The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-01-06
DIFFERENT ENEMIES.

DIFFERENT ENEMIES.
The Distress Which Incendiaries
Brought.
Ihave been scanning the papers tonightoui
article was the meeting OF the Daughters o
| the Con fetleracy In Charleston. So much has
been said about our Lost Cause. Yes, long
will 1t linger in the hearts and memories o!
the sunny south, with what devotion and
patriotic fire she gathered her gallant sons to
enlist In our country's cause TO battle fol
right, for liberty.
How wall I remember, our dear mother
gathering her children. togo TO Green wood
Qhen mere railroad statfon), TO witness the
presentation of banner, by the Rev. Car
wilee, to our band OF volunteers, with these
words:
| "raB this banner, may II wave
| Proudly oe'r the good and brave" etc.
| A few weeks later I remember going To this
station, III ere TO bid our loved ones good bye.
On that day, parted With Two dear brothers,
towing caiesses and warm kisses from quivsr.
| Ing lips.
On. the hardships, prlvations and tedious
separations. One brother was exempted
| from the army on account of serious enlarge.
ment forming on his breast caused by long
marching, after sojourniDg In Tennessee, on
his way iIom Virginia. Resting and recruit
Ing for few months mt g. he i reinlisted S,, In the
|
brother died last year. suffering partly from
effects of the war. The other brother never
returned. After battling for four years In
previous TO the surrender. After lingering 10
ihe cold walls Of Camp Chase, the Ohio pri.
son, tillJanuary 2Srd. when his noble spirit
winged lis may TO God. We never heard
Iine' and few crossing. 80 in May, when all
the dear boys" as the soldiers were lovingly
called, came in by squads. when the trains
we heard that the pext train would bring the
prisoners, who had suffered so long, every
member of the family gathered In The dear
old homestead 70 greet our eldest brother,
we're the loved ones when one Of the prison
ers handed dear fathera long yellow envelope
saying from Elisha. It Was letter wriLien
by the Ward Master ON the 23rd OF January,
| al dictation Of that brother. After fg hting
the long fight be spoke OF the sweet resi- and
reunion IN Heaven. To think with what
pride ouI soldiers leit all 70 battle for cur
homes, our country. Wnen l look back and
recal II the enthusiasm that filed each heroic
breast, though the cause for which they
| fought is ost we have our same country, the
same principle OF love for home and coun-
Then 1 think of our home with every i'm.
provement, our shade trees and our climbing
vines, al our personal property. The accu.
| mutation, by honest toll lor 23 years. Yes.
little by little which IL the farmers only plan
we were beginning to think that we might
rest and enjoy these in our old uge. Not SO.
| On the Z3rd OF June last, while the old BuI-
Richmond, my husband WAS 10 have gone
with them. He was doomed 10 disappOint !.
ment. Yes, terrible disaster prevented. II
seemed for some small provocation We had
terrible, fearful, enemies who entered our
lot with incendiary torch At midniHhts calm
and holy hour, having planned this wretched
scheme " etfe5t our ruin. Enemies not open
that we might battle with them ~ in the late
| Mol htroh nd O n n a
Seeing the lightened world found IL WAS BIS
barn burning. The only building The lot
contained with 3O0 bushel corn, all Iced oats,
mules anu two faithful horses we're all lost in
these fearful flames. twas heartrending 10
hear oar dear boys as they exclai med all our
faithful horses gone. Oh mother, nothing
could be lone. as the flames caught the tall
| pines The we'll was soon exhansed, each
pail full was precious while we kept the
nearest buildings wet great flakes would set
| tie ON tho dwelling house top.
| Oh, thOI horrors OF that night. To think
one of tile perpetrators OF this crime could
have the audacity TO come and render help,
first asking Miss Emma, who do you suspi-
thought Of suspicion. None save the guilty.
Having the strongest suspicion and being
law ablGlng our first step was employing u
hGpng Sana
This we did. A meeting Of the citizens was
called for Friday evening, llth Septem Der.
Now thls, ,llth September was Friday, and on
Tuesday notices were posted calling for said
meeting. Now on this evening the man. a
cropper IN our place, stopped OIL from our
wagon fr om Greenwood. assisted bis mother
ed over this meeting" She said Gas can be
| provep) never mind, before next Friday
| evening greater deeds Will be done than The
burning of the barn. We will wipe them out
OF existence" This man told this after pre-
| liminary trial.
Sure enough about Q o'clock Thursday
nigh awake, could see the light shi oning
ouL IN the yard from stove room window.
awoke my husband with these words fire
again." We both ran out In our night clothes
/ to see where IL had been set. The wood box
OrEhy oazng M the hae Te sssSea e6
| slow TO come. My poor body seemed paralyz'
ed, could not SUR, could hear the terrible
roar, bursting OF glass, expulsion OF lamps,
had q faraway feeling az terrible dream,
| upon recovering my sense, too late To save
many things precious to me, became con-
scous just as all were leaving the burning
| wreck. Yes, our home was no more, all that
| remained was the SCARED trees, smoke house
aud cabin In the yard. The latter saved oy
constant application OF water. Nolgloors
| came in carriages, horseback, etc., remaining
ali day TO hear and see what would be done.
| Now the audacity OF these enemies 10 have
| new smoke Of another great wreck To greet
husband had his feet badly burned. My
brother and sons With others wanted justice
meLed To these wretches ON the spot.
| Some came to me saying, II you will get
your uoys quiet, we think it best When |
| laid my hand on their dear upllfted arms one
calmly, but firmly held me of. The either
| eXcliedly said, "oh, my mother, how can you
| feel calm when you and my dear I'D lat her
have been toiling early and late, and worked
your Toys 80 hard 10 make the comforts OF
| your old age. and look, nothing Is left but
smoke and ashes, and tonight no shelter for
your grey heads. Q was bareheaded)
| No, cool heads with no losses sustained said
the law would fix them. So they protected
| them,
Now could they have been disposed OF last
! court. We could have rested easy, as 1t ID,
now, near four long weary months have pass.
ed, and We have experienced no tongue can
| tell. Must 1t be ever thus? Must We loose
all our property, at times almost oerilt OF rea'
son?
These are the beginnings OF the fearful
work OF ineendiarlsm.
Is law 20 frail as not TO give protection 10
people 30 wronged?
Must We toll on amid these discourage
ments in our old age anu frail health, and al.
low these enemies 10 destroy again and again?
| II so, patriotism Is vain. We Can never
| again feel that Interest In anything. NOT
even our homes, our country.