The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-02-05

having mud and water on all sides,
which will stop all farm work fol
several days as the land Is too wet to
plough. and there IL but little plough
Ing IL being done hereabouts as vet
which means that wo will be late
setting ready 10 plant this season.
Mr.. Joe II. Ardis' baby. Lottie Mae.
died last Monday night. the 27th ult..
aged threo months. Mrs. Ards
health IL still very bad. I-hcar of no
other sick ones to report.
Gus and Dud Weeks visited at Mr..
Joe NJ. Ardis' last night.
have sen q piece from the
Chester Reporter where the present
legislature should have ample time at
this session to consider the question
OF erecting home for old Confeder-
ate soldiers. A. am one Of the poor
old fellows that wore sthe gray I want
to ask q few questions: What II
wanted with home for us. Is it
thought we are faring too well with
those who love us and whom w love,
that they want to tear US away from
what little we have left Us and carry
~ of somewhere to die away by our.
selves. with no one but strangers to
close our poor, old eyes asd heap the
clods on our poor old frames. Say
before the state of South Carolina
treats me that way I hope that they
Will do by me as sportsmcn used to
do by their old broken down dogs,
take me out into the woods and shoot
me. cannot believe that any one
with drop Of the milk Of human kind
ness In their hearts would want tn
build a home for we poor old 'rebs."
And I know that II Is not an old SOL
der who spent three or four years on
'he tented leld that Is urging the
home TO be built Just let US alone,
please, few years more. and We will
all have homc-just six feet Of
earth-and remember that Il IL only
six feet OF earth that will make us all
OF one sise--the old reb. and the one
that wants TO shut him on from tho
ties Of relatives and friends and the
graves Of our dead. Think we'll, gen
tlemen OF tho general assembly. be.
fore you act ON this old soldiers'1
home question. cannot believe
that our delegation would vote for
the home.
Old man Pink Weeks has his mill
in good running order again and is
lurnins out finc quality of meal and
srit
/ ,(Our Dark Corner correspondent is
nnduly exercised over the proposai t.
establish a home for Confederate vet
Grams. The home. should 1t be built
win he q home TOR old soldiers who
have no homes vt their own and NO
tindred or friends who are able and
willing 10 care for them. 1t would
he a. .haven of refuge and rest where
the INDECENT and helpless old soldiers
might pass thir decliring years In
peace and comfort. IT will b. open
to those who desire 'toS slvail them
selves Of the States bounty and f.s-
tefing care and only those who apply
Of their own free will will BE- admit
ted. II Will not he, as. our corres-
rcndent seems to apprehend. q pris-
cn to which all old soldiers will he
consigned by force of arms. No one
viii be- hounded down by the min
ions Of the law or torn away from
his kindred, friends or the graves OF
his loved ones to he committed 90 .he
nome. 1t would be a charitable and
beneficent, not a penal Institution
Our correspondents alarm and indig-
nation is needless and uncaiied for.
due. evidently. to misapprehension
Of the purposes OF the proposed sol
eiers' honey