery, with a 
 few children, were no doubt the best raised in the county. 
 None of his sons had any pull, and had to stand upon their 
 own merits. Those that volunteered from college went up 
 the ladder, no doubt deserving their promotion. The old 
 collector, with his two little boys, the eleven-year-old one 
 doing the plowing, the afflicted one doing the hoeing with his 
 father, did all that he could until he had to take his bed, then 
 to the hospital. 
 
 IN AND OUT THE HOSPITAL 
 
 The hospital is a wonderful place, 
 
 Often relieves one's ills and cures their case, 
 
 But now I begin to think it is time for me to leave, 
 
 As I feel that I have been greatly relieved. 
 
 Yes, the hospital is a wonderful place. 
 
 They are either taking them in or taking them out — 
 
 Some alive, some are dead. 
 
 Some on stretchers, some on beds. 
 
 It is wonderful that no death you hear 
 
 While in the hospital, and you so near ; 
 
 Yet in the morning when in the papers you read, 
 
 You often find some one has passed into the dead sea. 
 
 Yet it is well that all that happens in the hospital we do not know, 
 For we might become frightened and would want to go. 
 For fear we might be taken out in our sleep, 
 Through a mistake, wrapped up in a white sheet. 
 
138 MEMORIES 
 
 When he returned home he would work until the pain 
 would force him to his couch or bed ; doing more than he was 
 able to do to produce food for the boys, who had to be clothed 
 and fed while in the war, fighting for their lives. 
 
 About the time the war began, the farmer was entreated 
 by letters from people all over his congressional district, ask- 
 ing him to make the race for Congress. While he had no 
 special desire, as he wrote them, to go to Congress, yet if it 
 was the wish of the majority of his district, he would make 
 the race in order to try to help the farmer get his rights in 
 banking, as the commercial and national bankers had, that 
 they might borrow money direct from the government on 
 long and short time loans, at the same rate of interest that 
 the commercial and national banks had borrowed from the 
 government, in order that the farmer could hold his products 
 and fix his own prices, instead of the international and com- 
 mercial banks fixing it, as is the case now. If it was their 
 desire, he would do his best to serve them to the very best 
 of his ability. He did not send out over a dozen or two of 
 these letters, and told his friends that while he was opposed 
 to our entering the war, sending our sons to the slaughter- 
 pen of Europe, yet since we were in it we had to win, and 
 we must do everything possible to do so, and to hold up the 
 hands of our President, who was our leader. He only sent 
 out a few of these letters, as he had come to the conclusion 
 that it was no time to talk politics or have any thought but 
 to give all of his mind and thought to the winning of the war, 
 and let such things take care of themselves later. ^ 
 
 THE DOCTOR AND NURSE 
 
 The patient, with his ails, to the hospital he hails. 
 There to meet the skilled physician, who puts on no frills, 
 But calls in the liind, white-capped nurse, who shows no ruffles, 
 But for one's comfort they are soon on a hustle. 
 
BACK TO THE FARM 139 
 
 What a blessing the hospital is to humanity, 
 Founded upon man's love to his brother man, 
 Where pain and sutferinff finds friends anxious to relieve, 
 Willing and waiting to share one's griefs. 
 
 Do not complain if your bell is not answered before one can think, 
 As the kind, white-capped nurses are continually on their feet. 
 Honestly endeavoring to do their best 
 To relieve our pain and make us well again. 
 
 Then be patient with the doctor and the nurse, 
 For often they will relieve you from the worse 
 Old stomach pain that has been your curse, 
 So be patient with the doctor and the nurse. 
 
 The white-capped nurse often from the country comes. 
 Where the beautiful forest, with its blossoms so sweet. 
 Has shaped her kind hands to the restoration of mankind ; 
 Then sing honor and praise to her glorious name. 
 
 One of the letters that was mailed out got into the hands 
 of some political enemies, or special interest, who were ready 
 to do anything to defeat him in anything that he undertook. 
 When it got into the hands of the attorney of the new col- 
 lector, the letter was printed in their paper, with piecemeal 
 comment between the gaps, creating all the prejudice against 
 the farmer, even claiming that it was treason to issue a letter 
 at that time, when every one should have his attention on 
 winning the war, but they did not tell that the letter was sent 
 out several months prior to the time that they published it, 
 nor did they tell their readers, nor the wild-eyed papers that 
 copied it, that this farmer was working every day on his 
 farm when he was physically not able, with his entire family, 
 from near sunrise to sunset, when not absolutely forced to 
 take his bed from sheer exhaustion, endeavoring to raise all 
 the foodstuffs possible to feed the armies, as well as the wild- 
 mouthed loafers and the attorneys of his kind. 
 
