Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, March 08, 1912, Image 1
; ISSUED SEMI-WEEKLY.
l. m. GEI8TS sons, Pabu.her., | % 4amil8 Dewspaper,: Jior the {promotion of the political, good, agricultural and tfommcrriat Interests of the {Peopl*. j ,ER^;o'JK"
ESTABLISHED 1855. YORKVILLE, S. C., FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 191*2. N"0. 20.
? "Whe
. PRODIGAL Jl
The Famous Noveu
VAUGHAN KES
Copyright, 1911. The Bobho-llorri
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CHAPTER XXXIII.
Ths Judge Receives a Letter.
After he had parted with Solomon
Mahaffy the judge applied himself diligently
to shaping that miracle-working
document which he was preparing
as an offset to whatever risk he tan
in meeting Fentress. As sanguine as
he was sanguinary he confidently expected
to survive the encounter, yet it
was well to provide for a possible
emergency?had he not his grandson's
future to consider? While thus occupied
he saw the afternoon stage arrive
^ and depart from before the City Tavf
era.
Half an hour later Mr. Wesley, the
postmaster, came sauntering up the
street. In his hand he carried a letter.
"Howdy," he drawled, from just beyond
the judge's open door.
"Good evening, sir; won't you step
inside and be seated?" he asked graciously.
His dealings with the United
States mail service were of the most
insignificant description, and In personally
delivering a letter. If this was
t what had brought him there, he felt
Mr. Wesley had reached the limit of
official courtesy and despatch.
"Well, sir; It looks like you'd never
told us more than two-thirds of the
truth!" said the postmaster. He sur*
veyed the Judge curiously.
"I am complimented by your opinion
of my veracity," responded that gentleman
promptly. "I consider twothird
an enormously high per cent to
have achieved."
"There is something In that, too,"
agreed Mr Wesley. "Who is Colonel
Slocum Price Turbervllle?"
The judge started up from his chair.
"I have that honor," said he, bowing.
Ls. "Well, here's a letter come in adr
dressed like that, and as you've been
using part of the name I am willing to
assume you're legally entitled to the
rest of It. It clears up a point that off
and on has troubled me considerable.
I can only wonder I wa'n't smarter."
"What point, may I ask?"
"Why, about the time you hung out
your shingle here, some one wrote a
letter to General Jackson. It was mailed
after night, and when I seen it in
the morning I_ was clean beat. I
couldn't locate the handwriting and
^ ye>t I kept that 'letter back a couple of
days and gave It all my spare time.
It ain't that I'm one of your spying
sort?there's nothing of the Yankee
about me!"
"Certainly not," agreed the judge.
"Candidly, Judge, I reckon you wrote
that letter, seeing this one comes under
a frank from Washington. No,
sir?I couldn't make out who was corresponding
with the president and ft
anything I've had to contend against
since I came into office. I calculate
fl^ there ain't a postmaster in the United
States takes a more personal Interest
v in the service than me. I've frequent
ly set patrons ngni wnen mc>
doubt as to the date they had mailed
such and such a letter." As Mr. Wes?
ley sometimes canceled as many as
three or four stamps in a single day
he might have been pardoned his pride
in a brain which thus lightly dealt
with the burden of official business.
He surrendered the letter with marked
reluctance.
"Your surmise is correct," said the
judge with dignity. "I had occasion
to write my friend. General Jackson,
and unless I am greatly mistaken I
have my answer here." And with a
fine air of indifference he tossed the
letter on the table.
"And do you know Old Hickory?"
Ik cried Mr, Wesley.
"Why not? Does it surprise you?"
inquired the Judge. It was only his
innate courtesy which restrained him
from kicking the postmaster into the
street, so intense was his desire to
be rid of him.
s "No, I don't know as It does, judge.
Naturally a public man like him is in
the way of meeting with all sorts. A
politician can't afford to be too blame
particular. Well, next time you write
you might Just send him my regards?
G. W. M. de L. Wesley's regards?
there was considerable contention over
my getting this office; I reckon he
ain't forgot. There was speeches
made; I understand the He was passed
between two United States senators
and that a quid of tobacco was
4 thrown in anger." Having thus clearly
established the fact that he was
a more or less na nal character, Mr.
Wesley took himse.f off.
When he had disappeared from
sight down the street, the judge closed
the door. Then he picked up the letter.
For a long minute he held It in
his hand, uncertain, fearful, whi'.e
his mind slipped back into the past until
his Inward searching vision ferreted
out a handsome soldierly figure?
his own.
"That's what Jackson remembers,
if he remembers anything!" he muttered;
as with trembling fingers he
p broke the seal. Almost instantly a
smile overspread his battered features.
He hitched his chin higher and
squared his ponderous shoulders. "I
am not forgotten?no, damn it?no!"
he exulted under his breath, "recalls
A me with sincere esteem and considers
my service to the country as well
worthy of recognition?" the judge
breathed deep. What would Mahaffy
find to say now! Certainly this was
well calculated to disturb the sour
cynicism of his friend. His bleared
eyes brimmed. After all his groping
he had touched hands with the realities
at last! Kven a Federal judgeship,
though not an office of the first repute
In the south, had its dignity? it signi- J
jP" fled something! He would make Solomon
his clerk! The judge reached
for his hat. Mahaffy must know at I
once that fortune had mended for
theQj^^Vhy. at that moment he was
H aetually^n receipt of an income!
He sat dVvn, the better to enjoy the
unique sensahtan. Taxes were being
levied and collecTffl^^h 1no other end
In view than his stipend?his ardent
fancy saw the whole machinery of
government In operation for his benefit
It was a singular feeling he experienced.
