The New York herald., 1878-03-02

them DEAD that leaves sixty.six living, audi
expect there are some ten or twelve more that ANT
on the records. nave over six hundred connections.
and, sir, all my children and graDdchildrsn resemble
blood flows in their veins, and am proud Of liz"
asked him how lar he Thought be walked during
only taken small hunt, walked probably twenty
miles in ALL" and he then added, 't is TOO muddy to
walk much now. When the mountain is dry so
much iartner."
AMBITIOUS TO nE A cEsrEsARIAx
inquired OF him as to what particular cause II any,
he attributed his unusual length OF lie He reped:
swell, you see there are heap OF causes. would
snS lots OF
but good, wholesome food; never drank too much,
~ anS Inn
however am anxious TO reach hundred; then,
think, I'D die satisfied"
GOOD EYES, BUT BAD EARS
'Mr; Adkins," said 1, show do you manage to shoot
wellf Can you see to take am?" He replied, .I
have the best pair Of sna. ever SCI in nass head
never wore pair Of spectacIes IN my hic and
see now much better than some Of my older children
can, but my pad. I've been getting dealer
and dealer for the last tweaty years" Persons in
TAKEN altogether owen Adkins is the most rsmarka-
BILE now living as recollections OF early tines,
his reminiscsnces OF hunting and sporting times, MA
narration OF mis- romantic and wild exploits, his
original anu ready OF telling them all combine to
make him most interesting person to converse with.
HERALD representative, thcre not treuor In his
voice, he spoke clearly distinctly and rapidly, and
as we sat together and was able to feel the
slightest quiver In his hand His every fac
diseased having never physician attend him 10
his life, verify believe his desire to reach hundred
i bado the venerable old patriarch farewell about
eleven O'Clock at night alter promising TO "wrte him
up good" and send him copy OF the HERALD contain
ing his history.
EARLY REcoLLBcTroNa
Mr. Adkins' recolieotons OF events OF his childhood
are very vivid and he tor hours and relate
stirring accounts ol boyish pranks and mschievous
acts. and his accounts of them are SO perfect in
aCta, and the relation OF them seems to afford lhe
oin gentleman SO much amusement, that one cannot
for moment ooubt single word that he utters.
WASHINGTON AND THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
Mr.. Adkins says whom boy and until he became
grown often heard his father and other old people
speak OF General Washington anu The war, and when
he quite young he presumed IRON their accounts
that the war was general blowing up with gun
powder OF the entire country or something worse,
and that General Washington was the largest most
powerful and most generally to be feared institution
ever heard o. For long time II was q. very
Washington was rcally man and not some powerful
machine to grind people TO powder. So exaggerated
beard him speak Would tell mna ike
Mr. AdkinsI was then would very readily take WASH
ington 10 be some powerful giant who could ana who
mucn more easily than Samson disposed OF large
number OF Philistines. As Mr.. Adkins grew older ne
understood better the nature OF the "Fsther OF his
County, but he says that wniie he remembers we'll
hearing old people tell many wonderful things about
Washington no cannot now remember their sayings
nectedly.
The old gentleman's recoliectlons Of the war OF
1912 very Interesting though hs does not remem-
Der dates and names Of places very we'll Mr. Adkins
ia not q war man. de does not believe in fighting,
and says he always swOre he would nevcr 60 into
battle and therefore, he being a. the breaking out
oi the second with England young, strong,
vigorous ana athletic young man, worry much feared
that his country would demand his services which It
Ss IL M Aas for
ne paid $3.50 IN hard money. This substitute was In
few months placed on tns SICK LIS. ana nnaliy dsa.
marks, 81 have been dead 10 all wars and never have
fought"
NOT A DEsERrER.
Some of tho old mans neighbors say that they have
often heard tnat he deserted from The army during
that var but says tue report untrde and gained
circulation in this way soon alter the death Of the
substitute the British made successful campaign,
took several towns and tnere was much tak OF an IN.
vason OF Virginia On this account soldiers were IN
great demand and the enrolling officers tried 10 force
the young athlete into the "noms guards" notwitn-
buried on Turkey Cock Mountain" Hc therefore
swvre he would desert il he was carried 10 the
war and IN order that might be OF not getting
shooting distance Of the enemy ne took 70 The
dead mani or not and always aitcrward evadea the
enrolling officers when they happened around IN his
neghborhood, and thus the report that he WAS de-
Mr.. ADKINS says when the news that General jack
had won the victory a. New Orleans, which vir-
tuay put sop hostilities, reached his section,
there great rejoicing among The people, aud
were louder ~ their exclamations OF Joy than
himself, For," no laughingly adds 81 knew the
time had come to stop lodging enrolling off,
and 20 attending 10 my business AMI hunting
whenever aud wherever pleased.'
PRICES IN 1812-lSla
The old gentleman, before stated in this article,
never u thrifty farmer, and always had 10 buy
prices for many many yours back. The following
quotations IRON the 'price current" Tor the years
estinp Corn, So per uushei; wneat, So to 81 per
bushel bacon, iory to dizzy cents per pound; sugar,
81 per pound coffee, 81 per pound; wniskey, 100
anu other things IN proportion.
''In those days" says Mr. Adkins, tobacco was the
circulating medium The crude weed was taken IN
exchange everything AMI answered the same pur-
pose money. Strange 10 say tho value oi tobacco
not Enhanced Oy the war, Dut the contrary effect
was experienced, and therefore (lhe weed being low
ana ali ealAoies exceedingly hgh) the people IN the
back country suffered no iiite and loud were their
murmurIngs against the government, aud great were
thor rojocings when the warcloseL"
pEsERTEEs' CAVES GRAVES
Mr.. ADKINS says the turkey Cock and smith noun
tains were favorie hiding places Tor deserters during
OF 1872 and there are now many caves on Tho
and lived in by desorters rom both the Ameri-
can ant British armies There are also Two graves
near u deep ravine IN the Turkey Cock Mountain in
which rest the last remains OF men who deso ted Their
flag anu died in the woods, unnonorcd, unwept and
unsung Mr. Adkins, as ne says assisted at tho burial
OF one oil them. Alter the war was over Mr. Adkins
tried where these from and
and VINO were their friends, with view OF navng the
remains carried TO ther homes and decently nlerred
but no entirely failed III his most laudabe efforts
4 hese same caves ed during late civil war
the states for the same unpatrotc purposes
by boln blue anu gray coated soldiery.
RANDOLPH, ROANOKE.
Mr.. Adkius was great udmirer oi Sir. Randolph
and has otton walked nifty, seventy i've and even
hunured miles ~ hear MIN speak. He during
of the PRESIDENTIAL Campaigns very much dsgusted
with the avowcd OF both of the candidates
or tho Chief Magisracy of tho nation, and vowed he
would for neither oI them, anu mol only that but
would also Keep many ot nis friends and children
as possible from voting for them. This threat was
carried into execution anu on election day over ono
hundred cast in Pittsylvania counly Ior
John Randolph, OF Roanoke, Tor President aud
Vincent Witchcr for Vice President" This was Tho
old mans ticket and he worked hard tor II
really believed there good chance to elect
SPORTS
In Mr. Adkins younger days the sports OF the time
. many respects different from the tricks Of
the sporting fraternity OF to-day. Keno, faro aud
game at cards, of which the ola gentleman per-
feet master. Horse racngs and match shootings
were, Of course, exceedingly popular, while loot
n