The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-06-08

posed to hold it in trust until the real
| owner could be proven.
1t finally leaked out that Tillis him
self dropped the money there pur-
the price, Of the new commissioners.
When the day was long and hot
and business was dull, Tillis used to
play marbles in front Of the little
store on the corner.
And he was hard to beat He has al
ways been hard to beat" at most any
game. 1t is said that he is a baseball
enthusiast now.
o'NeaI WeII-Known Name.
The name of O'Neal has always
stood for the highest characteristics in
citizenship in Covington county.
C. A. O'Neal, who has been asso-
ciated in business with Richard Tillis
something like thirty years, is one OF
Covington county's wealthiest citi-
zens.
He has a magnificent home In Anda-
1usia, and is regarded as one of the
towns very best citizens.
He has always been kind and con-
siderate to poor people and ready to
assist worthy efforts to success.
He has always stood for the moral,
educational and commercial advance
ment of the town and county and no
man has been more richly rewarded by
the rapid and permanent progress
there.
w. c. O'Neal, who died in Pensa-
cola a few years ago, and who at the
one of the strong banking institutions
of that city began business life in An
dalusia a boy clerk in the mercantile
establishment Of Tillis &c &C. Al
O'NeaI.
VIII was a poor boy, but proud as
a peacock and brave as lion.
Bravery always gained the conf
dence and respect of Covington county
people, while cowardice in their esti-
nation was the lowest type of citi-
zenship.
When things would get too u1fto+
town. I'VE boys" used to have various
ways Of getting up excitement. On
this special occasion I'VE boys" had
plotted to have a little fun on Sunday
night after services at the Baptist
church.
A lot Of goods boxes and old bar
reIs and other rubbish were piled to-
gether and made ready for a bon fire.
We were chasing a large billie goat
which was to be used in giving the
fire alarm by tieing the goat to the
rope of the church bel after the FIRE
was started. Wills temper was al
ways too easy on trigger; that was his
worst fault, so when we failed for
about the fifteenth time in getting the
goat after we had him hemmed in the
big piles of cotton bales on the cotton
lot of Tillis s. O'NeaI, Will pulled his
gun and shot An investigation proved
that he shot straight at the goat just
as we expected Of him, for the goat
was dead. We hung the goat by the
horns to a Jewelry sign that stuck out
over the sidewalk on the pubic square
and adjourned the meeting.
W. G. O'Neal was a deep-spirited
fellow; kind, brave, honest, truthful
If he was your friend you had a
strong, true, faithful dependence.
If he was your enemy you had a
stron~ fearless almost uncompronis-
ing opposition.
H. B., or Uncle Henry is the senior
of all the Andalusia O'Neals.
He is sincere, positive, has courage
of his convictions, kind to everybody, |
a absolutely honest, peaceful Chris |
tan gentleman. He enjoys good fish !
ing, is on the right side Of ninety |
nine propositions, or issues, out Of |
every hundred.
The boys used to tel the following |
little story on Uncle Henry, who was /
deacon of the Baptist church. and the |
writer's father. Rev. Wiley F. Martin !
who now resides at AndaIusia, pastor.
The two have been neighbors and /
most intimate friends ever since the /
close of the civil war and the story