Then promptly his spendthrift
brain became active. He needclothes?so
did MahalTy?so did his
grandson; they must take a larger
house; he would buy himself a man
servant; these were pressing necessities
as he now viewed them.
Once again he reached for his hat,
the desire to rush ofT to Belle Plain
was overmastering.
"I reckon I'd be Justified in hiring
a conveyance from Pegloe," he thought
but Just here he had a saving memory
of his unfinished task; that claimed
precedence and he resumed his pen.
An hour later Pegloe's black boy
presented himself to the Judge. He
name* Hpa.rintr ? erift. and the Kift aD"
proprlaCely enough was a square ease
bottle of respectable size. The judgewas
greatly touched by this attention
but he began by making a most temperate
use of the taven-keeper's offering;
then as the formidable document
he was preparing took shape under
his hand he more and more lost that
feeling of Spartan fortitude which
had at first sustained him in the presence
of temptation. He wrote and
sipped In complete and quiet luxury,
and when at last he had exhausted the
contents of the bottle it occurred to
him that it would be only proper personally
to convey his thanks to Pegloe.
Perhaps he was not uninspired
In this by ulterior hopes; if so, they
were richly rewarded. The resources
of the City Tavern were suddenly
placed at his disposal. He attributed
this to a variety of causes all good
and sufficient, but the real reason never
suggested itself, indeed it was of
such a perfidious nature that the
judge, open and generous-minded,
could not have grasped It.
By six o'clock he was undeniably
drunk; at eight he was sounding still
deeper depths of Inebriety with only
the most confused memory of impending
events; at ten he collapsed and
was borne up-stairs by Pegloe and
his black boy to a remote chamber in
the kitchen wing. Here he was undressed
and put to bed, and the tavern-keeper,
making a bundle of his
clothes, retired from the room, locking
the door after him, and the judge
was doubly a prisoner.
Rousing at last from a heavy
dreamless sleep the judge was aware
of a faint impalpable light in his
room, the ashen light of a dull October
dawn. He was aware, too, of
a feeling of profound depression. He
knew this was the aftermath of indulgence
and that ho might look forward
to forty-eight hours of utter misery
of soul, and, groaning aloud, he closed
his eyes. Sleep was the thing if he
could compass it. Instead, his memory
quickened. Something was to
happen at sun-up?he could not recall
what It was to be, though he distinctly
remembered that Mahaffy had spoken
of this very matter?Mahaffy, the
austere and implacable, the disembodied
conscience whose fealty to
duty had somehow survived his own
spiritual ruin, so that he had become
a sort of moral sign-post, ever pointing
the way yet never going it himself.
The judge lay still and thought deeply
as the light intensified Itself. What
was it that Mahaffy had said he was
to do at sun-up? The very hour accented
his suspicions. Probably it
was no more than some cheerless obligation
to be met, or Mahaffy would
not have been so concerned about it.
Eventually he decided to refer everything
to Mahaffy. He spoke his friend's
name weakly and in a shaking voice,
but received no answer.
"Solomon!" he repeated, and shifting
his position, looked in what should
have been the direction of the shakedown
bed his friend occupied. Neither
the bed nor Mahaffy were there.
The judge gasped?he wondered if this
were not a premonition of certain hallucinations
to which he was not a
stranger. Then all in a Hash he remembered
Fentress and the meeting at
Boggs', something of how the evening
had been spent and a spasm of regret
shook him.
"I had other things to think of. This
must never happen again!" he told
himself remorsefully.
He was wide-awake now. Doubtless
Pegloe had put him to bed. Well,
that had been thoughtful of Pegloe?
he would not forget him?the City
Tavern should continue to enjoy his
patronage. It would be something for
Pegloe to boast of that Judge Slocum
Price Turberville always made his
place headquarters when in Raleigh,
wealth and distinction on the fortunate
Pegloe the judge thrust his fat
legs over the side of his bed and stood
CJtAAnlmr Kio rnn/' Vi orl fnr his
1 CI CVl. Oiuwj'liih *iv
clothes. He confidently expected to
find them on the floor, but his hand
merely swept an uncarpeted waste.
The judge was profoundly astonished.
"Maybe I've got on 'em on, I don't
recall taking them off!" he thought
hopefully. He moved uncertainly in the
direction of the window where the
light showed him his own bare extremities.
He reverted to his original
idea that his clothes were scattered
about the floor.
He was beginning to experience a
great sense of haste, it was two miles
to Boggs' and Fentress would be there
at sun-up. Finally he abandoned his
quest of the missing garments and
turned to the door. To say that he
was amazed when he found it locked
would have most inadequately described
his emotions. Breathing deep,
he fell back a step or two, and then
with all the vigor he could muster
launched himself at the door. But it
resisted him.
"It's bolted on the other side!" he
muttered, the full measure of Pegloe's
perfidy revealing itself to his
mind. He was aghast. It was a plot
to discredit him. Pegloe's hospitality
had been inspired by his enemy, for
Pegloe was Fentress' tenant.
Again he attacked the door; he believed
it might be possible to force it
from its hinges, but Pegloe had done
his work too well for that, and at last,
spent and breathless, the judge dropped
down on the edge of his bed to
consider the situation. He was without
clothes and he was a prisoner, yet
his mind rose splendidly to meet the
4ifficulties that beset him. His greatest
activities were reserved for what
appeared to be only a season of des-J
pair. He armed himself with a threelegged
stool he had found and turned
once more to the door, but the stout
planks stood firm under his blows.