 The new collector's attorney, being one of the vigilant 
 committees of the State, had to prove his worth by his work, 
 and a special detective from Philadelphia soon after drove 
 up to the farmer's home, with the sheriff and his deputy. 
 
140 MEMORIES 
 
 Arriving there about noon, they were invited to go in and 
 eat with the family. Before doing so, the detective pulled 
 out a copy of the letter that the overwrought supposed pa- 
 triots, who did lip-work and raising, no doubt, funds from 
 the profiteers upon what the farmers had produced, had 
 given him. The profiteers were fast becoming piggie mil- 
 lionaires, and of course were glad to show their appreciation 
 of the good things that they were getting out of the war, and 
 every one who viewed matters in a plain, truthful way was 
 an enemy. 
 
 The detective read one paragraph after another of the let- 
 ter, asking the meaning of each. The farmer told him that 
 they expressed the thought of the writer, who was and had 
 been doing all that he could to help his country. Having 
 learned how the ousted collector had been treated by those 
 who were after him, and how he was put out of his office 
 without cause before his lease was out, and was still the tar- 
 get of some of those who had treated him badly years before, 
 who had not yet forgiven him, the detective remarked that it 
 was about as he had expected, as he had confidentially in- 
 quired of those that he came in touch with that knew him, 
 and all had given him the most praiseworthy reputation. He 
 added, in leaving, that he was glad he came to investigate 
 for himself. 
 
 It is the hope of the farmer that those who have tried to 
 injure him and his will be forgiven, as it is not in his heart 
 to hold malice against any one ; and many of those little 
 things, as they may appear to some, will not be little when 
 the people have become able to think in a cool, sober way. 
 This is being written that those who read may be warned not 
 to be led into deeds and actions that they may bitterly regret 
 later, as all of us are our brothers' keepers. 
 
 During the many years that he lived in the old city, he 
 farmed all the while, having a manager to supervise the farm. 
 His family spent three months on the farm each year, the 
 boys working as other laborers, the girls also learning how 
 
HACK TO THE FARM 141 
 
 to work and to use their needles in making their own clothes, 
 should it become necessary. It was the best part of their 
 entire education, even including their college course, as they 
 are all appreciated for their worth by those who know them, 
 and are at the forefront in all that they undertake to do. 
 
 The public improvements that have been such a blessing 
 to hundreds in the reclaiming and draining of vast quantities 
 of worthless land is now a blessing to the community. Good 
 roads, nice schools and churches are producing a new and 
 thriving generation that could not have grown up under old 
 conditions. 
 
 The experiment with ground phosphate lime and marl 
 proved them far superior to burned lime for agricultural pur- 
 poses. They are among the many helps which the former 
 collector introduced, which have been adopted by the Depart- 
 ment of Agriculture at Washington and are being used all 
 over the United States in place of the old burnt lime that 
 destroyed the humus in soil. 
 
 He fought for twenty-five years for good roads and forest 
 protection, when they were so new to the politicians and 
 editors that they wondered if he thought people were fools 
 enough to be taxed for good roads for other people to ride 
 over, and his long fight in this State for forest protection, 
 which meant to keep the stock from running at large, caused 
 him thousands of dollars of loss, with enemies multiplied, 
 who were against being pulled out of the rut and on the road 
 to improvement. 
 
 Having to chip a task and a half of boxes when he was 
 seventeen years old, he discovered that cutting holes into the 
 pine tree was fast destroying the forests, and he conceived 
 the idea of digging a hole in the ground and letting the tur- 
 pentine run into it, or placing a cup at the bottom of the 
 tree to catch the turpentine in. He wrote a letter to some 
 of the leading papers advocating the idea, and the Forest 
 Department adopted it. They experimented on a forest in 
 Florida, and approved of the plan, and sent out their bulle- 
 
142 MEMORIES 
 
 tins over the turpentine belt, advising the nse of the cup 
 iijstead of cutting holes in the pines, just as the bulletins 
 were distributed later advising the use of ground phosphate 
 lime in the place of burnt lime. 
 
 During the last war, when fertilizer ingredients were so 
 scarce and hard to get, except cotton-seed meal and phosphate 
 acid, he was requested hy the State Department of Agricul- 
 ture to get up a formula for fertilizer. This he did, includ- 
 ing mostly ground lime, phosphate acid, fish scrap or cotton- 
 seed meal, which was printed and sent out in bulletins to the 
 farmers in the State, and no better crops were made. 
 
