The Anderson intelligencer. (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, February 24, 1876, Image 1
BY HOYT & CO.
JL
ANDERSON, S, C.,. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1876.
VOL. XI-NO. 32.
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?Kley mm.
. B.Y .%A,CABOJJtfE.'
CHAPTER VII.
"Above, below, in earth, ocean and sty,
Thy fairy worlds Imagination lie."
It was the second day of the new year,
and the last the Christmas guests would
spend together at Berkley Hall. In' the
afternoon, they had, with feelings of sad
regret^ taken their favorite walk to the
old mill.and the^swjjmp.. By the..mill
they bad lingered, and listened to the
monotonous s'plash" of the "water* over tne
mill-wheel;, the echo had been mads to
repeat their sad fare vre 11. For how long
and how sad to some were thos? farewells
to be, none of them then, dreamed. As
they turned to retrace their steps home
ward*Marion pulled from the bough of
a beautiful oak, which dropped over the
stream 'a piece of moss, and handing it
to Capt. Gray, said: "Keep this in mem?
ory of Berkley."
To her -f.stonisb.ment, he drew, back,
and ' almost shuddenngly exclaimed :|
"Not the moss, giro me a pebble, a leaf,
anything else^than the gray moss."
"Why?" phe questiofaed, fn great sur?
prise ;. "I thought you. admired our moss
clad trees."
"Yes, and so I do, they possess a
mournful beauty, whose very sadness
charms and touches me, but from your,
hand I cannot take the moss I" Then,
coloring slightly, he related his dream pf
Christmas Eve night, and added: "Do
you now wonder that I, possessing more
than my lawful 'hare of a superstition
which, to a greater or less degree, holds
each human heart in mysterious thrall,
should refuse to receive from your hand
that, moss of mourning which, in my
dream, you had cast from me as impend?
ing sorrow ? No, oh, no I I cannot take
the moss, give me something else."
Marion smiled, -and answered gayly:
"Dreams go by contraries, you know;
but since you will not have my beautiful
moss, the gracing veil of our lowland
bowers, I will give you this bay leaf, an
evergreen, whose emblem is 'Honor and
Renown,' and such as these the soldier
craves."
, ,*Walfr!r talks- of war. I/nall not Ue
lieve there will be any war, at least any
war of serious importance. But it is
strange you first offer me the moss, which
is grief, and then the bay, which wreaths
a warrior's,brow?! '.LeLine interpret.' A
soldier, I may perchance weep even in
the arms of victory. But I will weary
you with my sombre chat," he added, with
a grave smile. "I feel oppressed by
strangely brooding and sad thoughts this
afternoon."
As Hubert Gray conversed thus sadly
with Marion on their way back to the
Hall, Harry delivered for Jessie's benefit
quite a eulogy on the said Hubert Gray.
"If Capt. Gray is a Yankee, I must
Confess, Jessie, I cannot help liking him
from the very bottom of my heart; and
if we do have a war, I hope it will not
be my ill lack to meet him in battle, for
he is a splendid fellow, and it would
grieve me to see him fall! But after all,
Jess, he is not a regular Yankee like
?those down easters. The first day he
came, I was too sorry, for I thoaght "our
Christmas is going to be spoiled by that
Yank." I treated him politely, of
course, I would have done the ^same to
the blackest Republican of the ngly black
party, if he claimed himself a guest at
Berkley Hall, but I tried to have as little
as possible to do with him, and I was
quite determined not to like him. But
his liberal, frank, geniai nature has fairly
won me. ' There* is not one grain ofmeai
in him, and I don't believe there lives a
nobler, braver fellow thWHiibert Gray I
And Harr}' Maham is not so mean as to
deny it. I only wish Hubert bad found
his birthplace south of Mason's and Dix
on's line." ? , ,
When they had reached the house) the
pedestrians took their seats on the piazza
steps to enjoy the.soft,.balmy.air, which,
although it was nearly mid winter, was
as-warm as an early- spring afternoon.
Harry went into the' bohse and procured
baskets of nuts, raisins, and candies, to
employ the passing moments, with amus?
ing gravity assenting that he waa princi?
pled against idling.
"And now, Miss Marion," said Capt.
Gray, "I would like to hear that Indian
story. No time can be more apropbs?^a
pleasant evening, a quiet hour, and the
hoary swamp, (the whilom lurking place
of the savage,) reflecting with such soft
and chastened glow the radiance of the
setting sun."
"What story ? It must be one of Ma?
rion's pretty pictures," said Harry. He
then to their eager enquiries told how,
when even 4 little child, Marion had
been in the habit of improvising stories,
(making pictures as she called it,) and
with pardonable brotherly pride and af?
fection, he declared that to -his taste
Marion's pictures were superior to any?
thing the library at Berkley could afford.
The party after such warm praise from
Harry became eager for the recital, and
Marion modestly consented.
An expression of dreamy and concen?
trated thought shadowed the face of the
vouthful improvisatrice, and her beauti?
ful eyes beamed with a warm, aoul light
as in a soft, rich voice she told the story
SKEN A KEN
THE SANTEE BRAVE.
It was the sunset hour of a chilly
October evening, when a family group
had assembled in the common sitting
room of one of the woodland homes of
one of our Huguenot fathers for prayer.
A lad played upon a flute, and a pretty
maiden touched with taste and feeling
the strings of her guitar, while the whole
family (the little ones, too, mingling
(heir voices) united in singing one of
those sweet songs of Zion, in that strange
land. It was for this enjoyment and the
great love they bore for the Master they
had sought a home in the wilds of Amer?
ica. The joyous tones of the last halle?
lujah had not quite died away, when a
young Indian warrior stood in the door?
way. His head was decorated with gaudy"
feathers, his wrists und ankles with bright
colored beads.and shell strung together;
in his hand he carried a bow, and on his
shoulders a quiver of arrows, while a
dangerous looking tomahawk ornamented
his girdle. All saw him and feared a foe
in the young brave whom, from certain
familiar marks, they recognized as be?
longing to the warlike Santees?a race of
Indians who had been often at variance
?with the whites. None spoke or seemed
to see the Indian, except that the little
children crept instinctively near their
parents. Their pastor, the pious M?ns.
