The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-04-23

ness 10 obey tia behests OF his party through
the accustomed channels BY applying this
alike the patriot and the deinagogue."
HODGES, s. c., April 81 1890.
AT this writing we are sented beside the fire.
place, in which Is burning languid blaze, In
The home of our youth, which Is near Hodges.
The morning sun Is shooting Its blaZes of
glory In at the windows on either side Of the
fire place. From the barn lot comes the
chime or the familiar old COW bell. the beat
Of sheep. the grunt OF the hogs and the squeal
OF the pigs, and as counter part" to this
grand orchestra the crow OF the rooster. tn e
tie chicks-with solos, Duets, trios, quartettes
and quintettes by pea fowls and guineas-and
before the musicale Is quite over the pathetl-
cist and doggonest discord Is made by a
had a shell on 1t. This is the "sunrise" drama
on the old farm.
The scene is shifted after breakfast, and the
beast, swine and fowls are off TO their differ
| the presence OF horses arrayed In the most
fashionable plow dress, and the big. int dar-
key who rides them Off to the field, Is the be-.
ginning OF the days tragedy, which Is ended
at the tap of natures, which signal the eve
ming star to drop curtain of day.
Well, we are still sitting here with the gate
former joys and departed sorrows. Away
down the dusty lane we can see some happy,
hopeful hours rolled up in slumbers Of wake
lessness. and as we come up the lane occasion.
ally we meet an old chum who, perhaps. has
| wandered atnr off and, maybe, has doubled
up" with the swine and eat husks, or "free
lunches" and returned and caught the dix
ems" for so doing.
Strollng on up towards the present we meet
those who were near and dear TO us who have
long ago passed over the river, and. In imagi-
nation, we commune with them. Reluctant
ly we advance forward, and here, we enter Il
little flower garden, that budded and bloomed
and wns the romantic retreat OF our first and
well we haven't loved with such thrill.
of her wedding cake, with her compliments.
| II er lips were like "nne wine" and we drank
! from them long and deep. She was tar heel,
but no tar was on her lips. No. no! But she
drops.
Coming on nearer and nearer the present,
things become so variegated that we will
catch an electric car and ride out OF the dem
sity of these events into the gladstone, happy
Spring of 1890. Seated here still, by the wink
ing embers, all alone. our old uncle, with
whom VIC are s0journing, having gone t.
coach" some colored gentlemen Into rolling
| logs with the proper speed and correctness.
In the wardrobe OF our aunt, Mrs. Sallie
Martin. who died last June. we peep, and see
her wedding dress and "second days DRESS"
the flrst All elegant jackenet and the latter a
handsome silk. These dresses are over fifty
years old, and are still very beautiful. These
articles with every piece of her clothing, are
hanging and are kept just as she left them.
| In big chest, among other articles OF antiq.
Christian Rasor, who was private In the
! Revolutionary war. Her room Is quite Il mu-
scum and is saeredly kept by her husband.
In this old residence Is many Of those pieces
of machinery, which in the ante bellum days
were essential TO every Southern home. In
which we wore our first suit. blue jeans,-it
was handsome, and with pair OF little bro
gans there was no lad so proud In the whole
land-with horses to ride and niggers to child,
oh. we were the happlest boy on this side.
The spinning wheel, reel, warping bars and
spooling threads are all here as mementoes Of
the times when importatlon and transporta-
tion was limited to Hamburg and the beauti-
| ful Fountain City.
But the relentless sea OF time, with Its LASH
Ing b!llows. Is fast deeaying and obliterating
the old homes through this settlement The
greater number Of the old settlers have passed
away, and all Of the old colored people Of this
plantation, with one exception, Mat Hodges,
| the old blacksmith who cost thirteen hundred
dollars.he survives, but his hair Is getting
"white like WOOL"
Upon these scenes we first looked out,
| With q child's admiration
And In these fields we'd run and shout,
Fearless OF all intimidation,
Happy days, blessed days.
| or our innocent youth
| Days when we enjoyed Innocent plays
| <AHu iihO W ITutlIf
Oh, by-gynes, q tender adleu,
| The gate OF the past Is closed again,
The present-we will stand by you
| Amid your sunshine and rain,
The farmers throughout this neghborhood
are hustling along with their work. Cotton
planting Is at present the general employ
Inent; Cotton, however, in some places has
able land Is appropriated this year to the cul.
| tivation OF the 1eecy staple.
Farmers In this locality are generally pros:
porous and progressive. Mr.. Townes Mabery.
q gentleman Joining lands here with my un-
Gle. Is peek-a. booming right into wealth. He
buys land as he progresses and improves II.
He made forty bales Of cotton last year with
dance. Mr.. Mendoza Higgins, a young plant
er, fairly loomed up with an immense crop OF
cotton, making between forty and fifty bales
with three mules. Mr., hRoat" Young, who
made seventeen heavy bales and Sufficient
corn and roughness To do him. These are
Just Il few gentlemen who we huve taken from
mers of these parts. And we trust we huve
not exaggerated 10 the amount OF bale of
cotton. Thus 1t Will be seen this side OF old
AbbeVille county Is stcaming along on the
The health OF the people seems good.
No pic MIC on the boards for May.
| Fishing IL great sport for Il "slinger Of the
metal" but TO catch Il craw fish four times in
succession is enough to prompt him 10 say
dog 1t!
The new trains Is O luxury much enjoyed
by the tagman whose responsible Office Is to
deep himself off at the rear car and stand still
till she starts, then 60 in and make mash on
the giddy yum yum or some other duck-his
blue clothes aud brass buttons are Irresistible.
But that's the hagman's business on second
| thought.
The uncle with whom we are stopping says
he has been u subscriber TO the Press and Ban.
1er for thirty. five years, has symRathiZed
with It's editor In all his editorial Troubles. is
ut present thoroughly satisfied with Its poll
tics and enthusiastically says It's the best
| weekly In the State. E. II. p,
HODGES, S. C., April e2. 1890.
We were shown this morning All improve
ment on all tue mosquito preventitlves in e4-
istence. 1t Is n fame, covered with the net
cloth usually used, and is very simple But
canSii