The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1918-01-08

fections.
The friendship between Hugh
Wilson and me began in 1868 and
continued unbroken until ended by
death. That friendship l valued
highly, and the memory of it |
shall cherish. How many friendships
can stand the test of fifty years!
Through all the troubles and ex-
citements of the Reconstruction Pc
riod, through all the bitternesses
and enmities of friction fights IN
Abbeville County, he was my true
and faithful friend. Nor did he
change in all the following years.
Forty years ago I was his part
ner in The Press and Banner office.
Our work together for several years
brought us very close. He was a
wonderful worker. His devotion to
his paper was pathetic. He had
nursed it so long by himself that
he could not help having although
he tried to conceal it-a little Jeal-
ousy if I occupied much of the edi-
torial column. l sometimes told
him that The Press and Banner was
to him what the mill was to the
Miller O'Dee who sang
81 live by my mill, it is to me
Both parent, child and wife,
l would not change my station
For any other in life"
He had his own way of working,
which he could not alter. The pa
per was a weekly and came out
each Wednesday morning. Other
weekly papers might be ready for
the press on the evening before
publication; but that was not Hugh
Wilson's way. The work was nearly
all performed on Monday and Tues
day-the most of it on Tuesday
and Tuesday night, and on until
two or three or even four o'clock
Wednesday morning. Not once
during our partnership was the pa
per printed before midnight. Un-
til the last copy was printed he
worked at high pressure. can see
him now-in his shirt-sleeves, his
beaver on, setting type in hot haste,
his faithful henchman by his side,
James Martin, the most accurate
type-setter I have ever met with.
About midnight the negro boy
would bring in the late supper for
all in the office, which was soon
disposed of. All 1 could do was to
read proofs, or write paragraphs
and wait until the last proof. But
he would stay until the last paper
was off the press, and the various
bundles made ready for the morn
ing mail.
Let me say here that Hugh Will
son and Robert R. Hemphill, in
conducting their business as editors
of the two papers in the little town
Of Abbeville e-The Press and BAN
ner and The Medium-did so in a
manner deserving all praise, and af-
fording an excellent example to all
editors. During all those many
years there was never a jar between
them, never a dispute, never an
unfriendly word. 1t would seem,
Mr.. Editor, from your recent re-
marks on Mr.. Horton, the editor of
The Medium, that you two gentle
men have inherited the same fine
spirit.
There is no doubt that Hugh Will
son made The Press and Banner the
best county paper in the State. I
well remember being told by Cap
tain F. W. Dawson of the News ard
Courier that he considered The
Press and Banner the finest weekly
newspaper in South Carolina. This
he said when I was no longer in
partnership with Hugh Wilson. 1
thought this would please my old
partner, and l told him of it. Then
I found that nothing coming from
Capt. Dawson could please him.
And this brings me to speak of
Hugh Wilson's virtues and faults,
his strong points and his weak