"Unless I get out of here in time I'm
a ruined man!" thought the Judge.
"After this Fentress will refuse to
meet me!"
The window next engaged his attention.
That, too, Pegloe had taken
the precaution to fasten, but a single
savage blow of the stool shattered
glass and sash and left an empty space
that framed the dawn's red glow. The
JUdgC IUUKCU UUL UliU B1IUUIV ma uvou
dubiously. It was twelve feet or more
to the ground, a risky drop for a gentleman
of his years and build. The
Judge considered making: a rope of his
bedding and lowering himself to the
ground by means of it, he remembered
to have read of captives in that Interesting
French prison, the Bastille, who
did this. However, an equally ingenious
but much more simple use for his
bedding occurred to him; it would
form a soft and yielding substance on
which to alight. He gathered it up
Into his arms, feather-tick and all,
and pushed it through the window,
then he wriggled out across the ledge,
feet first, and lowering himself to the
full length of his arms, dropped.
He landed squarely on the rolled-up
l>ed with a jar that shook hlin to his
center. Almost gaily he snatched up
a quilt, draping it about him after the
manner of a Roman toga, and thus
lightly habited, started across Mr. Pegloe's
truck patch, his one thought
Boggs' and the sun. It would have
served no purpose to have gone home,
since his entire wardrobe, except for
the shirt on his back, was in the tavern-keeper's
possession, besides he
had not a moment to lose, for the sun
was peeping at him over the horizon.
Unobserved he gained the edge of
the town and the highroad that led
past Boggs' and stole a fearful glance
over his shoulder. The sun was clear
of the tree-tops, he could even feel
the lifeless dust grow warm beneath
his feet; and wrapping the quilt closer
about him he broke Into a labored
run.
Some twenty minutes later Boggs'
came in sight. He experienced a moment
of doubt?suppose Fentress had
been there and gone! It was a hideous
thought and the judge groaned.
Then at the other end of the meadow
near the woods he distinguished several
men, Fentress and his friends beyond
question. The Judge laughed
aloud. In spite or everyming ne wan
keeping his engagement, he was plucking
his triumph out of the very dregs
of failure. The Judge threw himself
over the fence, a corner of the quilt
caught on one of the rails; he turned
to release It, and In that instant two
pistol shots rang out sharply on the
morning air.
(To be Continued).
THE EDITOR'S TASK.
The Newspaper Is Preacher and
Teacher to Many.
To the country newspaper there Is
open a larger opportunity for good
and upon it rests a greater responsibility
for wrongdoing than attaches
to any other calling. It has been
named "the fourth estate," and we Interpret
that to mean it is the topmost
of all professions. The editors should
be the Judges holding even scales, allowing
the publication of such evidence
only as fair to either side of
any question In controversy and leave
the finding of the verdict to the Jury
of its readers. They, the editors, are
not justified in becoming the volunteer
prosecuting attorney of one or
the paid defending counsel of another
cause or candidate.
Going Into hundreds of homes across
these thresholds where the feet of the
preacher and teacher never sound the
newspaper should bear to old and
young such messages of enjoyment
and for education and entertainment
as their hearts and minds need and
hunger for. Put yourself, young brethren,
in the plight and position of one
going on a visit to a family of which
he is an adopted member. By day Its
door will be open to your coming and
In the evening a light will shine in
the window and always the "watch
dog's honest bark bay deep mouthed
welcome home." It will be sweet
to know that there are eyes to brighten
at the coming of the little paper to
which you have given the thought of
your brain and the weariness of your
eyes while others have toiled for gain
or idled for pleasure. Give to your
people such service as the shepherd
to the flock that knows his voice. And
they will come to you and follow you
and at the end of your day none shall
be missing through the blame of
yours. You will sow seeds that will
become and continue perennial flowers
and fruits long after the pencil is broken
and the scissors rusted.
Stand four square and true against
the temptations and the threats that
would bring your profession to the
level of a business of only profit and
loss, and you shall be rich in self respect.
which is of more worth than the
money of the millionaires.
From one or the other the people
must receive information and illumination.
There is no alternative to the
choice between the publisher and the
public speakers. Which shall win?
The answer is to be made by the
press. And if in the educative awakening
going on now as much in the
house as in the school room the county
papers do not measure up to the
opportunity the more distant periodical
or paper will supplant the local
weekly.?Barnwell People.
Bliss From the Proverb.?There's an
old codger in Boston who affects to
despise a college education. He never
had one; he's very successful, and he
doesn't see that a university training
could have made him any more so.
Therefore he sneers at some of the
younger fellows who have had more
educational advantages.
The other day he was calling down
a college subordinate. "If that's all
your gilt edged eddication has taught
ye," he growled, "by gosh, young feller,
I'm thankful for my ignorance."
"Sir," the young fellow answered,
bowing respectfully, "you have much
to be thankful for."
fHisfllnnrimr. Sradinii.
HON. J. E. SWEARINGEN.
State Superintendent Described As a
Blind Man Who Sees.
In the March number of The American
Magazine Is an article entitled
"Interesting Persons," and one of the
contributors to this piece takes South
Carolina's state superintendent of education.
Mr. J. E. Swearlngen as his
subject. A full page picture of Mr.
Swearlngen accompanies the article.
Following Is what the writer has to
say:
The old expression, "there are none
so blind as those who will not see,"
might with propriety be revived In
the light of modern achievements of
blind workers: as an instance, J. E.