Lejeau, who dwelt with them, and was
then leading their services, arose as the
last note of praise was wafted away on
the evening air, and in a voice expressive
of Christian courage and trust, said:
"Let us pray." In earnest response to
the holy man's courage and devotion,
every knee was bent, and each head and
heart reverently bowed before -Him of
whom they all felt, "He is my strength
and my. shield." i The proud savage alone
stood like a pillow of stone, not a muscle
of his face moved, but his keen, bright
eye evinced intelligence and interest.
Fervent and impassioned was that even?
ing's supplication poured out at the foot?
stool of mercy by the good minister. He
.prayed first for that little household and
others of his beloved flock scattered
through those western wilds; that their
gracious Father who had brought them
safely with a strong hand and mighty
arm across the stormy ocean from the
beautiful homes of their lovely France,
would continue to defend and protect
them in that strange land, and cause
them to grow and to flourish "like a tree
planted by the rivers of water." He
then, his heart glowing with apostolic
zeal and holy love, and his voice made
eloquent by tender compassion, prayed
for the red brothers among whom they
had come to dwell, that he and his peo?
ple might be the honored instruments of
their conversion; and especially he prayed
for the young brave who had, he hoped,
been sent by infinite love at that sacred
hoar to their home.
The prayer ended, the benediction pro?
nounced and the heartfelt amen repeated
by each one, the suppliants arose; and
the gentle pastor, his countenance beam?
ing with purest, holiest charity, ap?
proached the young warrior, and frankly
extending his hand, said: "Our red
brother is welcome. Draw near the fire,
for the night air of the Indian summer
is chill, and the light and warmth of the
pine blaze is cheering and comfortable."
The chieftain, with graceful but proud
motion, accepted the proffered hospitali?
ty. The Huguenots had in their inter?
course with the Indians acquired a con?
siderable knowledge of their language
and habits, and as soon as our friends
felt convinced that their visitor had no
hostile intentions towards them, they
quietly resumed their gentle, easy and
homelike mien. The lad, Gabriel, with
a boy's interest and curiosity, soon found
a seat at the young brave's side, examin?
ing with frank delight his bow and ar?
rows, his tomahawk and the gaudy feath?
ers and shells which adorned his person.
The Indian, on his part, seemed, as mach
as his social nonexpressive nature would
admit, equally curious and pleased, ex?
amining the-flute .and guitar, whose
melodious strains had drawn him to the
Hngaenot homestead. Upon pastor Le?
jeau he would cast furtive glances, evi?
dently regarding him with reverence and
awe. When bed-time had come, Madame,
with easy French grace and politeness,
offered to show him a chamber, but he
pointed to some bear skins and the fire,
and expressed his desire to lie there for
the. night Then,.,approaching, the.gpod
pastor, and standing before him with
grave and solemn dignity, said : "No'sa
(father) bid Yohewah bless me."
"The God of Heaven blesk you, make
his face to Bhine upon you, and grant you
his salvation, my son!" said the minister,
deeply touched.
And thus they bade "good night," the
warrior to seek upon his bear skins the
Indian's wakeful alumber, and the Chris?
tian pastor to wrestle with the angel for
the poor child of the forest, who knew
not the value of the blessing he craved.
The next day, the next and several
days after found Sken a Ken in the
Huguenots' home, questioning M?ns.
Lejeau of the Great Spirit whom the
white man worshipped, and listening
with eager interest as the good minister
told him of the creation, of man's happi?
ness in Eden, of his sin and fall, his
ruined and lost condition, and of God's
unutterable love and pity displayed in
the wonderful plan of redemption?a
redemption contrived in the Courts of
Heaven and achieved on Calvary's Hill.
When Sken a Ken heard how Jesus, the
Holy One and the Just, had been reviled,
condemned and crucified by those very
men for whose salvation he had re?
nounced the honors, glories and bliss of
His Father's Courts; and how even one
of the chosen twelve had betrayed the
Master, the fire of scornful indignation
flashed from his eagle eye, and with the
Indian's ready ire, his hand grasped the
tomahawk. But when the good man
dwelt upon the Saviour's prayer for his
murderers, and explained to him how he,
Sken a Ken, the Indian brave, and all
men who hear the calls of mercy, and
proudly refuse to accept them, are in
like manner reviling and scorning the
precious Saviour, the haughty warrior's
head drooped upon hit breast, and a
look, full of anxious trouble, rested on
his face.
After a few days, Sken a Ken wearied
of his inactive life and left the Huguenot
home, but he frequently returned, some-1
times after short intervals of one or two
days, and sometimes weeks wonld elapse.
Each time he came, it was to talk of
Jesus. After the longer periods of his
absence, he, on his return, frequently
brought with him beautiful shells, and
delicately colored sea weeds, as gifts for
the maiden Louise. She had won from
him an ardent admiration, mingled with
tender reverence. He never wearied
listening to her sweet song and tho music
of her light guitar. In his own poetical
language, he often declared tho voice of
the lovely Miskodeed (the spring beauty)
was sweeter to his ear than "the music of
singing birds in -the moon of Bright
Hights," (April.)
One evening, after an unusually long
absence, he returned just at the hour for
prayer; it was, too, the anniversary of his
first visit, but this time when the pastor
called to prayer, Sken a Ken, the proud
warrior, kneeled an humble suppliant at
the feet of Jesus.
When the prayer was ended, before
the succeeding silence could be broken,
Sken a Ken pointed to a pitcher of water
and said: "Here is water, I would be
baptized. I believe on Jesus. I love
Jesus, who shed his blood to wash the
black stains from Sken a Ken's heart!
