Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1905-08-23
BILL SNIPES' SNIFFLES.
The Changes Of life are Great, and Hang
Heavily on Him.

h0usHy VII Hull
Times are not like they used to
be; and even for the last month
there has been a change-from dry
weather then to wet weather now.
We are not speaking practically,
though, of the change of the wealth
er, but of the times. We don't
know whether it's the times that
has made all the change, or wheth-
er the people have just changed
little; but we do know there is q
difference somewhere. Now, some
one may ask, How far back can
you recollect? Why, bless your
soul, we can't 60 back to the days
of Sodom and Gomorrah, when all
the good people we're warned to
flee prior to their destruction;
neither can we 60 back to when
George Washington was elected
President of the United States;
but we are getting up right smart
in years, as the old folks say, and
we know few things. Our folks
were little Dutchy and could not
speak very plain, as some of the
later generations can; and, III fact,
we can't speak very distinctly our
selves, especially some of the high
est words that Webster used but
we used to know how to talk when
we went to see our girl. People
used to get about 20 years old be-
fore the old man would let them
60 with the girls, now they 90 from
seven years up; and if they don't
run away and get married at II,
they are not manly at all. You
see something has changed, either
the times or the people. Golly.
don't a little tod of a fellow look
funny going with girl? Why,
you just ought to have seen us 60
several years ago. I remember one
time l went to see my girl it was
about the first time, and I didn't
know hardly how to act. But l
thought I would do the best I
could, SO I drove up one evening
Il was driving the old grey horse)
to the gate and said "Hellol"
The old man came out to the gate
and said, "Howdy, Bill" I
thought he ought to have said.
"Good evening, Mr.. Bill" but he
didn't. So I got off and went in
the house while he unhitched the
grey, and the girl met me at the
door and said, "Good evening. Mr..
Billy" I thought she ought to
have said, ''Good evening, Mr..
Snipes;" but she didn't. Well, I
goes in and she gave me a seat in
the parlor. like all fashional le
people, and she and 1 talked. Oh,
you just ought to have heard US !
It was late in the evening, and her
daddy soon came to the door and
said "Supper!' So we all went
in and the old man said grace, and
then he said to me, "BilI, please
pull off your hat.' I felt up at
nv head, and, by gum I had for
gotten to pull off my hat since I
got there.
In about 40 minutes supper was
over, and we all went in the room
to play the organ and sing; SO the
girl and I played AMI sang "The
Old Ship of Zion" for about four
hours; then the old man said it
was time to retire.
Pretty soon [ found myself alone,
and I went to bed and slept right
we'll. The first thing I heard next
morning was the old man in my
room kindling a fire. I rose up to
see who was there, and he looked
around at me and said, "Good
morning.; I said, Why, you
don't need to say that; for I stayed
here all night" He said he knew
1 did, but it was fashion to show
manners.
People don't do now like they
used to, so there is change some.
where. BILL SNlPEs.
The city water was cut off last