The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1883-05-17

3
Fortunate cheer. 1t may be said,
that the people Of Dutch Fork were
not a pious people, in as much as
they not unfrequently INDUCED in
high-sounding oaths, whenever it
rained too long or too violently;
but well do / know, chat no people
ever made their parson pray more
earnestly for rain, during a drought,
than they did; and never lived
there q man on Cannon's Creek,
or on Crimm's Greek, a hundred
years ago, who did not love his
neighbor as himself. Nowadays,
boys pursue with dog and gun the
beast that trespasses upon their
fathers pasture. All, this contrasts
sadly with olden times, when the
stray horse that jumped into the
neighbor's field was coaxed into
the stable, with q dozen ears Of
corn, and taken care Of as a guest.
According to an old friend, rich
in historical recollections Of the
Dutch Fork, and who knew "Weem's
Life Of Marion" nearly by heart,
Aberhart Koselhantz settled on
Crimm's Creek, about the time that
Sergeant Mcdonald played his
famous trick upon the old tory, at
Monck's Corner. "a careful ref
erence to that work, however. has
not enabled me to establish a pre-
else date Koselhantz's family was
mall,-consisting Of himself, his
wife, and his daughter. His occu-
patton was that of a gunsmith, at
which he earned ample means for
the support Of his household. In
deed, his expenses were nothing;
for dame Koselhantz cultivated a
garden, the possession Of which
all the neighbor-women envied her,
on account of its luxuriance and
variety. And then her poultry ! Why,
she had a greater number Of chickens
than could rcost upon the fence en-
closing the yard. The Koselhantz
cocks were the first in the Dutch
Fork to announce the approach Of
day,-those of the neighboring
farms taking up the proclamation
and telegrapling it, as if from head
quarters. Then the Koselhantz
ducks! They were always so plump.
that they could not step over tuft
of grass, without falling over upon
their backs; and never less than
forty geese the leplenishers of the
feather-beds) took their daily pro-
cession down to the little spring
branch pasture,-while the woods
behind the garden were forever re-
sounding with the gObblings Of
turkies, in gang of such numeri-
cal strength as to afford roasttr
for every Sunday and holyday in
the year, to say nothing of tie
eight days between Christmas aid
New Year. A level wheat fell
(alas it is ow grown up in pines)
produced the bullion for the mint
ing Of all manner Of cakes, pud-
dings, and pies, and that kind Of
bread, which is no more the same
bread wher made beyond the
bounds of the Dutch Fork, than
Scotch whis!1ey is the same ex.
hilarant, when distilled in any other
cline than Scotland. A potato
patch, and orchard were kept in
complete order by the old man; and
Betsey, his blooming daughter, man
aged the dairy with such success,
that none OF the luxuries properly
belonging thereto were ever want
ing. ;.,
Betsy Kos4lhantz!
How shall I describe her? What
can L say Of the blue eye that play
ed between two lids brim-full of
tears ready TO gush over the cheek,
should grief or joy add one super
fuous drop? What Of the mass Of
auburn hair, forever threatening to
tumble into disorder, and yet main
tanning unruzhed its coil around the
homemade comb? And what of
the lips, .fron which one knew not
whether to prefer apout or smile?
Her teeth we're even and white,
though such a thing as tooth
brush or a dentifrice was not to be
found in the Koselhantz house; and
her breath had the fragrance of
mignonette, though 1 am sure there
had never crown a bunch of it in
the Koselhaltz garden. Of winter
nights, Betsey patted with her foot
the little o.d-fashioned spinning
vboal in front of tho cheerful fire