Swearlngen, the blind state superintendent
of education for South Carolina,
is seeing wonderfully well for
thousands of wide-awake boys and
girls. Although Mr. Swearlngen has
lived In darkness since his eleventh
year, when an accident while hunting
destroyed his eyesight, his vision of
the needs of his great army of young
people has quite as likely been Improved
Instead of Injured. Dr, Samuel
nHdlev Howe early In the thirties
the founder of the first school for the
blind In this country, was wont to
say that "blindness Is an Inconvenience.
but not an affliction." Sometimes
a human handicap Is the spur
that makes a career. When I asked
Mr. Swearingen If he felt his growth
had been because of his blindness,
rather than In spite of It, he was Inclined
to believe his "inconvenience"
had been a fillip to his ambition. He
has conquered so far as to pass
through the prescribed course In the
University of South Carolina, leading
his class to become a teacher In the
state Institution for the blind, and
finally to be accepted, through the
civic suffrage of his people, as the
best equipped educator in the state
to direct the training of Its future
citizenship.
Mr. Swearlngen's administration
has already become a potent factor in
the construction of an industrial educational
system that promises to Insure
to South Carolina the permanent
possession of Its children?for he
has seen that the prosperity of a
southern state depends upon agriculture
primarily. His solution of the
problem of industrial education deserves
wide publicity. While in New
Hampshire, for example, 800,000
acres of soil once under the plough
has been allowed to grow up into underbrush,
the cultivated acreage of
South Carolina is growing each year.
The corn crop of this state in 1910
was worth 133,000,000, against $17,000,000
In 1908. The agricultural
products of the state were worth
$200,000,000 last year, against less
than one-half that sum for manufacturing
and the allied industries. A
truly practical education will tie the
rising generation to the native plantation,
Instead of serving the world
outside the state by the sort of
schooling that compels the exportation
of young blood.
The school administration of Mr.
Swearingen and his co-workers aims
to keep the boys and girls at home.
The sort of pedagogy he wishes to
give to hts state may be best expressed
In his own words?"the three
R's are no less indispensable for Industrial
efficiency than for cultural
efficiency; but the Idea that corn and
cotton roots supply leas education
than do Latin and Greek roots is not
borne out by modern science." With
this watchword the school children
of South Carolina have been learning
(as the law compels) the principles
of elementary agriculture. They
have planted over 5,000 acres of corn
this year, and their fathers looking
on, as they have delved in their books
and In the soli at the same time,
have themselves been taught that the
God given gift of the earth has never
been worked to its b^st capacity.
Corn clubs, tomato clubs, the Federal
* thll la
Iitrill ueiiiuiiniiauun khivc,
boratory for instruction of the State
Agricultural college going on rails
throughout the state are supplementing
Mr. Swearingen's efforts. A beautiful
factor of the crusade is the uplift
given to the conventionally desolate
homes of the rural districts. Mr.
Swearingen Is devoting his effort and
the funds of the state to making the
southern home better?and is succeeding.
He sees with Ideas and policies
that help his people: we who
travel about the state also see the
material fruit of his work.
Stanley Johnson.
IMPORTANT SCHOOL LAWS.
Two Acts Passed At the Recent Session
for Educational Development.
The following acts passed at the last
session of the general assembly, are
published at the request of Superintendent
of Education Quinn, for the
benefit of the public:
No. 247.
An Act to Provide for Consolidated
and Graded Schools in Country Districts.
and to Appropriate Fifteen
Thousand Dollars to Encourage the
Same.
Section 1. Be it enacted by the general
assembly of the state of South
csouin Carolina: \rnai noi n*?a man
$15,000 be appropriated annually for
the purpose of assisting rural school
districts in the establishment, maintenance,
and improvement of rural
graded schools under the conditions
and provisions of the following sections
of this act: Provided, That the
amount hereby appropriated shall be
expended from the sum appropriated
under the terms of Term Extension
Act of 1910, Act No. 431, page No. 791.
Sec. 2. When any rural school district
in South Carolina shall levy and
collect a special school tax of not less
than four (4) mills, and when a school
in such district employs two certificated
teachers for a school term of not
less than six months, and when such
school has an enrollment of not fewer
than fifty pupils and an average daily
attendance for the session of not fewer
than thirty pupils, and when such
school is taught in a comfortable and
sanitary building provided with the
minimum equipment prescribed by the
state board of education, and when it
uses a course of study and classification
approved by the state board of
education, It shall be entitled to receive
state aid under this act to the
amount of $200 per year.
Section 3. When any rural school
district in South Carolina shall levy
and collect a special school tax of not
less than four (4) mills, and when
such school employs three or more certificated
teachers for a school term of
not less than seven months, and when
such school has an annual enrollment
of not fewer than seventy-five pupils,
and an average dally attendance for
the session of not fewer than forty
pupils, and when such school is taught
In a comfortable and sanitary building
provided with the minimum equipment
prescribed by the state board of
education, and when It uses a course
of study and classification approved
by the state board of education, it
shall be entitled to receive state aid
under this act to the amount of $300.
Section 4. No district which receives
aid under the provisions of the
High School act, or the Term Extension
act, shall receive aid under the
provisions of this act. No district
which contains an Incorporated town
with more than 300 inhabitants shall
receive aid under the provisions of
this act.
Sec. 5. It shall be lawful for the
school trustees of a district to use the
state aid obtained under the provisions
of this act to furnish public conveyance
of children to the school, when
in the opinion of the trustees and the
county superintendent such action is
wise and expedient
Sec. 6. The state superintendent of
education may refuse aid under the
provisions of this act, if it is made to
appear to him that the expenditure
would be unwise and detrimental to
the Interest of free school education in
said district.
