The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-01-29
1873 YEARS Old, WEBS.

Negro Claiming Many Years Marrie.,
In New YOck to Woman From
Ora,. tburg.
A New York dispatch to tho Wash.
itston Herald says:
City Clerk Seully got the tigyrst
surprise he has had since he went into
the marriage license business, when
an aged negro. dressed in clerical
garb, walked up to his desk this after
noon with young negro woman
clngine to his arm. and said he want.
al to get liccrse just as soon us pos
siblc, tet a,,sc he was in a hurry tt. be
married.
Clerl. Scully took 70 interest when
The old rarsou gave his name as vii.
liam EroOks Mason and said he WIS
clergyman. Lut hen on being asked
his age, he said. I'm 1913 years old,
ard can show YOU my Bible al home
tc prove It," the city clerk dropped
his pen in astonishment.
This Is serious thing" the clark
toid. you know you are un,ler oath.
Srcther Mason On, IND if you dort tell
ne the truth atcut your age, I may
refuse to give you licanse."
'Say, brother" replied ths clergy
man., "how do you all suppose ! could
iave 'be'a Ge"rgr Washingt ms horse
ct Yorktown IL amt as Oil as I say
Ism?"
The crowd tf waiting applicants
texan to grow So large at this stag
| that Clerk Scully filed out the licens.,
ana let IL 60 at that. The woman
| gave her name as Ella Hines Of G3
Wes1 1880 street, an 4 said she was 2S
years old. Then TIE couple hunted IN
Alderman James J. Smith ana were
married in shCIt urdor.
New: CT the aged minister's we'd
cling .yo' to the hLuse Of her broth ~
Daniel Hines. With whom the bride
has been stopping Tor few weeks, be-
| lt're the bride and groom cid, and
k1rs. Hines, who WIS running the
i"unt Cavalry Uhion Baptist Mission
n. the front part nf the Sc cond f,or,
! didht el'rcar R,ratly rlcased
"Sc she said h,r name was Hines.
n'd she?" Mrs. Hines said. Well
she's Pot no right to us, tho. nam,
She's already married, she is, and
hes got hust and ami two sisters
down in Oransenurg, S. c. I've hee,.
afraid she vas trying to get that old
gsntle man. and I've been, trying t.
tell him al about her. but I didn't get
q chance TO correct him. Iay husband
was going u tell him, to-. but he's
Lind Of slow ana didn't think 1t was
ccmirs SO soon.
"L"id hi' IS you. dol,'t know
whether El Ter Mason is 1873 Years Did
hut he says he is W. didn't know
hin. until twu weeks ago"
| When Brother Hines arrived hom.
| trcm work late In the afternoon, re
expressed himself in no uncertain
tcI ms about the si;trriage "Ycu Just
wait urtil i see Elder Mason," said
Brother Hines
| Hes q religious man, and I know
now 10 tax to him about marrying
my sister when she's already ct
husband ahd family I'll just get
right behind him and I'll burn min
UP with my wor:ls"
| The old preacher who looks like
we'll precerved man Of about sc, sa:l
that his mother married an Indian in
Cuba, and that when he was Young he
went to Virginia with his father. whr
was a sailor He happened IL be in
yorktown when Gen Washington was
there, and that's how it came abour
that he held Washington's horse
While he talked tc Corvallis.
| Elder Mason said h. was in tn. ten
years war In Cuba. and was a sailor
On the Punbcat Lancaster .,uring the
civil war. lie had an eve sho. out on
the Lancaster, but he can see with
MS other eye without the use OF spcc-
tar!cs. lie said that his flther IVES
AZ years old when he died. his
grandma thcr lA3 years old and nj (;
nc thei 13S. He smokes, but he sai.!
that the reason he is so husky ut 13S
II that he never takes anything with
sugar In 1t, and i,,cs lccorliup to rho
Bible.
| 1t /" also said that the aged cler
gvnian used 10 % policeman I'm
Washington.