He has lifted my burden, he has shown
me bright light! I.believe and love
Jesus!" So Sken a Ken, the Indian
warrior, was baptized, and became a
member of the household of faith.
Sken a Ken tarried with his Christian
frionds for several weeks, sometimes
lingering around the Huguenot maiden,
listening to the music of her guitar, and
paying her the most delicate and defer?
ential attentions; sometimes teaching
the boy, Gabriel, to bend his bow, and
point his arrow with the red man's grace?
ful skill and certain aim; but most fre?
quently he was found, with childlike
simplicity, sitting at pastor Lejeau's feet,
listening with eager and earnest atten?
tion as his Christian father read to him
from the Book of Life, or talked with
him of their great leader, the Captain of
Salvation, who had only gone a little
while before to prepare them mansions
in his Father's house.
Impelled by Christian love for his
brethren, and zeal for his Master's cause,
the converted brave announced suddenly
one day to his friend and teacher, his
determination to return to his tribe, and
tell them of the wonderful and mighty
Meda Man (physician) he had found for
his spirit wounds.; of the peace and
healing already conferred, and of the
untold treasures and joys laid up in that
glorious spirit land for all who love this
great and wise counsellor. Then, with
inimitable simplicity, he added: "I will
beg them come find Jesus, too."
With dignified sorrow, he bade his
friends farewell. To Louise he said,
placing his haud on his heart, "Sken a
Ken will never forget the gentle Misko?
deed."
Then kneeling at Mona. Lejeau's feet,
he begged as he had done on his first
visit: "No'sa bid Tohewah bless me!"
The old man was moved even to tears,
and joined by the whole weeping family
he kneeled beside bis young convert, and
offered hearty thanksgiving that he had
been brought from death to life, and im?
plored for him that he might ever find
rest and guidance beneath the Comfor?
ter's safe wing.
The fervent Amen repeated, Sken a
Ken, too proud to weep, hastily left, not
daring to trust himself with another word
or look.
More than twelve moons had waxed
and waned, and nothing had been heard
of the young brave, but he was not for?
gotten. Louise gazed often and sadly
upon his pretty gifts, the shells and sea
weeds, and wondered with tender pity,
"What has become of the gentle and
noble brave ?" Gabriel daily wished for
his favorite friend to chase the red deer
with him through the forest, or fish for
the fine bream and trout, with which the
rivers and creeks abounded. But it was
at the hour of prayer that the tonderest
and holiest emotions clustered around
the name and memories of Sken a Ken.
One bright moonlight night, in the
springtime of the year, nearly eighteen
months after the young chieftain had left
them, pastor Lejeau heard a gentle tap
at his window, and a faint voice calling:
"No'sa, No'sa, awaken!" He arose, and
opening the shutter, the house beigg low
to the ground, he recognized his loved
pupil, Sken a Ken. With joyful greet?
ing the good pastor bade him come in.
In a calm voice the Indian made him
understand he waa wounded, and was
too feeble to help himself. Pastor Le?
jeau was soon by his side, offering to
assist him into the house, but the Indian
stubbornly refused to be moved, until he
bad disclosed the object of his visit,
"for," said he, "the spirit of Sken a Ken
may not wait."
He then told Monsieur Lejeau that his
tribe had devised a secret and well laid
plan for making a bloody raid upon their
white brothers. He had tried, but vain?
ly, to turn them from their murderous
purpose. He had represented to them
how muc'u happier and wiser it would
be for them to dwell peaceably Avith the
white men. The only effect his> expostu?
lations had produced was the arousing of
their anger and jealousy against himself.
They accused him of being a false hearted
Shawgoda'ya (coward) who would sell his
people for slaves to the pale-faces. Con?
vinced that he could not turn them from
their cruel purpose, he finally determined
to give the white people warning. At
mid night he secretly left the Indian
village on the Catawba, and made his
way unmolested, even through the deep,
dark swamps of the great river Santee.
The waters were high and he had waded
and Bwam many deep and dangerous
sluices ere he stood safely on the north
bank of the river, looking wistfully across
at the opposite side. He now deemed
himself safe, all chance of pursuit being
surely over. The Santee crossed, he
?would soon be with his white brothers.
As he thus mused and lested before
swimming the river, he heard a crackle
in the canebrake, turned, looked and
recognized two young warriors of his
tribe gazing on him. with malignant; eyes.
With not one moment's time for thought,
he plunged into the red and swollen
stream. As Bwiftly as an arrow leaves
the bow, ten arrows'were directed at him
and a terrible war whoop resounded
through the canes. One of the arrows
hit him, and for a time he was insensible
and sank, but as he arose on the surface
of the water, animation returned, he
drew the arrow from the wound, and the
fresh, cold water soothed the aching.
He then took more courage, gathered
new strength, and with wonderful Indi?
an endurance, after making many vigo?
rous strokes, landed on the wisbed-for
bank safely andnnpursued, f?r his ene?
mies believed him killed. (There where
the heroic Sken a Ken landed, a tract of
land lies along the banks of the river
.which bears the name of Sken a Ken,
and steamboats, with their puffing boilers
and merry boat-horns, now land at Sken
a Ken's landing to carry old "King Cot?
ton" : to his favorite mart, the beautiful
city of Charleston.)
? Havimj reached the wished-for shore,
Sken a Ken. gathered some healing leaves
and gums, which he bound over his
wound, and renewed his now anxious
and painful journey. He felt his strength
was giving a* ay each weary mile, and
nothing but his indomitable will, and
his feverish anxiety to reach his destina?
tion, had enabled him to bear up under
his sufferings.
"And now," he said, sadly, as he fin?
ished his recital, "Sken a Ken, the son
of Kenen, (the great war eagle) has been
urged by the voice of the Great Spirit
talking in his heart, to betray the secrets
of his brother warriors. Sken a Ken is
no mahn-go-tay'see, (lion-hearted brave,)
but he could not let his white father who
had shown him Buch great things perish.