 The hardest task that one has to encounter, if he happens 
 to be progressive, is trying to get people out of old ruts. 
 They will curse, as a rule, any one who attempts it, but may 
 later see their error, and will follow if it is at a long distance. 
 The collector and farmer has lived longer, if time were 
 measured by what one accomplishes, than the average man, 
 should he live beyond the century mark, and while he is 
 now over threescore years of age, and in feeble health, he 
 is as active as the average man of much younger age. While 
 his ideas have always been progressive, yet he can always 
 learn something from most every one he meets. Having 
 worked at such a gTeat disadvantage, yet he can look back 
 and see that it was not in vain, if cursed at times, yet fol- 
 lowed, if years afterward. It is a pleasure to him to see the 
 great fields of growing crops on land that was once a wilder- 
 ness, inhabited mostly by frogs, snakes, and their kind, con- 
 verted into the finest farms, producing anything that is 
 grown in the State. 
 
 Magnificent churches and schools have been built by those 
 who own these farms, many of them having also improved 
 their homes and made them better places for their families. 
 Surrounded by splendid forests, they can appreciate real art 
 and never tire of its beauty, when nature dresses in her 
 spring, summer, and autumn garments, that remind us of 
 the glorious things that have been given us, and a stepping- 
 
BACK TO THE FARM 143 
 
 stone of beautj to those who here appreciate and protect the 
 little things that have been entrusted to their care. Those 
 who do not appreciate these wonderful gifts are to be pitied. 
 If they would think for a moment, they would realize how 
 easily their homes could be adorned and surrounded with the 
 beautiful flowers which are in reach of all, as well as the 
 lofty tree that was given us for so many purposes, that are 
 continually stretching out their finger ends toward their 
 Creator, singing with the breeze in reverence to their Giver. 
 What a blessing we have in them, yet they are shamefully 
 neglected by the average person because the children have not 
 been properly trained to appreciate and love the many beau- 
 tiful things in nature, with which we are surrounded from 
 the cradle to the grave. The wonderful pictures painted by 
 the hand of God are in reach of all. The humblest can enjoy 
 them as well as the rich, and parents should not neglect to 
 impress their children with the pleasure to be derived from 
 so great an inheritance. 
 
 Bennie never has sincerely regTctted that he did not move 
 away from the town where he was persecuted, as one of his 
 wealthy N'orthern friends offered to put in his hands one hun- 
 dred thousand dollars if he would move away, and agreed to 
 give another fifty thousand if he needed it, but he knew that 
 if he left they would say that he would not have left if he had 
 been innocent of what the persecutors had heaped upon him, 
 and he had rather stay and live to prove that they were falsi- 
 fiers, as they were. 
 
 Truth is the daughter of time, and what is in us of the 
 image of God is the love of truth and justice. 
 
 Shall we our country's noble tradition forsake — 
 
 Those that have made our people so noble and great? 
 
 No, not to the Big Four in their desperate straits, 
 
 Which are trying to control the world and our country unmake. 
 
 They think they have found here some of their kind, 
 Who are attempting to tie our hands and keep us blind. 
 All the lovers of the true American kind 
 Are asked to surrender and be of the European mind. 
 
144 MEMORIES 
 
 A world's empire they are striving:; to create, 
 Composed of the Big Four, they thinli they can mate, 
 For England, with her colonies to dominate, 
 And America's grand institutions will be only a fake. 
 
 Let not party nor prejudice be our guide. 
 
 But study the grave questions from all sides. 
 
 Before we again become a colony, controlled by the Big Four, 
 
 And our liberties, our traditions all swept aside. 
 
 Let us have a just peace that will end wars, 
 And stay in America and cling close to the cross ; 
 Let Europe and the Orient over there do the same, 
 And none of us will have a cause to be ashamed. 
 
POEMS 
 
 10 
 
POEMS 
 
 THE COTTAGE ON THE BANK 
 
 During storm, January 28, 1921 
 
 The cottage resting upon the river bank. 
 Surrounded by nature's lovely forest, 
 Tells the story of our Creator's artistic love, 
 Adorned by flowers, songbirds and the dove. 
 
 The cottage has memories dear and near. 
 The river breezes whisper gently in our ears 
 Of the many happy days of our lives. 
 As the breeze sings gently to the skies. 
 
 Yet when the winter storm comes with its frown, 
 We feel safe, as the cottage is upon solid ground. 
 Our thoughts are continually resting upon Him, 
 Who is anxious and willing to forgive our sins. 
 
