Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1902-02-05
FROM TEXAS 10 SOUTH CAROLINA.
Mr.. J. N. Hall Visits his Old Home IN oconee
County Alter Absence Of Fourteen Years.

Gour,er' tew days before Christmas /
decided to make a trip to South Carolina
and early on the morning of December
22d, In company with colored boy. i
found myself transferring NV BAGGAGE
to the Great Northern and International
Railway at Jewett, where 1 was to pro-
cure round-trip ticket to Seneca. S. @.
was informed by the agent, however.
that no ticket had been received for me.
aud had to get an exchange on .Pales-
tine,- Texas, whore made the necessary
arrangements for through passage to the
old Palmetto State, and was soon speed.
ing on my way to my old home. just as
the sun was setting, on the evening of
december 23d, our train crept slowly
across the great iron bridge spanning the
Mississippi river at Memphis. Tenn.
Arriving at Bridge Junction we were
soon transferred by omnibus to the union
depot and boarded the Great Southern
train for Chattanooga at O'Clock, arriy-
ing in Atlanta just in time to catch the
"Air Line" train for Seneca.
When 1 got off at Seneca I began to
look around to see if there was anyone
knew. soon saw some one 1 thought
L recognized, extended my hand and
said, Hello, Ike Fincannon, how are
your" He shook my hand, looked puz-
zlod and asked, "Who is this2n I told
him, and he remarked that he and others
had been talking about me few days
before.
visited my brother-in-law, e. #.
Miller, and family; my sister, Eliza
Hall, and family, and my cousins, Mary
Biggerstaff and Martha Hall, and their
families. 1t was pleasant, yet sad,
meeting for us, as recognition was diff
cult 1 found great changes in and around
Seneca--great improvements in the way
of cotton mills, etc.; in my old neigh
borhood great and sad changes. Very
few people who were living there when
did are there now. Some have passed
on into the great beyond, others have
moved away, and strangers have filed
their places; young people, some of whom
L knew as little children, and others who
then were not" have grown up to man
hood and womanhood--stran to me.
AS stood on the play ground at old
Bounty Land Academy, where received
all the education have, under the tutor
ship of Rev. II. III. Penney and that re-
nowned scholar, w. Il. Cleveland, feel
ing OF sadness came over me when I
thought of the by-gone days of boyhood
L lookedfor tho two magnificent old oaks
or a1
of the old school house, but Nature or
the hand of man has removed them.
Many were the pleasant days / have
spent under the shade of these trees.
but they, with those youthful pleasures,
have passed away.
at Walhalla found but one man whom
1 knew when l lived in Oconee who is
still III business on Main street below the
old Biemam Hotel-Mr. John d. Werner.
All the others are young men, grown up
since left. The improvements in Wal
halla are very marked. remember tho
town as composed of small frame store
rooms and residences, practically all on
| Main street. The handsome brick busi-
ness houses, the Walhalla Cotton Mills
and many residences on Faculty Hill and
other portions of the town make the
place so different from what it was years
ago that scarcely recognized it as old
Walhalla.
visited a number of relatives in West
minister. On arriving there met MI. r.
N Hall, who is business; also DR.. Cliff
| ton Walker, who has q good practice in
and around the town. l heartily enjoyed
my stay with them and other relatives in
Westminster. There has been much i'm
provoment in this town also in The last
few years. l went from Westminster tc
Mr.. Osborne Walkers and Mr.. Francis
Hughs's, on Tugaloo river, where was
handsomely entertained with music by
Ora and Ada Walker, Ora playing on the
violin and Ada OH the guitar, to our
great delight.
The time had come for us to say good
bye, as had an appointment to meet an
only brother at Toccoa, Ca, who was to
take me to his home at Red Tree, Frank
lin county, Georgia, where 1 spent few
days pleasantly. But the time all too
soon when | must start back to my home
in Texas. Our train came very near being
wrecked short distance from Atlanta.
The engine was almost completely de-
molished, but no one was hurt. We were
detained two hours until we could send
to Atlanta for another engine.
Now am home once more with loved
ones, mingling with the cares and pleas
ures of life. feel that after an absence
OF fourteen years my trip to South Caro-
| lima has been one long to be remembered
as reunion of relatives and friends,
revival of scenes and associations.
For the dear old Courier wish happy
and prosperous year. The Couriepholds
q warm place in my heart and memory
1t was a welcome weekly visitor to my
fathers home as early as can remem-
Der, when Col. Robt. A. Thompson was
| editor at Old Pickens Court House.
Since my return home | find the air
full of railrood news to the effect that
we are to have railroad. Then we will
have good and prosperous country. as
| this is truck raising and fruit growing
| section. We have been needing railroad
facilities badly for long time. hope
some Of our South Carolina friends will
come out and take part with us. We are
not very far from the famous Texas oil
region. John NJ Hail.