He could not see the golden locks of the
tender Miskodeed torn from her head,
reeking with blood beneath the toma?
hawk of the cruel and angry Indian!
But No'sa, No'sa, showain neme'shin,
(pity me,) and hear the words of the dy?
ing Sken a Ken. Speak to your warriors
and your wise men, that they deal kindly
with my people, make peace and live
as brothers with the mighty warriors of
our great people?the Santees. Sken a
Ken, the son of Kenen, loves his people,
even as you love yours."
The pious M?ns. Lcjeau promised all
that the young brave asked; he prom?
ised, too, that he would personally seek
the friendship of the red men, aud point
them to the lamb slain for sinners.
The story ended, Sken a Ken permit?
ted his friends , to move him into the
house, where, for more than a week, he
lingered with them, receiving the most
skilful treatment which the country af?
forded, and nursed with tender, loving
care. Neither medical skill or loving
care could avail to save the life of the
generous yonng brave, for the fatal and
poisoned arrow had pierced one of his
lungs. Calmly, yea", even gladly, Sken a
Ken heard the opinion of the physician.
What to him was death?' A blissful
exchange of ignorance and sorrow for a
joyful eternity in the-beautiful hunting
grounds of the great Father of light and
life I There in that land of inexpressible
glory and beauty, he would comprehend
in all its length and breadth, its height
and depth, what here he received only
with a child's faith, and so dimly under?
stood of thatsweet "old story" of redeem?
ing love! The reticence of his Indian
nature melted away in the rapturous
glimpses he enjoyed of his heavenly
home. The company of his Christian
friends was always pleasant to him. One
evening as M?ns. Lcjeau and Louise
watched by his bedside, he begged the
girl to sing /or him once more of the
green fields and^ sparkling rivers of the
fair land of glory. When the hymn was
ended he asked to hold her hand, tender?
ly and deferentially he gazed upon the
little white hand that trembled in his,
and said : "The bright Miskodeed never
knew , how Sk.cn "a Ken loyed her,; she
could not feel the great gushing* of his
heart, filled with a love as powerless to
control as the rushing waters of Talulah!
Sken a Ken, the son of the noble Kenen,
of the great Santees, would have wooed
the gentle Miskodeed for his bride, but
the Great Spirit Bpoke, and the son of
Kenen listened: "Go thou to thy people,
tell them of that other and fairer land;
show them where the great Pearl is to be
found; lend them to the fountain where
they may wash and be clean; on to thy
people! look not back! Miskodeed, the
golden-haired, the tender spring flower,
she may not go; she could not be glad
with the daughters of the red man ; she
could not abide in the wigwam of a San
tee brave I But now," he joyfully added,
"Sken a Ken is going to the land of
light, Miskodeed and our good father
will soon follow! Then the dark river
crossed, we will roam together through
that land of joy and beauty forever, for?
ever I Nene moo'sha (sweet-heart) fare?
well !"
He never looked at her again, but
closing his eyes, said: "I sleep." In a
little while he aroused and called out,
"No'sa I No'sa! Jesus calls me I Listen,
the music of the angels! I come! I
come! No'sa, No'sa, farewell! farewell I"
The soul of the Christian brave had fled,
while on his face remained the expression
of raptuous triumph.
More than a century has passed away,
and the names only of Sken a Ken and
his people, the warlike Santees, remain
in the land where his tribe once dwelt a
powerful nation; but we may humbly
hope to meet many of the brave Santees
in the glorious land, constrained by the
Holy Spirit, under the gentle teachings
of our Christian forefathers, to accept
the salvation purchased by Immanuel's
blood shedding."
"Your story is pretty, but sad, little
sister," Baid Walter, "and I often think
.our forefathers did not do their whole
duty by their heathen neighbors. The
story of the overthrow of the red men in
this fair land of ours, is truly and touch
ingly mournful. But let us get into the
house, for the night dews are falling
fast,"
. "I wonder if wc will all ever meet
again; and when, and ;where?" said
Jessie, with unusual sadness in her tones.
None replied. That gloomy winter of
. '61 held out no gilded anticipations be?
neath the veil which ever conceals the
future. .
. TQ BE CONTINUED.
The PretendedjBellc Boyd an Impostcr.
As the young person who calls herself
Belle B?yd paid a visit to Anderson not
.long ago, the following statement by a St.
. Louis paper will have a mournful interest
.for, some of our charitable readers:
Perhaps the memories and incidents of
??thirteen years ago are not pleasant, and
that is'the reason the once famous Con?
federate spy has secluded herself from
the prying investigations of the curious,
and in a.measure effectually, concealed
from the public her identity with the
daring, dashing girl who, in the days of
our national distress, cast consequences
behind, and pursued her own adventu?
rous career. Perhaps, too, written in the
records of those days, are some passages
in her life which she would now wish to
be forever obliterated. It matters not
what the motive may be, the woman who
was once known far and wide as Belle
- Boyd, and some of'whose, exploits have
found an enduring place in history, has
for some years led the quiet life of a re?
spectable matron in the City of St. Louis.
No consideration .apparently, can induce
her to lay aside this quiet domestic life
.to appear again before the public. She
has another name now, and husband and
childrll, and if the individual lives, the
name, at least, has ceased to exist. Nor
hdoes she .or-the- very few persons , who
know, her identity with the daring spy
care to recall that name again from the
tomb of the years in which it is buried.
80 careful has Mrs. - and her
friends been in guarding this secret, that
even when impos^ra have assumed her
discarded name, and traversed several
Southern States appealing to public sym
Eathy in the character of lecturers, she
as said nothing and charged her friends
to say nothing, and her silence has proved
to be the opportunity of the pretenders
to make money on her - credit. Perhaps
the fact that the once celebrated Belle
Boyd is now a respectable matron, resi?
ding in this city, would never have been
revealed to the public had not her father
been a member of the Masonic fraternity,
a fact which being known has been util?
ized by the fictitious Belle Boyd who has
traversed Alabama, Georgia, the Caroli?
nas and Florida, everywhere calling upon
the brotherhood for advice and sympa?
thy.
