University of South Carolina Libraries
VOL. XLII. NO. 105 NEWBERRY. S. C.. TUESDAY AUGUST 22) 1905. TWICE A WE.$.0YA THE NEWBERRY OF DAYS THAT ARE PAST THE SWEET MEMORIES OF THE LONG AGO. An Interesting Letter From a For mer Newberrian, Now Living in the Lone Star State. Don't you feel you'd like to wander, down some winding country lane, Don't you feel you'd like to ramble in your childhood's ways again, Like to drink the way you used to, from a time worn drinking gourd Like to hunt for wave worn pebbles, and to skip the mdown the stream, Like to put aside all troubles, and go away back then and dream Those old dreams, whose very dream nig used to give your soul delight. Such as even their full fruition cannot bring :o you tonight. The frost that shows of mornings' white on fences, roof and grass May melt into crystal globules, as the morning moments. pass, But the frost about your -temples, it will never melt away And the bars are up forever, between you and yesterday. Y,ou will never, never, i aver be that little boy again; You will never, never, never dream the dreams you joyed in then, You will never feel the pleasure, of the splashing in the pond, Never draught shall hold the sweet ness of the nectar in the gourd. "The recollections of my early life, have left upon my mind, a checkered and varied feeling of pleasure and pain, -mingled I trust with gratitude to t'be great Father, ' hzo guided my life of more than eighty years, through so much trouble, that the ease with which he has blessed my long life might seem softer from remem berances and content."-Scott. A. D. A ,4-How still the morning: 'Tis a bright, beautiful Sabbath morn, smiling with glory and love. The good people are wending their way to the new Methodist church. As we en'ter we see the women on one side, the men on the other. Among those there we see the pleasant practical joker Phil Schop pert, a class leader. Dr. P. B. Ruff. a noble Christian gentleman; that good lady Mrs. Sarah Cheshire; that amiable woman Mrs. Sarah (Lorick) Pope and her mother, that good old pious soul, Aunt Pattie Turner. They were a pure, true intelligent, God fearing people. That venerable old Christian Dun woody; rises and says, "Let us sing to The praise of God." The charm of S music dwells not in the tones, but in '-the echos of the heart: so it was with them. Though their voice had never been chased through vocal gymnastics they had a depth of sincerity and fervor, that made up in volume what they lacked in sym phony. Notices like this were not to be found, "Mlle. Sayrah Browne. lately escaped from a Conservatory of Mu sic, will sing the "Holy City" twice on next Sunday. Come early and avoid the rush." How I long to thear the good old Ebenezer Camp Meeting rousing songs and to see Dr. Kilgore and other pious people praising God. It was a good time to contract a good case of heart-felt religion, 'The good old time religion." Where now have these good old folks gone? "To the land of the leal. they have gone with their song W\here the choir and chorus belong. Oh! be lifted ye gates! let us hear them again Blessed song! Blessed singers forever! Amen! A\nd suich is human life so gliding on It glimers like a meteor and is gone. The ideals of these people wvere their neighbor. These ideals I fear at this day are virtually rejected as impractical.-not expressly repudiated as impractical, but only believed to be so. These old folks had the love of wisdom and the wisdom of love. The ladies were neatly and plainly dressed and agreed with Wesley in his sermon on 1st Peter, 3rd chapter, 3rd and 4th verses: that "The wearing of costly array, is directly opposite to being adorned with good works." Occassionally some good brother would preach. "rst Timothy, 2nd chapter, 9th verse" "Also let women etc., etc." From what I have seen in Methodist and other churches in Houston, Texas, there is a frivolous mixture of millinery and religion. As we again go through the vil lage we come to the house of T. J. Jones, nearly opposite T. H. Pope's house which was burned. Mr. Jones immediately succeeded the grand old lawyers of whom I have heretofore written. His wife was Miss McHardy an intelligent and entertaining lady with a spice of humor in her. At Joude 0' Neall's suspecting that wife and I were engaged,. he enquired in her