The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-11-08

a 1rlenO writes me from Florida
that bacon will not keep we'll in that
climate, and that the old settlers say
it always gets rancid. He wants to
know if there is any remedy for this.
Yes, / think 80, unless hogs fattened
on pinders are different from those
fattcned on corn.
This reminds me of war story.
in 1864 my wife and half dozen
little children found refuge from the
foul invader at her father plantation
on the upper Chattahoochee river.
There was no white man there or near
there save her old father, Judge
llutchins. There were about hun
drcd negroes, more than half of them
too old or too young to work. Food
for our soldiers was getting scarcer
every day and orders came that every
farmer should be tithcd that is to
say, he should give up TO the govern
ment agents portion of his corn and
meat and beef cattle. n mounted de-
tail from the home guard was sent
out with the wagons to enforce the
order and gather in the supplies. There
was nobody to resist them, for cvery
body was in the army save the old
men and invalids and women and chill.
drcn. Late one evening company
Of thirty men came to Judge Hutchins
house and rudely informed him that
they came for bacon and beef cattle.
The judge very calmly told them he
had none to spare. For while they
parleyed with him but finally demand
ed the kry to his smokehouse. NY
wife and children and two other little
grandchildren listened in fear and
anxiety. They knew that the Judge
was fearless man. but there were so
many we'll armed men against him.
the odds we're fearful, and when he
refused to give up the key, they said
ticy would arrest him and break down
the door.
Then he pleaded with them in a
trembling voice and said to the cap
tain: "'Iere is my daughter and her
little helpless children aud here arc
two others whose mother is dead and
their father is in the army. 1 have
but four sons and they arc in the
army. My two sons-in-law are there.
Here on this place are fifty or sixty
negroes who are too young or too old
to work, and it is struggle for us all
to live. am alone and getting old.
| have done my share for the confed-
eracy and cannot do more. Now I
know that you can ovcrpower me or
kill me and take away the little meat
| have saved for these helpless ones,
but let me tell you, captain, the first
man who goes TO that door to break it
down will be dead man before he
can do it," His black eyes flashed as
if lit up by sparks of fire and his voice
no longer trembled. He was despe-
rate. Lightly he ascended the stairs,
where he had two double -barreled
guns well loaded, and planting him
self by the window that overlooked
the smokehouse, he said, "Now break
that door if you dare to- and the
percussion lock went click, click.
The captain looked at the door and
then at the Judge. There was an
awful silence for few moments. My
wife and children had heard it all and
!rembled. Some of the negroes had
gathered at the cabin doors, and old
Sam dared to exclaim in low, husky
voice, "Better not-better not-old
massa kill you-kill you shore"
The captain suddenly reconsidered.
Come, boys" said he cts getting
late; and there amt no use in fighting
about little meat. We can report
the case to headquarters and if We are
ordered back We eau tryssis again,
reckon" Without saying goodbye or
farewell they left.
That night about midnight the Judge
called up old Jack and Virgil, whom
he knew he could trust, and had the
Joints Of the meat aud part Of the
slces carried quietly down to the old
blacksmith shop on the bank of the
nyer. With pick and shovel the
elnders and earth in the old hearth
were soon exoavated and chamber
fashioned that would hold and hide
thousand pounds. 1t was buried
there and the hearth was covered just
Ike it had been. Some scattering
Charcoal filed in the spaces and some
was left on top and the black old
A.I