But a description of the deceiver was
printed in an Afranta paper, and that de?
scription was read by the brethren of
Equality Lodge, No. 44, A. F. and A. M.,
at Martinsburg, West Virginia; to which
lodge D. B. Boyd, father of the real Belle
Boyd, belonged. These Masons had
known the real Belle in the days of her
girlhood as a bright-faced, blue-eyed,
light-haired maiden, and they knew, that
the one who called herself Belle Boyd,
with a brunette complexion, black eyes
add hair dairk as the ? raven's wing, was
-not the real Belle, and so as late as the
. 22d of January the lodge prepared a cir?
cular letter addressed to the brethren
'throughout the country to beware of the
imposter. Among other things they
.state: "The real Belle Boyd is now mar?
ried, and living, in St. Louis, Mo., with
her husband arid her mother, and two
brothers reside in Baltimore." This let?
ter is' signed by Alexander Parke, Jr.,
.W. M., and B. Hughes, Secretary.
On bright Sunday. mornings, a trio
consisting of an aged woman, a hale,
well-lopking.map oTlmiddle age. a rather
tall, thin lady of middle age', with deep
blue eyes, light hair and sharp, Roman
features, may be seen entering a certain
church in; this city. The old lady is
Belle Boyd's mother, the gentleman her
husband, and the middle-aged lady is
the veritable Belle Boyd of the war
times.
The Needs of Agriculture.
We often, hear men talk of the dull?
ness and stupidity of farming. But
?where is there a field of enterprise that
requires so much and so. varied fore?
thought as the proper cultivation of the
soil ? And there is no field on the farm
that requires more cultivation than the
brain; The farmer must lay bis'plans
for years, not only in regard to the man?
ner he would till his soil,, but in regard
to the products and development of his
farm for greater capacity in the future.
The' different qualities of the soil must
be studied and experimented upon, suit?
ing each kind of product to its particular
soil.
Successful agriculture must be con?
trolled by intelligence. Brains are ne?
cessary. A man may rise before day and
work till after night; may sow with dil?
igence and reap with care, but unless the
farm work is done in the proper way and
at the proper time, the effort in part will
be a failure.
In this connection we may call atten?
tion to the benefits derived from agricul?
tural literature. The time has arrived
when the farmer must be educated for
his calling. The age which we live in
and the circumstances surrounding us,
demand that educated minds should be?
come closely connected with rural pur?
suits. There is no mistaking the admo?
nitions of the future on this point. And
why should not the husbandman be pre?
pared for his manifold duties as well and
thoroughly as the lawyer, the doctor or
minister ? Surely, no sufficient reason
exists. The lawyer, for instance, is con?
fined to the statute book, or to loug and
well settled decisions; precedent is his
guide, and he follows it because it is old
and universal. The minister must ne?
cessarily confine himself to the sacred
writings and his own peculiar theology.
If he teaches anything which cannot be
sustained by them, he teaches error. The
physician confines himself to different
diseases to which the body is heir.
But the agriculturalist enters upon a
field without scope or limit. Nature, in
all her untold amplitude and boundless
research, is still beckoning us onward to
heights and depths that seem to know
no bounds. She is not only generous in
her gifts, but true to her promises. Her
laws are the same over all the earth.
The atmosphere, the clouds, the storms,
the heat and cold are not controlled by
the fitfulness of uncertainty, but well
established rules that she discovers only
to devotees. And shall we be told that
it is a waste of time and money to learn
her secrets ??Ohio Farmer.
? A St. Louis woman, deprived of all
the ordinary means of suicide, was
swallowing a handful of pins that she
had taken from' her clothing.
From the Abbeville Medium.
PEN PICTURES OF THE PRESS.
JAMES A. HOYT.
When in attendance upon the State
Press Association last May, we conceived
the idea of presenting to tne reading pub?
lic a series of biographical sketches of
some of the more prominent and impor?
tant members of that dignified and dis?
tinguished body. In this way something
of the character and attainments, the
"life and times" of the South Carolina
Press may be made known, and at least
the site selected upon which to erect a
more substantial historical fabric than
can be built by the aspiring editor of a
country newspaper.
First on the list, is the name of James
A. Hoyt, the distinguished President of
the Association.
Virginia claims the honor of his birth,
as she does that of Washington, the first
President of the American Republic, he
having first seen the light at Waynesboro'
' in that State on the eleventh day of Oc?
tober in the year of Grace 1887, and is
now in the thirty-ninth year of his age.
. When James was quite young his father
. removed to Georgia and loca ted at Clarks
ville, where he bved for a few years, and
the early trainiu. that the subject of this
sketch there received may in some meas?
ure account for his present abiding faith
in the principles of Jefferson, the father
of democracy.
After living for a few years in Georgia
the elder Hoyt again removed, this time
to Laurens C. H., South Carolina, where
James grew to manhood and learned the
printing business in the office of the Lau
rensville\ Herald. In 1856, in the nine?
teenth year of his age, Mr. Hoyt removed
to Anderson C. H., in which place he has
ever since resided. On removing to An?
derson he took charge of the Anderson
Gazette as foreman, and so diligent and
devoted was he to every detail of the
business that in less than one year from
the time he tookvcharge of the paper he
became its editor, and as editor and part
proprietor retained his connection with
it until May, 1860, when he sold his in?
terest in the Gazette, and a month after?
wards issued the prospectus of the An?
derson Intelligencer, which made its first
issue on August 14, 1860, and with the
exception ot a forced suspension during
the war, has ever since continued to make
its weekly visits to a large and intelligent
mass of readers. Mr. Hoyt has occupied
ta 9 chief editor's chair of this paper smce
its first publication, and has perhaps
achieved greater and more lasting success
than most men who have ventured upon
the treacherous sea of journalism.
