The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-02-20
A STORY VITA A MORAL.
Nhe Way TO Texas 1 AND .ho i wov q, y.o,,.


A STORY VITA A MORAL.
Hhe Way TO Texas and .hc. wny Back.
Tho down passenger train from Chat. Z
tanooga that reached Atlanta Wefinesdav
night last brought among its nufnero,is
passengers family az eleven persons
who were on their return home to South
Carolina from Texas, where they have
been existing for the past three wears
The head of the family gave his name az
+. NJ. Coker, and asked q policeman at
the depot to show him and his party to
some place where they could stay for tho
night. The policeman took, the entire
party TO the station house. where com {
Portable room with fro In it was placed
at their disposal. Here they remained
until Major ID. a. Cook, the kind hearted
ana efficient tation.honse keeper, came
on duty in the morning. Major Cook.
upon vieiting ataos. W the ROOM learnnd
from Mr.. Coker taat neither he nor anvs.
member of his family had eaten morsel
OF the day previous, aud In consequences
were nearly famished for want of fond
As soon as Major Cook learned tbis he,
sent out and got eleven breakfasts for the
starving family. 4 s
"Wcll, it would have done YOU pood %
said Najor Cook to the reporter. Ito nee
how that family demolished the coftents
fthe numerous dishes that were set he
fore them. The little ones lust pricked
up their ears and snapped their ewes as
soon asthey heard the rattle OF the dish.
es. A little three yeat old blus.eyed bov
sprang out Of his mothers lap and com.
menced clapping his hands for joy.
Faces that were without o particle Of
life in them changed in the twi1klipg of
an eye and bore expressions Of deIigbt.
Despite the great hunger Of ever7 one
there was plenty for all, and after u half
hour spent in stuffing themselves With
Ene soou tn!ng7, the Ianaiiy, from She old
man to the baby in the arms ofthe moth
or, had their appetites fully satisfied. ,,@S
at noon the reporter looked in rpc:,
tho group. There were the old man and
his wife, apparently sixty years OF ace.
seated on the floor, and near them was ",
their family. IS, n - =,
In conversation with Mr.. Coker. the
reporter learned that the family went to Z
the southeastern part of Texas abo,It
three years ago, aud that they had set.
tied upon tract of land that they rem :.
ted, which is located u few miles from
Huntsville. During their stay in che
Lone star State, Mr.. Coker aays he has
met with nothing but adversely on every,
turn. He says that he made poor crops.
and in consequence had little to eat
The land he said was poor, and would
bring nothing whatever, although ha
worked hard to make living for hin-
self and family. Two of his, daughters.
VINO are grown, assisted him in plough
ing in the fields and worked upon The
farm In various other ways. Shortly az
ter their arrival in Texas. the men,aeTa
of bis family were taken sick with nI,;Ils,
and fever, and up to the date of their.
leaving that State, nearly all of them
were still sdbject to this kind ofsicknesa.
Mr.. Coker says that having become
disgusted with the land and climate az
Texas, he concluded sayc-aii '.,:o,t!;s So,
to return to his former home. near viii.
liamsburg, South Carolina. Every effort
that he made to secpFe money enough
upon which to return home proved to 6a
failure, until few days ago when no
secured two hundred dollars from his.
brother.in-law, who resides at Williams.
burg. With this money he at once pur-
chased tickets which brought him and
his family to Chattanooga. Here he was
again without money. The chief of tfa
police learned of the destitute condition
of the family, and informed Major Hill
of their situation. This gentleman soon'
after repaired to the Office of the Wes-
tern and Atlantic Railroad and reorles.
ted the manager to pass the familv an
Atlanta for halt rates, stating that iftha
road would do this Chattanooga wonld
pay for the tickets. The request was
promptly granted and the party arrived
in this city without accident,
| Mr.. Coker states that the conductors
along the lines over which he was haul.
ed have been universally courteous to
| himself ana his entire family, and that
he will always feel indebted 80 them
for numerous kindnesses. He rays that
up-i bis arrival 6. az llii00ifa llii00ifa he will return
to his old pursuit., which is farming. His
bfother-in-lew, ne says, has promised TO
give him every assistance that he can to
| get thoroughly under way once moro I'M
his old State. Mr. Coker says that they.
can ell go to Texas that want to, but for
HE per. be has had enough, and viii re-
main the remainder of his life in the.
State Of his nativity. He says that three
families who reached Texas q few dayei
before he left took the train for home the
u.y .AisoA .hSiA ~AtAfA., tucy UAVlQgt seen
all that they wanted to of that State.
Mr.: Coker says, that during his eoionrn
in Texas of three yeara he only accumu-
lated about five dollars, after payiug all
his expenses and feeding hia family.
Yesterday Major w. L. Calhoun tel.
eSIapiiou 10 .iuB.i5t requesting tho su-
perintendent IF the Geofgie. Railroad Ia
pass the family over The line 70 Augusta
for half fare. Major Calhoun says thas
! ifthe rad will do this, that Atlanta will
furnish the money with which TO pay for
the tickets. At last accounts Msyor
Calhoun had not received answer to his
dispatch. he thinks that. the Georgia
Railroad will grant the request and
hopes to get the family of to-day. Dn-,
ring their stay here Major Cook has
shown them much Kindness. He has
allowed them to Tetein possession Of the
ronnl and has given them plenty TO cat!
Mr.. Coker, with hi5 family, will prob
ably get off tc-day.--Afldata Co,sstitis.
lion.
Uronp or, NrNrT t1yy, ftr<,@,t w -..ls-,