This 1999 article from the Carthage Courier is a column by C. L. Powell about growing up on a farm in the rural South.

1. Walking up, down the hills
CCIURIER JUNE 24,1999
Today, I had one of those days of
not feeling very good and my legs
have ached most of the evening, or
rnaybe you call it afternoon.
Anyhow, I was laying on my bed
and I began to think about sc) many
people I grew up with and the rnany
miles that my feet and legs have
walked. I was just thinking of all of
those hills that I walked up and
down the paths on my way to
Sunday School. And then also at big
meeting times when we had ser-
vices at seven or seven thirty at
night, but we also had them at
eleven o'clock during the daytime.
Now dear reader I am not boast-
ing but I have plowed corn until
about 9:30, put the old mule in the
stable, then ran to the house and
washed my feet and put on my
overhalls that Ma had just washed
and walked the mile or two across a
hill and up a gravel road to
Cartwright School and led the
singing. Then back down the road,
back across the hill, up the hollow
and ate dinner, caught my old mule
again and plowed the rest of the
day. Then I followed that same rou-
tine for the night services. Oh yes,
and allow me to inform you that our
gospel meetings or big meetings as
we called them, lasted for about two
weeks. Now this was just a part of
to the ground. This afforded us
young folks a place to stand and
I hope that our world has not
come around gr placing God on
hold until Sunday morning and pick
him up as you enter church ser-
vices. So much emphasis is being
put on fancy buildings, padded
seats and stylish singing. We also
see a lot of sociali zing and similar
things. Ssme of these things have
their place but they cannot replace
the great God of heaven, the one
who created heaven and earth, the
one who loves us and gave his son
as that proof. Read often from John
3:16-17 about this love. Then look
to God, not in the classical view-
point, but our salvation, His church,
His great power and through His
Son, the Holy Spirit and the Bible.
talk after services were over. Of
course their parents were always
around pretty close to see that we
did not touch one another. Of
course most of the girls had put in
some pretty hard days also, such as
hoeing in the garden or chopping
wessels out of the corn. This was
before lawn mowers were around,
or at least they were hand pushed
around the yard. Also there was also
that sweet old lively lad that we
used an awful lot.
Let me tell you we loved everY
minute of those big meeting times.
The buildings were full with some
standing outside. Now I will have to
say that the serrnons were not real
long with our preachers. Then I will
also nevsr forget the baPtizings
were in the creek that ran very
close. Sometimes they would be at
night and I can just see those
streams. There would be a few
Ianterns and maybe a flashlight or
two" Now lets remember that elec-
tricity had not yet come to Carver
Hollow or any other hollows, but
we had lamps in the buildings with
the wicks trimmed and they were
futl of lamp oil, but you know we
lived. And there were no gangs and
no rough stuff from anyone. Our
doors were never locked because
nobody was afraid. What a world!
the way my feet and legs were used,
but it is just a little sample of what
might be causing them to hurt quite
a bit now.
However, what enjoyment was
there to all of this? I can remember
the school building there at
Cartwright had steps from the door
God in your Lrfr-
@hllughts...
by C.L. Powell
,,
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