Sec. 7. The state superintendent of
education with the state board of education,
shall provide rules and regu- i
lations for the distribution of this
fund, and shall publish such regulatlnna
*n the vnrlrmn cniintv siinprin
tendents of education, who In turn
shall publish them to the various district
trustees.
Sec. 8. Applications must be filed
In order of their receipt, and paid or
refused In the same order.
Sec. 9. All acts or parts of acts Inconsistent
with this act be. and the
same are, hereby repealed.
No. 281.
An? Act to Distribute Among the 8ev?*al
Counties the Balance of the
State Dispensary Fund Not Otherwise
Appropriated.
Section 1. Be It enacted by the genral
assembly of the state of South
Carolina: That the state superintendent
of education, the state treasurer
and the comptroller general are hereby
authorized and directed to apportion
among the several counties of the
state the total cash balance of the
state dispensary fund now remaining
In the state treasury and not otherwise
appropriated. This apportionment
shall be made on the basis of
enrollment in the free public schools
as given in the annual report of the
the scholastic year ending June 10,
1911.
Sec. 2. All moneys apportioned to
the respective counties shall be paid
to the county treasurer upon the warrant
of the comptroller general, to be
held in the county treasury as school
funds, and paid out upon the warrant
of school district trustees in the discretion
of the county board of education
as provided in Sec. 3.
Sec. 3. The county boards of education
of the respective counties are authorized
and directed to use this fund
In strengthening weak schools, in encouraging
school improvement, and In
promoting the educational Interests of
their counties in such manner and at
such time as they may deem most
helpful to the cause of education, under
the general direction of the state
superintendent of education. This
fund shall be a county board fund; and
the time, place and manner of its distribution
shall be determined by the
several county boards 'of education, by
and with the approval in writing, of
the state superintendent of education;
provided, that no more than onefourth
of the amount apportioned to a
county shall be expended in any one
year, except in counties where it shall
be used to defray past indebtedness
due by the school fund, in which
counties the whole amount may be
used in any one year.
Sec. 4. Any and all additional funds
that may hereafter be paid into the
state treasury by the Winding-tip
commission of the state dispensary
shall be apportioned within thirty
days from the date of such payment,
in the same manner, and shall be exnanHoH
oc nrhvMhH In Sap 3 of this ?
act.
Approved the 23rd day of February,
A. D., 1912.
Cole L. Bleaae, Governor.
A SOUTHERN CANDIDATE.
Sketch of Three of the Men Now In
the Field.
Below la what the Congressional
Directory has to say about Oscar W.
University, Ninth district, Ala.:
"Oscar W. Underwood, Democrat,
of Birmingham, was born in Louisville,
Jefferson county, Ky., May 6,
1862; was educated at Rugby school,
Louisville, Ky., and the University of
Virginia; was elected to the Fiftyfourth,
Fifty-fifth, Fifty-sixth, Fiftyseventh,
Fifty-eighth, Fifty-ninth and
SIxty-flrst congresses, receiving 11,288
votes to 2,567 for J. B. Sloan, Republican,
311 for W. G. Emiel, and 48 for
T. M. Ramey, and re-elected to the
Sixty-second congress.
From the Congressional Directory
Ninth district, Missouri;
"Champ Clark. Democrat, of Bowling
Green, was born March 7, 1850, In
Anderson county, Ky.; educated in
the common schools, Kentucky university,
Bethany college, and Cincinnati
Law School; 1873-74 was president
of Marshall college, WestVirginia,
and for twenty-two years held
the record for being the youngest college
president in the United States;
worked as a hired farm hand, clerked
in a country store, edited a country
newspaper, and practiced law; moved
to Missouri in 1875; was city attorney
of Louisiana and Bowling Green;
deputy prosecuting attorney and prosecuting
attorney; presidential elector;
delegate to Trans-Mississippi congress
at Denver; permanent chairman of
the Democratic national convention.
St. Louis, July 6-9. 1904, and chalrtho
nnmmittPK notifying Judge
Parker of his nomination; married
Miss Genevieve Bennett; has had four
children born to him, little Champ, Ann
Hamilton. Bennett and Genevieve, the
two latter still living; was elected to
the Fifty-third, Fifty-fifth. Fifty-sixth,
Fifty-seventh, Fifty-eighth, Fiftyninth,
Sixtieth and Sixty-first congresses,
and re-elected to the Sixtysecond
congress with a majority of
4.019 votes."
From Who's Who In America:
"Wilson, Woodrow, university president;
born at Staunton, Va., December
28, 1856; son of Joseph and Jessie
W. Wilson; A. B. Princeton, 1879;
law student. University of Virginia,
1879-80; Ph. D., Johns Hopkins, 1886;
LL. D. Wake Forest 1887, Tulane
1898, Johns Hopkins 1902, University
of Pennsylvania 1903, Brown 1903,
Harvard 1907, Dartmouth 1909, Lltt.
D., Yale 1901; married Ellen Louise
Axson. of Savannah, Ga., June 24,
1885; practiced law at Atlanta, Ga..
1882-3; professor history and political
economy. Bryn Mawr college, 18858,
Wesleyon university, 1888-90; professor
Jurisprudence and politics,
1890-1902; president since August 1.
