The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1893-07-11
oLD.Trs1E ~ARIsToCRAoY.


OLD-TIME ARISTOCRACY.
Bill Arp Tells How the Wealthy Lived
and Enjoyed Themselves in Ante
Bellum Days.
Atlanta Constitution.
Before the late war there were two
distinct types of civilization in the
Southern States, especially those States
lying east of the Mississippi river.
They were the common people and the
intermingle and sometimes inter-mar-
ry, yet the line was plainly marked
and seemed to be growing more visi-
BILE as the years rolled on. The in
stitution of slavery helped to keep it
bright.
1t was not q line between the poor
and the rich nor the ignorant and the
educated, nor between shareholders
and Observation-Disclosures. 1t was not a
the Democrats, but nevertheless, it
was a line that all Of these helped to
make and it gradually grew into one
of social equality or inequality.
Wealth, education and dominion con-
tributed to make up the distinction.
Either of these give power and influ-
ence. All Of them combined will lift q
man above the toilers and command
thoir respect as we'll as their envy.
The a~ristocrats were generally gentle
men Of education, refinement, man
ners and with many o sentiment of set
thing their personal differences ac-
cording to their so-called code of
honor. Money helped to establish this
title Of course, but 1t was not absolutely
essential. Indeed, it was possible for
there to be rich working men and poor
aristocrats. The results OF the war de-
veloped many of these. Our cities are
full Of the former and they are gener-
ally the leading men in business and in
industrial pursuits.
The old time aristocrats esteemed
themselves to be gentlemen and gener-
ally they were. They were of good
stock and thoroughbred and could
boast of ancestry, whether they were
riding or walking you could tell them
by their carriage, bv the vehicle they
rode in or the measured dignity with
which they walked about. This We
hicle was as unique as q Chinaman's
palanquin. 1t did not rest on elliptic
springs but was swung high between
four half circles, and the dickey or
drivers seat, was perched still higher
and the drivers bell-crOwned hat was
the first thing that came into view
over the hill. There were two folding
staircases to the vehicle and nobody
but an aristocrat could ascend or de-
scend them with aristocratic grace.
The gentleman who was born and bred
to this luxury was a king in his way,
limited it is true, but nevertheless o
king. dis house was large and roomy,
having a broad hall and a piazza orna-
mented with tall futed columns and
C%orinthian caps. This mansion was
situated in a grove of venerable oaks.
1t was set back 100 or 200 yards from
the big road and the lane that led to
its hospitable gate was enfladed with
cedars or lombardy poplars. Frag-
ments of cedars are still left but the
poplars died with the old South. They
died at the top, very like their owners.
Prominent in the ear of this mansion
was the old ginhouse with the spacious
circus ground underneath, where the
horses went round and round under the
great cOgwheels and the little darkies
rode OF the beams and popped their
homemade whips. Not far away were
the negro cabins and the orchard and
the big family garden and all around
were fowls and pigs and pigeons and
ninnfes to keep things lively. The
owner of the plant was O gentleman
and was SO regarded by the neighbor-
hood. He had been through college
and to New York and Saratoga and
came back and married another gentle
mans daughter and settled down. The
old folks on both sides had given them
q start and built the mansion and had
sent over a share of the family negroes
to multiply and %replenish.
Most OF these old-time gentlemen
kept what was called "open house."
n all who came were welcome.
There was no need to send word that
you We're coming, for food and shelter
We're always ready. The old gentleman
called for Dick, Jack, or Caesar to
come and take the horses and put them
up and feed them. There was plenty
of corn and fodder in the crib; plenty
OF big, fat hams and leaf lard In the
smoke-house; plenty OF turkeys and
chickens in the back yard; plenty of
preserves In the pantry !; plenty of
trained servants to do ali the work
while the lady of the house enter
tanned her guests. How proud were
those family servants to show off be-
fore their visitors and display their ac-
complishments in the Kitchen, the
drawing room and the chamber. They
shared the family standing in the COM
munity and had but little respect for
what they. called the poor white
trash " of the neighborhood.
In the course OF time this gentleman
became the father of o family and
grew solid in flesh and habits and hos
pitality, and, like his father before
him, he settled down like we all settle
down sooner or later to a big chair on
the veranda in summer, or q rocker by
the fireside in winter.
The old-time gentleman dressed we'll
and carried q gOld-headed cane and a
massive watch and chain that were
made OF pure old gold at Geneva.
There was a seal attached to the chain
"a heavy prismatic seal that had his
monogram. The manner with which
he toyed with this chain and seal was
one of the visible signs of a gentleman
and was as significant as the motion of
a lady's fan. The old gentleman's COM
pany suit was a navy blue swallow-taii
coat, Ornamented with brass buttons ;
q pair of pants to match and o white
Marsailles waistcoat. When these
were set off with o silk beaver hat, q
ruffied shirt and q bandana handker-
chief thervisible makeup of the gentle
man was complete.
The invisible sign was generally a
mortgage on his farm for a few thou
sand dollars, but he had q rich mans
ways, even though he was financially
embarrassed.
His name was in the grand jury box