The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-05-20

was probably mistaken, for judging
from my present physical condition l
may be here for some considerable
time yet-provided the wind will cease
blowing from the east which is good
for neither man or beast, as the great
Count Bismark is reputed to have
said; and as for your readers being
tired of my illusions, I am being over
whelmed with requests, both by letter
and in person, to continue my reminis-
censes. .
To such an extent is this the case
that if I were a younger man and the
least bit susceptible to fattery, l
might be in danger of an accute attack
of the "big head"
So, not being able to Withstand the
opportunities of my friends, both old
and, young, male and female, and a.,
mong the number a good many OF the
better class of colored persons, I have
somewhat reluctantly, gotten my con-
sent to contribute something more of
My recolections Of occurrences and
people of the long ago, which, if you
like, you may publish.
Having mentioned heretofore h
fact that years ago there lived in this
town and surrounding community
quite a number of men Of decided
Observation-Disclosures peculiar to them
selves, 1 shall now mention a few old
women of that day and time the likes
Of whom we don't meet with these
days. " .:
Two of tehes lived not a great dis
lance from town both being quite old
when 1 was a small boy, and were
close neighbors; and while they were
of the same surname, I don't think
they were related to each other. p
Their names were, Rachel and
Jeane Robinson, respectively-which
makes it hardly necessary to state
that they were both from the Emerald
Isle. ....
Rachel was fortunate enough to
become the owner of n Of those tall
dignifed looking clocks known as
grandfather clocks" the pendulum
of which swung back and forth in the
most leisurely manner.
This fact was:a veritable thorn of
the flesh" to old aunt Jeane, and she
never rested unit lshe had procured one
of a like kind.
AS soon as Rachel learned that
Jeane was on a par with her so far as
clocks were concerned, she resolved
one day to call on Jeane, ostensibly
to pay a social call, but really to get
9 sight of her; clock, being anxious to
see whether or not it was the equal, of
hers.
1t happened just as she was going
up the steps the clock began striking
in that loud and deliberate manner
peculiar to such clocks; whereupon
Rachel threw up her hands and as
Stunning a most frightened air cried
out my goodness, gracious, Jeane
what in the name Of God is it making
such an. unearthly sound?" Of course
she knew very we'll what it was and
did this merely to mortify old Jeane.
This liked. to have resulted in a Sc
rious rupture between the two old
ladies.
Then there was another old woman,
who lived to be quite old and died
only some twelve or fifteen years ago,
who was distinguished for her many
marked peculiarities. This was aunt
Sallie Richardson. She had a habit Of
~prefacing almost everything she said
with the words, thus now"
A very amusing occurrence took
place on the public square In this
place on the public square in this
place, several. years ago to which she
was a party. For some reason, to most
people inexplicable, a certain firm,
who were thought, to be among the
most prosperous of our merchants,
concluded that they would abandon
the business Of selling goods on a
credit and would henceforth do a
strictly cash business.
Now this old lady had, up to that
time, traded almost exclusively with
that firm but never bought but a. few
dollars worth on a credit, and was as
good for her contracts as the wealth
lest person in the county. 1t happened
that she called at the store of this
firm in the early part of the year, af-
ter, they had resolved to do a strictly
cash business and bought a few dol
lars worth of goods.
After the goods had been wrapped
up she said to the member of the firm
who happened to wait on her-"thus
now George, you'll have to charge
these things for a short time as I have
money with me, To this George,
said, after humming and having a lit
tie while-well, aunt Sallie I'm sorry
but we have resolved not to credit any
one this year. The old lady then said,
thus. now you can just keep your
poodsn and che wont elsewhere and