Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1865-08-30
rss5a Tiuhts ssuueezo.e-

|
denying, nearly the entire amount, of theil
cotton crops is devoted to the increase o
their active capital. The results, in few
years large estates, as if by magic, are accu
mulated Tbe fortunate proprletors ttsr
build fine houses, and surround themselves
with comforts and luTuries to which they
were strangers in their earlier years of care
and toll.
No planter in all the region round about
him had started with such slender means,
and had been more successful /, in speedily
growing rich, than John. Woolun. Having
arrived at period in his affairs when he
thought lie could venture to indulge himself
and family with more eegant and com
Portable dwelling, he selected AN eminence in
the middlc of bis plantation, AS the spot on
which to erect his splendid mansion. Several
years before he had ieit untouched the Daiiye
growth on this lull. indukyiAg Mea The hope
Of one dsy displaying there his architectural
taste. Before determining positively whether
that elevated plat of ground Should he the
site of his new settlement, he conclude 10
have well dug-obtaining water .b5ing ii:s
dispensable to any further progress, etc.
With this view, he put tbroe of bis regro
mcn-Ike, Jake, and Ben-to digging. BE,
fore commencing, hoE;v r, he procured the
services of Moses Doggett, celebrated tor his
success in the use of the divining rod. Tins
"water wzard,'' AS he was called: afrer Re-
peated trials with hazel switch, selected
1 spot very near low partition fence running
through the centre Of the elevation, and di-
vidipg two conLerminous fields. His ,e.!roes
had gone some forty feet in search cf water,
| when an accident Lccurred which frustra' ed
| Wooun:s plans and hopes, occasioaed the
cutting down and destruction M ali those old
and venerable oaks. and canycrte,l that nigh
and beautiful spot rext spring Into Il small
patch Of new ground corn. -. =.
AS the negroes engaged liz digging the we'll
were eve vcwitnesses to so disastrous ali occur
renee, Ike shall describe it in hi, own way:
'..l'ou see de water hunger Masa Doggett
cum dar wild mis- forket peach-tree twig, and
be hole 'em in both hand, and walk k:and,w,lk
round dar, till, bime-by, det ting fall dewn,
and pinte out de place whar de water lay
sholler. Dat was rite by de back Of dat low
fence. 1t mout be de rite place for to dug
we'll, but mighty onlucky for de ole man, as
YOU see ortcr while. He druve up stake
dar, ana told us to dug away. We 'giny ono
to work under ground, two to drag up dirt
.wid basket and rope turn and turn about. =
"When we did got dat well bout fcrty foot
into de ground, and had went to dinner, one
day, de ole man he walk up dar 10 see how
We was coming 'loag wild desperation. When
he arrove dar he lot dowa dc empty basket,
set down on side Of de well, tuck bold on de
rope, put he toet in dc step we dig in de
sides, and did went down: Now, you know
lie low man, aud mighty big, iddn't thought
he reich dem steps, tis legs 80 short; but he
did! When be Vas down dar lo"king for
wet yeth, he dog, which follow him out dar,
tuck arter de sheep in fodder field laid here
de whole mulgus caine ri. ming, tarring, and
Jump ober dat fence rite by dat we'll. Fu:t
thing das ole man know, l,e:e went big r;.ia
down dat We tn ell! ! SAecps, You knows, is
mighty big fools; whar one does jump. all
fullcrs, and dar jas crowded On ea, Gown '1ar
forty head S,n urt To 'see do i;,rls; as ct
de we'll want deep nuf, ebiy ots jump boat
fye foot nigh Tor he left dOwuwar1! ::
81 nebar hear sich noise updtr de yeth an
dat ole man make fore. He hoiefed, Dr,w.
INC! draw mel We seed de sheep running
| in rs we was Coming bacll from dinner, but
hearn him holl=r. ben We run; but, bless
God twas too late. De last sheep was in,
and de dog was ripping, barking, shirring
'hout dar, look like he swine to jump in he
'selt-thoaght he dun h'g things. freeing de
old man and de sheep! ] gin him SOCK
dologer .en head wld roch: AID when he
come to, he lrlf wos-er hurt dan anything.
conc outen daY well dat day.
"We tuck hold dat windlass, and try to
drug mp de whole confinement; couldn't
bulge 'em steam ingine gwine 10 stall wild
dat ple All dem sheep lay still and say
nufling; but de ole man be make noise down
dar like bn'-frog wid.oad cold. Eff he want
crowded, dis nigger wuuid'ht say sol Jake,
he did run d wn, and tru cut de rope 'bovo
dem sheep, which we splice it, and den we
did work hard TO 'iieYe sheep, ole man and
all. Dem sheep, when dc was pulled out,
was bigger fool dan cher dey kpo~ not which
way togo; ebry une 20 he own way; no two
did went together; Do ail did fall OUT wild
one annddcr, end solved de gang. Dar was
twemy-seyea sheon or de ole mail, apd.thir-
teen underneath 'cru! lie dun his best 10
keep on top bul didn't get quite to dc middle
of de excitement!
"When We dii got de ole man out he look
wuss for ware; hs smell like whole gang of
.sheep--was nightly >kint all ober he face ard
hand. He didn't have breff nuif TO talk much;
he jist say, Full up dat we'll, and go to pick
ing out cotton Now we did thought de ole
mans head bsen ,cooLgeddering, and dat. he
loss he mind, so we Dig on daF evening. Next
moruin' We did wellt back to dug in dat veil
gin: but soon de ole man cum. out dsr in hig
hurry. When he cum in bout twenty foot Of
dat we'll lie stop quick, and look round t" see
eff sheep was. about. He say, You black
! scamps, didn't tell you to full up dat well :
Fall her up: ram dirt all back in her hard;
plant tirlnidy grass over her ;.ncver want to
see dat placer r,ore!"
"Wo dun SO aud left. De ole man send all
dem sheep off; he got be gorge oi mutton =;
full up d. well at de- hou &c, and drink no we'll
water sense He found spring down de branch
build he new house down dar cl"se by, hnve
; little new gIopnd up on dat Llll ncxt,year.
De.ole man,-de say, dun LETT it in his will be
musi not I've buried under de egrvund,, / tell
you what, if dc do, and sheep clnn grazing
about dar, lie, gwina 10 leff dat pac'.. Now
dey sag de devil punish man in DE- bad world
wild fire and trinslone. l don't KNOW 81 VII
bout dat but sure as you are born, ef ebei
he git de ole man, he gwine pnt him In deer
we'll. and set sheen brow ziug bout dar ant