presence if they had heard I was dangerously ill-wife fled from the room weeping; Mr. Jones follow ed her, laughing and in a quizzical way said: "I wanted to know if you were engaged." Mr.,Jones was an intelligent, indus trious, good lawyer and a frugal man with a fine head for business. He illustrated the virtue of persistence in a great degree. They had quite an interesting family. On Main St. opposite Judge Wil son's house there was a two-story house built for a hotel by Sameui Reed, afterwards used for a female school, then by Dr. T. W. Thompson. Here in 1833 lived David Dewalt and family. I never saw D. D. but once that I remember of. One- day re turning from school as I entered the road Mr. D. was returning from., his plantation; when I reached the vil lage I heard that he was either dead or dying. I doubt if anyone now in the village remembers 'h-im except his surviving children. He was an in telligent, energetic, prosperous. well informed citizen. And 'held in great esteem by the community. He was a typical southern gentleman. Mrs. D., who was a Miss Gray was noted for her supreme good sense. sound judgement, amiable and kind manners and greatly interested in the education of her children. Miss Amelia, the eldest daughter. was beautiful, accomplished, 'ws and good, wins t'he grace of a cultured mind. She married Chan Johnstone, w1-o T think, was the wisest man I ever knew. Miss Caroline. a remark ably handsome, vivacious, gentle and gracious lady-, married Dr. 0. B. Mayer. an intellectual, polished Chris tian gentleman. beloved by everyone. Misses Catherine and Rebecca were sweet tempered, gentie and loving. Miss Eliza, the youngest, I remem ber as a very pleasant litle girl: she maried Ellisor. The name Ellisor reminds me of two of niy Texas friends, from Lexington-John and laughing Bill-good men. Laughing Bill was sitting by the jury, when I was defending a tough case and put ting in my "biggest licks." Bill was smiling and nodding at me and I felt safe for an acquittal or a hung jury. As t'hey retired Bill did not go; I called the court's attention and then for the first time learned that Bill was not one of them. The laugh was on me. Bill often jollied me about it. Ir~. de DeWalt family were two sons. Major George G. and Dan. At a reviewv of the 1oth Regt. Cay, near Martin's depot. I heing colonel, Maj. G. brought an order reqjuiring my presence at he ad(quarters: he was riigalarge fine horse i f Nathan T hnen'i. So we started :o head quarter. his horse startedl bolting. rearing pitching and taking the bit in his teeth went dashing like a cy- p clone. G calling whoa. I riding a fast b little mare of Whit Walker's kept I g by his side and hunc!hing my saber j g occasionally, struck the flanks of his C horse accelerating his horse's speed gf and enjoying it. He. either from sF fright or otherwise. jumped off or o: was thrown and his leg broken above er the ankle. G was "bigger" than I t was and I never told him of my part er in the race. He was a good lawyer, not eloquent but presented his points at clearly and logically. He was well s educated, possssed of a frosty intel- m lectuality; a good financier and well de knew the value of a dollar. ic In 1837, Dan and I went to school d< to John S. Pressly, who on our first gi appearance before him, said he never a had a good boy from Newberry; if ir Albert Gaskin was a specimen he fa was correct. Dan and I sustained the bc said reputation, but when Archie sc Sloan and Caleb Lindsay appeared m there was a change. Dan and I Y went to school together. together W boarded, slep:. fought played, went , swimming, played truant, etc. I knew Si him well and liked him. His mother ec was anxious about his education and A with her usual energy did everything in to promote it: but Dan differed with u her and preferred bull pen to books; in he never fed much on the dainties t found in books. n Historia Sacrae was then the first h book in Latin, Vin Romae, second. Dan never reached the second. 