1902, at Princeton. Member American
Academy of Arts and Letters,
American Academy of Political and
Social Science. American Historical
association. American Economical
association, corresponding member
Massachusetts Historical society. Author:
Congressional Government, a
study In American Politics, 1885; The
State?Elements of Historical and
Practical Politics, 1889; An Old Master
and Other Political Essays, 1893;
Mere Literature and Other Essays,
1893; George Washington. 1896; A
History of the American People,
1992." Address, Princeton, X. J.
BUFORD'S DEFEAT.
8tory of Historic Massacre In Lancaater
County.
The following story of the massacre
of the patriotic force of Colonel Buford
by Colonel Tarleton, in Lancaster
county during the American revolution,
was written for The Yorkville
Enquirer by the late Rev. Robert
Lathan, D. D., and was first published
in the issue of this paper of September
30, 1891. It is being reppubllshed
now by special request in order to
stimulate interest in the famous
battleground more especially with
a view to raising subscriptions for the
purchase of the land?about two acres
?so the historic spot, together with
the monument thereon may be properly
taken care of:
Nearly every neighborhood In the
upper counties of South Carolina is
memorable on account of some tragical
affair which occurred In it during the
years 1780 and 1781. On the 26th of
December, 1779, Sir Henry Clinton
with a corps of more than 8,000 British
soldiers, well provided with ^verything
necessary for the efficiency df
such a force, cleared the harbor of
New York and directed his course towards
South Carolina. Four things?
the mildness of the climate, the richness
of the soil, the nearness to Georgia,
and the distance from General
Washington?suggested South Carolina
to the British commander as the
fittest region, In all North America, In
which to crush out of existence the rebellion
against the British government.
His conclusion, judging from
the past history 4f the contest and
present condition of the colonies, was
correct. The war of the rebellion had
been raging, with all the fierceness the
contending parties were able to effect
for a period of more than four years,
and not a single decisive battle had
beeti fought.
The forces of Sir Henry Clinton, designed
to operate in the south, were
convoyed by Vice Admiral Arbuthnot
The voyage was not a prosperous one.
A storm scattered the fleet; some of
the ships were captured, one ordnance
vessel foundered, most of the artillery,
and all of the cavalry horses perished.
It was not until near the middle of
February that the forces were landed
and ready for action.
With promptness, energy and skill
the British commander began to execute
the work which he had underen.
The country, far and near, was
scoured by armed parties for the purpose
of securing horses to supply the
place of those lost on the voyage.
Notwithstanding the many difficulties
which beset the British commander on
all sides, he began, with a large force,
the work of throwing up redoubts In
rront of the city of Charleston. The siege
began on land on the night of the 1st
at April, the British ships Roebuck,
Richmond, Romulus, Blonde, Virginia,
Raleigh, Sandwich and Renown, tflosett
In upon the city, and with the land
forces cut It off entirely from communication
with the country at every
point, except that which faced the
Cooper river.
The American forces were commanded
by Brigadier General Benjamin
Lincoln. On the 10th of April, the
commanders of the British land and naval
forces, jointly summoned the
American general to surrender. General
Lincoln replied that "Sixty days
have passed since it has been known
that your intentions against this town
were hostile, in which time has been
ifTorded to abandon It; but duty and
Inclination point to the propriety of
supporting' It to the last extremity."
On the rejection of the summons,
the British batteries were opened and
a. continual firing kept up until the
12th of May when the city was surrendered
on the same terms as those
offered on the 10th of April.
As Charleston was the largest, and
in every respect the most important
town in the state, its capture was regarded
by the British, and by many of
the inhabitants of the state, and a
considerable number of inhabitants of
Charleston itself, as equivalent to the
reduction of the whole state. No less
than 210 of the inhabitants of the city
petitioned the commanders of the British
forces to be readmitted to the
character of British subjects, and In
the same petition, declared their disapprobation
of the doctrine of American
independence. Time has dealt
gently with this petition and its signers.
Both have been preserved.
The fall of Charleston was a terrible
calamity to the struggling colonies,
but it was regarded a grand success
for the British. The loss to the Americans,
in prisoners alone, was 5,618,
oesides near 1,000 seamen. That the
besieged might be able to resist the
neslegers, all the cannon and fire arms
if every description in the colony, had
been transported to the city. All this
'ell Into the hands of the British.
To announce the fall of Charleston,
;he Karl of Lincoln was sent to Europe.
On the reception of the news,
ill England was jubilant. So soon as
" hArleston surrendered. Sir Henry
Clinton set about to establish a civil
fovernment In the city and state.
Having reduced as hesupposed, Chareston
to a state of subjection to the
king of England, he returned to New
fork, taking with him a part of his
trmy, while the remainder was placed
jnder Cornwallis. Before taking his
ieparture, Sir Henry Clinton planned
three expeditions. One to move up the
Savannah river to Augusta; another
to pass through the country to Ninety-Six;
and the third, commanded by
Cornwallis, to pass through the eastern
part of the state in pursuit of Coljnel
Abraham Buford. It is with this
ast that we are at present concerned.
During the siege of Charleston,
troops from different sections of the
state, and from other states, were
sent to assist the besieged in repelling
the assaults of the enemy. The entrance
to the city was, soon after the
work of throwing up redoubts was be?un,
entirely cut off. Among the troops
?ut off were those led by Colonel Abraham
Buford. The exact number of his
lommand cannot, at this late day, be
ascertained. An old and trustworthy
authority says: "It consisted of about
300 Continentals, the rear of the Virginia
line." This probably was only
the nucleus to which many others connected
themselves temporarily. How
near Colonel Buford had approached
Charleston Is not certain, but the probability
Is that he had reached the
neighborhood of Monck's Corner. On
the 18th day of May, Cornwallis began
his pursuit of Colonel Buford. With
some difficulty he crossed the Santee
river at Laneau's ferry. The difficulty
arose from the fact that all the ferries
on the river had been destroyed by the
Americans?some, probably by Colonel
Buford?for It seems that Cornwall
Is learned, on crossing' the river,
on the 22nd, that Colonel Buford had
left that point ten days previous.
