Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1866-02-22

and cream seemed to be holdin secession
meetins within our corporate limits, when
suddenly in the twinklin of an eye friend
aroused us from our slumber and put new
faze upon the "situation." Gen. Johnston
was retreatin, an the blue.nosed Yankees
were to pollute our sacred soil the next
mornin. Then came the jug of war. With
hot feverish haste we started out in search
if transport could be had. Time hon0red
friendship, past favors shown, eVerlastiD
grattitood, numerous small:.and lovely ohll'
dren, kunfederate kurrency, new lsshoes,
bank bills, black bottles, and all influences
were urged and used to seizure a korner IN
a kar, but nary Observation-Disclosures late
the pressure for time was fearful and tre-
neugious-tbe steady clicked moved on
no Joshua about to lengthen out the night,
no rollin stock, no steer, no mule. With
reluktant and hasty steps we prepared to
make good our exit by that overland line
which Rail Roads do not control, nor A.
@. Ms impress.
With our families and little clothing, We
crossed the Etowah bridge about the broke
of day on Wednesday, the 18th of May,
1864, prszacly year and two weeks from
the time when General Forrest marched in
triumph through our streets. By and by
the bright rays of the morning sun dispers'
ed the heavy fog which like pail of death
had overspread all natur. Then were ex'
hibited to our afflicted gaze highway crowd
ed with wagins and teams, katie and hogs,
niggers and dogs, women and children, all
movin in disheveled haste to places and
parts unknown. Mules were brayin, cattle
were lowin, hogs were squeelin, sheep were
blatin, children were cryin, wagginers GUS
sin, whips were poppin, and horses stallin,
but still the grand karavan moved on. Eve
rybody was kontinually lookin behind, and
driven before-everybody wanted to know
everythin, and nobody knew notbin. Ten
thousand wild rumors filled the sirkumam.
bient air The everastin kavalry was there
and as they dashed to and fro gave false
alarms of the enemy bein in hot pursuit
About this most kritikul juncture of af-
fairs, some philanthropik friend passed by
with the welkum news that the bridge wer
burnt, and the danger all over. Then
ceased the panik; then came the peaceful
calms of heroes after the strife of War is
over then exclaimed Frank Rails, my de-
moralized friend, "tbank the good Lord for
that Bill, let's return thanks, and stop and
rest. Boys, let me git out and lie down,
I'm as humble as ded niger. tell you
the truth. sung the long meter doxology
as crossed the Etowah bridge, and ex-
pekted to be ded man in fifteen minutes.
Be thankful fellers-let's be thankful the
bridge is burnt, and the river is three miles
deep. Good sakes !! do you rekun them
Yankees kan swim? Git up, boys-let's
drive ahead and keep movin. tell you,
there's no akkounting for anything with
blue clothes on these days. Dinged, if l
amt Altered of blue.tailed fly"
With the most distressin flow of Ian
guage, he kontinued his rapsody of random
remarks.
Then there was that trump Of good fel-
lows, Big John-as clever as he is fat, and
as fat as old Falstaf-with in. de: fat igable
diligence, he had sekured, as last resort
a one-horse steer spring wagin, with low
fat body settin on two riketty springs
Bein mounted thereon, he was urgin more
speedy lokomoshun, by laying on to the
karkass of the poor old steer with thrash
pole some ten feet long. Having stopped
at house, be procured two.iuch augur,
and borin a hole through the dashboard,
pulled the steers tail through and tied up
the end in knot. "My runnin gear is
weak" said he, "but I don't intend to be
stuck in the mud. If the body holds good,
and the steer dom pull off his tail, why Bill,
I am safe" "My frend," sed l, "will you
please to inform me what port you are bound
for, and when you expect to reach it?"-
"No port at all, Bill" said he; "I'm goin
ded strate to the big Stone Mountain am
going to git on the top and roll rocks down
on all mankind. now forewarn every livin
think not to kun thar until this everlastin
foolishness is over" He were then but
three miles from town, and been travelin
the live long night. Ah! my big friend,
thought I, when wilt thou arrive at thy
journeys end? In the language of Patrick
Henry, will it be the next week or the next
year? Oh, that kould write peum, I
would embalm thy honest face in epik verse.
l can only drop to thy peaslaut memory a
passing random rhyme:
Farewell, Big John, Farewell;
Twas painful 10 my heart
TO zee thy chances Of escape,
Was that old steer and kart.
Methinks see the now,
With aXleuces all broke,
And wheels with nary hub at all,
And hubs with nary spoke.
But though the mud is deep,
Thy wits will never fail;
That faithful steer viii take The out
If thou wilt hold his tail
Mr.. Editur, under such varygated scenes
We reported progress, and in course of time
arrived under the shadow of thy sitty's
wings, abouuding in gratitood and joy.
With sweet and patient sadness, the ten
der hearts of our wives and daughters beat
nornfully as we moved along Often, alas,
how often was the tear seen swimming in
the eye, and the lip quivering with emo.
ton, as memory fingered around deserted
homes and thoughts dwelt upon past enjoy