* Outside his legitimate work as a news
{>aper editor, Mr. Hoyt has been a lead
ng man in almost every important social
and political movement in his section.
He rendered valuable assistance in the
organization and equipment of tne "Pal?
metto Riflemen" in 1860, and was one of
the most trustworthy members of that
command. On April 14,1861, he enter?
ed the service of the State in the famous
4th Regiment South Carolina Volunteers,
under command of the gallant Colonel J.
B. E. Sloan, now of Charleston. In June,
1861, he was mustered into the Confede?
rate service and went immediately there?
after to Virginia where he j irticipated in
the first battle of Manassos* and was en?
gaged with the Fourth in its memorable
and heroic defence of the old Stone
Bridge. After this baptism with fire Mr.
Hoyt participated in all the principal
battles fought by the Army of Northern
Virginia, with the exception of Chancel
Iorsville and Gettysburg in which his
command was not engaged.
At the re-enlistment in 1862 the com?
pany with which Hoyt went out was re?
organized and became a part of the Pal?
metto Sharpshooters, then commanded by
the gallant and lamented Jenkins, who
afterwards reached the' position of Briga?
dier-General and was killed at the Wil?
derness. After Jenkins promotion the
Sharpshooters were under the command
of Colonel Joseph Walker, of Spartan
burg. During the same year, after this
change in the command of bis company,
Mr. Hoyt was promoted to a lieutenancy
for gallant and meritorious conduct on the
field, and afterwards made Adjutant of
the Regiment, which position he held for
a short time, then rejoined his company.
He was slightly wounded at Williams
burg and at Frazier's Farm in 1862,
which forced him to absent himself from
the army until June, 1864, when he re?
turned and was 'placed in command of
the Confederate troops at Danville, Vir?
ginia, and took up the line of. march for
the Staunton River Bridge, oh the Rich?
mond and Danville railroad, to repel the
raid on th;' point which was imminently
threatened by General Wilson of the
Federal army". This shows the confi?
dence reposed in Colonel Hoyt by his su?
periors in command. This was the only
remaining line of communication be?
tween General Lee's army and the South?
ern States, and it was a matter of life and
death that the bridge should be saved.
All the supplies for Lee's army?victual?
ling, clothing and ammunition, could
only be transported over this one line of
railroad and the destruction of the bridge
would have materially affected the safety,
diminished the success and demoralized
the army. Wilson's raiders were rapidly
marching upon the bridge which was de?
fended by a militia captain in command
of two or three hundred raw recruits.
This captain's plan of defence was from
the south side but to this Colonel Hoyt
objected, as the way would be left entire?
ly open on the north from which direc?
tion the enemy was advancing. Hoyt's
command was a mixed crowd, composed
of infantry, cavalry and artillerymen,
who, like their officer, were returning to
the army after sick and wounded fur?
loughs. These nondescripts were armed
ana equipped like infantry and were as
brave as the bravest?eager to meet the
enemy and willing to die in their tracks.
They numbered between seventy-five and
a hundred men which force was supple-1
mented by a company under Captain
Riddick, who served as escort to a body
of Federal prisoners south, and a compa?
ny of militia, mere boys{ under Colonel
Coleman, of North Carolina, who was ab?
sent from his regular command on a
wounded furlough?the entire Confede?
rate force numbering not more than three
hundred, all told. Coleman and Hoyt
disagreed with the militia captain as to
the best plan of defence and concluded
to make a stand on the north side of the
rirer. They threw up breastworks, re?
connoitred the country for several miles
around1 and prepared to give battle.
The enemy two thousand strong, under
the command of dashing and fearless
officers, began the attack at four o'clock
on the morning of 25th June, 1864, and
made four charges upon the breastworks
but were repulsed with heavy losses.
Several ineffectual attempts were made to
fire the bridge, but General W. H. F.
Lee's cavalry coming up just as they had
been repulsed for the lost time forced
them to retire and the day was ours.
The loss on the Confederate side was five
killed and twenty-six wounded, and of
the enemy thirtv slain were left upon the
field. ' ,
In this spirited and desperate encoun?
ter, with an enemy more than five times
superior in numbers, and under the brav?
est and most reckless leadership, Colonel
Hoyt exhibited his fitness to command.
He was present wherever the most des
Eerate assault was made and encouraged
is men by his chivalrous daring.?
Wherever the fight raged thickest his
sword flashed in the sunlight and his
cheery voice inspired his followers to the
highest pitch of enthusiasm. In this
fight he, together with his associates in
command, Coleman and Riddkk, were
badly wounded, the small bone in his
left leg being so badly shattered' that on
the next day it was resected, three inches
being taken out. The credit of this ? en?
gagement has been ascribed to the militia
captain who acted as a kind of rear guard
to the Confederate forces and was out of
reach of the guns of the enemy. So im?
portant was it in its results and so neces?
sary to the maintenance of Lee's army
that we desire to correct this ? mistaken
idea and give "honor te whom honor is '
due"?-to Hoyt and Coleman who
planned the defence and remained at
their posts, wounded and bleeding, giv
. ing orders to their commands until the
enemy had been finally repulsed and
driven from the field. Colonel Hoyt was
a model soldier-ndevoted to duty, cau?
tious and -brave?after the pattern of
Cambronne of the "Old Guard," ready to
die but never surrender. .
As a politician he is a success, and has
taken an active part in every movement
of interest and importance that has of
late years agitated the public mind,. A
Democrat of the straightest sect, he
nevertheless has an abundant supply of
good hard common sense which is all
powerful in one who hopes to regulate
tho public pulse. In I860 he advocated
the right of secession, and is still firm in
the conviction of State's rights, or, as they
say across the line; "home rule," his po?
litical views being based upon the'con?
stitution, the only safe and sure founda?
tion upon which we can ever "build.
