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Rooster c feline frie By J. W. Lawrence Sr. LANDRUM, S.C. ? The keer rivalry between the University ol South Carolina's Fighting Gamecocks and the Tigers ol Clemson University had no in fluence upon Clarence, just ar ordinary game rooster. He livec and died in the vicinity of s masonry building that once housec Stewart's Garage, on the outskirtj of Landrum. He foraged for himself in ? wooded area and from food scrapi tossed out of nearby homes. In all he was happy, content, but lonely He is called Clarence hereir because there is no other nam< befitting such an individual. One fine day he met a white cat Like the rooster, the cat foragec for his (or her) food, too. S^archinj the same range, they became clos< friends, often defending the othei from predators and neighborhoo< dogs. Then a fateful mid-week da: came. Some sav it was a Wed nesday. The cat chose to dar across busy Highway 176. Th< speed and distance of an ap proaching car was misjudged. Th< cat lost all nine lives instantly. Th< impact hurtled the cat far onto th< shoulder of the highway. Clarence was gizzard-broken (Roosters have gizzards to hol< their love and their grief). He ha< l/\oi Vmo /am In f ?*i rl r 11 f #"f li 4 ? n t luai ma uiiijr niciiu. 111c iigiuuij might of his gamecock bloo< mastered his grief. If that careles automobile ever came back alon; that road, he'd have Clarence t deal with! But the cars were man> and all looked alike as the whizzed by. :rows over ind's death Clarence did only what he knew I to do: Stand his ground and keep a vigil for his fallen comrade. That i hedid. For more than a week (some say iwo weeKs;, Clarence siooa near J the remains of the white cat. In a severe rainstorm, hot early spring \ days, cold blustry winds, dark, lonely nights, Clarence remained 5 at his post, just as the sentry keeps the vigil at Arlington. Passersby came to notice 5 Clarence, and soon learned why he ' stood by his self-appointed post of auly. lney noticed he almost I always took his stance west of his friend's remains, so that he could keep an eye on the cat and on the ' road. Those who came to share sympathy or food, or out of pure * curiosity kept their distance. 1 Clarence would permit no one to I* approach closer than the deadline J he had predetermined. Whenever an intruder, a person v or a dog, approached too close, Clarence challenged any and all foe. Crouching and lowering his wings, he was ready to attack, to flog or peck, to spur any invader. The vigil ended Sunday af ternoon. Clarence no longer stands guard over the deteriorating remains of ' his sole companion. Clarence, too, J is dead ? the victim of two teenage assasins. ? Another fighting Gamecock gave all he had! c g O J W. Lawrence, Sr. has been writing for j newspapers since 1928. He serves as the editor ' emeritus for the I^andrum News Leader, a y weekly publication begun by Lawrence and his wife in 1955. W \? f i When the "'1 tolling Stones needed some special k , | Golf k guitar -: work on ART I'lhr Iff their last Jf album, they ? came to ' Harvey for it! ?, f 4, ^ ^unBr a^V Doin' the Charles The crowd was dancing to a Clhftrla^tnn thic nnet iKiaatr I ?t VIV MANOKL tlLIASIS: g > Uui - Phillipi > fi ' (>' ? Ploy j I ~)M nC'utOQO Ovohon 5 ' r B8 i|'f if .If "" Jonuv | ' H L.I MondflJ I p A' b -r>\ H OK ' r b'tmtt Bui k B ^^8 i (?ni<ib*'cj Hi ^ ng Hii Mind j~ ' i Ifwi flluft | o>> [.' If<1 Hfdi L ->rrj MfOl Conceit Ituiope) t;7 j ><liio< W Oo'd Album e ftluri I S-ogle Itn Get Together i Mrfyall USA Union ? to the Roots ISIS HICOROCD WITH: Almond iUuk ,-,n, Bond O ' ?">J Mfdi Oopton HI ? O/okp flja i C? o l rt b r i g i ; ) ') nnf Mann 1.1 'i 1 oyd I; i f M j i i<iil (in<| Oiuy A< I 1' i (ogn k { ton different tune during the Spo/eto S ^ * xO? <4, >v ': :'-rMfrV ^*T jjj^ VHn HI? Bill Bollln - GAMECOCK *eabrook Jazz Festival in 5 9^ ?V>v