The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1908-09-18

the civil war. In tho spring 1862
Dan Harkawny, yosag man lose
father was deacon in fbe alrch,
used to so up Into the belfry do and
sometimes on moonlight nights TO take
look up the turnpike. which was
plainly visible for some miles north
ward, hoping to catch the Arst n ght OF
Yankee troops that were expectec to
occupy that region. Hnfkaway set
great store by this vedetse system IN
vented by himself and pfomisei 10
warn his neighbors In time 10 Set their
houses in order and put theit silver
spoons in the well before the arrival OF
the enemy.
Harkaway was In love with Nancy
Durbin, girl who found it difficult 10
| decide between him and Tom Nolan.
One day Nolan overheard some LEV
groes talking together ABOUT tie proS-
Unity OF the Yankees, some say ne that
they would come within few hours.
Nolan thought to get ahead of LIS rival
ana climbed to the belfry for the pur-
pose of being first TO see the eneny's
approach. Harkaway had placed a
ladder on the highest floor, to DE reach
ed through tfapdoor By climbing
the ladder one could look ont Through
the top openings. Nolan mounted the
ladder, and Harkaway, passing below,
saw him gazing up the pike.
Harkawty determined to punish his
rival for ssf5uraing privilege that he
reserved for himself and thai night
went up to the beifry and creased the
ENDS on which the ladder stood Nolan
Thought over the matter OF the yam
KEGS approach and concluded that sfs
they occupied the city they would IKE.
~ endeavor to surprise 1t in the eaTlg
morning before the people were awake.
Therefore at the first sign of dawn he
entered the tower, intending to watch
till after sunrise. He climbed ne lad
der and looking up the pike, saw the
Yankees coming.
| He was about to descend to give tho
alarm when he felt the ladder sIlpplnp
away from him. Catching the ,y,ndoy
Sill, he clung to it for few n ;ultes
then dropped, hurting himself sc yerely.
The first thing he did after gettlre his
breath back into his body was 40 ey
anime the ends of the ladder ;iudfug
them creased. at the same mon ont ae
| heard some one enter the build G., bn-
low and knew that Harkaway wa con-
| ing.
TN pay the rascal for this, NUT
tered Nolan, and, dragging him sells 10
the trapdoor, he put the prop TO the trap
In position that one coming into the
belfry could scarcely help knocEug it
away. Then he lay down on tIe fjosr
near the wall and waited. Harkapyav
came up and when his head got above
hn fr.nrA IL
Ian lying on the floor Thinking he had
| killed his man, he withdrew hastily.
! knocking away the prom Th. tlan
closed with bang, and Nolan heard
his rival tumbling down the stairs
: = fo't "-rc thct the trnp had t'-ack
/ itarEaway on thu head, and II
n7. E.cj him bis fall donbuex Baa
hnlsaa1 the jol Nolan called e
/ tbc q. cra'g.eG down the stairs
! ci whA, Lc believed 10 be HlgSa
! dead BODY ard rushed frautica!
! Of tlc church. uarzaway Rad
4 kpock-I unconscious and .ahe m
/ came himself and thought
B corps. OK Nolan lying ir ihe belt
acd from TIE place as rapidly
4 stunned condition would ADMIT
The same morning people living slone
the line Of the pike were AVA ned
| from their slumbers by the clati i OK
horses hoofs and swinging saber sol-
| lowed by the tread OF men mar hing
| and the rumble of cannon Almost be-
| fore the citizens could get on Their
clothes the troops had passed, and soon
| the booming of guns could be heard te-
low
"Whars Dan Harkaway?" aske one
| citizen of another. Wonder G he
hain't fell asleep in the belfry"
Tom Nolan, he was a-watchin' that
too" said another.
When the excitement had quselcU
down and the sun shone as peace Gully
over the undulating plantations ir
| had set the evening before, the
missing men not appearing, coIl-ltt-
tee went into the belfry Eindinl ae
ladder down, the ends creased auu
blood Qrom Harkaway's nose) sent
tered over the stairs, they concllde6
| that the two men had been pla WINK
each other foul and doubtless one hal
murdered the other or both had ecC
| killed. But what had become of .hc
I bodies was q mystery.
| Years passed, and neither Harka way
Il
| came into the locality he was SUI ta
be treated to the story of the night be
Yankees came and the two young men
who were watching for them had a.s-
appeared Whether there had bee 4
mutual murder or the Yankees haI
carried them off was a disputed DC
During the eighties camp OF con
federate Veterans was held in the VS.
cinity, and one day n gray bearded vag
stood opposite the church, looking ua
| at the belfry. Another vet came up
| and asked him what he was looking ai
Then two pair of eyes met and tI,ere
was simultaneous:
| ''By gosh"
| "HarkawayP
| Reckon. NolanT
| You bet"
| Il thought you was killed"
And l thought you was killed"
"I went off and anlfSfpd in fhn q.