Since the war Colonel Hoyt has taken
a much more prominent part in politics
than formerly, and is remarkable alike
for his strict adherence to what he con?
ceives to be right and the strategy with
which he more than once has brought his
opponents to discomfiture and defeat.
In 1867 he made, a most vigorous opposi?
tion to the anti-reconstruction policy of
Hon. B. F. Perry, and urged the people
to take a firm hold upon the opportuni-*'
ties then offered them for victory, to ac?
cept in good faith the State constitution
then adopted, and to these ends used his
influence as a public journalist. Al?
though a member of tl o Masonic Order,
I as will hereafter app- or,' he objects to
secret political organizations, and strenu?
ously opposed the outrages of the Ku
Klux and the later inflammatory teach?
ings of the Union League.
In 1870, Colonel Hoyt was a candidate
for the State Senate from Anderson
County on what was known as the "Re?
form ticket," and after a hot and closely
contested canvass was beaten by the in?
dependent candidate by the small majori?
ty of two hundred votes. He represented
Anderson County in the State Conven?
tion that nominated Carpenter and But?
ler, and spoke against Carpenter's nomi?
nation on the floor of the Convention.
He opposed this nomination mainly upon
two grounds: first, because of the im?
policy of the Convention giving its sup?
port to such a man; and,.second, the
propriety of running no ticket for State
offices in that year, 1870, believing that
the true remedy for our political and gov?
ernmental wrongs rested in the majority
in the two branches.of the Legislature
and not in the Exeeutive Department.
In other words he favored the "passive
policy" as to the election of State officials,
and thought that a supreme effort should
be made for an honest .and intelligent
representation in the Legislature.
Colonel Hoyt was a member of the
Taxpayers' Conventions of 1871 and 1874
from Anderson County, and was a mem
berof the Executive Committee of the
Convention of 1874. He was a delegate
from the latter body to Washington, and
assisted in preparing the famous Memo?
rial to Congress, which related the wrongs
our people have suffered under Radical
rule, and turned the attention of the civ?
ilized world to the depths into which our
prostrate State-kas sunken, and which
has resulted in at least our partial deliv?
erance from the ruin that threatened to
overwhelm us!
In 1868 he favored the election of Sey?
mour and Blair, stumped his County and
carried it for that ticket He supported
Greeley in 1872 and the State Bolter's
ticket. In 1874 he rallied to the Green
standard and carried the County for him,
but gave a tsrdy support to Chamberlain
after Green'b defeat. While he admits
that Mr. Chamberlain's promises are all
that can be desired he fails to see any
very tangible results from them all, and
is now in favor of thorough Conservative
organization throughout the State.. He
has recently published some scorching
criticisms of the course adopted by the
Governor, and is practical, in so far as he
desires deeds instead of words. He was
appointed by the State Democratic Com?
mittee at its late meeting to organize the
party in Anderson County, and has. gone
to work with an earnest vim which must
triumph.
Colonel Hoyt is a distinguished mem?
ber of the Masonic Order, and last year
held the position of Most Worthy Grand
Master of Ancient Freemasons in South
Carolina, to which office he was elected
in December, 1874, as the successor of
Generai J. B. Kershaw. He has been a
Mason for only ten years, yet in that time
has reached the highest honors of the
Order, and is much admired and beloved
by his brethren of the mystic tie. For
two years he served as Grand High Priest
of the Grand Chapter of the State, and
manifests a lively interest in all the work?
ings of the craft. In addition to his con?
nection with this Order he is a member
of the Grange, has been prominent as an
Odd Fellow, is in earnest sympathy with
the temperance cause, and, better than
all, is an humble and devoted Christian
of the Baptist Church? for the prosperity
of which he has exhibited the greatest
energy.
In every object tending to develop the
material resources of the State, and par?
ticularly of the County in which he lives,
Colonel Hoyt has put forth his best exer?
tions, and to him much more; perhaps,
than to any other single individual does
the Anderson Farmers' and Mechanics'
Association owe its present great pros
periry. Since the organization of this
Society, in 1868, ColOnel Hoyt has filled
the office of Secretary and Treasurer, and
has aided in putting it upon a better and
more stable footing than any similar or?
ganization tn the State. In addition to
this he is a firm believer in the civilizing
agency and commercial importance of
railroads, and has frequently urged the
extreme necessity of a grand trunk line
to the great northwest, as the one thing
needful to the complete development of
the resources and the possibilities of
upper South Carolina. In fine he is a
friend to any undertaking that tends to
improve the condition of the people as
individuals and as members of society.
It is almost needless to say that such a
man as this could be insensible to the
softer and nobler impulses of human
kind, and that when he wooed he did not
woo in vain. He was married on Janua?
ry 30, 1866, to Miss Rebecca C. Webb, j
daughter of Elijah Webb, Esq., late of )
LEGAL ADVERTISING.?We are compelled to
require cash payments for advertising ordered by
Executors, Administrators and other fiduciaries
and herewith append the rates for (he ordiaasr
notices, which will only be Inserted whea the
money comes with the order: .
Citations, two insertions, - - - - $3 Ot
Estate Notices, three insertions, - . I 2 00
Final Settlements, five Insertions - . 300
TO C0RRE8P0NDENTS.-\n order to receive
attention, communications. must bo accompanied
by the trne name and address of the writer. Re?
jected manuscripts will not be returned, ?nfeas the
necessary stamps are furnished to repay the postage
thereon. ? , 0
SS- We arc not responsible for the views and
opinions of our correspondents.
AH communications should be addressed to "Ed?
itors Intelligencer," and all checks, drafts, money
orders, Ac, should be made payable to the order
of HOYT a CO.,
_ Anderson, 8. C.
Anderson, a highly cultivated and esti?
mable lady, and from this union has
three children?all girls.
