The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-05-15
HEARD FROM AGAIN.
"Uncle Jack" Writes About the
Good Old Days of the Past"

Allow me to thank you for copy
ing my little tilt with the Branch
vile Journal, and excuse me for
supposing it would be wise journal
ism to do likewise in my write up
of Brancnville, but l confess | did
not think of it until I had mailed
the only copy l had to the Journal,
except few pages of my INST
scrall. So ! hosten to write you a
copy as near rs [ can and beg that
you will publish it at your own
leisure. I we'll know that | cannot
copy word for word, but will try and
present the same subject matter.
AS your readers will remember |
promised to write my recollectionS
of Branchville and country in the
latter part of the fifties and early
part of the sixties.
I am fully aware of the size Of my
job and the risk Of bringing down
wrath upon my head, as l am going
to call spade spade.
NV sainted mother having been
born near Branchville, I had many
relatives in that section, and conse-
uuently, often went there on visit,
Just about the time I thought ! had
to shave my face to make it clean,
and often came very nearly getting
one somewhere else when | returned
home. Young men of those days did
not have horses and buggies, but
thought themselves we'll equipped
for matrimonial sease if they had a
lorse and saddle, and it did give
them much advantage over the bug
ev when they wished to steal march
on their pater. I haven't got my
first time to start off on Sunday in
one direction and file left through
the woods as soon as I thought pa
eyes off me to see if I could break
his command not to canter that
work horse, and often my compass
was set for Branchville, as an eX-
cuse to see my aunts- I will leave it
; to Sam or Daniel Byrd to say wheth-
er I went to see any one else or not.
oh, where are those many dear
| friends, male and female, of that
day? Most of them have crossed
over the river, and I trust are under
| the shade of the trees. Why, when
remember how few are living it
makes me feel as if I was old, and
suspected of having no hair on the
top of my head. I recall with pleas
ure many names of my associates Of
that good old time, Byrds, Berrys,
Dukes, Faireys. Rhoads. McAlhanys,
Cooners, Gressets. Griffiths, Whet-
stones, Punches, Edwards, Bruces,
Smoak and may others, with whom
I have had so much pleasure. Ask
Irwin Dukes or Dan Fairey to tell
the rest.
A more kind and hospitable peo-
pie I have never met, and as truth
! must out, I will say that I never met
an ueiier people as a whole. or
course there are exceptions to that
rule. and the recollections Of some
of those big. buXom, red cheek girls
peeping, smiling and blushing from
under those old flats Of straw are
very hard to forget, also that big
hoop on it that kept fellow at
respectable distance. unaided by
those sanity mothers who always
kept the best eye on those pure
daughters. to save them from the
many pitfalls so as to fit them for
the wives of worthy Christian gen.
tlemen. (Oh, for an army of such
custodans for the young of today
And woe to the young man if he had
dared be as familiar as the dudes
of the present day. But, oh my,
those people did love their church
and God. have seen young ladies
ride horseback five or ten miles, also
have seen the old time schooner two
horse wagon, driven by the father
or oldest son astride of the left horse
guiding the slooD containing the
whole family and big basket Of
eatables, while from another direc-
ton would come husband and wife,
each with a baby in their arms, COM
ing to the old pole houses to praise
God (and they did it. too) as never
can or want to forget. The old time
singing led by old Brother Grimes
or Berry, Oh. my. it Just laid the
present pipe organ and choir in the
shade for hair raising and soul STIR
ring. God bless those old people
and their ways if they are laughed
at now as out Of date.
But one Of the most pleasant and
hallowed places of that country IS
old Cattle Creek camp ground where
every tent was occupied by the gooi
old people from Orangeburg to st.
George, who had been preparing
feast for man and heart. and rarely
ever failed for the last six months to
give a man an opportunity to be
saved. And perhaps thousands, with
the writer. first obtained salvation
around that old cypress railing altar,
upon that carpet OF clean "heat
| straw.
Under the soul stirring gospel
from the lips of such Cody men as
Old Bros. Banks. Morgan, Christburg,
Seal, Shuford. Simmons. Williams
Rovd, Walker and others. who preach
ed gospel truths, no matter VINO