Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1904-05-07
Letter from j. X.

80 JOef RefNf &pN
ate very much the compliment which
Mr.. Roby paid me. ! do not remember
much about his father. who did not live
neal Brooksyille when l first went there
10 Jan. 1852. My recollection Of people
and events connected with that place.
does not date back further than that
time. ! am glad to know that Mr.. Roby
found pleasure in reading my reminis
censes. | always feel gratified and my
heart il always touched when a friend
tells Inc that he has enjoyed reading my
letters to you. l write them to briag up
memories Of the good old days Of Nox
ubse, when you aud Sandy and were
young and vigorous. and capable Of en-
joying life and u friends to the fullest.
Emmett Cavett tells me that he think,
that be and ! have more OF what is called
sentiment in u natures than most peo.
Pile. When l find a friend who betrays
that tender quality like Sandy does in
his letter, ! always warn up to him as
a congenial spirit. II is said that old
people live in the past. II recalling ten.
der memories is living in the past, | am
sure that | dwell in that realm. for my
heart always turning in that direction.
The lite of an old man would not be
worth the living after he had rounded
off his three score years and ten. il he
could not occupy his idle hours in think
ing OF old friends, early hopes and am
billions and other pleasures that he en-.
joyed in youth time. Looking backward
over ones life and recalling what he has
accomplished. is like looking forward in
youth time. In youth We build beauti-
full castles in the air. In old age we LOOK
back IN contemplation of their stability
or their ruins. Alas how many Of these
castles vanish inio nothingnessl
As memory looks back thro' the mists of
dead years.
And recalls the scenes of my youth,
Fer life had exchanged its fond hopes for
rude fears.
And seemed formed of love and of truth,
My poor old heart wanders adown the dim
past
Der the track which my tired feet pressed.
And faint meath the shadows that sorrows
have cast.
II signs for a haven of rest.
But, Phil, we are not old yet. and
won't be for some time to come. Every
time | think about Roosevelt I get mad
and feel more like Sighting than l did
when Lincoln was elected. Then re
alize that l am not old yet. As our old
friend. George Freeman, used to say,
''the battle Of Chickamauga amt a cir.
cumstance to the fight that fellow'ill
kick up il he don't quit his ~foolishness."
But | am getting away from Sandy
and his letter. II Sandy had read the
first letter / wrote about Brooksyille he
would have seer that, in referring to the
families that lived near there in 1862. I
referred to them collectively, that is as
families. l certainly mentioned the
Pendletons and Fresmans. l could new.
er forget them. l waited on John Hod.
ges when he married DR.. Pendleton's
daughter, Miss Sig. who still lives. I
often recall a joke that Col. Buck Roby
played off on Frank Deloach, who was,
also, one of Johns attendants. Frank
was diminutive in stature bat strong in
pluck. He was clerking tor R by. Cav.
EFT & Buck and had sold me a pair of $40
doe skin pants to wear on that occasion.
When | bought mine he bought q pair
for himself and wrapped them up and
laid them away. Johns attendants
met at the home Of Beverly Stroup and
dressed there. When Frank opened his
package to get his pants he found that
his uncle had substituted an old pair
that measured at least forty inches in
the waist and were about thirty.six
inches long. There was q hole in tho
seat that Frank could have jumped
through. The way he reared and
scotched was a sin to Davy Crockett. l
felt uneasy for his uncle. but We had no
phones in that day and could not advise
him Of Franks wrath. He wanted me
to let him wear my new pants which |
wouldn't do. We finally persuaded
him not to go back to Macon to see
his uncle Buck that night and got him
to wear my old pants. We pinned and
patched them up for him and managed
to get him Modified for the occasion
When he got back to Macon his uncle
had heard Of his discontinue and pru-
IDENTIFY went up to his plantation, where
he remained for several days.
Elisha Kirksey didn't buy Col. Orr's
big hog. I did not know Elisha Kirk.
sey. There wa a fine old gentleman
named l. |. Kirksey, who lived near
Crawfordville. think his name wal
Isaiah. Big Jimmie Jones didn't live
near Brooksville. He lived near Pariris
Grove church and gothis mail at Craw-
fordville. He was a great Baptist and
was the father Of Dr.. Oscar Jones, and
his brothers David and Wyatt. Sandy
is right about the mans name who
bought the big hog, 1t was Joseph in
stead Of John. There was no More
heads nor Weisingers living near
Brooksville. They lived in Lowndes
comfy. Mrs. Weisinger was a dangh-
ter Of Maj, Blewett. of Columbus.
She married a Col. o. F. Bledsol, a
lawyer Of Columbus, who subsequently
went to the delta, where he and she