The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1914-08-27
POOR CONRAD WRITES
FROM MURRELL'S inlet
WITH CONGENIAL FRIENDS EN-.
JOYS HALCYON DAYS--PHIL-
osoPHICAL REFLECTIONS.

my lest friends, eleven IN all, lnclud-
ing myself, and at the beginning of
this letter. will say | have had the
most enjoyable time | ever had.
and the way Iexpect to tell friends
would not have them think this a
grand place, but in certain sense, it
is the most restful and quiet place |
have ever visited. We are away from
the business and bustling parts of
the world. Not one of US has heard
the whistle of the ruthless locomo-
tive since we have been here. All is
quiet and serene, except when the
young folk get up pulling, hauling,
rough-and-tumble play, much to the
amusement of the writer. No day
or night seems too long-the nights
sleep is so refreshing.
We left Kingstree on the Florence
and Orangeburg train August 2 at
6 D. m. for Lanes, changing for
Georgetown, arriving there about II
o. m. in the rain. We put up at the
Tourist Hotel and found the mos
cuitoes bad. Leaving Georgetown
at 6 o'clock next morning on the
good steamer Mitchell" up the
Waccamaw river, we passed the
many once fourishlng rice planta-
tions abandoned now to the mercy
of the constant ebb and flow of the
tides of the ocean covering property.
that would yield millions of dollars
if the labor to cultivate those broad
acres could be secured. Here the
worlds most celebrated Carolina
rice was grown. but, now, alas! the
tall weeds have overgrown the
places. the flooding gates are rotting
away, the mills and rice barns are
dilapidateG and tumbling down and
the mansions of the king rice plant
ers are fallen into decay. Some
still contain the paintings that deco
rated the walls, enormous chande-
liers still hanging from the ceilings,
the doors closed, no life. around, no
merry children playing through the
once flowery beds, green shrubbery
and shelly walks. All is hushed and
a graveyard stiffness hangs like a
great mantle over the surroundings.
To visit the old historic places is sad.
will say more of them in my next.
| will now tell something more
about our trip. The Mitchell, the
boat on which we embarked for the
landing on the Waccamaw river, was
commanded by Capt Thompson. a
solendid officer and gentleman, and
we had the pleasant company during
our trip to the Inlet of a niece of
his, Miss Sarah Hamilton, an estima-
BILE young lady. We had fine
breakfast on the steamer. such as
only steamboat officers know how to
serve for their passengers. We ar
rived at the landing on the Wacca-
nav river, which is 26 miles from
Georgetown, about $50 o'clock. The
passengers of our party were land
ed. The distance between the river
and Murrell's Inlet is about 3 miles.
Automobiles were on hand and took
the ladies and three young men.
| took charge of the baggage on a
wagon to the Inlet, with saw and
hammer in hand, also an open pack
age containing a three-burner oil
stove. the most handy utensil for our
trip. Mrs H O Britton and her no
Bile son, Harry, contrived for US all
with quite load of choice groceries
taken from home. and we lacked for
nothing during our stay.
In our party were Mrs H O Brit
ton, six young ladies as fair as the
sun ever shone on and as good as
shey are fair, and three young men.
dessrs Harry Britton, Thomas Epps
and-Watson, all clever gentlemen.
Tommy Epps was a great addition
70 our party-a noble leader and an
all-round good man. The poor or
phan boy" was there, too, looked at
ter and honored as if ne were a
king never forgotten. and gotta part
of all the good things. whether pres
ant at the time or afterwards.
When we arrived at the landing
on the river we had three lanterns,
which we forgot. and consequently
found ourselves in the dark when
night came on, but Mr. Wilcox's good
wife loaned us two nice lamps, which
we used until we left. She also loan
ed us a set of chairs, a fine rocker,
which was so comfortable for Mrs
Britton, also dining table. We GER
tainly found friends at MurrelPs In
let.
Wednesday, the 5th, all of US went
to the beach. The surf was fine, the
buoa breakers rolling far out on the