The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-04-22

convenient for him to carry it home
that day he said, "Mr. McBryde-just
throw this bagging under the counter
and I will call for it in a few days"
Now, bagging, as was everything else,
was advancing in price at that time at
a most rapid rate.
In a week or so the sheriff called
for his bagging. The old man looked
around under the counters and elese-
where as if searching for the bag
ging. Finally he said friend Henry,
your bagging is gone; Bobby or
Johnny has sold your bagging; yes,
Henry your bagging is gone, your
bagging is gone, and I shall have to
pay you back your money"
1.-THE age of business Tin which some
While have stated that fifty or
more years ago, Abbeville had among
her citizens a good many other men
of decided character-space will not
permit of my mentioning the striking
popularity of all of these. So I shall
have to confine myself to the more
conspicuous among them.
To my youthful mind old man Sylas
Anderson was most wonderful man.
He and his wife, Deborah, occupied
house on Washir ton street which
stood on the hillside just across the
street and opposite to where stood
the old Miller house which was torn
down a few years ago. In this build
ing Sylas and his wife kept bar and
in the basement pet bear.
He was a man of immense size and
had voice like fog horn, so that he
could be heard all over the Public
square, especially when interspers-
ing a few cuss words into his CONVEX
sation which was no unusual thing
with him. He was a noted swearer.
During a wind storm which passed
over the town one day his barn, which
stood just where the colored Presby-
terian church now stands, blew down.
When the storm passed over Sylas
went out to view the ruins and while
standing there not saying word a
gentleman passed along who knew OF
the old mans cursing proclivities;
said to him, "Sylas why amt you
cursing?" to which he replied,
Course the devil, I can't do the sub
ject Justice" .'..
When he was in cursing humor
he was like certain young lady once
said of the late Gen. Mart Gary, "he
could cuss most eloquently."
It is doubtless within the recolec-
ton of a good many of our people
when Sylas undertook to open a bar
room at Due West. He hadn't been
there but a very short time when,
doubtless at the suggestion of the fac
ulty, the students seized the old man
and dragged him down to dug out
where Mr.. James Lindsay had gotten
the clay with which he made the brick
to build Lindsay Hall which was filled
with muddy water to the depth OF
about three feet. Having heard the
old man shortly after the occurrence
telling a sympathetic crowd In front
of his bar how the boys treated him,
shall relate it as nearly as I can re-
call it in his own words.
He said, when they got me down
to the pond they threw me In and l
padded across like puppy to the
opposite side then they would tum-,
BILE me back when I would repeat the
operation and crawl out on the other,
side. When they thought they had
given me about as much of such treat
ment as I could well stand, they took
me out and getting stout rail they
made me get a staddle of 1t, with
fellow walking along on each side to
hold me on, while two others should
cred the rail with me on it. They then
carried me up to the college building,
where after marching around for
while, they put me down and told me
I had better go back to Abbev1lle'
which of course I did as soon as
could"
I remember on one occasion Sylas
was an important witness against
certain white man accused of robb1ng
store. The attorney for the defend
ant, thinking that certain testimony
which he had given was pretty strong
against his client, and. in order to
disparage his testimony with the jury
asked Sylas, on cross examining him,
IL he hadn't at one time been ac-
cused of stealing to which Sylas
promptly replied, ayes, but never
convicted let me tell you, 1t
takes a rogue to catch a rogue"
The biggest excitement which ever
occurred in town was caused one day
by the old mans pet bear getting loose
II a little while after it was known
that the bear was at large at least 5o
men and boys with guns and pistols,
headed by a dozen or more dogs were
oftar the hear. which in a. little while