The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-07-03
SARGE pLUNKETT
Knowing How Things Was You May
Draw Conclusions.
atlanta Constitution.

one met so many lnqOl9ltlVe strangers
as to the changes in the South as is to
be found at the present time.
Amid the hustle of Atlanta these
strangers find nothing to suggest that
there was ever any condition peculiar
to the section. In the stir of the city
they fail to lie impressed with the
touch of southern atmosphere as they
have been taught existed and fully
expected to find when they arrived
upon the ground.
These strangers must go out into
the country towns, where the old
courthouse sits in the square and the
shades invite the inhabitants to con-
gregate, before they are ever touched
with that dreamy remembrance of
what they have read and been taught
was the life of the southern gentle
man, and that the ground they tread
has been the scene of those heart
rending partings of the slave man and
wife, father and children, mother and
babes, all of which was used to such
advantage in political campaigns of
the past.
The Decatur court house is only
seven miles from the car shed of At
lanta, but there is found the typical
old square, the population gathered,
some to run the government, some to
play checkers, marbles and humble
peg, while there is always sprinkle
of the old-timers, ever dclightins in
telling of the past. These strangers
from the North and from across the
ocean have learned that they can see
old times in Georgia by visiting Deca.
tur. Some come, and going away tell
it to others till the Josey house, the
towns hotel, has been crowded now
for four weeks with men, women and
children, only curious to be impressed
and view these scenes. Every after
noon the street cars are filled with
strangers coming out for no other pur-
pose than to sec and listen.
The old square has been somewhat
not what it used to be for a week, ow-
ing to an entcrprising steak that struck
one of our esteemed old-timers, Cap
tain Ed. Guess. The spirit moved
the captain to take away some land
marks of the square and to begin the
erection Of fine two-story brick build
ing upon the ground. The ground is
historic ground, being that the house
stood here that sheltered the first su-
premc court of Georgia ever held.
The place is hallowed by the memories
of Georgia's oldtime lawyers that
used to gather here during the sessions
of supreme court. All these matters
have been discussed and many happy
"reminiscences have been drawn out by
the building of the new brick house
upon the square. There was at first
some feeling against Captain Guess for
his spirit of enterprise, and it was
discussed by the crowds under the
shades as to whether the captain
should be shut out from the associa-
tions so dear to him and which have
been for so many years part Of his
life. To make the story short, the
captain was excused and retained as
one with a right to rest under the
shades, engage in the sports, plan for
the government at Washington or
enter into all the discussions of the
inhabitants just as he had always done.
But suddenly one bright day voice
sounded like a thunder clap from the
new building.
''Gct move on you there! Come
along with them brick" and the voice
rolled long and loud clear across the
court house square and the mules
down in George Ramspcck's plantation
picked up their ears and wondered.
The Inhabitants around the old
court house were astoundcd. The
checker boards were laid aside, the
marble playing ceased, a heated dis
cussion over "silver was hushed and
every eye was turned to the workmen
upon the new building.
''Bring on that mort, you blank,
blank, blank rolled that voice once
again.
The base ball nine, mile away,
came tearing to the square with bats
in hand. Captain Guess saw commo-
tion and swung a passing electric car
as it sped toward Atlanta. \ meet
ing was called to order upon the square
and it was unanimously resolved that
the voice must be suppressed, make
apologies and leave the town unless it
could tone itself down 80 full degrees.
: \ committee waited upon Mr.. Wotford,
for the "voicc'' turned out to belong
to j. &. Wofford, worker in brick
from Atlanta. Wofford is a man of
sense, and, smiling, agreed to the de-
mands of the committee, and further
agreed that he would not turn his
voice loose again upon the town; in
stead, he Just ups with brick and
tumblcs the fellow over. The build
ing is not moro than half finished, but
there have been hundreds of strange
visitors seen taking the cars back to
.\tlanta with the most satisfied ey
preston after coming out and watch
ing Wotford for an hour tumble the
fellows over with brick and strike
the ground with thud from the high
places.
Brown and | have fallen upon the
plan of answering the strangers in
quirics by relating to them some story
that will show better than We can
show in any other way how things
used to be down here in the South.
Only yesterday gentleman of a man
ufacturing turn of mind. who has been
prospecting around fora mill site, was
asking us questions about the develop
ment of the last thirty years. was
not posted on the matter, but | could
tell him Of going to the factories dur
ing the war and let him draw his own
conclusions as to what strides had been
made since that time.
Going to the factory during the war
was larger matter than many of our
visitors would ever think. hope
that none Of their countries was ever
blockadcd. To comprehend what CO.
ing to the factory during the war
means, you must consider that the
yankee gunboats had MS shut of from
all the world. They would not allow
Us to 20 out or any others to come III.
We could get no salt, nor coffee, nor
r.