'Tis b said he translated the first sentence " Abrahamus credidid Deo policenti" v thus-Abra'h-am credited G-d with a in pocket handkerchief. It was thought hi that a certain bright and talented at boy, Frank Patton furnished Dan the translation. When I last heard from Frank he was yet alive in Abbeville. r Long may he live an exemplar of ti all t'hat is good, true and wise in this world. w Gen. French in his book, "Two Wars," writes 'when Gen. Pope was c< a student at West Point, he returned n from a furlough in breeches with straps at the bottom and open down in the front, and although it shocked the C sense of propritey of some maiden ladies and of Mrs. Delafield the su intendent's wife, yet the Major D vc whose hobbies were economy and b practical utility, gave the cadets per mission to have their pants made h tpen in front and that consigned to h +bliv:in :he broad flap pants that buttoned at the sides: Pope's pattern t< oif b)reeches are now worn by all Christian men and some who are t! not of that religion. Dan and I in troduced this style at Due West. At an exhibition I was orating, having on my open front breeches. Two la dies frowning pointed to my pants and seemed horrified. I enjoyed it. WVhere now is good old Daniel: al though no book worm, he had a G pound of good common sense. About I1:-2 miles from the village. on the Columbia road, we come to the 01(1 log school house at the forks ofT O the road. "Oh! the little old log school house t at the forks of the road, Oh! the little old log school house, at F the forks of the road, And my 'heart with joy o'erflows v Like the dew drop in the roseu Thinking of the old log school house li at the for'ks of the road." F As the boys roll out of the sghool b house, they play divers games; somep bull pen with a wet ball; t'he fellowp that was hit was hit here his pants g ere tightest and he jumped high in 0 the air and lit a running. Jolly days! 6' W\e next come to the cross roads where the happy family of Jacob IH. P Hunt and wife; a loving gentle couple approaching old age by a tranquil C road: they carried peace and restful- a ness around like a pure atmosphere: t they were Baptists, but descendantsa of m> d Quakers (yes. I say good: for more deserving, truthful, honest !ople than the Quakers could not found.) The H's had a family of )od children, W. H. and Col. I. H.. ew up to be good useful citiens. f the girls I remember Asenath, a mtle woman in appearance, carriage. eech and thought; she married one the village's best and purest citi is, Capt. W. R. Lane, another I ink married Joseph Mooney anoth good man. Noticing in the Confederate Veter i about the reburying of Confederate ldiers at Hopkinsville, that an old I emorandum book of Geo. C. An rson, of Cotton Gin, Texas, was und in an old desk and that An rson had written in it legibly, be nning with Row I: it gave the' Lme, rank and Co. of each one-25o all. This reminded me of the ct that Anderson was a Newberry' >y. He was the son of Wm. Ander in, a most worthy citizen once a erchant in the village, and the first G. of Pulaski lodge I. 0. 0. F. 1 as thus reminded of Anderson. He DIked in the office of the Rising in and boarded at my house. The itor of the Presbyterian Banner, bbeville, Hugh Wilson, also worked the same office and boarded with They were excellent young men. telligent, irdustrious moral and in Ilectual. Wife and I were very uch attached to them and they loved r; as every one did that knew' her. ilson is the able editor of the Pres rterian Banner-independent. vig ous and able, whilst I do not agree ith him in all things I admire his dependence and ability. Two of s kinsmen, John and James Bigby e here-industrious and progressive err. I usually hail -them as "Big, ogskin" from the name of a creek Abbeville near where they had red. Anderson was so attached to my ife that when we left for Texas in 57 he told her that as soon as he uld he would follow her and -The xt year he came. Prior to and ter the war he published a paper Cotton Gin. He volunteered in olonel Gregg's regiment in 1861 and rved through the war. My wife -omoted 'his marriage to a charming ung lady the daughter of a Cum !rland preacher-named Murray. After the war and some time before s death. my wife was on a visit to !r uncle-in-law, Dargan Strother, hen Anderson rode some sixty miles see her. Wife and I very often > to the time of -her death spoke of ese two young men. God bless Newberry. J. M. Crosson. Bd1linger. Texas. West Point Appointment. Applicants to be examined at reenwood, for the. Third District. competitive examinaation will be :ld at Greenwood. in the court house hursday. Sept. 