The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1883-08-02
THE LAST LETTER.
GAFFNEY-E. H. BRITTON-o'ER HILL
AND DALE-PeoR FIsHING-sGARC-
ITY OF EARTH WORMS FIRST
RATE DINNER.

The slowly convalescing GONZALES
cent parted with the readerat Spartan
burg, on the way for Gafiney city. and
reached it. at 1,30 Monday. Gaffney
is populated by one thousand inhabi-
tants made up OF as clever men, Wo-
men and boys as can be found iii the
Piedmont range. 1t is pleasant hill
country, and beautiful for situation.
Notwithstanding drouth of six weeks
crops look betterfthan in the low c0un-
try. and fine rain which fell two days
later, has gladdened the hearts of the
husbandman and made all nature re-
joice.
I met with y warm reception from
that Nestor Of the Press, Mr.. E. II.
Britton, and his energetic and progres-
sive son, Felix. They publish the Gatf-
ney Carolinian. OF which Waddy w.
Thompson, ESQ, is the accomplished
editor. Several hours were spent in
pleasantly recalling "reminiscences OF
the past. The elder Britton is in his
6Sth year, and though complaining Of a
break down, is younger than many OF
80 years.
Six O'Clock found me seated III q bug
ey with my brother-in-law, j. 4ost
Metts, bearing away. Der hill and dale,
for his farm three miles distant. This
is new home for him, having only
recently changed his habitation from
the malarial region OF the Cooper riv-
er to this upper and pGrer atmosphere.
think. he thinks. andhis family think,
that the change was wisely conceived.
They now have health. .,,r
Three miles from the farm, the Wa
ters Of Broad river, run, leap and tum-
Bile over the Cherokee Shoals. It is
famous as q fishing place, and couple
of stalwart farmers essayed 20 afford
NE pleasure by an exhibition Of their
skill in seinmg among the shelving
rocks. It was a bad day Tor Seining,
however, and all the morning was con-
smed in capturing three cats and.one
trout. And then it rained, and we
took shelter and dinner in the Old mill,
which thirty years ago resounded with
the busy hum of life and activity. bat
is now given over to silence. decay,
and the sports of the frisky flea. One
more effort was made to seta a few fish,
but fhe drag was draggy, one only was
taken. This reminded me Of previous
experiences on Bush and Saluda rivers
in Newbery county. An adjourn
ment was called, and the party retired
with lowered colors. .--l.
The Cherokee creek, which empties
into Broad river, is bold and turbu-
lent stream, and runs by the farm
house only a few hundred yards dis
tant. l felt called to angle. The farm
house was deficient of hooks, one only
could be found, and that was blunt
the next thing sought was bait, but Ill
vain was digging, deiving OF turning
over Gaffney dirt, not an earth worm
could be found. Such all utter dearth
of worms was absolutely startling. y
white grub was at length unearthed,
and with this precious treasure, the
only worm which GafTney could pro-
duce, reached the creek and fi1Led,
and lost my only bait at the first Ste.
returned a sadder but wiser man. aad
spent the succeeding time until my de-
parture in penitence.
1t was my pleasure to dine last Sat
urday, on my way home at the dinner
house of Mrs. McCants at Ninety-SiX,
and cannot resist making brief men
ton of the incest dinner / ever sat
down to. 1t was a good dinner, cap
ital dinner, various dinner, q combi-
nation OF excellent viands prepared and
served in the rarest style. Mrs. Nc
Cants is an artist in the culinary art.
have eaten all kinds OF dinners, in the
course of my varied life, good, bad and
Indifferent, and have written on my
little mental tablet the places were the
best and the worst have been taken-I
don't speak OF home dinners they have
always the highest place in memory
dear-and at this time Ninety-Six
stands foremost on that tablet. The
chicken in every style known
to woman, fianked by soIid dishes,
and sweet things made. up
that dinner. How l regretted my
want OF capacity. the willingness to do
it justice was mine but the ability was
lacking as we'll as the capacity. The
only mistake which this good lady
made was in her charges. 1 who ate I
but little was charged full rates Is cts,
while Eugene who had energy, ability
and capacity, and who ate twice as
much as l was only charged 25 cts.
Sic transit. .r..