 The windstorm sings its songs around the gables, 
 
 Sometimes loud, fierce and strong ; 
 
 But we only have to remember 
 
 Our faith, our cottage is built upon solid ground. 
 
 The storm passes, the sunshine becomes sublime, 
 Our faith, our hopes are more inclined 
 To see the beauty that continues to climb 
 To the beautiful abode that will be mine. 
 
 TO CHURCH WE GO 
 
 If it is to the church you go 
 To learn the things you should know. 
 Then upon you the pleasure will grow. 
 The more to the church you go. 
 
 But if to the church you go. 
 Your finery to others show. 
 You'd better stay home and not go. 
 Lest you will find others running your show. 
 
 If to the church you and your fellow go. 
 It will be well for all to know 
 That it is your fellow you are getting to go, 
 So that good example set by you others may know. 
 
 [147] 
 
148 POEMS 
 
 THE RIVER SWAMP ROAD 
 
 What a trial I have had to bear no one but my Creator knows, 
 
 In building a highway that was promised years ago. 
 
 Twenty years my efforts were in vain, 
 
 Until I began to realize my life was fast ebbing away. 
 
 Five long months the old dredge, with tortoise gait, 
 Puffed, creened, shook, until it and I seemed a fake. 
 We had few friends, but scores of dissenters, 
 They using their influence more than a plenty. 
 
 To see the canal by the side of the highway, none to surpass, 
 One could not think the canal, dug through thousands of stumps, 
 Some so large, eyes and mind could scarcely believe 
 That twenty-odd sticks of dynamite required their release. 
 
 Many over two feet under the ground, over thirty feet around. 
 With second-growth timber over three feet through. 
 Convinces one that Columbus was not the first to discover our land, 
 But there were a former people in arts mighty and grand. 
 
 For twenty years, pleading, year in and out, but in vain. 
 To get Pender's commissioners to build the river swamp road. 
 But not until raising sons who were taught never backwards go. 
 They, with faithful Cameron Johnson and crew, put the job through. 
 
 The roadbed filled with marl and mud-topped two feet with gravel- 
 sand. 
 Makes a highway grand, and will ever stand. 
 W^hen generations unborn will enjoy the labor of others, 
 They will exclaim, some one's work made tliem fame. 
 
 AGAINST THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS 
 
 Deab Brother Johnson : — I have just read Dr. Truetfs fine ad- 
 dress in this week's issue, but I am one of those that believe if he 
 had studied both sides of the League of Nations as brought back 
 from Europe by Mr. Wilson, that he would have another opinion 
 of it. 
 
 It was born in deception. Mr. Wilson's fourteen points looked 
 fair and resembled justice, and notwithstanding they wei'e sanc- 
 tioned by England, France, Italy, and Japan, apparently to deceive 
 the honest people of the world, even deluded the enemy and caused 
 
POEMS 140 
 
 them to revolt aiy:ainst their own country, expecting they, the allies, 
 were fighting for justice and real democracy. But behold! What 
 has a trusting world discovered? Instead of a war for justice to 
 the conquered, with no change of boundaries nor Indemnities, we 
 find that England, France, Italy, and Japan have formed one mighty 
 empire to take from the enemy all they can by leaving them slaves. 
 And now they want the United States to join the combination of 
 plunderers, that we may continue to send our sons and means to all 
 parts of the world to keep intact for the plunderers the ill-gotten 
 gains they have taken or stolen from a naked, helpless people. 
 
 No wonder the great mass of honest people are turning away from 
 such partners as fast as the veil of deception is lifted from their 
 eyes, and I believe as firmly as I believe in a true and just God that 
 the mighty hand of justice will rebuke in some way such treacherous 
 actions in nations as well as in individuals, and the Baptist organ of 
 a great denomination is doing a great injustice to our teaching to 
 condone such conduct in nations or individuals, is my opinion. 
 
 All true men want to see peace and the ending of wars, but they 
 do not want to let the deceptives dictate to the honest, as the allies 
 are trying to do, since they have succeeded in plundering the world 
 on the pretense of democracy. 
 
 WHEN JUSTICE IS GIVEN THE FARMER, THEN HE WILL 
 BE AS DESCRIBED IN VERSE 
 
 The grand old farmer, it is the soil he loves ; 
 It brings food and raiment to all mankind ; 
 But for centuries he got only what he could eat, 
 Until now his oppressors are on the retreat. 
 
