The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-10-09
THE. MANNING GUARDS.
Rev. J. o. Cough Presents the Hand
some Gold Medal for the Best
Drilled Member to
SERGEANT WILLIAM YOUNG
IN the Presence of Large Concourse
Of People in Neat and APP
propriate Speech.

The regular quarterly prize drill Of the
Manning Guards took place on the Court
House square last Saturday afternoon in
the presence Of large concourse of peo-
pie. conspicuous among which were many
beautiful ladies'.
The judges were Messrs. j. G. Beckwith
and G. r. Harvin, both Citadel graduates.
and. of course, competent to decide the
points made by the members of the COM
pany.
After few evolutions in the field move
ments Captain Davis brought his company
com posed of twenty-nine men, rank and
6le-to company front and halted them
in front of the court house. The upper
portico was crowded with ladies, who had
turned out to lend grace and charm to the
occasion and to encourage the boys to do
their utmost.
When everything was in readiness Capt.
Davis gave the boys the commands IN the
manual, and, after going through the
numbers he asked the judges for decision.
This sent to the rear Messrs. c. L. RidgIll,
J. O. Ridgeway, and A. S. Rawlinson. The
spaces made by the retiring ones were soon
filled up by an order to "close up" and
away they went at it again, only to throw
Messrs. j. N. Mcleod, Mahoney. Chewn-
ing, Hodge. Brunson. Graham and Gard
ner into the awkward squad.
The third round caused Messrs. Frank
Rawlinson. J. F. Braham. Jayrowe. Iohn-
son, Jones, June and Joe Mcleod to 60 to
grass. Things commenced getting inter
es.ing, and on the fourth round only
James Rawlinson and Tommie Tisdale were
fred. The fifth round proved too much
for Willie johnson, and in the sixth W. c.
johnson had to leave the ranks to hunt
his "bubba" Willie, who had just preceded
him. George Bradham was dropped in
the seventh round, and Sergeant Willie
Lewis followed in the eighth. leaving
Willie Young the triumphant victor.
The boys were again drawn up line, and
Sergeant Young was ordered to march to
the front. Chaplain J. O. Cough presented
him with the handsome gold medal in the
following appropriate speech
Don't think, young gentlemen, thut I
shall ti-e your patience with an extended
speech. have no speech to make. You,
this afternoon, have decided the contest
you have made the speech you have
awarded the prize. Hence, it only re-
mains for me to congratulate you upon your
success. But before I deliver to you this
well-Geserved medal of honor let me Say q
few words to those who tried. but failed.
I have watched with eager delight every
movement that you have made, and let me
say to you(not by way of fattery, for did not
think so, far be it from me ever to say such
words), but as far as am able to judge
though myself not skilled in military tao
tics-that yours is a well-drllled company,
indeed. love contest. and have come
time after time upon these grounds to see
who would reach the gould" Life itself
is contest, and he only wins who, with
that heroic courage rushes out into its mad
dening conflict and wins the well-ought
day. But, young comrades. you who have
fallen short of your cherished hopes,
don't grow discouraged.
In years past and gone you learned
somewhere that eff at first you don't sue.
ceed, try, try again" What this young
man has done You can do.
have in my study the life Of man who
once walked The streets of New York with
forty.6ve cents in his pockets, but who had
determination in his heart Securing
position in q store he worked until he Sc
cured $1,000; then, placing it in bus
mess of his own, lost everything in
one day. Going back to the bed
rock, be rose once more to about .OOO.
and By one unfortunate act lost it
all, and, debt of s25,000 ovsrshadowing
him. be was placed behind the Jail bars,
and upon those bars he wrote: Ten years
from now Charles Broadway Rouss will be
worth million" And he was. His life
was written to tell other young men that
what be had done they could do.
So let us not be discouraged. Patience. toll
and untiring zeal will win the honor. And
while I have the honor to deliver to you
this medal as the "best drilled man" in
this company, let me say that I am proud
of your success; I am proud OF this COM
pany; and I deliver to you this. I might
say. reward for patience and toll. have
seen you upon these grounds time after
time, and upon your brow could read II
shall win" And you have won. I would
urge you to 90 forth in your efforts. You
have captain, not in name only, but in
spirit and in touch. Rally around him.
Obey his commands, and 60 forth, each
trying to make himself the best drilled
man IN the company. and under the leader
ship of your captain make yours the best
drilled company in the State Of South