Going to the cotton gin. Going to the cotton gin was a great experience for a 10 year old farm boy, and getting a break from the chore of picking cotton that is beyond any doubt, the most inhumane labor a person can perform. and it was music to the ear when Dad said To me "no picking cotton for you today, for I am taking a bale of cotton to the gin and I will need you to help me:. Our two little mules were hitched to the wagon, ole red and blue were the mules names. with the wagon loaded with about 14 hundred pounds of cotton the mules was going to have some hard pulling to do on the hills. Just before getting under way dad (Jim Palmer)pointed at a block of wood on a board on the side of the wagon and said “when I tell you to I want you to take that block and scotch the back wheel going up Williams creek hill, you will have to run along side the wagon when we get there and watch the wheel and don’t get run over. Now we are under way, I am on the cotton and the wagon rides so good like a boat, Looking down on the mules pulling was fun too until we got to the steep part part of the hill Dad says climb down the back and scotch the wheel so the mules can rest a little while and don’t get your hand caught between the scotch and the wheels” . Dad says Woo to the mules and they stop, I put the block in back of the wheel and all comes to a stop. A short time goes by and dad climbs down off the wagon holding the lines and says we will go a little father and rest again, “get up mules”! The mules set their back feet and give a lunge at the same time and the wagon starts moving again. Good little mules they know how to pull a heavy load they have done it before. We go about a hundred yards stop,and do it again over and over until we reach the top and smooth sailing now. We pass Pleasant Ridge cemetery the mules are breathing hard so we stop for a while. On again passing the Elijah Belk place dad says “when we get to the Feddlying Frederick place you get the brake pole for the mules will need help holding back the wagon down that hill and its steeper at Huston Crows, so you may need to ride down hard there. Now I feel great knowing I am part of this operation. Three gins in Hamilton, Rollins’s ,Holways,And Fords, Today Dad chose Will Fords gin, there are several wagons ahead so dad goes in the office to get a number while I am given the job of holding the lines to the mules, important job? you bet. Maybe some of the boys from school will see me and think I have been driving the wagon loaded with cotton, but no such luck. Dad comes back and takes over and I am free to look around. First check inside the buzzing gin there are several gin heads with cotton trickling down with saws tarring at the cotton. very interesting machine. Next building is the water powered mill that grinds corn into corn mill, the big wheel is turning slow but the mill is grinding. I run back to the wagon, dad is there waiting his turn he says it will be awhile yet so I run a little ways to the blacksmith shop behind the Methodist church checking it out lots of smoke the smell of coal, somebody putting shoes on a mule, A mr. Pope, I think his name was. Now hotfooting it up behind the Marion County Bank is another Mill grinding corn pulled by a big electric motor, a mr. William Sullins,white with corn dust. Now skipping along the side of the bank and looking across the street is the lion gas station, with several men standing around talking, and holding cotton samples, one eating a moon pie and drinking a rc cola. Turning the comer and heading west in front of the bank is the post office, next is Prices drug ,looking inside I see several men in a huddle around a very little man (Huston Real)that is very ill about something shacking his fist and talking loud, while some are eating ice cream. Next place a café with town people eating something that did smell good. Next the Yellow Front, grocery store, lots of good looking food, dont know what most of it is. Crossing the street on the west side of the court house is Shotts, and Sanford’s five and ten cent store. Now there is a place to check out. Prettiest knives, red wagons, ever thing a boy dreams of is there, and when I get some money (if ever) I will be back. Better get back to the wagon dad may be ready to go. He is pulling on the scales. just made it, how amazing it is to see that big pipe suck that cotton up. almost no time and the wagon is empty and we are on our way home.what a day for a country boy to remember.joel