The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-07-12
"reminiscences of Abbeville.
JOHNNY GLASGOW.

GtllllllNCllCCS vi dUUCflllC
JOHNNY GLASGOW.
A rather amusing scene once occur
red between Mr.. Waddell and one o
his parishioners. 1t seems that ole
Johnny Glasgow, if he did doze il
church, was wide awake at Other
times. lie was charged with carrying
OH u contraband traffic with certain
parties in the purchase of cotton anC
other farm products, without giving
himself much trouble to inquire no"
the vendors obtained possession of tho
articles, and committee Of the neigh
borhood consisting of Capt. Thomas
Parker, James Taggart and others was
appointed to investigate the matter
and to prosecute him for violation o.
the law. Johnny was shrewd old
bachelor, too shrewd to be entangled
in the silken net of matrimony-he
was too cunning to he caught in the
open meshes of the law. His brother
Jimmy, who lived at "Jackson's
Grove" where the Snake road crosses
the old Charleston road, near Dr.
Wideman's, was simple inoffensive
old man, ready to do any thing fol
"Brother Jahnny." Jimmy had
two besetting faults which made him
an unsafe repository for secret,-he
would some times,-as he expressed il
take "a wee drap too much" and
when in that state he was "a gab." On
the occasion referred to MI. Waddell
returning home from Abbeville e. II.
saw man lying OIL his face in the
public road, on coming up-like the
good Samaritan-he dismOunted to
render what assistance he could, on
turning him over he found to his sur
prise, that it was old Jimmy Glasgow,
one of his flock, who in an encounter
with John Barleycorn at the village
had got rather the worst of it, and had
here got off his horse to get on better.
AS soon as Mr.. Glasgow opened his
maudin eyes his tongue began to wag.
"Ah! is that yeu Master Waddell ?"
How do We do? How's your family ?
No I'm not much hurt Master Wad-
dell. Master Waddell theirs Pa'ker
and Tigert and a passel o. them, they
think they'll play heel with brother
fanny, but there'll be some danled
hard swearin' first" The good Samar-
itan remounted his horse saying Pm
glad to find Mr.. Glasgow that you are
not much hurt and as am in a
hurry I'll ride on"
ROBERT M'CAsLAN.
I take Mr.. Robert EMcCaslan-
old uncle Bob as every body
called him-as the representative
of a better class of our Irish settlers,
and to exhibit. his character in as few
words as possible I must again intro
duce our old friend Johnny Glasgow.
Mr.. McCaslan was native of County
Antrim, and came to this country, a
poor Irish boy, shortly after the close
of the Revolution. He spent short
time with his brother-in-law, Mr.. Mo-
ses Taggart, who had immigrated O
few years before, and was then engag-
ed in teaching a school at Hopewell
church. The country at that time was
new, and the cultivated fields ''few
and far between" the rivers and
creeks were as clear as mountain
streams, and filled with fish. I have
heard Mr.. Taggart say that shad came
up Little River, and were often taken
in the smaller streams-that he had
caught them near the mouth of Hope
we'll branch. There were few public
roads, the travelling being done mostly
on horse back and on foot, the country
was intersected by innumerable bride
ways and by-patls,- nigh cuts for the
initiated, but a bewildering maze to
all others. One bright Sunday morn
ing in the spring of the year, Mr.. Tag
CART and McCaslan set out by one of
these paths for Lower Long Cane (As-
sociate Reform church) distance six
miles from their residence; after rid
ing some time, Mr.. Taggart, who was
the leader, began to have doubts
whether or not he was on the right
way, when they came suddenly up
on small field recently planted with
corn, near the middle OF which was
the effigy of man reclining against a
stump. Mr.. Taggart knew what it was
and that it had been placed there to
frighten away the birds, said to his
companion, "Rabin, ride down to. the
fence and inquire of that man the
way to Long Cane chu rch. McCaslan
rode down and very respectfully hailed
"good morning sir, can ye tell us
the way to Long Cane church ?' Re-
ceiving no answer he raised his voice
to its highest pitch and shouted "Hello,
say, can you tell US the way to Long
Cane church ?n still no answer, he
did not know what to make Of 1t,
turning his horse he rode slowly tQ
ward his companion muttering MALE
dictions against the "ill-bred country
born" On joining his friend he eX-
claimed in an excited manner "N1osey,
I've not been in this country long,
but yon is the most uncivil man !
country" Mr.. Taggart suggested
that perhaps he was deaf and did not
hear" "Then he could not help see
ing mel said McCaslan. "Perhaps,"
said Mr.. Taggart, she is blind and
could not see." McCaslan rode close up
to him, and looking him in the eyes
said, "Mosey ye married my sister,
and is it making sport of me ye are
doing this blessed Sabbath morning ?"
Mr.. Taggart perceiving that he was
hurt, promptly answered "no, no,
Robin, I'm not making sport of you"
An explanation followed, and the
friends rode on to church.
Mr.. McCaslan soon found a situa-
ton with squire Patrick Calhoun, and
after his death, with his son John 9.
Calhoun, as manager of his planta-
ton, He finally settled on the Bold
Branch, where he died in lS49 at the
advanced age Of eighty-two years, and
is buried im Long Cane cemetary.
For fifty years he was a member of
Hopewell church., sincere humble
christian, and high toned chivalric
man, his honesty and fair dealing
was proverbial. He was a tall, spare
made man, about six feet high. In
his old age he was very much palsied,
and walked with staff nearly as high
as his head. He never had Difficult:
ty with neighbor that I heard OF
but one, and that was our old friend
Johnny Glasgow, who on some occa-
sion had said something derogatory to
his character. The first time they
met, after McCaslin had heard it was
at a public sale, where great many
persons had assembled. McCaslan
walked up to him, and without salu-
ting said, II understand Mr.. Glasgow
that we have been talking about me.
and that ye said-old Johnny would
not give him time to finish the SEN
tence, but replied II profess Mr.. Nc
Caslan if I said any thing about ye to
Il, rt f1o1; ;,,rre ~, crrr,, for it anI