The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-05-21
Nose Hipp And His Big Tree Vim
dicated by Dow, Jr.
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I noticed some time ago that 1dler
tried to cast some insinuations on the
yarn Of Nose Hipp's about the "big
tree in his yard" Nose is a great
fellow. but he made one mistake, and
that was concerning the age of this
renowned tree, and if Idler or any
one else knew the memories and ira
ditions that cluster around its NAM
moth trunk and spreading bough, ne
would need not be told,
"Penman spare that tree, touch
not single bough."
What the Charter Oak was to the
Hartfordites, that tree is to Dow, and
generations and generations of settlers
of the Dutch Fork. Nose is only a
boy. and sad wrong, when he says
it is only c. hundred and twelve
years old. That is only as far back
as he can remember. Why, that tree
is one thousand years old, if it IS a
day. It has always been there, and
its immediate ancestor must date
back to the pliocene age, taking on
fork about ten feet from the ground,
each fork rivaling the ordinary "big
trees in size.
DR.. O. B. Mayer, ST., in one of his
Dutch Fork stories, spoke Of it being
there during the Revolutionary war,
and it must have been quite as large
then as now. He says it was in old
HunyuekSetzler' back yard, between
the dwelling and the kitchen. Under
it's massive foliage an old Dutch oven
had been built by old Hunyuck's an
cestors in which was baked loaves of
bread and pies by the dozens at one
baking. Now this Hunyuck was
mighty man and could put "spelfs"
upon persons or things by the waving
of his hands. DR.. Mayer, who was
born and reared only few miles dis
tant, and knew whereof he spoke, says
the British soldiers came by on bak-
ing day and, noticing the beauty OF
Hunyuck's girls all dressed in flaEen
homemade dresses, adorned, too. IN
snow-white homemade linen aprons,
carrying great hampers Of bread from
the oven. to the great dairy hard by,
the soldiers dismounted and craved
piece Of pie. The .Hunyuck girls, I'M
bued with the hospitality that is IN
herited in Duth Fork, granted their
wish and handed each piece OF he
coveted pie. But the troopers, en-
tranced by the ravishing loveliness OF
the girls, reached as if to encircle
their waists, their mouths puckered
for a kiss, when slap! went Hun
yuck's hands, who had been watch
inc from behind the house, and the
"spell'' was on the soldiers. There
they stood, their arms in halt circles,
and mouths all pinched up for kiss,
but unable to move or speak. Hun
yuek's girls intereeded for the un-
fortunates, and their father removed
the spell, as the girls asked, that the
soldiers might finish eating the pie.
Yet some evil-disposed persons were
mean enough to say it was not tine pie,
but the kisses they wanted finished.
heard Maj. C. H. Suber, who was
also from that section, tell of an incl
dent that happened under the shade
of this same old oak, and Of Hun
vuck's wonderful powers. A great
shooting match was to take place
here. the ''Stone Hill'' boys against
the best marksmen in the "Oak
Woods" Hunvuck's friends. The
game was a tie. When H1nwindle
Slice. the crack shot Of the "Stone
Hills" would attempt to pull the trlg-
ger, Hunvuck would was his hand,
and put spell upon the rifle, then
it would wobble all out Of direction.
The "Stone Hill' boys had brought
along Fundilwinder Schwarts, who
could take ok the spell. So it went.
Schwarts would take off the spell, and
Hunyuek would put it straightway
back. just as Hunwindle was about to
shoot. Hunyuck loved New England
rum. so the hill boys took advantage
of Hunyuck failing, and enticed him
around the house to give him drink.
But lust at the instant Hunwindle
was pulling the trigger, old Hunyuck
ran around the corner, put the spell
on, and the bullet sped high above the
tree TOP. away to the left, and killed