The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-11-22
Retiring After 81 Years.

We noticed during the past few days some
modification being made In the Office of Col.
Blanding on tho Court House equare, and
yesterday stepped 10 and asked him what II
mesut. He replied that having determined
on account of HE deafness to retire from the
practice OF law, he had sold half of bis
Office lot to Msj Fl. F. Wilson and The other
half TO Mr.. d. N. Young, and they were
tinkering at II, thiakiog to improve BY mod
ernizing il. Of course we took advantage of
onr professional right 40 a newspaper man to
ask as many questions as We pleased, aoG
like the Yankee girl, bad the the right to de
maod answers. As We wished to fill up our
columns and were in the pathway of modern
local legal history We did not want categori.
cal answers, and 90 pumped out the follow.
leg Information Col. Blaudlog came to
SumtervilIs Christmas day, ls43, and swung
out bis shinele as . young limb of the law.
Says be knew but elk men 10 old umter
District, then composed of Claremont and
Clarendon counties, and they we're school
and South Carolina College mates preceding
bic class, of lsal. Startling ut the law 10
Camden Christmas. lS42, he staid there a
year, but could God no business snoat that
hs could pick up and make his bread, 90 be
put all bis worldly goods 10 Q one horse car,
on q borrowed horse and With borrowed
mooey in bis pocket, came down and stt-
tied in Sumterville. He divereed from biz
cart Oh the way dowo to visit The old Hat.
Geld school house near Bradford Spripes.
where be and his classmates, R. I. Manning,
J. b. Ksrshaw and W. N. Shannon, played
their pranks in 1886 and '37, and wound %
BY two whipping 'old Hat" in q rough sud
tumble iussle. the other two standing ready
as reserve.
He bought the lot from Dr.. A. J. China's
father and built au Office and moved toto i,
in July, 1914. siuce which time he has been
10 the came room and same seat, with the
same law books around him. except lear TWO
years in Mexicas. war aud over four in the
"liule late uuplesssntnsss "
His partpers have been, his uncle, W. F.
DeSaussure, John S Richardson and With
the latter, John J. Dargso, Joseph H. Earle,
bis son, w. D. Blanding, H. F. Wilson aud
r. B. Fraser, Jr. These would seen, to be
many. but not 60 for 40 active practice of 81
ysars. and probably the ssoior member Of the
bar Of the STATE. =
II was With evident feelings of deep emo.
ton that be spoke of his gratitude to the
psopls Of Sumter district County, for the
confidence they bad reposed in him person.
ally. and professionally. sod politically, and
had ever sought to be worthy Of It.
Replying to our query IL be intended to leave
us, be said that while all of his children, but
one, had left Sumter and be had no home, in
the common acceptance of the word, in .
higher sense Sumter should be bis home till
God pleased TO cali him to its cemetery ; that
be did not despair Of finding somsth,ug to
do. to;ksep him from taking The ,.'dry.rot'
as one Of his old triesds predicted be would 4;
that be could keep fully alive and lively in
doing sorusthiuk Of public benefit for the
city, aod county, and thr State.
Asking bis age, hs said it was uot fair
question, but could Hu,hfuliy say be was no,
~ old % Gen Lougstreet sod older thao
Admiral Dewey-''dum, spiro, spero, spes -