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J t , 1 V 4 BARNWELL IN THE LONG AGO. XV. The War Clouds Thicken. Yes, with loud and The air is vocal SECESSION! proud acclaim! with exultation! Old sores are hard to heal. They miy take a fresh start, and finally culminate in augmented agony and even death. So it was in the “fif ties” and “sixties.” Misunderstand- * ings, grave allegations of injustice, and ill-foreboding suspicions contin ued between the North and the So;ith. ' The “hustings” had convulsed with" hot political utterances, while the press reeled and staggered under weight of agitating and scorching discussion^. In some cases (may be rare ones) it could have been said: “Judgment has fled to brutish beasts, and men have lost their reason.” War clouds darkened, till at last the thun derbolts of belligerency were hurled forth, exciting and enraging women, and even bojia , and girls, * y every where! , Although the most enthusiastic Southern leaders still hoped fotf a final issue out of all dispute without any shedding of blood, therk were young men in every section who proclaimed their readiness to go forth to battle, in case the worst “must needs” come to*pass. On the way to school in the fifties.” we children met a gentleman un horseback to whom one of our lit tle squad said: “they say we are go ing to have a war.” He replied: “All right, I am ready.” So said many. In 1800, the secession fever gradu ally and inevitably nose in every nook and comer of the * Palmetto State, and old “Barnwell Diatrict” was up to blood-heat in her advocacy of a speedy withdrawal from the Union. Our people believed (at they still do) that a State had the right to secede; and furthermore, that such a right might and would Ik* exercised peaceably. Moreover, many doubtless had come to set* that separate and itale- pendent States, some maintaining slaves and others vociferously and bit terly condemning it. could not dwell aether in unity or be loyal t.. th« same government. Abraham Lincoln remarked, in substance, that a real Union of States, where it consisted of both slavt holding and non-slave holding bodies, could not exist. . The South certainly saw this to be true Their view of the best settlement of difficulties was for the slave-holding States to “secede” and build up a government of their own. Alwlition- ists contended that slavery must U* abandoned and the Union perpetuated «*n a non-slavery basis. Normally, at 1»est. we all now know that their con tent icn was sustained by the decision of arms, carnage, and blood. Most of us, if not all of us. now’ feel recon ciled to the rc-union of tho North and South under the same nat.ona! flag. The sincerely and loyalty of the South m having “accepted the situa tion" can no longer be truthfully dis puted. A living pri»of of the fact is found in the attitude of Southern young men under our national stand ard. on the cactus fields of Santiago, I89S, and in the Argonnt* Forest and along the Hinder.burg Line, liHS. The most ardent Pacifist among us, no matter how conscientiously and rightfully opposed to war can fail to see the present South’s honest alleg iance to the General Government. Hut 1 am here perhaps anticipating, by allusions that can be more appro- ' priately made in some later chapter . of my reminiscences. And so, I re turn to the task of some brief refer ences to my observation and experi ences as a boy in the years I860 and 1861. As the Secession conviction and purpose more and more firmly grip- „ ped the Southern minds and hearts, 1860, there coul^ be seen all over Barnwell District a class # known as “Minute Men,” wearing beautiful rosettes on the lapels of their coats, indicative of the spirit of readiness for military service in defence of Southern rights, no matter what turn things might take The rosettes re ferred to consisted* of -silk ribbon of various colors, wrought into a rose like shape, to which was fastened a bright, glittering brass button show ing on its front a perfect palmetto tree with the conspicious and legible words engraved on it: “Animis Op- ibusque Parati.” This was the State's motto (“coat of Arms”) * in Latin, and signified, “Ready In Mind And Means.” The first class (Animis .... Par- ati”) contained more truth than the >econd part (“Opibusque ^Parati”), For, although the Southern spirit to the emergency, our lack ^oTmean^twiwrSnnSSaffy^elBH" wore ourselves out, whipping them.” It has been said that, taking the Army of Northern Virginia as an il lustration, Gen. Lee fought some fifty great battles, and excepting the two of Sharpsburg and Gettysburg, he either held his battleground or drove a retreating foe in haste from it, every time. (Appomattox, of course, came in as third.) , And yet,- for lack of men and means, Lee’s