Page:Reminiscences of Randolph County - Blair - 1890.djvu/11

 leading from Old Salem to Fayetteville, and the other from Salisbury to Hillsboro. Accessible from every quarter it attracted business, capita and speculation. Streets were opened, about seventy-five lots were purchased and improved, and besides the public buildings there were stores, hotels, bar rooms, smith shops, wood shops, shoe shops, hatter shops, and Johnsonville became the great centre of business and fashion.

A weekly stage line from Salisbury to Hillsboro passed through this place, and when the bugle notes rang out in the wild echoes among the hills, announcing the approach of the mail, all Johnsonville was astir, there was a momentary lull in business, and somebody stood in ever door, and gazed from every window, to see the passengers, hear the first break of news, and catch a glimpse of that vehicle of thought and civilization "that comes the herald of a noisy world, with news from all nations lumbering on his back," bringing one letter perhaps to Johnsonville, for which the favored recipient pays twenty-five cents postage, for at that time the postage was invariably paid by the receiver of the letter and not by the sender.

It was here at Johnsonville on Tuesday morning, December the 11th, 1787, a tall young man, about twenty years of age, entered the Court House and produced a license, from the Honorable the Judges of the Superior Court of law and Equity, authorizing him to practice as an attorney in the several county courts, and taking the oath prescribed by law, proceeded to practice in said court.