The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1908-10-16
AN AGE OF
"REMINISCENCES
Captain Hsndry Writes Very Inter
estinGly.
LABELLE, FLA, Oct. 5, 1908.

IL AAAe ONihoNAat
My Dear Strive seem to be living
in IN age which delights in reminiscent
eeas have just read in your columns
the letter of Rev. Joshua Knowles, Civ
ing a graphic description Of early Meth
odism away back in 1886, when I was
three years old. To read such letters
Is a feast to all old timers, and should
be to the present generation, can't
90 back to 1886, but that letter re-
freshes my mind, and draws me into a
reminiscent mood, and recalls a period
q few ears later, when was twelve
year.old boy. At that time my father.
James Edward Hendry,. lived eighteen
miles north of Townsville, Ga, on the
Townsville and Albany road, which
was a great thorOughfare in that day.
It was along this road great droves of
mules were driven from Tennessee and
Kentucky down to the plantations Of
Florida and sold to the large cotton
planters of the Tallahassee region.
Newport and St. Marks. as ] remember
now. we're the shipping points for thou
sands and thousands of cotton bales,
raised in that day, and Tallahassee was
then directly on the line of transit over
the common dirt roads carried on wag-
ons drawn by six-mule teams. 1t was
in that day many small farmers would
take their products Of their farms from
Thomas county, Ca, to Tallahassee
and sell them TO the dealers and pur-
chase their salt, coffee, -four, tobacco
and sometimes their whiskey. Return
ing home after a weeks journey with
supplies to last them many long months,
and as happy and cheerful as the farmer
Of the present day drives to the rail
road depot, only a few short miles
away. IL was on an occasion of this
kind that ] first saw Tallahassee. l be-
heve Il was in 1874 or lS45. It seemed
70 me that Tallahassee was great city,
If / remember correctly Mr.. Perkins
was one Of the biggest merchants there,
/ dlBVe horse cart, and my father
rode along on horseback. Other farm
ere were along, composing a lively,
Jolly crowd, camping at night at conve-
Tnieat watering places. II was a cold
period, and we had rOusing camp fires
after the old fashion. Those who never
enj6yed a luxury OF this nature miss 80
camping by the water brooks, with large
fires made from oak and pine, with lux
uFies cooked at home by mothers and
sisters, making your own camp coffee
strong, not the poor stuff usually served
at fashionable hotels and boarding
houses. drove into the city OF ITALIA
hassee early in the morning when the
frost was on the ground, not a freeze,
but cold enough to frost and cause to
button up closely in faded old home
made brown Jeans. 1t was then saw
the first mullet fish, fresh from St.
Marks, caught the night before. /
don't believe that the old St. Marks
railroad was in operation then, and /
believe that these fish vendors hauled
them all the way from the seashorc,
travelling all night TO reach the Talla-
hassee market. | can recall but little
of Tallahassee as it was then. | have
seen q good deal of it since, but ! am
impressed that these days we're the hap
piest days Tallahassee ever enjoyed
They seemed at that day to be pros
porous, happy people, All along the
f0ad leading from ThOmasVille TO Talla-
hassee were immense cotton plantations
Lands, rich and fertile, having been but
recently converted from their virgin
state into great and magnificent fertile
feds. have heard that after this pc
riod Tallahassee was consumed by fire,
and that most of the big stores went up
in smoke. / remember thenOf hearing
that Mr.. Perking. above mentioned,
said after the fire that he would build
on the ashes of his store and make a
fortune still, and heard he did. Little
did the happy people of Tallahassee and
old Leon county dream of the store of
trouble and vicissitude awaiting for
hem. Little did these great big
hearted wealthy citizens of that day,
With their hundreds Of slaves and broad
fields, dream that day in the near fu-
ture would come when these slaves
would be set free before their eyes and
seize the reins Of government, and that
their magnificent mansions and broad
fields would be a burden upon their
bands. Little did they dream that
many Of their very bright and most in
telllRent youths would sacrifice their
lives IN the defense Of their cOnstitu
tional rights, and it is well they did
rot.
Ny next visit TO Tallahassee was I'M
der very changed conditions. IL was
when the government Of the United
States directed that the people of Flor
Ida meet in convention and repeal the
Of secession, and create q
new constitution 10 conform TO the will
and wishes Of our victOrs. IL was then
lhe spirit, pride and mahOod Of the pa
iriotic people Of Tallahassee and Leon |