Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-03-06
Straps of gutal Ai5torp,
"REMINISCENCES OF YORK.
BY DR.. MAURICE 4. MOORE.
From the Yorkville Enquirer, 1870.

cumulateQ, SHOWS encOuTdSlllSly, HOW luuCll
honest industry may achieve, a lesson Wor-
thy to be learned and remembered at all
times, and especially in these changed ones
tinue long at his trade. Whatever he found
to do he did, and there were other avenues
less laboriOus and more profitable, in which
he persevered. \ bill of his, however, for
carpenters work, which amused the village
a good deal, is worth relating. Itemized out
in due form, were, for 'drying plank" so
much "making window frames," so much;
and so on through a long list of work, con-
ars rktah te YnGf aah tf}9gf5 }ee 81 5oa a9
ing school, "tiXngs and things we're SURE
to cover the extras not enumerated.
He opened hotel, and keeping it was one
of his avocatons. One night / was ava
kened Il lived Just across thestreeD by hear
ing the hotel bell ringing. 1t was a cold,
drizzling midnight; what could it mean
fire? No; the weather precuded that idea.
Ding d0ng, ding, dOng, went the bell with
measured tone | got up and opened my
window to try to satisfy my curiosity. Soon
Mr.. Wright's tones greeted me, in despairing
accents, addressing one ofhis boarders, who
had arisen with him. also an Emerald ISL
ander." "Patrick, Patrick Carln, do you
see ony thing the matther?" The old man
was strong believer in the supernatural.
"NO, Misther Wright, can see nothing /
can tell" AS my eyes grew accustomed to
the cleaning darkness, | could discern the
figure Of the old man in his shirt, just as he
had risen at the first alarm, shivering with
cold and fright. The bell suddenly ceased,
and as nothing could be discovered, the old
gentleman and Patrick Carlin went back to
bed from their fruitless search, and l, too,
subsidized to my warm nest. In about fifteen
minutes, just as all were getting warm and
comfortable, and SOmnus stealing our senses
deliciously away, through the window | had
left standing open, in waited clearly the
sound of the beh. Ding, dong, ding, dong,
and heard one of my tormented neighbours
rose old Mr.. Wright and Carlin, in quest of
the cause, and |, too, took up my station at
my window. No one was near and the
thing looked mysterious as the bell rang on
uninterrupted in its solemn tones. "Get me
a long pole" cried Carlin; ''theres divil-
ment in it, and I'll find it out" The pole
secured, feeling round near the bell with its
end, at last it struck foreign line, stretched
tightly. Triumphantly Carlin, with his
pole, followed the course, and was soon out
of sight. After a while he returned. He
said he had followed it across the back build
ings and other street to the red house, and
the lellOW SceluS HID COllillS lla'l Juullctl
down and run off. "But sure I've got a fine
bundle of twine to pay me for my pains"
He had gathered up and rolled it as he
came along, and showed big ball as his
trophy. 1t came out next day that John
Chambers had climbed the bell pole, tied on
the twine, and then established himself in
the red house to play on old Mr.. Wright's
well-kn0wn superstition. Carln's pertinac-
ity had nipped his fun in the bud, and rath-
er turned the tables.
Oh! me, those merry days when / was
yo.ns : Calling upurI1uIrg tire memories or
my prime in York, comes II frolic Of my
own. | may as we'll relate it now as anoth-
er time, as itscrves to show the fellowship,
mirth and merriment we then enjoyed.
Old Mr.. Bob Cooper, of Turkey Creek,
thought he would make some malt beer for
sale, and take it to York during Court week.
II was pretty much Il phlanthropic effort;
for he hoped some thirsty souls would be
induced to quaff his beverage instead of
corn whisky. He put the barrel on the
fore-wheels of a wagon, hired some man to
carry it up and sell it for him, furnishing
him with the measuring cup, &c. The old
gentleman treated me to sOme-he was gen
erously inclined with it-and l am forced
to confess it was most villainOus compound,
neither meal nor malt. When night came,
till next day. in squire DavidSOn'S office.
There was then in Iorkville, young
physician named Gather, an erratic genius,
very fond Of liquor and always in love.
Passing near Squire DavidsOn'S shop with
me, Gather proposed we should steal some
of old Mr.. CoOper's beer for frolic. | said
it was mean stuff; but he insisted it was
good. "All right,' quoth I, "the cups are
on the barrel we can draw measure and
pay old Mr. Cooper tomorrow" The light
from Squire DavidsOn's dwelling enabled us
to grOpe our way to the barrel and find the
measure. We turned the spile and let the
liquor flow till it was about full. I then
turned back the spile, but still it flowed.
Gather tried. Truth was we had broken it.
Here was a dilemma. "Stick your finger
in the cock, Gather; it won't do to let the
beer waste" He did SO and we quaffed
some of the liquid, not improved in flavor
by our predicament 81 tell you, Gather"
suggested, "keep your finger in, and | will
run down street and get Il cork to stop 1t;
tomorrow l can get a new spile for the old
man." Gather agreed, and l set out AS
turned the corner going down street, l
met, face to face, Mr.. Sadler. | knew he
and Gather were always sparring at one
another, and a bit of fun entered my head.
"Mr. Sadler," said I, stopping, "Gaither
anu L, lOI Oul tIluSculclll, CollCluoSu "S
would steal some of old Mr.. Cooper's beer,
tonight, and in doing it have broken the
spie. l have left him stopping the beer
with his finger, till get a cork to stop it;
you know what to do" "Oh yes, | will
90 in for a law book" "But stop" said l,
'til am ready. / will be back in a few
moments with 4 stopper, and cough us
signal" Having got the cork, came back.
AS l approached, | ahemmed loudly.
Squire Sadler got up and said in loud tones
"Mr. Davidson, l would like to borrow
James Digest fora little while" "Certain-
ly, Squire it is lying on my office tabe-you
know where always keep it," "les, yes,
don't you trouble yourself: | can get it. |
will Just take this candle to light me, step
in and get it," | was near by waiting the
denouement. Miss Davidson was then
Gathers divinity, and l knew nothing but
the fear of wasting all Mr.. Cooper's beer
would detain him. AS Squire Sadler enter
ed, he spied DR.. Gather, afraid to move his
finger. "What rascally negro is this? ?"
cried Mr.. Sadler, with well assumed anger.
"You black scamp-Stealing Mr.. COoper's
beer, are YOU? You shall 90 to Jail, you
thievng wretch ?" "Dr. Maurice Moore
was with me-" was Gathers first exclama
ton. "What Dr. Gather, is it you? No,
sir, no one will believe DIR. Moore was with
you. He steal beer. He is too much of a
gentleman. | must call Mr.. Davidson"
Gather still afraid to move, cried, Maurice
Moore was with me it's a joke" "a prct-
ty joke" said Sadler. Here | ran in, eX-
planned it as joke, fitted the cork and re-
Mr.. Sadler and relieved Gather, without
his then discovering my joke. Twelve
hours after, the tale told to him was q diff
tarnpt thjnr