Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-11-05
CHERRY MOUNTAIN BREEzES
Corn Cracker Makes Contribution to
Literature.
IN MEMORY OF AMOS OWENS.

Land of Moonshins Spirits, Repub.
liean and Democratic Newspapers
Now Discuss the Tariff and Other
Questions in Political Dispute.
Editor Yorkville Enquirer:
AS l have been in your office and
in times past made contributions to
your columns, you will pardon my
presumption for suggesting a course
Of style and subject matter calculated
to usher your periodical into every
household in the chivalrous domain
of the Palmetto State.
The time-honored tradition of what
the governor Of North Carolina said
to the governor Of South Carolina;
should foster fraternal spirit between
the two Carolinas; albeit, the state
press Of neither could ever settle the
birth place Of the martial and pic
turesque hero-Gen. Hickory" jack
son. South Carolina had the testimony
of Jackson himself; but James Parton
without being sworn that "Old
Hickory" was a product Of North
Carolina, and claim as many birth
places as were ascribed to Homer.
Admitting that the lamented and
martial chieftain claimed your state
and that you establish the fact and
drive stake through it-with all
your faults we love you still, and l pro-
pose herein to guide your untutored
feet into the realms Of radiant and un-
fading literary glory.
With all Of your arrogant boasting,
we produced Col. Amos Owens, and
his falling mantle developed a style OF
immortal, vigorous, and truly classic
English. He was not literate, for he
made his mark in the world, being
too illiterate to write his name.
When the call to defend his country
from the northern invader rang in the
land in the sixties, the call of his
country became the voice Of God; and
toed the firing line as a sharpshooter
and later became a prisoner of war.
consuming fury; and when tax was
placed on whisky, he continued to be
a maker and vendor Of standard proof
but untaxed stimulants, and later was
a Ku Klux, and many enfranchised
niggers and red strings" felt the
stinging lash Of the avenger. Three
terms he served in Albany, New York
penitentiary; one for his transgressions
as a Ku Klux and two for making and
selling contraband whisky. He had
nine stills destroyed-wasi In twenty
different jails; once in Yorkville, s. c.
He attained the age Of SS wheat
harvests; and was mourned by the
bibulous of the two Carolinas, as we'll
as the same class in Tennessee and
Georgia; and on a towering monu-
ment erected on the crest Of classic
Cherry Mountain towers a granite
shaft bearing the inscriptions: 1.-THE
Good Die Young.
But near castle Owens has sprung
a town, as If by enchantment. Two
fine churches point their spires heav-
onward; and with the notes Of Christ
ian worship are blended the classic
melody of literature; for the school
master Is abroad in the land and
and two journals are there as mould
ers Of opinion. One is a Republican;
while the other declares for the prin-
ciples Of Jackson and Jefferson. But
the vernacular Is not that Of the effete
and insipid east. nor yet Of the me-
tropolitan daily press Of the west and
south.
Instead of writing something like
this, Our esteemed contemporary Of
The Cherry Mountain Meat Axe labors
under the delusion that Wilson's ad-
ministration and a lower tariff has re-
tarded the prosperity Of the country
more lurid, expressive and vigoruos
English is employed. The following Is
a type: The uncombed, unwashed,
putrid embodiment Of ignorance,
stupidity and venality who Is under
suspicion Of editing that NANCY radical
sheet, as we'll as other fragrant Of
fenses- attacks the glorios record
of Democracy. The way to convince
such cattle is with a cowhide, a six
shooter or term in the penitentiary.
If he would read anything but medi-
cal almanac or converse with any
body but idiots and criminals. he
would know that there is strong talk
of a sawmill being put up on Brier
Creek"
In rejoinder, The Cherry Mountain
Gladiator replies: THAT venomous
reptile that issues SANDER, defama-
ton and coarse libel from that liter
ary sewer pipe, known as the Cherry
Mountain Meat Axe, is liar, a thief,
coward and a body snatcher. He
stole a coffin from a pauper tomb
stone from a blind soldier; and sur
reptiously MIXED a cow that furnish
ed milk for an orphan asylum; and
were it not for the statute against
cruelty to animals we would cowhide
the wall-eyed. leperous cuss, and all
decent people would say amen.
Everybody who has brains suf-
fcient to fill hollow tooth or to grease
gimlet, knows that old Woodrow
Wilson was teaching school, in a sway
backed cabin in the wilds of New
Jersey: and with a third grade certi-
ficate. AS for Bill Bryan-he plows
steers and wears patched breeches
when not running for president"
Thereupon, the Meat Axe sends the
following classic down the corridors
of time: "The rowing pestilence that
causes putrid hog-wash to reek from
the receptacle of literary filth. pub
fishes a false and villainous attack on
us, and emits his venomous and sac
riligious slime on the fair fame OF
President Wilson. The last time 1t
rained wisdom he was in a dry place,
and a coating of tar and feathers and
an application of horse whip well
laid on would be inadequate punish
ment for his libelous utterance. Old
Roosevelt was tried and convicted or
&c.