The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1876-02-23
Dry and Wet. Wood.

' II Lao year A0XS, ahya the auth0r
OF Bench! and Barr in 'ithe Buffalo
Courier, Reuben III. WentwortR,'
then ono Of the Circuit Judges HSS
appointed Chancellor OF the, State,
Esek Cowen, then an leminent and
successful member of the Saratoga
pr, was appoin1t'eedl 1'edlia Circuit IT., Judge
Ho waglonae, holdipg,ay yctiirouit at. rat.
Rome; nav York, 'wEen there caine
up one Of those ejectment suits
that, Mr those T daysA dce,IpieH Gso
much time lin ~theTstatS fcoluts. M
During the trial q witness by the
namo Of Wood was called by one Of
tho parties. He Yes Avery old man
but gavo his eHdaice With Ssingular
precision and intelffgonce; ana
withal he was on admirably preserved
old man; e Judge Cowen, btluck with
tho manner and personal appeaT@aSe
of this witness, -said to HIM as Id MRaaa ii
about to leaye the stand: eS W
"Mr. Wood, ,h0w ola did I under
stand You to say you afef" '''" -
20. II am seyenty-seyen years old"
ssWillyou be good enough to tell
mawhaf 3our Rabiths have bben3Sl,
'My habits have, T trust, been
good and quito regular. I have al
ways been temperate, have never
indulgcd in tho use of Intoxicating
drink, and I really, think that /
should not know the different kinds
of liquors by their taste. I have
been in the habit of going to bed
early and getting up early 7 never
gaihbled, never went to but one
horse-race in my life-preferring
camp meetings to that kind of amuse-
mont, because I was at homo
there--neyer had q lawH,it in
my life never thought much Of
lawyers-always supposing them to
be Q, set of fellows who, while saving
n man hundred dollars, would be
sure to makea hundred and fifty out
of the affair in some way before it
was through with, although must
confess that Mr.. Cady there ain t
quite as bad as tho rest of tho law
yers." .o..1. !G.is., &. llj .
The next witnoss called was also q
MIR. Wood, q cousin Of the last wit
moss. Ho also gave his evidence
with remarkable clearness and intel
hgence. He, too, was a very old
and q very woll preserved man, and
tho subject of much interest to the
judge. After the counsel had dis
missed tho witness, Cowen detained
him by inquiring his age.
IL am soventy-nine years of age,''
was the reply.
"If you have no objections" said
tho judge, 81 would like to ask YOU
what wi It., your habits have been through
"Woll, Judge, I, can't say thnt I
havo been very much Of o temperance
man, but Iyo been q pretty discrimi+
nating3 sort of chap, much moro sd
than my 4 cousin that's just been
sworn. 1 can tell you all kinds Of
liquors by tho smoll unloss, as is
quite often the case, I've sampled
too much to be clear in my sense of
Ssmellipg 20 tell you fthe truth,
Judge, there has hardly been a day
since l was a boy, that I have not
drank from five, to ten drinks day
Half of my days I have nevor gone
to bed sober; and never waited
long after gotting up before I conn
monccd getting on steam, and +
regard o. good square drink of liquor
rs the staff Of life. / have not been
in tho habit Of going to, meeting,
because. should have to- 60 without
my drink too long. I never missed
q horse race that 7 could get TO, 1Sbe-
cause I think q horse the most clio.
rious thing that ever lived, ana bis
speed one ofthe Itliumphsj of. life |;
andsthe man that can't appreciate a
good square horse.race, can't enioy
religion, for. he HASN'T brains enough,
As fof lawyers, II, think they; arc on d
psr &Slth minister's both would
stop their CAB if they didn't iget
thoir money for it,. FinalIy, T tIiink X
and believe that If Igst NY drinks
regular, and keep up MY Usual
habits, + shall live to Be q hundred
aud thirty years old-,' 'rS'E,NE :
k"Well, MIR. Cady,' said tho Ymdee.
:" cant see as IL makes much Sdiifhferr
@lce with the kind Of wood YOU Aiaye
Brought here, whether Wet orN dry !;
II has 1asted d 81 eeat, many years, and
according to al aaec asa II, viii aast
9Sgreat ,nany years I1ongerS y