Immediately on getting all his
troops across the Santee, at Laneau's
ferry, Cbrnwallls set out In hot pursuit
of Buford, following In his tracks.
On the 27th, at Nelson's ferry, on the
Santee, Comwallls detached Colonel
Tarleton with a command consisting
of forty cavalry?one hundred and
thirty of the legion; one hundred
mounted Infantry, and a three-pounder,
to pursue the American colonel.
The whole force of Tarleton, exclusive
or tne three-pounder, was two hundred
and seventy, all of which were either
cavalry or mounted Infantry. The pursuit
by this detachment began on the
27th of May. Camden was reached on
the next day. Here Tarleton learned
that Colonel Buford had left Rugeley's
mill, on the 26th, and was hastening
to Join a body of troops on their way
from Salisbury to Charlotte. At 2 1
o'clock on the morning of the 29th,
Tarleton's detachment was again in '
motion. At daylight Rugeley's mill
was reached, where it was learned that
Colonel Buford and his command were
about twenty miles distant.
It was manifest that Colonel Buford
thought he was entirely out of danger,
and, as the weather was very
warm, moved forward very leisurely.
Hie seemed to have halted for some
days at Camden, and then went to
Rugeley's mill. At 3 o'clock in the
afternoon of the 29th of May, Tarleton's
detachment overtook him. At
Rugeley's mill, however, Tarleton sent
Capt. Klnlock to summon Colonel Buford
to surrender. To this summons
Colonel Buford returned the following
reply: "I reject your proposal, and
shall defend myself to the last extremity."
The place where Tarleton overtook
Colonel Buford, is about ten miles, by
the road, nearly east of Lancaster, the
county seat of Lancaster county. Although
it is more than 111 years since
the battle?if battle it may be called?
was fought, scarcely any change has
taken place on the battleground. The
road runs where it did then, and with
the exception of a small amount of undergrowth,
the trees which were the
silent witnesses of the slaughter, stand
there today.
The land on which Colonel Buford
was defeated, Is now the property of
Rev. P. M. Plyler of Tradesville, a few
miles distant, In a northeastern direction.
Colonel Tarleton gives a strictly
accurate description of the battleground
in these words: "An open
wood." It is, with the exception of a
small amount of undergrowth, an open
-wood today, .? -
In full view of Colonel Tarletonand
Colonel Buford, the advanced guard of
Tarleton captured four Americans who
were In the rear of their line. Whether
or not Colonel Buford had placed
videttes in his rear for the purpose of
learning the approach of the British
is not certainly known, but It seems
that he had not, and that after receiving
the summons to surrender, continued
his march. This is what Tarleton
says he did:
Immediately on taking four of the
Americans prisoners, both Tarleton
and Buford began to put their forces
In position for action. Tarleton's description
of the order of his own troops
and also that of Colonel Buford, is
perhaps correct, and Is as follows.
Of Colonel Buford he says: "He chose
his post in an open wood, to the right
of the road. He formed his infantry
In one line, with a small reserve. He
placed his colors in the center, and he
ordered his cannon, baggage and wagons
to continue their march." Of the
disposition of his own troops, Colonel
Tarleton says: "He confided his right
wing, which was composed of sixty
dragoons and nearly as many mounted
Infantry, to Major Cochran, desiring
him to dismount the latter to gall
the enemy's flank before he moved
against their front with his cavalry.
Captains Corbet and Kinlock were directed
with the Seventeenth dragoons
and part of the legion, to charge the
centre of the Americans, while Lieut.
Colonel Tarleton, with thirty chosen
horse and some Infantry; assaulted i
their right flank and reserves." Such '
was the order of the battle observed by i
two of the commanders as stated by
Colonel Tarleton.
The British commander had rushed '
his detachment forward with great '
rapidity, having marched 106 miles in
fifty-four hours. Many of the horses '
had broken down or become so tired 1
that their progress was slow. These '
with the three-pounder which was still
behind when the plan of battle was '
arranged, were ordered to take position
when they arrived, on a small em- 1
inence which commands the road. This (
was designed as a rallying point In 1
case of repulse, which Tarleton seems
to have apprehended. 1
These two forces were within 300
yards of each other when the arrange- '
ment of battle was made by the Brit- '
Inli <?a# A morlnona rl 1 r\ nnf flra O 1
1011, ^ CI, 11IC AlUCl icaiio uiu IIVI, hi v u
gain. As soon as the British commander
got his forces put in position, he
moved forward to the attack. When
at the distance of fifty yards from the
American front, the Continental troops
prepared to fire, but were commanded
by their officers to reserve their Are
until the British were within ten paces.
When this distance was reached, the
Americans fired, but with scarcely any j
effect. The British closed in on the
command of Buford and in a few mo- 1
ments the affair ended.
The Americans had more men than I
the British, and they were well pro- '
vided with arms and ammunition, but
they failed to use them to any ad- ]
vantage. The whole British loss In 1
the battle was five killed and fourteen 1
wounded. The loss of the Americans 1
was terribly great. The killed were
113; the wounded and unable to be
moved, 150; and the prisoners, 53. In i
all 316. Tarleton captured three stands 1
of colors, two brass six-pounders, two ?
royals, two wagons with ammunition,
one artillery forge cart, fifty-five i
barrels of powder, twenty-six wagons i
loaded with new clothing, arms, mus- i
ket cartridges, new cartridge boxes, i
flints and camp equipage.
