The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1912-05-31
An Essay ON My Life Of a

Jonesville, s. c., MAY
On the oath day of May, 1885,
l was born on q farm among
and the pines.
1t was near to Browns Cree
side of hill,
Five miles out from Union,
grandfather's mill.
My father was hoeing cottcnE on
his farm, sss
And when the news reached he
came like storm.
His heart was filled with both ety
and joy,
boy.
was putting up a good cry in big
rage,
When my father remarked, ellis lungs
are strong for one of his age.
My father looked at me good, he
looked at me straight
And remarked: "By George, he's the
ugliest boy in the State.
Children were fed different then to
what they are at this time;
There was no matted child,s food,
condensed milk or phosphate Of
llHcI -i..itlf't
They were fed upon pure milk from
Which was cheap, pure and simple
and decidedly the best.
In those days there were no baby car
riages, go-carts or baby walkers,
So had to content myself lying on
| "a pallet on the floor.
had no nurse, sugar teats, rubber
| nipples or rattling drums,
So / had to pass the time on my pal
let sucking my two little thumbs.
My fathers opinion of me soon
| changed into joy,
For l soon developed into q pretty
| sweet little boy;
My eyes they were blue, my features
were fair,
My skin pure white, and so was my
| hair.
At about eight was quite cute lit
tie fellow,
And started to school with the old
| blue backed speller.
A little later on l grew some bigger,
1 took reading and writing and "fig-
| gers"
My opportunities were limited fbr ed
ucation and knowledge,
For until l was grown 1 never saw
high school or college.
I had to work on the farm with my
strength and my might,
Every day. from Monday morning till
Saturday night.
When l was about 21 there was talk
of war, but it was said
By some of our big men, they would
drink all the blood that was shed.
So the talk and the threats all went
on unheeded, ~
And when Abe Lincoln was elected,
| our State seeded.
l saw that war was sure and i vol
| unteered and got me 10 q Y
And l left for Hort SumteI n&$he
Il 18th of April. 1891. ~.
The talk had matured, andJ 81 1as
| really no joke, 49,
For was soon in the battle with the
shells and the smoke. M
The war then continued for four long
years,
Full of death and suffering, sorrow
and tears,
And finally it ended and I was still
alive tt
At Appomattox on the 9th of April,
1865.
The war over, surrendered my car
fridge box and gun,
And returned to my home I left on
the 18th of April, 1861.
Soon our State was filled with North
| erncarpet-baggers,
Who organized the late free negroes
and white scallawaggers
Into union leagues with army mus
kets, who regarded not our feel
ings,
And for years they had a feast of
plunder and good stealing.
Our homes were molested, our laws
were dissipated,
Our women were insulted land our
property confiscated. ak
These conditions put our country in
a terrible fix, %
Which continued until redeemed by
the Red Shirts and Wade Hamp-
ton in 1876.
For five years after the war lived q
| single life,
Then I went over to Georgia and mar
| ried wife.
My wife has been faithful, both low
| ing and true,
AS all good women should certainly
| do.
Since our marriage we've had losses
| misfortunes and bodily ills, VIZ
Such as fire and flood and bankrupt
cotton mills;
But I have survived them, and still
live till this day q,
To celebrate my 73rd birthday on this
Oath day of May. ~