The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-05-21

! cannon on the east Of the house re-
! iolced the hearts of the patriots in
| the village of CRANKY, who knew
Gen. Greene's troops were somewhere
around. The single shot was enough.
1t pierced the gable of the house, and
before the Americans could fire another
| shot from their cannon-made out of a
| green gum log banded with iron-the
British major surrendered his garrison.
#%%
! The hole where the cannon ball en-
tered the gable is there to-day.
| %&#
Gen. Hampton in his speech on
Wednesday said Light Horse" Hairy
Lee fired the shot. Tradition says 1t
was done by Grcene's men. Lee be-
longed to Gen. Greene's army, but like
I others of his rank in the Revolution,
he operated separately from the general
command. "Reminiscences OF l7o0-Sl |
were always fresh in the miud of Mrs.
Cayce, the mother of the present owner.
She died in 1861, having spent a life of
more than eighty years at CRANKY.
| *SX
! Mr.. r. w. Cayce and his estimable
family now occupy the house. No one
can better cheer the guest than his
good wife. The house and farm has
descended to Mr.. Cayce from ancestors
who occupied it in 17SO-Sl. One of
these was Major Tasenar, an officer in
the American army. The house has
never passed out of the hands Of the
family, except when occupied by the
British troops. Even Sherman, when
he burned Columbia, spared the Cayce
house, only despoiling the farm Of its
cattle and all the provisions he could
lay hands on.
The grandmother Of Mrs. Cayce, our
hostess, was the sister Of ofz1hffy Efry Ge:ger,
who made th&ssSous ride as special '
c9rEEff'for c9lr1Ef for Gen. Grecne-when be was !
camped on Broad River, iu Newberry +
County-and delivered the message to c
Gen. Sumpter on the Wateree. Emily g
Geiger was a native Of Newberry :
County. She married Major Threewits
after the Revolution, and they lived at {
CRANKY.
In the eastern room, with its CHM
ney thirteen feet wide at the base and
a fireplace that takes in wood cord
length, sits mahogany card table that
belonged to Lord Cornwallis. Major ,
Tateman captured it at Camden, and
it has remained part and parcel of the
Cayce house. An offer Of five hundred
dollars for it has been declined by Mr..
Cayce.
From the front porch there j" COM
manding view of Columbia, with the
State House rising up most prominent
ly beyond the green-bordered Conga-
rec. The old State road, connecting
the different British posts, Monck's
Corner, Eutaw Springs, Fort Motto,
CRANKY and Ninety-Six, passes just in
front. Many a weary traveller has
rested beneath its roof in former and
latter days.
had good view of the fireworks
on Thursday night from the porch.
Owing to the damp weather the pyro-
technic programme was not entirely
carried out, but distance of mile or
so lent enchantment to the scene. And
then, too, the presence Of several hap
py young people was inspiring, since it
was apparent that the walls of the
Cayce house, if they could speak, could
tell of noble youths and fair maids who
| never had Centennial fireworks to re-
fleet the sparkle Of their eyes on tryst-
ing occasions.
The walls of the house, however, are
thickly dumb. The ceiling is plastered
nearly two inches thick-good to-day
as ever-and the sides also. The exte-
rior is now being painted-the fourth
time in its existence-once blue, then
red, then white, and now straw-col-
ored.
The trades display on Friday night
was the most credi.able affair of the
kind Columbia has ever undertaken,
and the success in this line will enable
the city to entertain more handsomely
her visitors at the annual fair.
,:=**
| In the success of The Centennial, Co.
lumbia's three daily newspapers bore
large part. I was glad to see the Reg
lister in new dress at the opening day,
and putting forth fresh energy in all
departments. The Record got on its
new attire a few days later, and is
keeping up with the procession. The
State appeared in the national colors
on military DAY. 1t put itselfto great
expense in giving the Centennial
events, which it did fully and accu-
rately.
Nearly everybody wore Centennial
badges. One of the prettiest was got
ten UP by The State. 1t was white
silk, on which was worked out of pal
metto leaves the palmetto tree.
80:
The rain did not mar the decorations
to any considerable extent. 1 have
never seen the city in better appear
ance and humor, even in the loveliest
|