 The speculator over his crop would watch ; 
 For centuries it fell to their lot 
 To work and toil without any reward. 
 Until now they, the farmers' prosperity means meat to them all. 
 
 The day is breaking since the farmer is being educated, 
 And no longer the speculator will control ; 
 So all humanity will share in his blessing, 
 Since the educated farmer began progressing. 
 
 Wake up, all classes ; gather even the masses ; 
 Give praise to the man who feeds you while through life you are 
 
 passing. 
 For it is to him, not his oppressor. 
 That his relief and comfort will also bring to you blessings. 
 
150 POEMS 
 
 The man who would bind you by party chains, 
 This same man will sell you later for gain. 
 If it is your liberty you want to gain, 
 Beware of this party man who over party goes insane. 
 
 The party man, with his gang, 
 His business is to fool every man he can ; 
 Praising his party until he has you complete, 
 Then to his bosses he will sell you as he would so much meat. 
 
 So beware of the rank party man. 
 For he is more treacherous than drifting sand ; 
 Though he may be honest, but does not understand 
 That it takes reasoning to become a broadmiuded man. 
 
 JIM AND KATE 
 
 Dese young niggers dey some sight, 
 Dey romp all day and all night ; 
 Dey mammy she goes about crazy 
 When she sees de young niggers is so lazy. 
 
 What we is to do I cannot see. 
 For Mosser Ben crib it done and fail, 
 And dis year dere is no hay. 
 And when I go to de little store, dunno what to say. 
 
 Sure dey little store are high and mighty shy. 
 And you get nothing out of them less you lie. 
 
 If you lie when de officer comes, de old woman she will begin to cry, 
 And save my life it looks like we all going to die. 
 
 De only way I see to do is go to the war, fight dem Huns 
 Until de last one of them is on the run. 
 Den when I comes back Kate and I 
 We will be somebody way up high. 
 
 So I am just as happy as I can be, 
 To think I am willing to do so much for my country. 
 When dem lazy niggers me dey will see, 
 Dey will say sure der's one nigger I would like to be. 
 
POEMS 151 
 
 HOG-KILLING TIME 
 
 Hog-killins time on the farm is great ; 
 The sausages, spare-ribs, puddings, all well mates ; 
 Everybody is happy as eats can make. 
 I tell you, hog-killing time on the farm is something great. 
 
 The old women who prepare the hog dainties, all of their own 
 make. 
 Find time to make some extra for their neighbors' sake — 
 All because the neighbors, they too sometimes make. 
 And to have reciprocal neighbors, we have to give and take. 
 
 The city folks oftentimes get a taste 
 Of some of the nice things out of the pigs we make, 
 But often it is stale, and not always as well made 
 As the dainties made by careful hands who make for their own plate. 
 
 Yet while the city folks have their revels and fun, 
 We country people do not have to go in a run ; 
 Still we have the best of everything that pig meat can make. 
 I tell you, an old oven with a good cook is no fake. 
 
 The pig feet, when well fried, are hard to beat ; 
 And the chitterlings, too, are good to eat ; 
 Then there is the hog's head, when made to souse, 
 Is so rich and tasty it is enough to give one the gout. 
 
 "CHILDREN ARE CHILDREN" 
 
 The aged person complains of things that seem insane ; 
 The youthful laughs, says we are not to blame, 
 For Father and Mother were, too, once gay. 
 And forget that it is natural for children to love to play. 
 
 Then do not think that children are not like children then, 
 For nature is the same, if we do forget and complain 
 Of the things in their nature that does not always seem sane, 
 For it is only Father and Mother living Childhood over again. 
 
 There are distinctions in everything. 
 Then why not well mannered children have their play. 
 Lest they become insane, instead of being innocent and gay, 
 For childi'en are children and must have their play. 
 
152 POEMS 
 
 OBITUARY TO "OLD BOOZE" 
 
 (111 Mercy Hospital, Baltimore, the day booze was outlawed) 
 
 Oh. you booze, the booze of old, 
 You who have made so many f,'ray and old. 
 Can now bow your head in infamous shame. 
 As we know your death is man's gain. 
 
 For centuries you have debauched man. 
 And have dressed in rags all you can ; 
 Now, mothers, wives, children and friends 
 Can say, at last you have your reward. Amen. 
 
 The wives you have sent to their graves, 
 The happy homes you have unmade, 
 Stand as a witness against you today. 
 And will keep you forever at bay. 
 
 The asylums that you have filled, 
 For your greed, when you knew it would kill ; 
 The wretchedness that you have made, 
 Is the curse that will be with you in your grave. 
 
