From Days Gone By Oct. 21, 1915

October 21, 1915.

   Some two years ago Col. John P. Fort, of Mt. Airy, advised that martins be protected, and that martin gourds be put up at every farm and tenant house. Col. Fort is also a cotton planter his farm being in Doughtery County. He insisted that all birds except the English sparrow should be free from the hunter, as they will destroy the boll weevil. Col. Fort had martin gourds put on his farm at each tenant's house. But others did not follow his example. The martin destroys mosquitoes as well as insects which destroy cotton.

    A young man down in Florida who had been converted at a camp meeting declared that all pride and self conceit had been taken out of his heart. To prove it he said he would go among the audience and kiss an old colored woman. As he went down the aisle the colored woman rose to her feet and said: "Lok ahyah, bruddah, you may not hab no pride, but I has: you can't hobsonize me foh all dese white folks."

    A young Irishman was sent by his backers to a neighboring city to box with an athlete living there. He was getting the worst of it, as his friends soon realized. "Dome, brace up, Jim," cautioned one of his friends. "Stop more of his blows." "Stop them?" The unfortunate Jim cried, "Do you see any of them gettin' by me?"

    Down in the crimson clover zone there were two farmers named Jones and Smith, respectively, says the Philadelpha Press. Jones was old-fashioned and stuck to old-fashioned ways, but Smith, who was more modern, bought a fine new automobile. One day he was proudly exhibiting it to some friends when Jones came along. "Um," remarked Jones, as he thoughtfully sized up the handsome machine. "What's that thing there on the side?" "That's a spare rim and tire," answered the proud Smith. "We always carry an extra one in case one of the wheels goes wrong." "Jes' as I allers said," was the disdainful response of Jones. "I've druv hosses for nigh on 50 years, and I never had to carry a spare leg for one o' them yet."

    A school teacher who had been telling a class of small pupils the story of the discovery of America by Columbus ended with: "And all this happened more than 400 years ago." A little boy, with eyes wide open with wonder said, after a moments thought: "Oh, my, what a memory you've got!"