The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-05-09

I'VE arGnt Ssysy moro men to fU up M1s
company"
he can't do no farm work. ia like to
20 along with yo' all, but I can t spare
over 80 days. Make it 80 days, and I'll
put down."
II don't like to say. 80" replied the
captain az he stood up to look over the
crowd. You see, we've got toget there.
wherever it is, and then we've got to
have q fight or two and march around,
and I should reckon on 80 days anyhow.
Better come along. You never did have
no such chance to see fun in all yonr
life before
"Waal, l reckon 10 or 20 days won't
make no great difference anyhow" said
the man. And he pushed forward to
add his name to the list.
Directly opposite two men sat look
ing out of a second story window. They
were in the law Office of Justin Will
liams, a lifelong citizen of the town
and a lawyer of repute. He was a man
of SIS, but carried his age lightly. The
other was a young man of "a, we'll
built and having a plain but kindly
face. He was Royal Kenton of Rhode
Island, a graduate of law at a promi-
nent university and the Junior partner
of the law firm of Williams & Kenton.
They were uncle and nephew. Kenton
had come down about Is months before.
AS the relative and partner Of a promi-
nent citizen he was treated with cour-
tesy. AS a Yankee, fresh from Yankee
land, he was a subject of criticism, and
there was little heart in the hospitality
accorded HIM. There could not have
been. He represented principles an
tagonistic to the south. There was no
neutral ground in those days. A man
represented not himself, but his Sec
ton of country. The opinions of his sec
ton were considered to be his. A south
erner at the north would have been
looked upon through the same eyes and
held responsible to the same extent.
Men liked him as a man, but they de-
tested him as a Yankee.
"Well, l am sorry this trouble has
fallen upon the country, said the old
lawyer as they watched the crowd oppo-
site. II have long felt that it must
come sooner or later, but hoped it
would not be in my day. Nothing can
now prevent war;"
But everybody appears to think it
will end almost as soon as begun" re-
piled Kenton.
They do not stop to reflect" said
the lawyer as his face assumed a more
serious look. 81 am a southerner, and
| believe the south has been fully justi-
fed in her course, but our people are
foolishly Understanding the strength
and temper of the north. They will not
let us go because we buster and threat
en-. If the south secures a separation,
it will have to be won on the field OF
battle. 1t was to be, and it has come,
but it is to be deplored."
eff wal comes, business will have to
CO." observed Kenton as he looked
about the Office.
"War is here, and our business has
already fed" replied Williams. Mar
tial law will soon be proclaimed, and
there will be no more use for judges,
Jurors and attorneys. have wanted to
ask you for several days what course
you mean to pursue. If it was to be a
wal Of 60 days, six months, or even a
year, we might make certain plans, but
it is to be a long and bloody struggle
and this very valley will be a battle
ground. We may as we'll close our of
flee today as a month hence. Amid
such excitement as this there a be no
call for our services
81 am a northern man" said Ken
ton after a moments thought.
Eyes, they call you a Yankee"
II have cared nothing for politics.