The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1911-06-15

In my last letter to my friends and
readers of your good paper said
that | would write about some of the
old men of Sumter, Clarendon and
Williamsburg-all who have had
their day and passed to the great un-
known, where We must soon follow
them.
Our life's a clock,
And every gasp of breath
Breathes forth a warning grief,
Till time shall strike our death -
| want to mention the names of
several old men of Sumter, Claren-
don and Williamsburg counties. their
sayings and doings; no doubt it will
interest as we'll as amuse their de-
scendants to read some words spoken
by them. Some of those old men
| met but few times, others was
with often; all who knew me were
warm friends, especially when was
a rowing boy, having no home or
relatives on this side of the Atlantic
ocean. After grew up to be
man their friendship did not grow
cold; over so years have passed and
their children's children honor and
respect me the same. 1t is an un-
bounded satisfaction to have lived
as long as have and to 60 back and
visit all those hospitable homes and
be received so kindly by the sons
and daughters of many of those who
have passed away. l have rambled
from house to house, a regular
grand roiuds," and all were glad
to see Conrad" l had banjo
and would play and sing funny
songs. The old folks would have
the children to dance and shuttle
with all kinds of fun. Those were
happy times then; people were TAX
ing things easy; no one in hurry
or thinking of trying to get rich.
This generation doesn't know any
thing about those good old days.
Yes, l was a rambler; old Capt
Pat Gibbons would say when he
would hear of me sailing some long
distance: well, Conrad is on the
wing again" Capt Pat thought a
good deal of me. | travelled in
company with him, Capt VIM E
Plowden, DR. Sam Witherspoon and
Mr. Omsby Blanding to Arkansas in
1858. Mr. Blanding was Mex
lean war veteran, and so was his
brother, ] D Blanding, who was
colonel of my regiment in the Civil
war. A common saying with Mr.
Omsby Blanding when told some
thing that he thought was only a
joke was: "Oh, go way. Conscience"
if it was l who was trying to have
some fun at his expense. Con-
science" was name given me by Mr.
David Epps, father of Mr. D j Epps
of Kingstree. Capt VIM E Plow-
den called me Conscience always; he
was a close friend to me. He lived
near and was a member of the Brick
church in Sumter county. If ever
man loved man Capt Plowden loved
me. He felt all right when he had
me with him. | was a great walker
and when | was about to bid him
good bye he would hold me until
Hardy, his coachman, could harness
horse and buggy. saying, Wait,
| will take you in the buggy, so |
can be with you as long as possible. !"
Reader, wasn't that friendship true?
Mind you, a poor boy in coarse clothes
and he a rich man. He was fond of
hunting and fishing, being a fine
marksman with the rifle. We would
go into the pine woods hunting for
squirrel, which was fine sport in
those times. and he had keen eye
and often before the dog-which
was a good one-could find the tree
Capt" would say: Il see him, Con-
science" All, those balmy days,
They come and slide and pass
Before my pen can tell thee what.
IL u ~..oo 1,l,o