Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1916-12-20

u O'CLOCK | was writing that letter
to Mr.. Mauldin, the contents OF which
you all know, when that train left
me. | then caught later train to
'Greenville. and l caught the very
first train out of Greenville going
West. | had no point in view-I
didn't know where | was going. T
only knew that wanted to get away
bought local ticket to st. Louis
and then bought a local ticket to
Kansas City. From that city | went
to Colorado Springs, then to Salt
Lake City, and finally landed in Los
Angeles. Cal.
THE first newspaper account of
my leaving that / saw was after
reached Salt Lake City. found an
Atlanta Journal and read the ac-
count as sent out from Anderson.
And during my stay OIL the Pacific
coast | have not spoken to any one
from this section. Naturally, | have
avoided meeting any one from here.
On one occasion l. followed a man
three blocks because | thought he
was from Anderson. He disappeared,
and not to this day do l know whe-
ther or not he was the man from An
derson. ! did see, on another occa-
sion, a man from this section Of The
State. He left South Carolina many
years ago. didn't speak to him. l
didn't adopt any disguise: the only
change | made in my appearance was
to shave off my moustache."
Mr.. Holleman was asked as to how
he spent the time
For while | roamed around with
no objective point in view," he said
"The first three years after | left |
IL of ,l,f,
Then | went into British Columbia
for while. l spent some time in
Oregon and then went down into Cal
ifornia. | developed rheumatism in
the Northwest and went down into
California seeking to get rid Of it.
[ did get we'll Of the rheumatism and
then | developed malaria. During
the first two or three years after |
left had 10 desire to return to An
derson. Then got sick and my con-
dition went from bad to worse. Dur
ing my sickness | firmly made I'D my
mind that would not return to An
derSon, for hoped all the time that
my illness would develop into some
thing serious and that | would drop
oft and there end it all.
But, later, the condition Of my
health became better. | began to
improve, and it was then that firm
ly made up my mind that was going
to return to Anderson and make
amends. | have been longing for the
ime TO come for my returning, and
this Is the happiest day that | have
spent since the day left here more
than seven years ago.
tried to get jobs Of all kinds
but only OH one occasion did try to
get clerical Job. That was in Seat
tie. called on man and asked him
for 4 Job in his office. Tie talked
mighty favorably that day and told
me to return on the following day. |
went back and he told me he could
not use me. You can imagine what
opportunity any man so years of age
will have in getting a job in a new.
strange country, and especially when
that man lacks self-push, as ! did
When that man turned mo down |
made up my mind right then and
there that ] would never again seek
a clerical job. All the work have
done has been manual labor-work-
ing as common hand around the
lumber camps and so on. For while
| worked as a laborer at Du Points
powder plant in the State Of Wash
ington. 1t came pretty hard at times,
the work"
Mr.. H0lleman says that h. has suf-
fered from the day he left here; that
he cannot imagine any worse punish
ment for a man than for him to have
the experiences that he has had. He
says that lie has suffered wretchedly
and that 1t is happy day for him to
come In and make amends. Natu-
rally, he feels unequal to the ordeal
Of meeting his friends and acnuaint-
ances, but he says that the fact that
so many have come in and given him
the glad hand of welcome will make
this an easier matter than he con-
temDlated.
Mr.. Holleman has no plans for the
future. awaiting the termination of
his case In the court OF general ses-
siOns in February. He says that he
has practically regained his health,
which he lost about three years ago;
that he weighs about 100 pounds, al
most as much as he weighed when he
left Anderson. When he left here
his weight was IT'S. His memory
was given a rather severe test this
morning when so many people called
on him, and with but two or three
exceptions he recalled the names and
made many inquiries about their
families. He says that so many
young people have grown up and so
many older ones have died since he
left here. lie also noted many
changes that have taken place in An
derson-changes for the better.
MIR. Holleman went to Seneca to-
day to spend the night.