Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-03-16

upon the bounties provided for our nourish'
ment, the meal was dispatched in regular
planterstyle. .a a...a.a -.u 3D..
After supper we were seated-all Of us-in
large room in which was burning cheerful
fire. My host, whose name had learned to
be Potter, I soon discovered to be a great
talker, and also man of extensive informa.
ton. Various subjects we're brought up and
discussed. 1t was in the days of secession
and cooperation, and political questions were
discussed with warmth by every body in
South Carolina. There were no harsh words
spoken, for my host seemed to be on his guard
lest he would mortify my feelings; not know
ing whether I was secessionist, cooperation
ist, or what I was. The time passed away
pleasantly and, to me at least, pro6tably.
About an hour after supper some one
knocked at the door. "Come in," was the
answer given to the call by MI. Potter. A
boy, apparently about ten years old, opened
the door and walking up to the fire, was ga
luted by the family under the name Of Vince
After being seated for only a few moments, be
made known his business to Mr.. Potter and
then bade the family an adieu and retired.
Turning to me, my host said:
"Did you see that boy, Mr.. JohnstonY l
replied that did.
"Did you see anything peculiar about him p
"Nothing very particular"
"Well, sir, that boy is to be pitied and
feared"
My curiosity was now fairly aroused, and I
asked, with no small degree of interest, what
was remarkable about the history Of the boy
Il tell you, sir, that boy is just as much like
bis father as one human being can be like
another. I am sorry for the child. He can
not help it, but am filled with fears and
nxieties every time he comes to the house.
Ihave no objection to rendering any assistance
in..my power to bis distressed mother. She is
a good woman. lam sorry that she was ever
so silly as to marry that boys father" 80
My host was evidently excited, and I must
own felt that there must be something trag-
ical about either the boy or his father, or
perhaps both. I was impatient to hear the
tale, be it what it might, and asked who the
boy was. "'s-! !..-a .ss.t.' Hy1.
''That boys name is Vince Black. That
was his fathers name, and although have
no desire to have the name perpetuated, still
that boy is rightly called Vince Black, for
he is the very image of his father. Did you
look at his face :" he asked. * a5Gt.E
replied that I did not particularly exam.
inc it. ,i. ... ~as'U ,''.NA,.-
at u.s." he continued, "a strange face, and
young Vince's face is the very picture Of old
Vince's. It seems to combine all the Gun.
ming of the fox, the ferocity of hungry
wolf, and the courage of lion. That was
just the kind of man old Vince Black was.
He was more sly than fox, more ferocious
than wolf, and nothing could scare him"
Mrs. Potter saw that was greatly interest
ed in the conversation of her husband, but
unable to get him to state the facts upon
which he based his conclusion. To relieve
me of my anxiety, she asked her husband to
give me history of Vince Black. At the
suggestion of his wife, Mr.. Potter began:
"Old Vince Black, the father Of the boy
who came in here few moments ago,
was born in this community about the year
1906. Hence, you see, that were he living at
this time, he would be only about forty.6ve
years old, In the community he is called
"Old Vince" in order to distinguish him from
his son, who sustains the same name, and
more particularly on account of his most in
famous crimes. i a- ~" 7a'. .~'.. d.
"His parents we're in moderate circumstan.
ces. By this I mean that they we're not what
is usually called rich. Still, they we're by no
means poor. His father was the owner Of a
farm of considerable size and of most excel
lent quality. He also possessed several slaves
and reasonable amount of the comforts Of
life. This was notall. Vince Blacks father
and grandfather, both by his father and
mother, were respectable. 1t was always said
that there we're some of the stock that turned
out badly. When Vince was growing up, he
was regarded as smart boy, and in order to
give him all the advantages of education, bis
father sent him off to school. Some said it
was the intention of bis father to prepare him
for one of the learned professions. When
Vince was only about sixteen his father died,
and soon after his mother. They had but two
cbildren-Vince and sister two years older
than he. .,-.: =. a. n
"The property leftby the father, at his desth,
was, by bis will, to remain undivided during
his wife's life time, at which time it was to be
equally divided between Vince and his sister.
Vince had just arrived at the years Of legal
manhood when he was put in full possession
of his estate. His sister had married but
few months before. -r ..a ...a.
'The educational advantages which Vince
had enjoyed, and the fact that he was in full
possession of home and several hands un-
incumbered with debt, caused him to be re-
garded as young man of some Importance.
At that time he was thought to be young
man without any bad habits. With fair
name, and, withal good address, he gained
admittance into the first families in the neigh
borhood. Finally he married the daughter
of Colonel Morgan. The Colonel was, it was
whispered, not altogether satisfied with the
match, but the neighbors generally thought
that be was doing very we'll in getting Vince
Black for son.in.law. ...... .... +