Army, Johnston’s and others, ultimately had to succumb. It was true of us in a senseis Pat, the Irishman, remarked concerning himself during a fight in the West: /T am not whipped, nor am I demoral ized; but I am badly scattered.” At bong Branch Baptist Church during the Barnwell Baptist Asso ciation, Nbv. 1860, I, a boy just 13, saw men present, young and middle aged, wearing the pretty rosettes to mehV+which allusion is made above. And Columbia,Dec. 20—Governor Cooper today set aside Monday January 3rd. as “cotton acreage reduction day” in South Carolina. In doing so he issued a statement in which he declared that — 4 it is “ineumbent upon the cotton states to take intelligent cognizance of the situation with reference to raw cotton and see to it that the market does not refnain glutted throughout another seasoh.” ’ ' -In calling upon the South Carolin- A Pair of Shoes B* RALPH HAMILTON of course, “we little boys”, all wished we could each wear one. Some boys fi^k that even they Were ready to fight, though not knowing what a real war meant, and not yet knowing ,how' to translate the I^atin on the palmet to buttons. I stood out by the well just back of Long Branch Church Building, and heard Col. Darlington, now of Allendale, translate . for his J hearers the words which were at that time of my life beyond the reach of my youthful comprehensibility. (See Webster’s great old blue^ back spel ling hook—one of the Iwst ever made —for this big word and others of a kindred orthography I. the "mpoediwg spirit’l-of uUl, (©, 1920, W«st«rn Newspaper Union.) * She was a creature of warm, sympa thetic and generous impulses; although the charity she extended was un demonstrative and her acts of kindli ness hidden from gublic view as far as possible. It was at a revival meet ing In the slums, whither Norma Lunt had accompanied her brother, a clergy man/tp, play the organ for the occa sion that one of her impetuous exhibi tions of good heartedness material ized, and the object of her liberality was a poorly dressed girl of her own age, w’ho had come into, the hall half perished with the cold. Norma noted her thin and thread bare garb and most of all the broken, snow-clogged shoes. A pitying emo tion induced her to quietly remove to a seat near the girl. As quietly she removed her own well kept shoes un noticed, placed them on the floor and whispered to the other: ‘‘Before you go out again put on these comfortable shoes—they are for you. Keep up a brave heart, dear. You look like a good girl and if you wMIl give me your address. I will see you again.” So the wondering, but delighted girl named a tenement location and had no Idea that Norma, when she left the place later, did so in her stocking feet. Norma was infused with a thrilling spirit of self sacrifice and heroism that sustained her, but was laid up with the effects of her exposure for a full month afterward. The Incident got Into the papers and her name ap peared in connection with it. When she was recovered and went to search for Alice Lull, she found she had moved aw^y from the tenement where she had formerly lived. In the course of a few months Nor ma’s brother broke down in health and mm* offered a 4»oiwe on a ranch in New Barnwell fOon became dominant, she “rhiindgi in” with other sections of the State, and in spite of the* remon- stancc and feeble resistance of just a few of our conservative statesmen and citizens. “The Secession Convention” soon assembled in Columbia, in the First Baptist Church Building. Small pox I have been told, in the Capitol City, cauasd an adjournment fur a subsequent meeting in Charles ton wherein the “Ordinance i of Se cession” was passed in Dec. I860, signed at once by those whose names may be found attached thereto on the marble monument (slabI to lie seen in the State House at Columbia. S. C. I have gazed at it, time and again, with mingled feelings of a blended romp!* non I once saw, at Union, S. C., in the home of Mrs. Arthur, the table on which that “Secession Or dinance*’ lay. when the name* of its “Signers’’ were appended. In seeing IHdh the Talde of white marble in our State House and this historic Table. I. a« an old ex-Confederate. somehow or other, ran not restrain an emotion that exclaims: “Loved And laimented.’’ I have never felt that I was ever u “nebel.” ami I do not yet grunt that such an accusation tail Ite truthfully and constitution ally” substantiated. But if it ever doe* so turn out. 1 am sure there will he room left for repentance and har- M Lrt Southern Hrstormns “Hew to the line, and the chips full as they may.” In January’ 1861, not many days after South Carolina seceded, I went to Barnwell (\ H. on salcsday. A tall flag pole stood aloft on the “Public Square” and a pretty flag floated in the air. Emblazoned on it. I could read, at quite a distance from it. these incissive words, in large let ters: “Cotton Is King.” (Mo»£ Anon.) ♦ ♦ ♦ Acreage Reduction Day Mexico by an old friend of his dead father. Gerald wept thither accom panied by Norms, whose life had been always linked closely with his own. The old cattle raiser prepared for them a little cottage with attractive floral surroundings, and saw to it that they lived something more than com fortably. Ills hostness was an exten sive one and there was some bookkeep ing to do. which Norma attended to and received for this service a small, hut regular recompense. Gerald had been advised to give up his profession, as his voice had failed him. He took to writing books, hut with Indifferent svccc**. The returns from the same • ere spasmodic. He was very much discouraged when one day he received a visit from Ids publisher. “Lunt.” lie said, “you were born am) brought up In the South. I have a client with money who wishes to have a aeries of books written about that section. He has outlined six of these and all yon have to do Is to HU In the plot and details. You are to In* paid luo thousand dollars a hook, and If they lake yon will receive fifty per cent of th# profits, lie doe* not wish to appear as the author at all, but l»elict«»* he knows the literary tastes of hi* possible reading clientele and that the tHioks will make a good hit and turn out a profitable speculation.” It was wonderful how Gem Id Lunt braced up after two volumes had been puhIDhcd and his reputation was made and ii go4»tf Income guaranteed. It wiim when he was fully rejuvenated in ■■plrii. umi liculth that a lively young lady. Alice Trevor, beeame a summer boarder at the home of a neighbor. From the first Nonna racked liej* memory to get an inkling of where she had seen that charming face before, but she could not solve the question and nothing that Miss Trevor said en couraged her. They became close friends-and Gerald Lunt for the first time In his Life was attracted by a member of the op»*osite sex.*-. Miss Trevor grew to so like Nonna that site protracted her stay. The lat ter was glad to notice the interest her brother took In the young lady, for she seemed to be ids equal In culture and education. It was given out gen erally that she was quite wealthy, through an inheritance from a father by adoption. *• “We are , engaged, Norma,” an nounced Gerald in his quiet, even tones one day. “Alice wishes to see you particularly about it-this after noon. Will you go and see her dear?” “Certainly, and with the heartiest congratulations,” replied Norma warm ly. “I shall welcome her as a sister and 1 know she will make you happy.” A fluttering emotion pervaded the her In ians t fi HevaTT their best thought on-l '<>vely Alice as ixorma fiaspco January 3rd. to meeting the situation which at present they find themselves in, the governor was complying with a request made by the South Caroirna---rooiu. Then she drew a mahogany J t 5 z said: “I have a great deal to tell you,” and she closed and locked the door of her Division of the American Cotton Association. Similar actiqn has been taken by the governors of the other cotton growing states of the nation. - - case from the wardrobe and opened its cover. Within reposed a pair of shoesr- In wonder Norma stared. A “You do not recall them, or myself?” questioned Miss Trevor. “I am the Alice Lull who received those from you at the darkest hour of my life, and your kindness and the golden words of MANYPEOPLE THINK THAT IS WHERE BUSINESS HAS GONE-AND SOME FEW WOULD PROBABLY BE WILLING TO GO THERE AFTER IT. HOWEVER, THAT’S NOT NECESSARY. « * JUDICIOUS ADVERTISING WILL’ DIS PEL THE BLUEDEVIL OF HARD TIMES AND MAKE THIS OLD WORLD SEEM LIKE A PARADISE ONCE MORE. YOU HAVE THE GOODS TO SELL- • * WE HAVE THE MEANS BY WHICH YOU CAN GET YOUR MESSAGE BE- FORE THE BUYING PUBLIC AT A MINIMUM OF COST. * - * * #- COME IN AND LET’S TALK IT OVER OR PHONE NUMBER 89 AND A REP- .. _ ____ \ _ ^ . * , i RESENTATIVE WILL CALL ON YOU. Mr. Clyde Sterling Vickery of this ] city and Miss Lucille Bennett,—of ] Dunbarton, were cpiietly married on : y 0ur i3 ro ,j, er sa ved me from sinking \\ ednesday afternoon, December 15, | utterly under poverty and discourage- at the Methodist parsonage here, the ( ment. A lijtle later I was adopted by Rev. F. S. Qlennan officiating. Only ' n rich relative under ray present name, a few relative* a«4 friends of ..the 1 R I* J "ho have encouraged the en- contracting parties were present at °f Jiooks written by Oer- the ceremony. * ld * 0h! DlJ t, * ar ’ lnve ,OT * m< *’ our final diacomfiture. A» thf “boy* long rt#nshed memory of both of you. Barnwell. in gray” would always have t ft. Send L s \ our Job Work# m y t* hi* rLo»oo bride.** * ; » »-i - i # * « . f '