 THE PICTURE SHOW 
 
 The moving-picture show is where most all go. 
 
 Yet the more they go, the less they know 
 
 About things in life that to them would be worth more. 
 
 When in life they begin to grow old. 
 
 If for wisdom you want to gain. 
 
 Take your books from authors of fame ; 
 
 Give your time while you have a bright mind : 
 
 It will be worth in the end more than a gold mine. 
 
 So select your companions of the best minds. 
 If you seek the best in the world to find. 
 When you do, your company will be refined. 
 And you will find it more pleasant all the time. 
 
 So use your talents for what they were intended — 
 
 Not stifle them for the picture show. 
 
 If you do, you will soon not want to go. 
 
 But will love the things that will learn you more. 
 
POEMS 153 
 
 THE NEGLECTED GIRL 
 
 The little spoiled girl of the cross-roads town, 
 That meets all trains, under any strain. 
 Throwing her smiles and blinking her eyes 
 To every boy for miles she can spy. 
 
 It is the same girl that leaves to her mother 
 All the drudgery work to do, 
 
 Going through the world, giving it a bad spell of the blues, 
 All because the world sees she will not do. 
 
 Who is to blame but Ma and Pa 
 If this thoughtless girl goes to the bad? 
 The fickle will laugh when she smiles — 
 At the same time she they will despise. 
 
 Help the little, spoiled, neglected girl 
 To see the danger around her lures ; 
 That as she grows old, help her to learn more. 
 Before her life's journey is over. 
 
 MOTHERS' CLUB 
 
 The war, in all its various forms. 
 Everything upside down, trouble just begun. 
 Every notorietj'-seeker on the run. 
 Trying to get every one but himself to shoulder his gun. 
 
 Some are starving, others freezing ; 
 Some coughing, others sneezing, 
 
 All because our love to our fellow-man is not pleasing 
 To our Creator, who alone can keep us from starving and freezing. 
 
 Some sincere, others deluded ; 
 Some trying to imitate their rulers ; 
 Some sincere, some fakes. 
 While many see nothing but spies and snakes. 
 
 So the war in all its various forms 
 Will bring to us many reforms — 
 Some for good, some for bad — 
 Most of them, we fear, will be to us sad. 
 
154 POEMS 
 
 Who is to take the mother's place 
 While at the club she mostly stays? 
 The poor little child is being beguiled, 
 For the lack of the true mother's smile. 
 
 W^ho are to train the wives of our sons 
 If the work at home is not begun 
 By the love and gentle care 
 Of the mother, whose God she doth fear? 
 
 Woe, then, to the country whose women do not care 
 What becomes of their children when they are not near — 
 Attending their meetings, others get their greetings. 
 The children at home from their servants get their beatings. 
 
 THE RISING SUN 
 
 The morning sun from under the skies 
 Peeps out so radiant and bright 
 That when its beauty we behold. 
 For grandeur, sublimity, we cannot ask for more. 
 
 When it peeps from out of the east. 
 The sparkling dew then bids the sun adieu, 
 Until at noon, when the dew is subdued. 
 The sun faces the west, where its beauty looks the best. 
 
 So it is the sun that stands so bright and high, 
 Yet everything on earth to it is drawn nigh. 
 For our Creator gave it to serve us before the world was, 
 And we all proudly say His work was well done. 
 
 Then sing praise to Him of the beauty that surrounds our life, 
 For it is more grandeur than we deserve. 
 If it was not by the hand of our kind Creator, 
 Satan would soon have one as an imitator. 
 
 The beautiful sun, when it is in the west, 
 Represents the work of an honest man when he is at his best — 
 Representing all that stands for the best. 
 Though he may no longer be here, his work will tell the rest. 
 
POEMS 155 
 
 DEDICATED TO THE STAFF AND NURSES 
 AT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL 
 
 (In bed, James Walker Memorial Hospital, Jan. 23, 1918) 
 
 Tlie kind-hearted nurse, with her rosy cheeks, 
 
 Whose eyes are as brifjht as the sparkling dew, 
 
 Arranges your bed with her careful hands, 
 
 That when you fall asleep you dream you are in the fairy land. 
 
 It's Miss Lena McLean, whose manners are so cute, 
 Her gentle look is enough to subdue the brute ; 
 Her plump cheeks, with her lips so red, 
 Make the patient forget he is confined to his bed. 
 
 What a nurse she would be in a hospital camp. 
 
 Where the wounded boy could clasp her hand, 
 
 Where he would soon learn to obey her gentle command 
 
 As if he was on the firing line, fighting for his sacred land. 
 
