The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1913-05-14
The Liberty of the Citizen.

early seventies when when it was
crime to "whup a niger" Yankee
constabulary and negro hep men
1.-THE same who had their armory in
Tinpot Alley) being in charge of the
village. Young Sammy having "whup-
ped niger" aud complaint having
been made, he was arrested by two
United States constables and held for
| trial.
In the custody of the two Yankee
constables Sammy was allowed to
canvass the town, seeking bondsmen
put he had been in trouble before
and the staid burghers we're inii:-
ferent to his fate. Sammy WIS n.tI
regarded as a promising lad anyway
AT last Sammy had his captors ,ake
him to the store of old Major we'll,
his name doesn't matter but he was
| well-to-do, Scotch, a pious Presbyte-
rian and his devotion to the Shorter
Catechism was only rivalled by a gan-
timely religious hate for Yankees"
and all their ways.
The old Majors little store was of
type common in those days-a large
front room with room cut off in
the rear, the hogshead Of molasses,
the kerosene barrel and the tall pine
desk Of the bookkeeper occupying
the latter. OF course, the back-room
had side door opening into the street
and window at each side of the wide
open Fireplace.
The constables with Sammy went
to the store and Sammy shame-faced-
ly outlined his trouble to the old
Major
Well said the old man. sadly and
slowly and sternly, Sammy you're
bad boy; you always have been
bad boy and ] guess little while in
Jail mought do you some good; /
hate to see your mas son go to Jail
but | don't think | can help you; if
these gentlemen don't mind, though,
I'd like to talk to you little more
privately and We'll just step here in
the back room and leave the door be-
tween open SO you can't git away"
The constables Willingly consented
and the two retired, the old Majors
broad back and shoulders being just
visible from the front of the store
and cutting off the view of the strip
ling
Nov, Sammy" the old major said
you always have been bad; you're
been adrinkin' Ticker and Ioafin'
around town and aridin around at
night instead of workin' the crop
like decent boy and your ma-you
know your pa was my customer and
my old friend-has talked to me about
you time and again and she said you'd
git into serious trouble some day and
now you've done gone and done it, and
she'll grieve herself to death How
do L know, if was to sign your bond
you wouldn't run away? The young
boys that's CROWN up nowadays are
TOO much for me anyway and much as
hate to see you dragged to Jail, spec
tally by these here Yankees, | can't
afford to sign your bond and I'll just
have to tell your poor old ma that it's
the best thing for you anyhow and
so"
BY this time the constables were
impatient; it seemed that the old
majors lecture would last as long as
the sermons of those days, and they
called to him to come back with Sam
my. I'm a minute" came the re-
sponse, and then the lecture CON
tinued, "As | was sayin' Sammy, when
| those gentlemen interrupted me,
don't see no hope for you in this
world, ner the next neither, unless
you mend your ways and stop drinkin'
mean corn Ticker and cussin' and beat
in niggers-"
BY this time, the forbearance of the
constables was worn out and they
started to teh back room. The old
major turned and met them. "Well'-
said one of where's Sammy"
Sammy -? said the old gentleman
with an urbanity that would have be-
come a Chesterfield, Sammy? Why
bless your heart, gentlemen Sammy
| never stopped a minute-he went
right Oil out that back door and yOn
know he always kept MS horse hitch
ed to tc rack behind Captains Browns
store t'other side the street-over
there. Columbia State