The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-04-16

ANDERS
ARP'S TRAVELS,
his Meeting With old friends in Texas.
There arc more bonds than one to bind
the traveller to strangers whom he meets.
Sometimes mere casual remark to q
fellow passenger in the cars induces con-
versation and acquaintance, and even
friendship, and this is the bond of lone.
illness, for we are both far away from
home and passing friend is better than
none. Many time have L listened at
my fellow passengers talking and joking
with each other and wished that some one
would turn around and talk to me. 1
have thought that was more amiable in
this regard than other people, but maybe
not, maybe the other. silent passengers
were thinking the same thing. People
differ much about this-people from diff
ferent sections and of different callings.
The universal cosmopolitan drummer is
never at loss for boon companion.
He seems to know them by instinct, and
he is not going to sit there in stately
silence. Common people are more COM
municative than the wealthy and refined.
But of all people upon earth the negro
is the most ready and willing to answer
your question. It seems to give him
unalloyed pleasure. 1t is real luxury
to meet an old fashioned darkey on the
road and discourse him about the neigh.
borhood. You can get more out OF him
in five minutes than q white man would
tell you in an hour, and he feels highly
honored with the interview.
Then there is the bond of State pride
and State memories. Whenever go
into Texas the Georgians hunt me up
and talk of the good old State and tell
me what County they came from and
who they are kin to, and if don't hap
pen to know their kindred / know folks
that they know and they will talk about
them With an JUNCTION that is tender and
true. No wonder our State is called our
mother, but we do not realize the strength
of our devotion until we leave her and
get away off in distant land. The
Georgians out here are clannish, but not
more 80 than the Kentuckians or the
Alabamians.
Then there are the war bonds or the
soldiers bonds which are strong, more
especially if tho soldiers who | happen to
meet we're from the same State and in
the same army. An old soldier rode ten
miles to see me Just to talk about old
Georgia, and old fige Anderson, and old
Hook and old Luffman, and he did hate.
to have to quit and go home. When |
asked him how many children he had, he
answered, e'Two, only two. Georgia and
Joe Johuson. Bob Lee is dead. IIe
was mighty fine boy, but we lost him.
He's gone up yonder where old Bob is.",
a native Texan asked me yesterday
about the 18th, Georgia. Said he, II
was the colonel of the first Texas, and
the 18th Georgia was in our brigade, and
they were the out-fghtenest devils ever
saw in my life. Our boys were good
fighters too, aud true grit, but them 18th
fellers could get up quicker and get at it
quicker, somehow. Why, sir, when a
fight was on hand they would march ten
miles and be fighting half an hour before
our boys could get started to save their
lives. They said they had to keep up
with Woford or he would just be fool
enough to charge battery all by him.
self. 1t used to do one good to hear
them mountain fellers say 'youuns aud
we'uns.' One night they plundered a
man of all his honey, and as our regi-
ment was camped right close to the honey
it was laid on our boys and we officers
were assessed to. pay for it, and then we
collected it out of the mon aud it made
them mad for they swore they didn't get
the honey. And that evening. as our
regiment was marching By the camp of
the 18th the confounded scamps sang out,
swe'uns eat the honey and you'uns paid
for it, and it made our boys powerful
mad. What has become of Woford Z"
There is another bond that is stronger
still for it began in our youth when the
sunshine of life was upon US, and we
saw no clouds of sorrow or trouble in tho
dim horizon of the future. Our play.
mates and schoolmates and collegemates
are not all dead. but they are scattered,
widely scattered, aud it is surprise when
an old man comes up to me and taking
me by the hand looks earnestly into my
face and says, "William, do you know
me?" Sometimes l do, but oflener I
don't and perhaps he will cay, II used to
go in washing with you in old Billy
Montgomery's mill pond" or perhaps,
II was in your class at Athens in 1S45."
Forty years agol just think of it!
And then he begins to inquire where is
Briscoe, and Beverly Thornton and Cody
aud McIves, and SO on, and have to say
of most every one, dead, dead. How
fast the world dies. Most everybody is
dead aud there is new set now. Joseph
is dead, and there is another Phario, who
knew not Joseph. There are new ways,
and new methods, and new morals.
There is no Sunday to speak OF, over
here in Texas. If merchant wants to
keep his store open he does it. The
saloons arc never closed neither night nor
day. In some towns public opinion
closes them but the law does not. In
Ellis County the people are all for good
morals, and they have voted whiskey out
of the County. Waxabachee is the
County seat aud is thriving town. Our
Rome boy, Will Griffith, is there and is
prosperous and happy. Well he ought
to be, for he has sweet little wife and
sweet little girl, and as Cobe would say.
couple of pair of twin boys. Cobe
always says a couple. of pair when he
means two. Mrs. Griffith does her own
cooking and housework and thinks it no
hardship. Negroes are at discount
here, nobody wants them. Most every
body does their own work and are not
ashamed of it, either. The washing is
done everywhere by the heather Chinee.
There are one or more laundries in every
town. Most every family where 7 have
been guest takes boarders and this
helrs keep I'D the family supplies,