Wife and I visited Mr. and Mrs. P.B. Kyser of Rocky Mount. Mr. Kyser is first cousin of my wife, daughter of the late Rev. King Howell.
Rocky Mount is a progressive town; lots of tobacco and cotton sold there. I saw Mr. Harris, a horse dealer from Oxford, a brother of the late Bob Harris, and he had the finest pen of mules I ever saw anywhere in my life; he seemed to be doing his own work and he told me that he and his partner did their own work. Rocky Mount is the place where stock of all kinds is received, watered and fed. He told me they with the help of a colored man or two did all the work. They had mules as high as $700 a pair. Believe me, they were mules, too. Horses were not so high. He pointed out a 1,200 pound horse for $150.
I listened to a radio Saturday night. The parties were in Pittsburgh, Pa. I could hear the announcements plain; the singing and music was not so plain; they said it was a bad night for radio. I think I shall have one installed in our home.
I left Rocky Mount for Wilson Monday about noon to spend the night with my cousin, Mat. Crews. Now, Mrs. Charles Fleming, I had not seen her in 30 years; she did not know me at first, I said Mat. You know me. Oh yes, cousin Herb. She treated me as nice as one of my daughters would; had one of her sons to hold my arm to go down town as there was a terrible sleet. Charlie Fleming, her husband, was the head buyer for the Imperial Company, and he is the same Charlie Fleming that he was 32 years ago in Oxford. He has done well and is in prosperous circumstances; they say down there he is a philanthropist. The next man to see was Dick Cozart; he has the largest warehouse I ever saw and hates Aaron Sapiro with a perfect hatred; offered me $50 to get him come to Wilson. I think I am going to get it too. He jumped on me for joining Coops., said I didn’t think you were such a fool. We had it rough and tumble; he phoned for the Export buyer to come and help him out in his argument. I downed them both. The sheriff of the county came in; he introduced me to him as a Coop. I had to contend with them but I felt equal to the occasion; he soon excused himself; I said hold on, he said he was in a hurry; I said to him if you can’t stand hot grease you will have to get out of the kitchen. Dick said the association didn’t affect him. I said why are you so concerned about the farmers now. Why didn’t you have some sympathy for them in 1920 when our tobacco sold for less than the cost of production? I know what the trouble is; the same that Belishazza saw the handwriting on the wall; you know it is coming. He went to the phone and called his chauffeur and took me home with him to dinner. I never was treated nicer no where in my life; he took me to the station and when he bade me goodbye he said when you get your 3rd payment let me know and I am coming to see you. I assured him I wouldn’t wait to write, but would phone him. My paper has given out or I would write more.
H.E. Crews From page 2 of the Oxford Public Ledger, Feb. 13, 1923
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