The reader is. no doubt, ready to I
say this was a strange battle, and so
it was. Colonel Buford seems to have
made many egregious blunders. If he
had opened his artillery on Tarleton
when he was forming his men for action,
the result would have been far
different. Many of those in the command
of Colonel Buford were citizens
of the counties of York, Chester and
Lancaster, who had gone down to assist
in the defense of Charleston. For
safety, they joined the command of
Buford, and while returning homo
many were cut to pieces.
We are at a loss to know which to
censure most, Colonel Buford for his
mismanagement, or Colonel Tarleton
for his cruelty. It is admitted by tho
Americans that some of them laid
down their arms, while others kept up
an ineffectual fire. It was declared,
while the slaughter was going on, that
Tarleton was killed. This incensed the
British, and they hewed the Americans
to pieces without mercy.
On the morning of the 30th, those
of the Americans who were so badly
wounded that they "were not able to
travel, were," Colonel Tarleton says,
"paroled and placed at the neighboring
plantations, and in a meeting
house not far distant from the battlefield."
The wounded from Chester
county were in a few days removed to
their homes. On the way home, however,
a number of the wounded became
so weak that they were deposited
in Waxhaw Presbyterian church and
here some died and were buried in the
graveyard.
The meeting house not far distant
from the battlefield, in which Colonel
Tarleton placed some of the wounded,
was an Associate church within, perhaps,
400 yards of the battlefield. The
probability is that the spring used until
lately by Mr. S. E. Usher, was the
meeting house spring. This meeting
house was also called Waxhaw, and
so was the whole country from a short
distance north of Camden. The meeting
house not far distant from the
battlefield, was one of the places at
which Rev. Thomas Clark, M. L>..
preached as early as 1769. Rome of
the families with whom the wounded
were placed by Tarleton, were Usher,
Barkley, Hull, Montgomery, Nelson,
Porter, Galloway, Cornea, and others
forgotten.
Thirty-five or fc.ty years ago a
plain marble monument, seven and a
half feet high, and eighteen Inches
square at the base, was erected to the
memory of those Americans who fell
In the battle, and a rude wall of flint
stones placed around the grave In
which eighty-four of them were
burled. On the east side of this monumental
shaft Is the following inscription:
"Nearly the entire command of Colonel
Buford were either killed or
wounded. Eighty-four gallant soldiers
are buried in this grave. They left
their homes for the relief of Charleston,
but hearing, at Camden, of the
surrender of the city, were returning.
Here their lives were ended In the
service of their country."
On the south side Is Inscribed:
"Erected to the memory and in the
honor of the brave and patriotic American
soldiers who fell in the battle
which occurred at this place on the
29th of May, 1780, between Colonel
Abraham Buford, who commanded a
regiment of 350 Virginians, and Colonel
Tarleton of the British army with
350 cavalry and a like number of Infantry."
The inscription on the north side Is:
"The cruel and barbarous massacre
committed on this occasion by Tarleton
and his command after the surrender
of Colonel Buford and his regiment,
originated the American warcry:
'Remember Tarleton's quarters.'
A British historian confesses that at ,
this battle 'the virtue of humanity was
totally forgot.'"
Some of the statements contained in
these inscriptions vary from the statements
made by both American and
British historians. Evidently the number
of Tarleton's forces are greatly exaggerated,
while those of Buford are
greatly diminished.
The massacre of Buford's forces
aroused the Scotch-Irish settlers of
Chester, Tork and Lancaster, and the
result was that he British were defeated
at Will,...neon's, King's Mountain,
the Cowpens and Torktown.
R. Lathan.
The Free Use of Both Hands,?There
was a fad some twenty years ago
among certain classes to make the
children use both hands equally, with
a view to developing ambidexterity,
an va Warner's Weekly. There were
very few successful results; on the
contrary, the children that used only
one hand seemed to get along better
In every way, especially In Intellectual
development. The explanation for this
Is found in the fact that the control
of the hand Is intimately connected
with the development of language;
but the brain centers that have to do
with language are situated on the left
side?that Is, In connection with the
centers that control the right arm and
hand.
An examination of thousands of human
skeletons showed that in every
case in which the right arm had a
greater development than the left arm
there was a corresponding development
on the left side of the skull.
Left-handed persons would accordingly
be expected to have less language
ability, on the whole, than rightbanded
persons; and children that
used both hands indifferently under
compulsion would hinder still more
the development of their ability in the
use of language.
In the German army, Dr. Bardleben
round 3.88 per cent of left-h&ndedness.
This figure is to be considered as rather
lower than the true ratio, as many
left-handed men deny or fail to report
the fact. In northeastern parts
of Germany left-handedness is less
frequent than in the central parts,
it is curious that among the monkeys
the orang-outang and the bylobates
are right-handed, while the gorilla
and the chimpanzee are left-handed.
Might Be Lucky.?The mistress was
giving Harriet the benefit of her advice
and counsel touching a momentous
step the latter contemplated.
"Of course, Harriet," said the lady of
the house, "if you Intend to get married,
that's your own business; but you
mustn't forget that marriage is a very
serious matter."
"Yls, mum," said Harriet. "YIe,
mum; I know 'tis, sometimes, mum.
But mum, maybe I'll have better luck
than you did, mum."