The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-09-24
So:Omon or The Red jacket.
{, rltinuel from Page Onc.)

Solomon. In the family circle he was
in"ariably known as Bud. He was a
Great pot-bellied. hat-headed. bow
1eG-ed sort OF club. and known
III pugAoul jhe length and breadth Of
JA- land as i@ht-witted. or fool
ISL ami inotfenSive and given to
quiet and solitude He was not an
Idiot By ANY means, but as one apart
jFcm all mankind. giving no heed OF
~houen; 10 his surroundings. obeying
20 law, but the dictates Of his own
free will.
lie invariably wore the childish
I!lA Of one whose mind has been dis
<u2 bed by the inScrutabIe working Of
nature, but Tena always Said Bud
was good enough till YOU reused him
up, then he would clean up the kitch-
en- and the Old Boy himself could do
1:c1hing with him. So Bud had been
given free hand from his childhood
up.
So under all these conditions, we
might be safe in saying, this was a
peaceful and contented household.
BU. 1t is Of Bud that I wish more par
similarly to speak There We're no writ
ten chronicles Of the times kept, but
all these events of which [ write,
came down orally by tradition, and if
there be any now living, &ho were ia,
miliar with the house of Fundel-
winder. who think I err. in my state
ment, they must mark it down to the
lapse Of time, not to intentional or
wilful discrepancies.
While Bud loved solitude and lone
Illness, he had a friend who was ever
faithful, and followed like shadow
Watch. his idolized dog.
Watch was Of no known or partic-
ular breed, but was composite,
mixture of every race or genus dog.
Bud was wont to take long rambles,
followed by Watch, with that slavish-
ness known only in the dog, but he
would always turn up at nightfall. No
llneaSiness ever seemed to be felt for
his welfare on these rambles, and his
homecoming could always be known
BY the savage crack Of his long whip,
with which he was ever fortified. and
by the JOYOUS yelpS Of the delighted !
Watch.
III the spring Bud made whistles
>,uG Of The Young branches Of the pop
lar Nand hickory. and the Shrill noise
he emitted Was nerve-rackino. In his
wanleringS around Little Mountain. !
~ about Dennis Sultan 5 still house,
~ up and down Crooked Branch.
Watch would sometimes tell, by his
savage haying. that he had treed q
>errapin. This never failed 70 delight
Bud. and he would squat upon his
:.GauucheS and urge Watch to "Sick
9em.'' It was glorious fun for Bud
70 see Watch dar;i3- in and out. as
the crustacean thrust back and, forth
S4S head. And should the telrapin
close himself up for good. II woNld
send Solomon into spasms Of delight
70 see the outwitted dog bite and
scratch to ma Ike it move.
So the Funde.winders moved peace
ably along the even tenor Of their
WAY during the first stages OF the
Wal. with no thought ever bestowed
alpon the possibility Of -Solomon's be-
inc called into service. He had pass
ed two conscriptionS unscathed, al
ways being "zempted' without ques-
ton. Tena always said Bud Was as
likely to shoot f"itld as foe. when
he cot into one Of his "tantrums. "
But toward the last. when the army
kept dwindlng. and other peoples
sons being killed, and, Lee "had
robbed the cradle and the grave. "
vet still: kept calling, then some ma
licious persons, no doubt, began say
inc Solomon had sense enough and
should 90 to the army. He could stop
a bullet. perhaps, from some better
man. they would say, and he should
.nor be allowed to fool about, when
every man that could. carry a rifle
should be at the 'front.'" Uric Slice,
a one-legged discharged soldier, was
III the forefront Of such banterlng,
and vowed he was going to report
Solomon to the enrolling authorities
in Columbia. This put Tena upon her
mettle. and she flew into towering
rage. She had her own notions and
ideas Of Ulric's venom against Bud.
1t was all to spite her. Oh. 1t was a
,>an, re 1ono ctan1ino Clrlc. IN