7. beginning at 8:30 clock, a. in., for the purpose of se cting a principal and two alternates be named as candidates for ap ointment to a Cadetship at West oint. Eac'n candidate should 'be well ersed in the following subjects to it: reading, writing, spelling, Eng sh grammar, English composition, nglish li-terature, arithmetic, alge r'a through quadratic equations, lane geometry, descriptive geogra hy, and the elements of physical eography, especially the geography f the United States. United States istory, the outlines of genera! his ry. and the general principles of hysiology and hygiene. A\pplicants must not be under ser nteen or over twenty-two years of ge: imust be bona fidec residents of ie Third Congressional District. nd must be able to pass a thorouigh hysical examination. Respectfully, CITY OF QUEBEC. "She Queens The North, Supreme, Alone."-Veritable Repository of American History. Dear and quaint old Quebec, a thousand blessings upon you, for the joy and inspiration that you have giv en me! May your glory never be eclipsed, and your power to charm never cease! I pay you willing and hearty tribute, for your queenly graces have won me to warmest ad miration and I am henceforth a wor shipper and votary of all you hold dear in history, 'chat does not con travene my convictions of justice and loyalty. Have I not in the past been entranced by the story of valorous deeds that were enacted in the strug gles and conflicts of opposing forces for the right as each then saw it? Had I an Aeolian harp I would waft you from our sunny clime gentle southland breezes that would sing you a new song of rapturous praises. "She gleams above her granite throne Her gray walls gird her ample zone She queens the North, supreme, alone." This is Quebec, a veritable monarch of all she surveys. With attrac tions varied without, the sight of which arrested at once my attention. I took passage on the boat from Point Levis: my vessel steamed across the majestic St. Lawrence, with Point Diamond glistening . upon my feasting eyes, and I have felt that I might well restrict this article to a narative of the beautiful situation without, but I hesitate; in retrospect and reverie my mind indulged while within. her wared entourage, and so I must recount the impressions made upon me, of what I saw and heard is our cicerone conveyed us hither and thither in. 'his labyrinthian cir cuit. Here are angles and curves and inclines, and one must need have a guide to save him from error and "confusion of . face." The flight of time, the march of invading and con tending armies, the .final struggle for supremacy, the relics of former peri ods, the customs of bye-gone days, these and other things afford delight ful contemplation, and the mind is keyed up to highest tension in specu lative romance and imaginative en quiry. It was thus with this scribe, as ne'er before, when moving amid the scenes of former splendor, of cruel. mayhap unholy carnage, such as has made Quebec a veritable re pository of American history. Her battlements would frown upon you, and her dogs of war would make short shrift, if perchance you were an invading foe, but her welcome to friendly visitor is never less acute, for her gates *are. always widely ajar to receive those who bear her cor dial greetings. And so in peaceful mood. I enter her gates, literally so, an.d naturally my first thought is ." the heroic Wolfe and the daunt iess Montcalm, of Wolfe and his valiant band who scaled the precipi tous heights and as subsequent events have shown exhibited a bravery and strttagem never surpassed. Like the Spartans at Thermopylae, so was Wolfe and his 5,ooo on the Plains of A!braham. "His was rot to reason why, his was h.ut to do and die," and dying a victorious death, shed in effable glory upon true valor and I daring. But his opponent, 'the Mar quis de Montcalm, was no less in trepid, for thie engagement was siharp and severe, it "was war to the knife~ and knife to the hilt," his wounds were mortal and being advised of his extremity, praised God that he might not live to witness the fall of his be loved city. Eagerly did I seek to stand upon the very grounds, where Wolfe and Montcalm engaged in battle, on the fateful 13Y'h September, r759; scenes were enacted t'hen and there which decided the course of after events