The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-04-07
HE HELD THE EEL
Some Anecdotes of the Boyhood and
College Life of
Judge Prince, OF tho Ninth Circuit
What a Citizen Said During
Term OF Court in Barnwell.

, Term OF Court in Barnwell.
And now, May 1t please You
Honor" Well, those of cs who kney
him in his younger days are not sur
prised that 1t is now Judge Prince.
The Judge always had judicial mine
and declared when child that he In
tended to be q lawyer. How he con
ceiyed that idea 30 early in life cam
imagine. He was born eight mile
from Court House, and l have n,
idea he was ever inside Of one befor,
he was seventeen years of age. Bu
a lawyer be Is, and no other man Low,
his profession better than he.
know Judge Prince, I think, al
most az we'll as his wife does. W.
were born within mile OF each othe]
the Judge and l. We played to
gcther from our infancy. We hunted
together, fished together, went swim
ming In the same hole" and had
our backs bllstered more than once.
Together we egjoyed all the sports OF
the very live country boy. With ouI
lubch baskets and the blue back spell.
ler we started to school the same day;
and, on the same day, and ;tom the
same hard, we received our diplomas
on the eame platform.
Since Judge Princes election to the
Judgeshtp l have recalled many
amusing Incidents Of cur boyhood
days. The future Juige had high
] sense OF honor and would fight for the
right, or what he Conceived to be
right, anywhere and at any time.
wonder II he RENE M bers kn ockinp that
Fellow In the face who pulled his pants
against the calf Of his legs after he
had stood before the blazing fire until
the cloth was hot enough to ''burn
bad?' In those days the boys wore
pantaloons, not these abominable
things called kneebritches. And
what great fires we had with the fire
place extending almost across the end
of the house. We warmed our bis
cults and meat by sticking them on
sharpened sticks and holding In front
OF the ire, or over red.hot Goals.
Does Prince remember pulling his
meat out of the ashes when 1T Il pped
of tue stick? Future Judges and
teachers had to have their lunch,
ashes or no ashes. They had been
taught at home that hickory ashes
were good for horses, and the young
Judge argued that they might be
good for twc-legged animals as we'll
l guess they were.
In one OF our fishing escapedes (and
| am not sure but that We ran off
Without pc. mission thai time, as the
stream was swollen) we were seated
on q tree that leaaed over the stream
and not more than four or five f.et
above the water. Catfish were biting
ravenouslY and we were catching them
rapidly. Suddenly som mething carried
the end Of Princes pole underneath
the water and tugged at 1T viclouSly.
The young Judge had no idea of sur.
rendering that pole without protest.
So he threw himself against IL with
as much determination as he has ever
manifested in tine defence OF client.
After brief struggle Luerc appeared
above the water shining, twisting,
struggling eel. That va, our fir.
eel and must be strung sure. So
Prince drew the snake-llke thing 10
him and caught 1t In his hand, *
pecting me to free the hook from J,
mouth and string It,. He had scarce
ly taken hold OF the siipp ry thing
before 1T liberated Itself from the hook
and began to slip lhroLgn his hands.
Ihat meant that In Jwo 5. conds the
great prz, would be back in the
wafer What did the youthful MINI
rod, the future Judge, co? Fiends
and fellow clLizens, ne just nail d that
eel with his tseth, and, with the
thing writhif & and twisting alb Vi
bis head and face, ran I, II that tee
out into the ploughed ground where
he could dispatcn him. Prince said
he didn't mind holding the thing In
his teeth, but he didn't like the taste
1T left IN his mouth. But the vic ory
was won-the eel was ours, and 1
think made a heap lighter the hogg-
ing we got for going to the creek
without permission.
No, Princes college mates are not
surprised that he Is Judge and they
have no fear that the honor and dig.
nifty OF the State Will Suffer at Ills
hands. In college he was q high
toned gentleman who dsspised little
meannesses OF whatever kind and
cherished high ideals. Hi, class.
standing was always frs: class, and
his literary society work was superb.
Indeed, doubt whether Wand has
ever given to the world d stronger or
more persistent debater. With him,
TO discuss any question With his peers
was a delight. Manning Smith used
to say that Prince would discuss with
anybody the question: Which Is the
top side OF battcrcake? and give his
opponent choice OF the sides.
Last year Prince was appointed
special Judge for term OF Court a,
Barnwell. The Judge had two OF
three bumps on his bald head, not
such as would annoy or delight phre
noloSists, but harmless little things
the physicians call 'wens." Witt
some friends the Judge was sitting
one afternoon in the office Of his hotel
An ardent admirer from the country
armed with bottle OF Fuss Y -
walked in and leaned against th,
! clerks desk. When the conversation
luiled the countryman said:
'JedgeW
what is it, my frlend9" Responded
the Ju1ge.
'Jedge, laks you"
Well" said the Judge, with som
embarrassment, 81 thank you 70
your good opinion Of me.
Yes, Jedge, laks you-yes, sir,
laks your ruins; but, Jedge, l wan
to tell you; you air the fus Jcdge
uVcr seed with horns on his head.n
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