Cass County Products in Rhyme

As I was perusing old issues of the Citizens Journal I found this gem in the December 31, 1929 issue. The Dr. R.L. McClung family came to Atlanta in the 1870’s so that he could open his physician’s office. He and his relatives owned many businesses over the years, including a cotton gin, a saloon and a mercantile. In the Journal’s issues of the 1930’s, Catherine Louise McClung often graced the Society News page.

As you read this poem, take note of the community pride Mr. McClung conveyed. It’s humbling to realize that we do, in fact, have so much to be proud of. Some things have changed, but a lot has remained the same.

CASS COUNTY PRODUCTS IN RHYME

By J.B. McClung

We raise all the staple farm products

That are raised anywhere in the South

Our harvests are never uncertain

And we never have serious drought.

Our syrup rivals the nectar

That Jupiter, Venus and Mars

Drank on old Mount Olympus

In the light of the evening stars.

When it comes to fruit – Oh, good gracious,

North, West and South Texas don’t bother

For we raise more in Cass County

Than you raise all put together.

Plums, apples, pomegranates, persimmons

Figs, apricots, quinces and pears,

Pecans, walnuts and even the hickory

A finely flavored nut, bears.

May haw, black haw, and red haw.

And all sorts of sweet, luscious berries,

All grapes, including the wild ones,

And large, juicy, delectable cherries.

Our Elberta peaches arc perfect,

No Southern peach half so fine,

In beauty, they rival the rubies

Of the famous Golconda mine.

We are the natural home of the melon,

Cantaloupes and musk melon fine.

Now what could be named more tempting

Than watermelons smiling on the vine?

Of course we have plenty of collards,

With tomatoes and cucumbers fine

Roasting ears, peanuts and chufas

With turnip greens all the time.

Eggplant, pepper and string beans

English peas and pole beans galore

And garlic enough on a square inch

To flavor all I’ve mentioned before.

We also raise fine Jersey cattle,

Mules, hogs, goats and sheep,

Geese, turkeys, ducks, guineas and chickens

All of which more than pay for their keep.

With a soil that knows no limitation

In raising good things to eat,

In my opinion, Cass County,

Will be very hard to beat.

With fire brick clay in abundance,

Lignite coal that is not so “bum”

With gas to light, cook and heat with,

I’ll tell you that’s going some.

With artesian water and glass sand,

With our hills full of rich iron ore,

With a round billion feet of good timber

Who will dare say we are poor?

I have not told half of the story,

But why tell what all of you know,

Cass county is a real fine country

And all of us know that is so.

With good churches and schools and people,

Who worship the great God above,

And who live in sweet communion

Of harmony, peace and love.

1 shall like Cass County forever,

Happy and contented with life -

With three fine young folks to say, “daddy”

And a Cass County girl for a Wife.