Colonel Hoyt takes great interest in
the success of journalism in this State,
and was among the first to insist upon
the organization of a Press Association.
He was elected Vice-President of the
Association of 1872, which failed, and
then to the Presidency of the Association
of 1875, which still lives, and. will live,
we hope, to a ripe old age. Colonel
Hoyt is of medium height, with a finely
developed figure, an eloquent eye, and is
a genial, whole-souled gentleman.- May
he live a thousandjyears, as they say in
in China, and prosper.
The Business Future.
The encouraging vievs as to the busi?
ness prospects recently presented in a
contemporary are most opportune. The
note of alarm and despondency has been
so long sounded that public opinion has
become morbidly sensitive, and conse?
quently,extravagant in its assumptions
and prophecies. In highly speculative
times, public opinion has always proved
itself unreasoning and unreasonable, as?
suming false propositions and leading
to equally false and extravagant conclu?
sions. Then the values of property are
talked up, and written up, until every
exchange of it apparently enriches the
happy negotiator, acting under a delu?
sion and a series of fallacious reasoning
which the few only can discern. Every
one wants to buy and sell. Large ! mar?
gins of profit are apparently made, and
general activity in all branches of. trade
creates buoyancy and enthusiasm. But
when new and disturbing influences arise,
panic seizes the masses and rapidly- the
delusion is dispelled. Then it is assumed
that rial estate has no bottom, stocks
are depressed and some of them ren?
dered worthless, manufactures heavy
and unproductive* and everybody wants
to sell; few dare to buy. In fact, the
great majority, think and act alike and
from public opinion quite as extrava?
gant in the opposite extreme, - while a
very limited number of persons com?
paratively, form their judgment on a
true state of facts, and have confidence
enongh to act upon it. Such'is substan?
tially the state of affairs now. With
abundant crops at the South and West,
and a fair demand for them so - that .our
exports are steadily increasing, busi?
ness generally in these parts of the coun?
try is in a healthy and sound condition.
Add to the crops of the South and West
the mineral products and also the results
of the manufacturing industries of the
entire country, and the sum total of val?
ue we may not venture to estimate with?
out more reliable data than is yet at
command, the cotton crop alone amount?
ing to more than two hundred millions
of dollars.
The Boston Obbe says New England
alone, where there is the largest amount
accumulated capital, seems to be. nearly.
paralyzed with apprehension. : Massa?
chusetts, over stimulated during the' war
by her manufactures, until over produc?
tion demands a temporary cessation of
activity, and since the war largely deple?
ted by her excessive investments in un?
productive Western railroads, built under
the stimulus of enormus land" grants,
pauses in apparent consternation; and,
yet, is now rolling up her pecuniary - re?
sources, keeping in reserve until
every species of property shall," in the
opinion of the timid capitalist, reach the
imaginary "hard'pan.'* With an-annual
product which has in some years reached
the . enormus sum of $500.O00,0Q0,. and
with railroad facilities ana connections
already well established and yet being
further developed, with an annual income
in her exports, and her diversified manu?
factures on a foundation which, will eua
able her generally io.compete with those
of any .part of ?he couqtry,.^ few, people
are presumptions enough to thine that
the "bottom has not quite dropped out,"
and they venture to presume that there is
not only a good time coming, hut even
close at hand, when some business will
be done and fair profits once more reward
enterprise and industry. There are al?
ready indications that sober, reason is re?
turning, and that mutual confidence will
soon be restored- as the first and indis
spensable conditions to a healthy revival
of all branches of business.?Chronicle
and Sentinel.
The Great, Mischief of Grant's
Administration,?We, for our part, see
far more danger to the government in
popular familiarity with or indifference
to the evils which Gen. Grant's adminis?
tration has fostered, than in the possibili?
ty of the election of any man for three
terms. ' It must not be forgotten, in esti?
mating or in criticising his - political
career, that it is the very fact of his
strong claim on popular gratitude which
has made his two terms so demoralizing,
and it is almost always by men with
claims on popular gratitude that the seeds
of political ruin are sown. * -. -
If he had not been a successfal.'general
in dark days, he would have become
odious before 1872; but with the halo of
the war about him, not only have a terri?
ble number of faults been forgiven him,
but they have come to lose the appear?
ance of faults, and to take on that of vir?
tues. No ordinary President could; for
instance, have been allowed-to give a
?overnment like this a Mussulman flavor,
y appointing high public functionaries
through pure personal caprice.'
When President Grant first began to
make extraordinary and, as it seemed,
scandalous selections for places in the
civil service, his friends maintained that
we must not reproach him, that he was a
simple-minded man, who was necessarily
in tnis matter in the hands of the Sena?
tors and Representatives; but he speedi?
ly dissipated this theory by appointing
Simmons of Boston in defiance of the
Representative of the district, and Mc?
Donald of St. Louis in defiance of the
whole State delegation. In short, he has
adminstered the government neither on
the old American "spoils" system nor
on the new "civil service reform" system,
but on the Sultanic or Turkish system,
which says: "I like Mustapha; put the
Vizier's robes on him. and give anybody
who says he is a thiefone hundred blows
with a stick."?The Nation.
No Time to Read.?We have often
encountered many who profess to believe
they have no time to read. Now we
think of it, there have always been men
of such characters, the points of. which
are easily summed up.
Nine times out of ten, they are men
who have not found time to confer any
substantial advantage either upon their
families or themselves.
They frequently spend whole days in
fossiping. trifling and swapping horses,
ut they have no time to reaa.
They sometimes lose a day asking the
advice of their neighbors: sometimes a
day in picking up the news, the prices
current, and the exchange, but these men
"never nave time to read."
Such men generally have uneducated
children, unimproved farms and unhap*
py firesides. They have no energy, no
spirit of improvement, no love of knowl?
edge; they live "unknowing and un?
known," and often die unwept and unre
gretted.