Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 February 1918 — HOUSE OFFER WITHDRAWN [ARTICLE]

HOUSE OFFER WITHDRAWN

ABSENT EDITOR AGAIN WRITES INTERESTING NOTES OF THE SOUTHLAND. It is always a pleasure to the one so fortunate to leave a country of ice and snow and in 24 hours to land in a country of sunshine and flowers and spring-like weather. This was the experience of the writer, Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Milliron, John Werner and B. S. Fendig a few days ago. They left Rensselaer February 10th, with the country buried in ice and snow. At Louisville the snow had nearly all disappeared and at Memphis, which we reached the next morning, there was no sign of snow, but there was a small coat of ice on the water which had formed the night before. From there on the weather grew warmer with every mile traveled and at Vicksburg it was like a summer day. Through the delta the planters were busy plowing and swarms of colored woman and children were in the cotton fields picking cotton. This should have been all done last fall blit the crop was so great that enough help could not be secured to pick it at that time, which resulted in a loss of about ten cents per pound, as the cotton becomes damaged by being exposed to the elements all winter. The cotton picked now is used by the government in making gun cotton and brings 18 cents a pound at the present time. Fortunes are being made every year by the big planters in the delta, many of the plantations containing thousands of acres, with hundreds of negro families on each, and about all that can be seen except the growing cotton is negro cabins scattered over the landscape as far as the eye can reach. Upon our arrival at Gloster we found the weather ideal ffid to the writer it seemed like getting back home. Peach trees were beginning to bloom, flowers were in bloom and it will not be many days now until the country dons its summer clothes. On Wednesday we made up two auto loads and went over to the writer’s plantation near Liberty, visiting a farm which is for sale on the way there, and arrived at the plantation just at noon. But although we came without warning we did not catch the Porter and the Robinson families napping. All were dressed up except Bill and Robert, the colored hand, who had just come in from the field. We were invited to dinner and found the table laden down with things to eat and the dinner was greatly enjoyed by all. Mr. Porter and Harve Robinson, the Republican’s former linotype man, have worked wonders in the place this winter and are two months ahead of the native Southerners in their work. They have plowed nearly a hundred of acres of fields that have lain idle for ten or twelve years and will soon put this in cotton, corn and other crops. The day we were there they were ready to plant an acre of Irish potatoes. They added ten head of sheep to their farm and now have four lambs to add to the flock. Bill and Harve are going to make good with their southern farming and they could not be driven back to the north." Their families are also more than satisfied and all are in good health and fine spirits. They are always overjoyed to entertain their Northern friends when they come down here.

John Q. Lewis, former county-as-essor, is now located here MKrlike all the rest of the Jasper county people,-is more than contented. John has bought seven acres about seven miles out on the Prentice highway and is intending when the highway is finished to start a small country store and a gasoline station to supply the tourists, who are sure to come with the completion of the highway. At odd times John helps as clerk in a store here. B. S F.endig, who came with our party, has joined tris family at New Orleans, after inspecting his small farm here. Ben expects to devote his time to buying early garden stuff in car lots for the Northern market . John Werner, another of opr

party, left Friday, for Mobile, Alabama, after spending a few days here and at Baton Rouge, La., looking at farms. He has an old friend living near Mobile, whom he has not seen for twenty years and will visit her —-him, I mean, for a few days. John is also delighted with the South and may some day locate here. Mr. and Mrs. Milliron left this morning for New Orleans, but will return to Liberty Tuesday and from there will leave New Orleans a day or two later for home. Both are feeling much improved in health as a result of their few days stay here. They will return again in August and May and start a moving picture show at Lib'erty or McComb. They already own a small farm here and they may decide to buy a residence or business property at* Liberty upon their return. We are expecting the Berry families here any day now, as there is mail awaiting them here from home and we understand they left Rensselaer several days ago with their household goods and stock. The Caldwells are well located here and are also busy getting ready for their crops. The first day here we ran across them in town buying seeds and fertilizer. There is just one thing that is worrying them, however. They have so much land that they were accustomed to farming that they hardly know what to do with it.

I was surprised upon my return the other day after an absence of two months to find such a change. The town of Liberty, the county seat, is on a boom. A new paper has just been started there and they were getting out their first issue the day I visited there. The new office is modernly equipped with linotype and power presses and Harve Robinson was called upon by the owners to help them two days in getting the linotype installed. His experience as operator in the Republican office stood him in good play. The same company that is back of the paper is installing an electric light plant and an ice plant and will furnish current for the residences and business houses. Part of the light plant is already running and poles are being erected for street lights and commercial purposes. We also informed that the railroad now there is soon to be extended on westward and may connect Gloster and Liberty, which, would mean much for both places. Liberty has been a sleepy town of 500 for many,years, but with the influx of Northerners it is awakening and with the coming of the electric light plant, there is sure to soon be a moving picture show there along with other enterprises. During my visit to the office of the new paper, the Amite County Tribune, I was introduced to the editor’s wife, Mrs. Grandville Lyon, and was surprised to find that she was a former Wanatah girl, an Indiana town located on the Michigan City division of the Monon. He is from California. While at Baton Rouge this week the writer bought a Maxwell car and drove it back to Gloster, where he has been staying. He will now be able to get from place to place without so much expense and to entertain his Northern friends when they come down here. The car will be left here in storage when he returns home and used on the different occasions when he returns here.

For the benefit of the many who wanted to try for the haunted house over near Woodville I made a further investigation of the offer and find it has been withdrawn. They no doubt heard of the determination of Squire Bussell and several others to make a try for the free plantation and withdrew the offer. A Southerner is easily scared when it comes to ghosts but a Northerner is made of-different stuff and they do not care to try any ghost stuff with them. I am sorry that the offer was withdrawn, as Doc Hansson wanted a try for the free plantation if Squire Bussell failed. The Overland’s dealer’s plan was to take his big dog along when they tried to remain in the haunted house all night and he expected with the assistance of the dog to scare the ghosts away. But speaking of the superstition of the Southerners and the negroes in particular. I learned of another custom here. In looking over a plantation here we came to a de-

serte 1 negro cabin and were informed by the white owner of the farm that a member of the colored family that had been living there had died only p few days before and that the family had moved out He said it was the custom of the negroes to always vacate a house for a short time after a death and then move back. He did not just explain their reason for it but there was some kind of a superstition connected with the custom. LESLIE CLARK. Gloster, Miss., Feb. 16. ‘