The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-08-16
TIMES HAVE CHANGED.
Bm Arp writos About the Days When as
Was Young.

Evolution is q success. Not that ero
luton of living creatures, which the mer
of science are discussing, but the progress
of the mind in developing materia
things, the enlargement of mental capaci
ty to discover, to invent, refine and enjoy
These Chautauquas that are being estab
lished all over the land are the last ane
best sign of our advancing civilization
The eager steps that the south is taking
in that direction illustrates her apprecia'
ton of the good, the true and the beauti
full. How quickly she saw the COLDER
fruit that grew upon the tree that was
planted at the New York Chsutauqua
and now within three years has planted
her own at Monteage and Lake Weir
and Defuniak, and Salt Springs. What
a refined luxury of thought and emotion
abounds in these gatherings for the diff
fusion of knowledge. How they dc
broaden the mind and lessen prejudice
and enlarge charity. I said to friend
who had just returned from tour around
the world. "What effect has your travels
had upon you?" With grateful expires
sion he replied: "They have given me
new views of life and nature and human
ity. They have taken away many ofmy
prejudices and made me more tolerant
as to government and laws and religion,
and yet return with profounder re.
spect and deeper love for my OWL
country-her freedom, her institutions.
and above all, for the blessed Influence Of
Christianity upon our advancing civiliza.
tion." When that noble-hearted Eng.
lishman, James Smithson, bequeatbed to
the United States million of dollars fol
diffusion of knowledge among men be
became the founder of the Smithsonian
Institute, which was in fact the first
Chautauqus, and began its good work
just forty years ago. 1t was the first
normal college-a college whose purpoae
was to educate the educated, the learned,
the aavans in science and in art; and so
the high purpose of this Chautauqua is
to diffuse knowledge among men and
lead them to higher plane than can the
schools. What contrast do these sur.
roundings present to the minds Of those
who half century ago struggled for
knowledge. How gratefully conscious
we are that our children and grandchil.
dren live in better age than that in
which our youth was spent. The world
is assimulating knowledge is being
difused. Half century ago it was
within reach of the privileged few. I
remember when my father was mer.
chant, and vas a lad behind bis counter,
about half his customers made crossmarka
to their promiasory notes. But few Of
them could tell whether they had signed
for ten dollars or an hundred, but they
signed and trusted. Honest and true
they believed that others were. We love
to tell Of the honest simplicity of those
good old times, but still every man has
yearning for his children, a longing
desire for their education. Not long ago
/ called at an humble cottage for drink
of water, and found a little bare. foot girl
reading story to her grandpa. Itwas q
Sunday school paper and the old man was
proud to tell me that Sarah Jane could
read. ri had no larnin'," said he, "but
this child has been. to school and now she
comes and reads to the old man and it
does me power of good" know of a
father who goes regularly to school With
his two little boys and studies the same
lesson and stands up with them at recita.
tion. The humble country people, the
toilers, are advancing in knowledge, id
ideas, in language. The time vas when
most every family and their kindred had
dialect of their OVID. Their language
and tone Of voice was handed down from
some rude ancestor and spread around
among the children. to the. third and
fourth generation. There was wholeset-
Element in Gwinuett county who said
wall for well-'yaas' for yes, and added
eh to every break in their sentences.
"He told me eh that he was gwine to
town eh, and I axed him eh to bring US
some coffee eh." There was another
very numerous family who enclosed their
sentences with $50 it wus" or $50 he did,
or $50 I will" / Ihave bought me COW.
80 1have, and gave fifteen dollars TO,
her, 90 I did. There are still people liv.
ing among the hills of north Georgia who
say yoWuns and we'un's, but they are
growing few and old. A clever country
woman wax telling my wife about one Of
her nabors falling in the fire and she
said, "as soon ,s hearn it sont after
Jim for to come for to go for to get some
inyuns TO make poultice for to put on
the burn for to draw the fire out of hit.'
I knew good woman who called he,
daughter Thella, and when I asked what
the child's name was, said, cher name is
Othella but call her Thella for short.
But the children and grandchildren Of
these good old fashioned people make nc
such mistakes. The school master is
abroad in the land and The press
is circulating knowledge every where
Miss Murfee cannot now find thepeople
nor the dialect in Smoky mountain that
she writes SO charmingly about. Betsy
Hamilton can't find her quaint and cn.
rious characters in north Alabama
Colonel Newman can't find the nortl
Georgia cracker around Canton. Tha
generation has we'll nigh gone. Ever
the negroes have ceased to use their olt
time folk lore, and bre'r rabbit and bre'
fox have ceased to discuss their private
affairs. remember when my grand
father used to set the big milk pail unde
IL. 1850 ,nd r,;1J, NTH both honda ou,