Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1870-06-03
A Remarkable History.

The Chicago Times of april 10th says that
previous to the war, their resided near Balti.
more wealthy PLATTER, r.amed Daniel Ostcr.
lie owned hundred of slaves, large weay
ing.mill, and many -.oad acres, and was worth
in the ncighb5rhood cf half million Of dol
lars. About Is years ago his wife died,
leaving to his carc two children--a son named
Jacob q daughter named Hannah Both
were sent to school, the son to we'll known
college in New Jersey, and then the daughter
to st. hlary's academy, near Washington
With the prodigal hand of too fond parent,
their wants were layishly supplied and, as an
inevitable result, Jacob grew to be fast and
extravagant, though not really vicious,
young man. Wealthy, generous, talented,
aud handsome, he was one of those whom 70.
clcty seeks fol, aattcrs, and does all it can to
spoil.
The war broke out, and Mr. Ostlcr's nc
groes we're among tho first to taste the delights
of freedom. The fact he was kind master
and pronounced un;onist ayailcd him moth.
ing, and he was soon left without n man to
board upon his plantation or manage his mill.
Jacob at once withdrew from the gatics of
society, and went nobly to work for his father.
With few of the old slaves who could be
induced to return, the wheels were again in
motion, and the soil yielded up its wealth as
before.
In 1868, another blow fell upon the rnfos
tnnatc family. The daughter, who had been
visiting friends, at liarpcrs Ferry, was re-
turning via the Baltimore and Ohio railroad,
when the train was thrown down steep cul
bankment, and several of the passengers
killed, among them Miss Ostlcr. This gricy
lous afl'ction was speedily followed by anoth.
or. A band of rebel cavalry made an incur
sion into that region, leaving ruin in their
wake. Mr. Ostlcrs house was burned, his
fine bIoodcd horses stolen, and tic promises
dcspoilcd of almost everything of value that
could be taken away or destroyed The blow
fell with crushing weight upon the old man,
who was thus reduced from opnlcnce to pen
ury, and in the spring of 1864 he followed
his daughter to the grave.
Having disposed of the ruined plantation
for small fraction of its former value, Jacob
Ostcr removed to Minnesota, where he start
cd s.sre, ,, h~t ~" fnw ya"vs his generous.
coniiding disposition, and his total want of
experience in trade, left him nothing but
hopeless debts. lie then resolved to seek
living in this city. Arriving hero about one
week since, he made diligcnt search for en-
ploymcnt suited to his taste and capacity.-
In this lie failed, and, when hunger had left
him no option, lie accepted situation as
waiter at the fremont house at a salary of
$12 per week
Last evening guest Of the hotel was sur
priscd to recognize in the servant who was
taking his order, young man whom he had
known as leader of society in the most aris-
tocratc city of the union, and the son of
planter of immense wealth Tho recoani
ton was mutual, but it was sometime before
the victim of fortunes maldcst capriccs could
find voice to narrate to his old friend the sad
facts given above.
BEAUTIFUL EXTRAcr.-Do trees talk
Have they not leafy lungs? do they not at
sunrise, when the wind is low, and the birds
are carollng their songs play sweet music
Who has ever heard the soft whispers of the
green leaves in the Spring time on sunny
morning. who did not feel as though rainbow
CLEANS of gladness were running through his
heart? And then, when the peach blossoms
hang like rubies from the stem of the parent
trec-whcn the morning glory, like man be-
fore the shrine of God, unfolds her beautiful
face, and the moss rose opens her crimson
lips, sparkling with the nectar that falls from
heaven, who docs not bless his Maker p
When Autumn comes tho season of the
'serc and yellow lcaf'-whcn the wheat is
in its golden prime, and the corn waves its
silken tassels in the air how those who think,
bow and remember tho reaper Death And
then again in Winter, when the bosom of
Old Mother Earth is cold, and the white
aRsa Es Ed RSH1 W js is az ha I'll 4ata and ya he
GuiYcring in tho wind ?
-->-s % s.---
BcSr The Confederate Gen. D. II. Hill in.
sists that the rebellion was suppressed by
Southern men. His argument turns III this
way; 'Thc first rcpulse was inflicted at
Mill Springs, by Thomas, Of Virginia. The
first confidence inspired in the dcmoralzcd
army Of Bull Run, was owing to the general
ship Of Ord, Of Maryland, at Drainesvllc.-
When two thirds of tho Federal army had
been scattered at Chickamadga, fhomus, of
Virginia, stood like rock in the ocean,
against which the waves dash and fume and
fret in vain. Had it not been for the stub
born resistance Of this one man, and he
Virgnian, Chickamauga would have been
complete Federal route and the Southern Con.
fcdcracy an established fact at this hour
Blair, Candy, Crittcnden, Alexander and
Nelson, were born in Kentucky Northern
writers tell us that the latter saved Grant
from annihilation at Shiloh. Thomas, New
ton and Cooke are Virginiafrs. Ord and
Sykes are Marylandcrs. The most successful
of all the navy heroes was David &. Farragut,
of Tennessee, Dupont, Of slavchoding Della
ware, and Goldsborougb, of Maryland, mado
the first lodgsnent on the Atlantic coast