 Her rosy cheeks, with her pleasant smiles, 
 
 We all soon learn to love or admire ; 
 
 Her duty, the Red Cross nurse never neglects. 
 
 Though the patient may be only a bundle of frets. 
 
 Oh, what a noble calling it is to be a good nurse- 
 One that can soothe the pain and make us well again. 
 It is with such a nurse that our blessings come from on high. 
 Though her reward will come only when she goes to her home 
 in the skies. 
 
 The poor, friendless man, with his loathsome disease, 
 For relief and safety to the hospital he they speed. 
 While the nurse, without one word of discontent. 
 Administers to his needs as though he was a king of great 
 descent. 
 
 Then hurrah ! hurrah ! for the Red Cross nurse. 
 
 For it is to them the afflicted owe so much 
 
 That we never, never can repay. 
 
 But can sav hurrah ! hurrah ! for the Red Cross nurse. 
 
156 POEMS 
 
 Appreciative tlioughts of Casper Dails, the Tramp, 
 in thinking of his — - 
 
 "SISTER MAGGIE" 
 
 My loving sister Oh, how dear, 
 Who always to me has been so near, 
 May the shining angels over her watch. 
 May peace and joy always be her lot. 
 
 A sister who can be so kind, 
 Will have the love of all mankind, 
 May her noble worth to those on earth, 
 Give her a home, a heavenly berth. 
 
 To the hospital me she has often sent. 
 To cure my pains, make me well again. 
 Now I sing praise to her glorious name. 
 For her noble deeds to the helpless, gives her 
 fame. 
 
 OPEN LETTER TO FARMERS AND FRIENDS, 1922 
 
 Since there are only twenty-two farmers in the United States 
 Congress, as compared with two hundred and eighty-nine lawyers 
 and one hundred and ninety-nine business men, is it any wonder 
 that the farming interests, the pillow that all other business is rest- 
 ing upon, is crushed to the ground, not only destroying the hope of 
 agriculture, but eventually all other businesses and classes will 
 reach the pitiable position that the farming interest has been forced 
 to occupy, i. e., white slaves, because its friends have not been at 
 court to see that justice has been given them, the same as to the 
 banker and business men who, through the national banking system 
 inaugurated by President Lincoln as an emergency in time of war, 
 but with the purpose that it should be repealed or would finally 
 destroy our republic by making it possible for the few who control 
 our banks to control the wealth of our country. The system would 
 have been repealed had Lincoln lived, but those who controlled the 
 banks saw that they controlled the destiny of the nation, including 
 all its people. Thus we see millionaires springing up like toadstools 
 over night. 
 
 This gigantic robbery, under the sanction of the law, is now con- 
 trolling the Government, and is it any wonder that the farmer of 
 today has less protection than the negro slave of the Old South 
 
POEM^ 157 
 
 from their masters before the Civil War? Agriculture has come to 
 the partinj; of the roads ; it asks for justice — no more and no less — 
 in that we demand a bankin,i? system exclusively for the farming 
 interests and stockraisers, divorced completely from the commercial 
 and international banks, by which it may be made to function the 
 same as commercial banks, without beinji blocked with red tape, and 
 that the farmer and producer may borrow from said banks on short 
 and long time loans at the same rate of interest that the commercial 
 and international banks borrow. 
 
 The Farm Loan Banks secure their loans by mortgages on farm 
 products, on short loans, and on farm lands on long-time loans. 
 When Congress realized the critical period that is before us and 
 joined with the few friends who are trying to save their country, 
 rather than destroy it by being led further into European affairs by 
 the international banks and gamblers, then will we see the farmer 
 and producer for the first time in fifty years able to make the price 
 of his own-raised products, and not until then will co-operative mar- 
 keting be of much benefit to the farmer. We all realize (certainly 
 the international bankers do) that he who controls our money con- 
 trols the price of our products. 
 
 The Farm Loan Banks, managed by business farmers or friends 
 of the agricultural interests, will enable the farmer to make a 
 decent living, educate his children, giving them the same advantages 
 other children have, and then we will see all classes prosper, the 
 bankers included, and farm life will take its rightful place in our 
 nation, where it has been so long oppressed. 
 
