The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-04-25
"Gov." alias "0ld Gov"
"REMINISCENCES BY AN EX-AB-
BEYILLIAN OF FORTY
XELR

MY recollections of the past would
be unfair, partial and incomplete were
| to- omit calling to the mind OF the
remainder of the two and a half gen
eratiOns, to which l belong, as
well as TO inform new corners, of Gov
alias old Gov, to wit, that noble full
blooded and high-bred white horse
that was SO long an lon0red resident
of Abbeville. The account which l
have of him is, that one of the Sill
gletons, a liberal giver, paid for him in
gold $5OO in 1885, full grown and train
ed in England, for a present to tile
Hon. Geo. McDutfie, just elected Gov
ernor Of South Carolina, as u mark Of
respect for the donee and from sympa-
thy for his deficiencies as q horscman.
And well did Gov fill the bill, for he
knew itso nearlyall that what lie didn't
know could we'll be dispensed with.
He could carry you at amy gait or
speed without moving you III the sad
die, and all y0ushad to do was to let
him alone or intimate what you want
ed done, and then hold your spurs for
ornament and give him the rein, and
he would do it better tor You than you
could suggest. l fell III love with
him when | saw him in 1886 carrying
McDutlie, holding on to the pommel,
as they jointly reviewed the Savannah
regiment, ut Morrow's old field, NOV
Ing down the line at a side canier
en- chusSc, u rounding the left
flank, stretching forward Oh q straight
gallop that would not have jostled q
baby, and seeking again their original
position on the right or in front. l
saw him again in 1888 bearing aloft
Gov. Pierce NJ. Butler, and my admit
ration was divided between the mag
niticence of the horse and his carriage
and the knightly port and dash OF his
rider. | saw him again in 1910 bear
ing Gov. Patrick Noble, (who with
other high qualities and cultivation,
was all Indifferent horseman and had
no experience in "setting squadrons in
the tield,") and my heart went out to
old Gov as l saw him with the elc-
gance of improved discipline, supply
ing again the DEFICIENCIES of his rider. |
suppose as McDuflie was not Of the
qiUey sort, Gov went down to his uc-
cessor on dollars, and from Butler
who was unable to give, and Gov went
upon the block at the sale of property
of Gov. Mobiles estate, and Jim Cobb
became his wner | cannot remeln
Der whether Jonce Ramey ever owned
him, but lie rode him as a candidate
for Sheriff in 1912 or 43, and l haven't
a doubt but old Gov secured him
many recruits for head and tail up as he
usually carried them, was as victory
Inspiring as the white plume of Hen
ry of Navarro. l have seen that
horse doing things that induced ME to
believe that Adanle Clark was wholly
or half right in ascribing to them
souls to be rewarded and punished in
the next world. | have seen him un-
tieing the hardest knots, and
manV of them, that could he
pulled OH the reins Of his bride,
and casting the while glances around
to see if lie was observed, and desist-
ing for reason. And he didn't mean
harm by it: ali he wanted was, in the
spiritD American liberty, now piano.
pling his interiors with fewer legs, to
be free, (he didn't ask to vote,) and
that satisfied him, and>he was a true
friend and never turned his tall on, or
back from under, me of his friends.
He Didn't go off, no matter low Tree,
and leave his rider to follow. Oh foot.
Jim Cobb used to swear he had to keep
the corn-crib key out of his reach.
The noble old fellow had reached his
four score years (horse m%easure) when
| saw him last, owe or quite thirty
years ago, yet his lick was as agile as
a two-year old colt. l reckon he has
gone under now; and if Abbevillle
ever gets in the mood to p%erpetuate
his memory in any substantial man.
ner, this writer has one dollar to go on
II X X