Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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SEC. D, PAGE 12—The Newberry Sun, Newberry, S. C., Thurs., Dec. 24, 1970 ThevSecret ...• .% ... - 1Y TOMIIY MjPI •*« »♦' -4. x I remember how scared we were, as we made that long walk up the driveway on a late winter’s afternoon. There were no lights showing through the windows. I think we both breathed an inward sigh of re lief with the idea that he might not be home and we wouldn’t have to go through with our plan. Every community has its own candidate for the title. “Mean est man in town.” Clear Valley was no exception. J. B. Carrithers was a solid choice, among young and old. I hate to add the part about him living in a big, old house some folks contended was “haunted.” But, it’s true. The old mansion stood back away from the road and, in the sum mer time, was well obscured by trees and shrubbery. The kids called it the “Devil’s Dormitory” because it was built along the same Colonial style as the dormi tory of a junior college a few miles down the road. Old Man Carrithers was a her mit. No one ever saw him. At least, none of the kids around town. A few bragged they had slipped up near the house and watched him, but they never had anyone with them to back up their claim. Most of the kids gave the place a wide berth, mainly on account of the stories their parents told them, about people who died strangely in the house, and all kinds of eerie noises one could hear inside. Pause We stood before the door, look ing at one another, both hesitant to reach up and grab the huge brass knocker. It was not yet too late, but somebody had to sug gest we give up the idea. Johny knocked on the door with his fist, timidly. There was no sound from inside the house. He knocked again and we waited. We both knocked, loudly. And i then Johnny was punching me in the ribs and pointing to a nearby window. We waited for what seemed like an eternity and were ready to run for our lives when the ’ door finally opened. He was a tall, graceful old man, dressed in a butler’s suit. He bowed low and then rested his hand on the dorknob, as if the effort had tired him. “Yes, gentlemen?” “Mr. Carrithers?” “Mr. Camthers? No. I am Jarvis, the butler. Mr. Carrithers is away ... on an extended vaca tion.” “We wanted to ask him if we could shovel some snow in trade for a Christmas tree,” I said. “We like that tree over by the iron statue by the gate,” Johnny added. The man stroked his beard. “Ah, that tree. Well, gentlemen, I think I can speak for Mr. Car rithers on this matter. That tree is his favorite of all the trees on these spacious grounds. He would never part with it. Besides, if he gave you a tree, wouldn’t every child in town be here soon after you, asking for a tree?” “We hadn’t thought of that.” “Nah, I guess we didn’t have such a good idea, after all. Thanks anyway, Mr. Darvis.” “Jarvis. And, goodbye to you.” The door closed softly. One Look We were nearly out the gate when Johnny said, “Wouldn’t he any harm in our just looking at that tree, would there?” It was the most perfect shaped tree in the whole world. And, just the right size. Johnny touched it, almost reverently and we were turning away when something on the ground caught our eye. It was a small, obling iron marker. I brushed the snow aside to read the inscription: J. J. B. CARRITHERS Statesman-Educator 1850-1940 Johnny looked a me. “Know what this means? Old Man Car rithers has been dead for 30 years.” “And, all this haunted stuff is just something grownups tell for fun?” “Or, to keep kids away from this place.” “Yeah, let’s get away from here.” Scholars Study Source of Star Shining in East Epiphany During the holiday season, we hear reference to the Epiphany many times. However, many do not know when it occurs and how it fits into the Christmas calen dar. The Epiphany is observed on January 6th and marks three events in the life of Jesus: His baptism, the visit of the Wise Men to Bethlehem, and the mir acle at Cana. “There shall come forth a Star” — Numbers 24:17. In this Old Testament prophecy by Balaam, was a real star meant, or does “Star” refer to a great per son? For centuries, Biblical scholars have considered this question. Many believe that the prophecy led the wise men to watch for and follow the “star in the east,” of which St. Matthew wrote in his story of the Nativity. The star itself is the source of many theories. Perhaps the best of all is that it was a miraculous appearance and as such needs no explana tion. However, astronomers through the ages have sought to connect the star seen by the wise men with other re ported celestial objects — a comet, perhaps, or an espe cially brilliant star that only appears at long intervals. Still another theory sug gests that the star may have been a configuration or grouping of planets. In 1604, the German astronomer Jo hannes Kepler theorized that Jupiter, Saturn and Mars might have occurred in such a configuration at about the time of Christ’s birth. The fact that the star and the visit of the wise men were described only by St. Matthew has led to still an other question. Did only the wise men see the star? That they were so privi leged is sometimes explained by the legend that the wise men were astrologers whose special interest helped them to notice the unusual bril liance of the three planets grouped together. Vtd t/te teado# (ox tbak&d Ck tfo daow... fax fixed 6uxtU*t^ 6xcy6tUf o*t t&e &eaxt6".. fox wedfatty fxiettUd t&e vexy &edtf Since > QQO A - SOUTH CAROLINA NATIONAL BANK The Bank for Everybody ■mi