 If the farmer has banking facilities suitable to his needs, he will 
 be ready to use co-operative marketing to its fullest advantages, and 
 through their warehouses and packing systems would be enabled to 
 sell their surplus products in foreign markets, after supplying this 
 country, thus getting the extra profit, or part of it, that the con- 
 trollers of our money — price-fixers — get for it, and which enriches 
 them alone, at the expense of the helpless producers, as well as the 
 consumers. We will never see peace restored until justice is given 
 to producers, who in turn can relieve the consumers of farm prod- 
 ucts. This done, you will see new life in all classes of business. 
 Those in Europe and elsewhere will be supplied to a great extent 
 by those who produce their needs as each co-operative organization 
 will supply their portion of their needs. This will enable all pro- 
 ducers (whether they are able or not to borrow from the Farm Loan 
 Banks, for the lack of proper security or reputations) to join the 
 co-operative marketing association and get full benefit of these asso- 
 ciations, at the same time keeping them out of the hands of the 
 gamblers who have been giving them the least they could to eke out 
 a mere living. No wonder our children want to leave the farm, 
 where they can make only a scanty living, and crowd the cities, 
 when they see their efforts is only slavery for themselves, while 
 
158 POEMS 
 
 others are enjoying all the profits on what they have produced. 
 Will you help to right this wrong by writing your Congressman, 
 Senators and friends to give us the remedy now, before it is too late, 
 as oppression produces radicalism? The Farm Bloc is fighting our 
 battle. Ask your Representative to join with them to give us the 
 desired relief. If they refuse, send a new Representative next time. 
 Under this system the farmers would soon be able to finance them- 
 selves without Government aid. 
 
 OPEN LETTER TO HON. HENRY WALLACE, SECRETARY 
 OF AGRICULTURE, WASHINGTON, D. C. 
 
 CuRRiE, N. C, September 28, 1922. 
 Dear Mr. Secretary : 
 
 You may remember that I wrote you in the spring, asking that 
 you call together three or four hundred real dirt farmers — no specu- 
 lators or bankers, only dirt farmers — to meet in conference in AVash- 
 ington on December 6th and 7th. 
 
 I have written to farmers in almost every State, feeling them out 
 on coming together and try to agree upon a banking system that 
 will mean a permanent help to the agricultural interests, which, of 
 course, will mean relief to all other classes of business and people. 
 The present banking system gives more power and wealth to the 
 bankers, which enables them to wind their web tighter around the 
 farmer by lending them bank credits, doubled up, and notes, etc., 
 received from the farmers, rediscounted at the twelve regional banks, 
 and loaned again and again until the banks are getting interest eight 
 or ten times out of the producers (at 6 to 8 per cent) on the real 
 money they have in their banks, thus drawing blood out, or interest 
 out of the producers faster than real, honest wealth can be produced, 
 and is it any wonder that we are getting worse off each year, having 
 to humiliate ourselves by being foi'ced to beg individuals, money 
 lenders, to lend us what the Government (Congress) has given a few, 
 less than one-half of one per cent of the people, the power to tax at 
 their own will the remainder of the 99% per cent of the people. 
 
 Why not lend the producers the Government credit direct, secured, 
 of course, at the same rate of interest the Government lends to the 
 favored bankers, who are allowed to multiply their interest eight or 
 ten times at G and 8 per cent? If Mr. Harding will ignore the 
 wreckers of the world today, and keep them from handling the 
 money for the farmer and other classes by advocating direct loans 
 to the agricultural and wealth-producing interests of the Government 
 credits, same as the old-time greenbacks that saved the country in 
 time of its greatest peril, he will not only save it now from collapse, 
 
POEMS 159 
 
 but it will restore peace and prosperity the world over, as all other 
 nations will gladly follow suit. The Government to collect interest 
 on all loans which would help to pay expenses of government. 
 
 I ask if you will take the matter up with the President to call a 
 conference of real dirt farmers to meet in Washington, December 
 6th and 7th, to be heard on their needs in the way of banking. 
 
 If the President will use his good offices in this direction, and 
 insist on a bill divorcing the farmers from the money trust, there 
 would be no power, save above, from keeping the people from re- 
 nominating and electing him ; but should the money trust succeed in 
 defeating this plan that will mean relief, then you will see the issue 
 squarely drawn between the people and the banking trust, and their 
 money and subsidized press and so-called Congressmen and Senators 
 will not be able to save them from the wrath of a long-suffering 
 people. 
 
 I hope you will let me hear from you ; also would thank you to 
 be kind enough to place this letter before the President for his con- 
 sideration and approval, as I have the greatest confidence in his 
 desire to serve all the people to the best of his ability. 
 
 With best wishes, and thanking you in advance, I am 
 Yours respectfully, 
 
 B. F. KEITH, Farmer. 
 
 THE END 
 
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