The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1900-05-02
When We Were Boys.
To the Editor of the Dispatch:

~ WIG H0itSL Va khS NfHoVSA'
"Boys will be boys" as the old
saying goes, it does not matter
whether they are brought up these
days, or fifty years ago.
Times are changed from what they
were when some Of US were boys, and
we cannot see things now as we did
then. Why, We used to take in the
whole country by sections. On Sud
lay, we would gather at some big
,ole on Sivie creek generally at what
vas known as ~Thompson's water gap.
That was a great summer resort for
the boys and young men to 60 in
washing with each other. Some
times We would get up a little rangle
and a 6sticuA, but it would soon pass
off and all would be on good terms
again and engage in some of the
little innocent games we would play.
When we got tired of the water
We would go out in the old sand field
about one hundred yards from the
creek, and form a line for leap-frog
back to the hole of water, and the
one that got to the bank first had to
stand stopped over for all of the
others to leap over into the water
until the last one, then he had to
push the fellow in and fall in himself.
Aud again we would dive to see
which was the best diver; the
one that could hold his breath and
stay under the water the longest was
considered the best. It is a wonder
to me now that some of US are not
holding our breath yet,
Ga a certain Sunday evening We
were there, about eight of us, and an
angry looking cloud was rising in
the west; We were all out in the
bottoms looking for watermelons;
had left all of our buds at the creek
and some n slipped up there and
drew one of the smaller boys pants
into mine, and We went and dressed
in such haste that I did not notice it.
The cloud burst upon US before We
could get to the old barn. 1t was a
sight to behold to see little Sim 60
ing to the barn jumping about three
corn rows at a time with his hat in
his hand and about one third of his
clothes or, some in his hand and the
others he did not know where.
Sin was very much down hearted
about the loss of his pants, and really
he was an olj"ct Of pity, but We
laughed at him any way. The single
garment be had on was as wet as
two drowned rats and stuck to his
very slender legs like a brother. We
were all Baptist, but did not know
whether we were hard shell or soft
shell. Sim said be had no shell at
all.
He cursed and We discussed Il
matter and soon it was found that I
had on the missing pants, but We
could not make Sim believe but what
it was done on purpose. I disrobed
there in the barn and gave him his
pants and when be got right he was
the dryest looking one in the crowd.
It was not long before the sun
shone out again and we were going
to renew our attack on the water
melons. And let me say just here
we were not very particular whose
melons they were we found, they
were the same as if We had a berch
warrant for them ard we took what
we wanted, green or ripe, not that
we wanted to harm any one but tie
violent exercise we had taken in try
ing to get to the barn before the rain,
had digested the contents of our
stcmachs and We were looking for
refreshments.
We did not get very far before we
came to John Deans pasture and saw
some yearling calves in there.
Ole of the boys said be would ride
a yearling if we would catch
it. So we told him to sit down and
rest and we would overtake one of
them some way, and assist him all
We could in having a ride. It was
but a short while till we had a short
bull hemmed in s corner and two of
US grabbed him by the tai, and he
started across tie opening with US,
but we gradually slowed him down
until he came to a stand still, and I
was very glad for when he started
with US we went about ten feet at a
mp.
We all got hold on the bull Some
had him by the horns, but I kept
the tail hold for 1 thought that