The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-08-24

'Aio 0iChiS having SoHe OH ana ne
added that as 1t was Sunday his wife
had prepared some fowls and other
delicacies for their dinner, If they
would send for them. A darkey was
mounted on a mule and dispatched
accordingly. 1t was a beautiful. mild
and sunshiny day, after almost a
week Of rain. One of the eldest Of
the party, an elder in the church,
thought that they should observe the
holy day properly, and therefore ad-
dressed his friends somewhat as fol-
lows: Gentlemen, on this bright Sab
bath morning I think we owe it to
Him who has delivered us out Of the
hands of our enemies to return
thanks for His mercies. Do you agree
with me?"
One answered YES" another was
about to propose the same thing, So
he said, and another assented indif-
ferently. The old soldier, when ap~
pealed to- said he was not at all sure
that the danger was really over; that
unless the main body Of the army
had taken another road, he believed
they were yet to pass that point, but
that he had no sort of objection to a
religious service in any event. The
elder glared and shook his finger at
him. to which he only replied: "Well,
I'm afraid you are a little too pre-
vious that's ALL"
The elder got out his Bible and
hymn book and proceeded to find ap-
porpriate selections from each for
the occasion. He had just done this
to his satisfaction and was about to
line out the hymn when they heard
the thud Of roofs coming rapidly in
their direction. In a minute or so the
darkey who had been sent for the
food appeared. coming as fast as his
mule could go, his eyes bursting out
Of their sockets, the mule in a lath-
er. AS he came within earshot he
shouted to them to run, that the
whole Yankee army was behind him!
Down went the Bible and hymn book,
and the late religious assembly speed
lily dissolved itself in every direction
tho sole survivor being the old
soldier, whose sinister remarks had
been so severly rebuked. He laid down
upon the frightened negro. raped
him over the head with his crutch
and ordered him to hitch his horse
to the buggy and help him into it.
This done, the negro also took to
the adjacent swamp, while the vet
eran drove himself up to the friends
house who had been keeping them
posted" The yard was full of Sher-
mans soldiers, who helped him out of
thee buggy and into the house, but
took his horse. Here he remained
for several days, during which the
mighty host marched by, leaving a
rear guard to bring up stragglers
These were still at the house when,
looking down the road, they espied
soldier in blue coming along with
another man in tow, evidently a pris-
oner. He had on his head an ancient
beaver with the crown smashed in,
on his body an army overcoat with
half of one Of the tails burned off,
and his trousers stuffed in high boots
about four sizes too large for him. A
stubby beard Of a weeks growth ad-
orned his face, and altogether he
was one Of the most villanous look
ing creatures imaginable. Our old
soldier had great difficulty in recog-
uizing in this object the respected
elder who proposed a prayer meeting
on that bright Sabbath morning, but
he finally made him out. The extra
ordinary costume and the terribly de-
jected expression of his face were too
much for the veterans rislbles. The
old gentleman was finally released
and allowed to return home.
IlC tdHlutI ptoplc Stll IldHy Ol
their belongings away when the raid
ers were coming. but unfortunately
they were carried in the same direct
ion that the army took, and hence
many valuabes were lost. My very
slender wardrobe shared the general
fate, and when l got back after the
raid / was compelled to go to bed
and stay there while my clothing went
to he washed. ] recall the fact that
from and after that date until the
spring vegetables began to come in
our principal means of subsistence
were pumpkins, cooked without salt
or bacon, varied by sweet potatoes
and corn bread, also saltless. Thus
the weeks wore on until near the end
Of March, when 1 received a letter