The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-08-02

CiOca. IQCT0 ndQ DS6u * 1eN sCilCO1-
books, tee. but as the elder boys mar
ried and set up homes of their own the
dog cared readers, arithmetlcs and SO
on were scrupulously handed over to
them, along with the feather bed and
furniture, the COW and calf, pair Of
horses, gun, clothes and a years supply
of meat and corn That, in Squire
Hughes estimation, furnished "a good
start. -
Each son was set free at 16 and given
stout young negro, with the use of all
the land both could cultivate With
any sort of industry it was easy to lay
up $500 e year. If the youngster pre-
ferred spending to saving, let him feel
the pinch Of it when he came to want
wife. So far none of them had felt 1t.
John, Thomas, Joseph and Daniel were
men much after their fathers pattern,
who saved and thrived and kept their
families in spare abundance. Whatever
the land supplied was used without
stint. Luxuries from outside cost money,
so were reserved for high days and holi-
days. Piety, too, ran in the family. The
Hughes boys "got religion" and Joined
the Methodist church as regularly as
they married. Indeed, it was a sort of
condition precedent to the holy estate.
Both happened before the subject of
them was one and twenty. Consequently
there was mild surprise through the
Asbury neighborhood that Stephen, at
%, was still single and a sinner. A sin
ner, too, of deepest dye, as the people
called Methodist reckoned such things.
He knew several games at cards, owned
the best quarter horse in the county,
was suspected of having been to more
than one cock fght-above all was a
dancer of renown. And dancing was in
Squire Hughes eyes the abomination OF
desolation. He knew it only by hearsay.
It was his proudest boast that he had
never been nearer than 100 yards to
'ssuch carryins on. % Notwithstanding,
he said no word to Stephen. His boys
once set free were free, he was wont to
remark. But on his own plantation he
was master. Once, when Stephen went
across the yard whistling "Old Dan
Tucker" his father called him indoors
and asked the circuit rider who hap
pened to be visiting them to "hold
prayers in behalf of this especial sin
and sinner. Stephen knelt through it IN
outward calm, in inward fury. His an
swer toi was bran dance in the grove
adjoining his fathers farthest outlying
lands. That was three years back Ev-
cry summer since the dance had been
repeated, with Stephens name heading
the list of managers. In fact, it came
to be recognized social event and d.
vided honors fairly with the other great
occasion-Asbury protracted meeting.
The two assemblies indeed fairly marked
the line of social cleavage betwixt goats
and sheep. The young folk, left to
themselves, would have been nobly I'M
partial. Few pious elders, however, had
Squire Hughes habit Of letting children
go their own gait. There were many
freethinking followers of Tom Paine
among the settlers, who came thither
from Virginia and the Carolinas. Dane
ing was their chosen pastime, and came
to be to their pious neighbors symbolic
of unbelief.
That was busy week for Stephen
Besides his own crop, he had charge of
the plantation. Work was pressing on
every hand. In addition, the bran dance
was nearly all on his shoulders, and
that meant at least three days out of the
crop. He rose early and lay down late
and by dint Of doing two mems work
himself got affairs i'll such shape that
the most critical could not say he had
not time to go a-pleasuring. The strain
made him only intensely happy. His
heart was in it all, and he had much
ado to keep reels and breakdowns from
bubbling constantly over his lips. There
was very much more in it than days
merrymaking. Until two months back
be had never seen a girl that could
make his heart beat faster. One look at
Nancy Etcn sent him head over ears III
love with her. She lived ten miles
away, but Stephen managed to cross
them at least once week. In reward,
he saw Nancy, sat opposite her at table,
maybe exchanged a dozen words with
her. The rest of the time Major Eton
held the floor. He was Nancy's uncle
and guardian and had NO other thought
than that Stephen came solely for the
benefit of bis understanding through the
majors elegant conversation. If Nancy
herself was wiser, she made no sign CT
it. She was a bit of round, dark, rosy,
dimpled prettiness, with a small,
sprightly Wit and full of gay good hu-
8 II"I