The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-07-25
SANDY SPILLERS.
BY OPIE p. READ.

LII D TuSSeu ulSlTlCC ol EdSI 16iuCS
BEE, in that section of country where,
during the war, not only neighbors
were arrayed against each other, bu,
where the members of once devoted fami.
hes hunted one another with deadly in
tent, there is small graveyard under 9
spreading persimmon tree. No one
knows the name of siugle eternal
sleeper who lies beneath this tree. A
skirmish took place on the site of the
burying ground, a fierce hand-to hand
encounter; and, after the fight, the vic.
tims, dressed so much alike that no one
could tell to which side they belonged,
were buried together. When the time
came for removing Federal soldiers to
national cemeteries, the "Persimmon-
tree Graveyard" was left undisturbed.
Near this graveyard there lives an old
fellow named Sandy Spillers. During
the war he was a Confederate guerrilla.
His fearless daring, his enterprise, and
the many stories of his violence made his
name terror.
Last year on Memorial day Old Sandy,
driving spring wagon loaded with wild
blossoms and the perfumed twigs of rare
bushes, and followed by large number
neighbors, drew up under the old per-
simmon tree.
SANDY" said an old man as he placed
box on the ground, "you'.ve got ter
make sort Nv speech"
"You know I KANT make no speech"
Sandy replied.
"Wall, thar'll halter be some sort Nv
expernation made ter these yer folks
erbout this here proceedin' an we don't
Tow that thar's man that ken do hit
better'n you ken, so git right up thar on
that box an let ther cat outen the bag. :"
'sI'll do the best ken," Sandy replied,
Is he took off his white wool hat and
threw it on the ground, "with the hope
that won't hurt nobody's feelins." He
got up on the box, looked about him in
. half. embarrassed way, and then said ::
"A good many O. you know what 1 wuz
durin' the war: You know that I wuz
called tough customer an IN say right
here that l amt prepared to dispute it,
auther.
81 won't tell in purticler how I wuz
forced ter sorter bush -whack, but will
say that the Lawd knows that never
had nothin' ergin ther oil flag. Wall,
one day while I wuz layin' in ther cane
brake down yonder on ther creek, fast
srsleep, fur I had been er dodgiu' round
all ther DAY afore, party O. Union SOL
diers come up, they did, an nabbed me,
TO I know'd they wuz in ther curmu-
nifty. They didn't gin me no chance ter
fight an don't reckon I desarved none.
Their sergeant Nv ther party he sorter
grinned at me, an says:
''Psrson Sandy, we know you an we
wauter tell you that it's all up with
YOU
:" 4 lowed ez much, said I.
=" well, you mout.' says he. Dave,
fetch that rope often my saddle
''The feler fotch the rope, an I don't
think ever seed uglier.lookin' string
IN my life. Gentlemen says /, thar
amt no us'n AKIN mussy frum you,
reckon, but tell you whut wush you'd
do. wush you'd take me over yonder
whar my wife an daughter lives-'bout
. mile frum here-an' let me look at 'em
,g'in. You won't hear no squealin', I
ken tell you that, fur my folks is ez
merry ez this here gineration hez turned
out
"'You can't lead us inter no sort O.
trap the sergeant lowed, AM you
neente: try. Hold up yo' head an take
this here medicine2'
"'Gentlemen,' says I, nearly ever
feller in this here curmunity Is ergin me,
an l don't see how I ken lead you in er
trap. Eff I had been in sich comman' o.
traps I would 'er slep' at my home las
night stead O. laying out here. I amt
CT good man, 1 ken ,ell you that, an 1
have did things that a Christun would
sorter shake his head at, but I don't
wanter lead you in no trap. 1 jest
wanter see my folks one mo- time, an
then I'll 60 out an hor up my head
un'er er tree. You won't hear no
bellerin', l ken tell you that. My wife
won't beg, and my daughter won't,
They'll gin you some pies an sweet
bread, 'low. an tell me goodbye, an
that will be ther eend O. it. Don't think,
gentlemen, that Pm bcggin' fur my life,
but jest fer chance ter take one mo-
squint at them folks
"I don't see no harm in lettin' you
hook at yo' folks ergin,' said the ser.
geant. Il don't b'l'eve that you could
lead us into t-cp eff yer wanted ter, fur
we've teat about the bush here tell yo'
sorter fellers is pretty skace. Fetch
him along, boys.
"Wall, they tuck me home, an when
we went inter the house Moll-that's my
wife-she wus er baking some pies on
the hath. She looked up an says, says
size: Sandy, l sec they've got you. 1t
do peer like bad luck comes in er bunch
Last night the owls tuck OF the Dominec-
ker hen an now the Yankees have cotch
you. 1t do peer like we never will git
straight no mo-. Thar's Zelda'-meanin'
my daughtcr-'tore her coat when she
got over the fence this mornin' an thar
sin't enough home'ade stuff on ther place
ter fix her up agin. Sandy, they are
goin' ter hang you, reckon
'Yas,' lowed.
Wall, that's. s.whut I lowed, too, an
wall, fur pity sake, ef my pies amt
most bodatiously burnt up
"Then the sargeant, after sorter snic-
kerin' at my wife-an' he neenter done
that fur thar amt smarter woman round
Aere nowhars turned to me an said:
&C tETaye Won finished ali yo' arthly