The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-11-25

Mrs. Stella Britton has q card in to-day 9
paper, iu reference to her school Of Stenogra-
ply aud Typewriting She will also open a
school where young girls can learn to make
their own clothes. Cali on her 10 Office No
2, VIM Building.
In the event that the reported defeat of the
movement to establish Salem County has
beea defeated at the ballot box proves true,
the matter will be settled for several years,
as it viii. Be necessary to get up another pc
tition and order another election, and this,
usder the law. cannot be done until certain
period has elapsed 1t is aot to be supposed
that the people who have for 80 many years
persisted in working for new county and
have spent large amount of mooey at one
time and another in haviog the surveys
made, will permanently give up hope of cue
ceeding in their endeavor. Smaller counties
are inevitable ip Seuth Caroioa, and sooner
or later number of them will be carved out
Of the old counties Sumter is ROO large
county to remain intact for any great length
Of time, and if Salem County is not ultimate
ly formed, some portion of Sumter County
will be cut off 20 form new county.
The old frame building on Liberty street,
until recently occupied by the Watchman and
Southron has teeo taken down This
building is one of'tbe o.d houses of the place
and was for many years the law Office Of
Capt Frank Sumter. The building was
erected by Capt Sumter for bis own use in
l848, soor after his return from The Mexican
War, 10 Which be served with distinction as
Captain Of Company A in the famous Pal
metto Rsgim-o,. Captain Sumter made the
house his home as we'll as law Office, aud
some Of the older en- among the citizens of
the place who knew Capt. Sumter we'll and
were among his inticates, tell very interest
ing stories OF the pleasant and convivial
nights spent in the old Office. There were
some rare spirits in Snmterville in those days,
aud when they gathered around, the fire.
place in Capt. Sumter's office on winters
evening they are said to have bad rare good
times. 1t is DOT often that one Of them can
be induced to stir the embers Of the past and
recall memories that have grown dim with
the passing decades, but when they once be-
gin relating "reminiscences, the younger geo.
GRAFTON gather around and listen with bated
breath, and they oft-times whisper aside, so as
not to disturb the story teller: 'And there
s0ere giants in those daysp' During the FIVE
years that the writer bad his sanctum 10 the
old Sumter Office, en- numerous occasions
some of the older citizens, who dropped in,
were impelled to talk of the past and
he was privileged to near many of
the stories, anecdotes and incidents that made
up the life of Sumter-when it was written
oa the map Sumrervlle, more thao forty years
ago The old building will itself soon be
but memory, aud with the passing Of the
few who remember Frank Sumter, the gal
lant Captain of Company A and the genial
convivier, character who for years filled
large place 10 the public eye Of Sumter,
will have passed into history, or rather irtc
oblivion fcr, unfortunately, the South writes
10 history The sSouth has neen TOO busy
making history to have time TO record il, SO
that is left to the writers Of the North, who
pursue the calling of book making as COM
mercel vocation, and, TO make it profitable,
take care to write nothing that will offend
their close reighbcrs.