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Friday, July 20, 2018

W.V.B. Supplies Readers With Grist From Gaddyville, 1918

“Gaddysville Grist,” from The Robesonian, Lumberton, N.C., July 18 1918

Dryest Since 1911…Tobacco Can’t Be Too High…Labor Scarcity Teaching Co-operation…No Time for Sharp Criticism…Other News and Comment

Gaddysville (Fairmont, R. 1), July 16—Crops are suffering on account of extreme drought and corn is almost a thing of the past. Tobacco is holding up very well. The people say this is the driest dry since the summer of 1911. Out along Ashpole Swamp a very good rain fell, but a very slight sprinkle here, this being the first since May 24th.

Tobacco prices are very satisfactory and planters have no cause for grumbling at all. But there is no danger of getting more than it’s worth, considering the cost of supplies and crop.

The labor situation is growing acute. Tobacco is put in the barn now on any day help can be secured. Some planters bring up the family and take two days for the work, while others with large families swap work and bridge it across in one day. The latter plan is very satisfactory and it is teaching a lesson of co-operation. Maybe it’s a blessing, after all.

The roads are extremely bad nowadays as the sand is deep and dry. Little Fords make it through while big cars stay and the occupants walk over the bad places.

Melons are very scarce and high-priced, and so poor codgers like your correspondent have to go with mouth a-watering for melon. Sometimes we wish we were a newspaper editor and folks would set us up to one.

Lots of the housewives are canning all they can, as fruit is very plentiful and waiting to be conserved.

Mr. Editor, some of your correspondents just keep a-howling for “Farmer’s wife” to offer another letter of criticism. In our estimation the city lady is doing all in her power to do the best and the right way. So is the rural lady, and now it’s even. All are trying to do their duty, and what’s the use of some “jagging” the other about her part? Now is no time for sharp criticism, when everybody’s at wits end 
to win the war.

The Pleasant Hill Christian Endeavor Society is on the grow, with Worth Burnes as leader. You are welcome on every Sunday night at dusk.

One time W.V. Branch got the “hoss run over him.” That’s when he was elected teacher of the Pleasant Grove Garaca class last Sunday. You will always find a welcome place in Branch’s class, but he declares he’s not the man for a teacher.

The negroes will go a-fishing if the house was a-fire. Work or no work, they go, and poor is their luck. They could make more in somebody’s tobacco field.

You Lumberton boosters just forgot all about us when you were on your recent trip and really lost the heart of the game by not visiting the greatest tobacco-growing section in Robeson County. Ask anybody what kind of tobacco is made on the S.C. line and they will tell you the best and largest fields of the weed to be found anywhere. Don’t forget so easily. But really we all sell at Fairmont, anyway.

The health of the community is very good and visitors are too numerous to mention, so if you, Mr. Editor, have learned your maxim we’ll quit, even if it’s the driest weather ever.
                --W.V.B.


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