The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-05-11


ane street, where he kept cows, pigs and
chickens, in true farmer style. We pastured
our cows in the Lispenard meadows, Just
north of the house, where West Broadway,
Franklin and Anthony streets now are. l
well remember the old ditch which ran
through the meadows, about on the line of
the present West Broadway. | often think
of my getting, when little girl, on some
old raft, and sailing down this ditch with the
aid of a setting pole, much in the same way
rs | have read that flatboat-men do on the
Mississippi River; and when sit by my
window, nowadays, and see the Sixth and
Eight Avenue cars hurrying by, can hardly
believe they are traversing the same route
used TO sail over in my fat-boat days.
Where the Methodist Church now stands, Il.
Duane street, was hill, at least as high as
the church down which used to ride in
the winter. The children had fine sport
at this amusement in the "olden time" 1t
was there first became acquainted with my
future husband. actually ran over him in
descending the hill, and by that means es-
tablshed an acquaintance which subsequent
ly ripened into marriage and nine children.
That was the effect Sf riding down hill sixty
years ago, before young ladies' had the privi-
iepe of going to the opera to display their
charms, and to be inspected by inQuisitivo
pallants through their double -barrelled lorg-
nettes. In those days even dancing was pro-
hibited by the strictcr sect, among whom
was nv father / we'll rccollect running
away from home when was what was then
called large girl, but what, at the present
day, would pass very respectable for young
lady, and going to n ball on the evening of
Easter Monday, at an old fort which stood
at the corner of franklin and Greenwich
streets. We had fine time, | assure you
but before the evening was half spent, my
father, who had discovered my irregularity,
sent old Dine the colorcd servant, to demand
my immediate return, who said that "the old
gentleman was just rs angry rs he could be-"
I told Dine that If such was the case there
was no danger t his getting any more cH-
cited, and would, therefore, dance another
set, as had made an engagement to do so.
When arrived ut home, however, WAS won
derfully surprised to hear my patcrnal an
cester remark that he would fiddle for
short time, rs he had a strong desire to see
a specimen of my Terpsichorean perform
ances. But ] can confidently assure you
approved neither of his fiddle nor his bow;
for the latter was no other than n twg from
the bilberry bushes which grew at that time
in the Espenard meadows, and which he laid
ner that never forgot it. From that day
to this have never danced. But, poor old
man! he died in 1871, at the time of the
yellow fever. lost brother and brother
in-law besides him du ing that terrible vis-
tation, which nearly depopulatcd the city
What scenes of agony and suffering those
days brought! | have not been down by
the City Hall Park since last simmer; but
i never pass il without thinking of the fact
that my grandfather once owned the whole
of il: nor can forget the old Brdewcll
which stood opposite the corner of Nurry
street, or the whipping post which then like
wise ornamcnted il, where the slaves who
were found out late at night were whipped.
Their owners were fined three shillings for
each offence Of the kird, and the income sa-
credly deposited in the church treasury. II
the slaves were found drunk, the punishment
was somewhat peculiar. They We're forced
to drink three quarts of warm water, with
salt CT ough to net az an emetic, and por-
tion of lamp-oil to operate as cathartic.
am almost inclined 10 think that such pun
ishnient, at the present day, would more ef-
fectually suppress drunkenness than all the
Maine laws which can be passed. The pub
lie whipper received for his services five
pounds per quarter have now in my pos
session a small teapot, which have had
sixty years Ii is bluc-and-white vessel,
odd.looking enough compared with the fash
ion of the present day. Every person, in
those days, had separate pot for themselves
at the table, and !, rs an old-fashioDed tea
drinkcr, still insist on adhering to the Gus
tom. am even foolish enough to believe
the tea is better for the arrangement