The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1882-07-12
''Dare-Devil' CharIey's Last Fid.
dIingl

The name of enc of the privates,
Charles Polk, Jr., Interests The leader;
for this was PROBABLY the famous Dew
Charley whose exploits have furnished
ctuse for mirth TOR the last hundred
wears. One of the volumes OF the brlca
uruc series. entitled Men and Manners
I'm America IA hundred years ago, con-
tains a description OF the family OF Col.
Thos. Polk and refers to his Tour sons,
Charles. William, james and Ezekiel as
wild irolicsome blades. Ezekiel Was
drowned at SEA james died ID early
manhood William was the granfather of
BISHOP LeonIdas Polk and Mrs. Kenneth
Rayner; another brother, Thomas, was
killed at the battle of Eutsw Springs, III
which he commanded a company ana
Charley, poor, wicked, fun-loylng lad
did he never grow oIdi Yes, yes; bur
his hoary bead was NOT d clown OF 2lor,
lie died at the hotel here in Charlotte, ;
and when he found dread death APP
proachln". he called his ~favorite slave,
vino like himself, was an exquisite per-
former GU the violin, and SAID, Il am
diving now--play for me-let no one stop
play until the breath Is out OF my
6ody" He was o6eyed, and thus enter
Ell the presence OI lIS bOd. IIo" Wv
heart siuks with a sadness too deep for
t:ars ut the life and oeath OF such a man.
Beloved ~ the pcople, daring, gay, GIL
ted anu handsome, what good he might
nave doue, had he not b0en nr"u9ht. N
elrly youth, under the evil 1EIidcnce OF Il
co erie of I~ntiicls, WHO had formed them
selves INTO ali ASSOCIATION tor the prcpa-
CATION Ui the pGInctpeis OF Rousseau and
Vo.taIre. His uncle. Ezekiel Polk, gran
father Of the President, was one ot these
fr~ee-thinkers. Moses WInslow was anoth
rr and james Brandon, and also two OIL
the signers OF the Mccklenburg Declare
ton. Charles and Ezra Alexander. The
two first named gentlemen we're nsariy
connected with. Maj. John Davidson
tine first his bro~therin-law, and the Sc
cosd his wife's uncle. Many a lengthy
discussion they prolonged into the winter
evenings, arguilg for and against the
truths OF Christianity. Maj. Davidson :
p,ety was of the lofty, heroic type, which
knew no halfway opinions. But Moses
WinsIow was a man of fine reasoning
mowers. and occasionally sent a shaft OF
doubt into his friend 5 mind whlch rank
lie and ftstercd until his healthy mental
organism threw II out as an unclear
thing, leaving him stronger aud purel
for the struggle. This infidel association
kept a circulating library, and we ma
imagine the influence of such a book a:
Rousseau's Confession, upon the mind o
such a youth as Charley Polk. 1t Wa
like The coIroding ACID which destroyed
CIeupatras priceless pearls. At one mo
meut she raised TO the light the cost,
gems worth more than the ransom OF
,Ity at the next she drops them into tn
Iiolid destroyer, and IN ashort Tune the.
are worth ne more than the EgyptlaI
SAINT beneath her feet.
The whole expense of the Light Hors
company of Capt. Polk, for a campAlg
oil Sixty five davs. including the hire Q
three wagons at Is shil.lnSs each pc
day, AMI 2OO5 ~rations at 3d.. each
amounted to 1858 9s. sd. The accoun
was proven. according to law, beior
Col. Adam Alexander, n of the magls
trates Of the county, and audited Az
.ountersisned by Ephraim Alexander
George Mitchell ana James Jack pA
Capt. Jack previously spoken Of. Tn
pay of the L aptain was then los. per day
OF a LIST and sd. Lieutenant Is. Cd of
I'd Sergeant 5s. 6d. of the clerk ant
Sturgeon 6s. cd; and of each private IS
Mrs. Harriet /. Erwin, IN Chariott
'HOnte.'