The Houston County Courier
Crockett, Texas
Thursday, February 2, 1967
Hall's Journal of 60's
Reviewed For Readers
By H. B. Milburn
Hunter's Paradise
Hall's Bluff seemingly was a paradise for hunting turkey, squirrels, deer, or for just going fishing for catfish or a long string of sun-perch that would make the best eating, ever. Sometimes, on a special occasion, oysters by the barrel would arrive by the steamers, from Galveston -- and the HALL family really did enjoy a feast, then.
There were accounts in the Journal about the Christmas being prepared either by the little woman or under her own personal supervision, all prepared in its own glorious, marvelous goodness.
There were accounts of the children who sometimes, and quite often, came down with a severe cold, high fever, chills and such, and there were accounts of the doctors visits. Sometimes the distance made it a necessity for the doctor to stay overnight, and sometimes the patient's illness caused the doctor to stay hours at a time too.
There were various accounts of the management of the farm such as planting cotton and corn, the grinding of corn or wheat at the mill, the mill breaking down, and the equipment replaced or repaired, the troubles with farm labor, the business of running the warehouse at the landing wharf, the worries and fears connected with the river overflowing and destroying all the crops planted; the oxen getting out of the rail fence enclosures and being lost for several days on end; the accounts of sending out the hired hands to find and fetch them back, the accounts of the fine horses they had, and of one especially prized horse (this seemed to be the horse Hall called 'Rat') who happened to a tragic accident and 'Rat's' subsequent death . . . all these simple little things taking place, year after year, day by day, and all told in a simple homespun manner that is delightful to read.
As one turns page after page one also gets the feeling that one is actually being introduced to a host of people who played a prominent part in the early life of Houston County, for, it is through these pages that you will meet with many people, some living at Hall's Bluff, some at Crockett, and some who traveled frequently up and down the river for one cause or another.
To be continued . . .
