The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1919-01-30
A Tribute to Allen Surles.
Fair Bluff, N. c., Jan IS, 1919.

Allen Surles = just plain Allen
Surles without even the prefix Of mis-
ter to his honored name-for many
years has been a land mark of Dill
lon. In fact throughout the county
he was on speaking terms with scores
of her citizens.
Allen has lived an eventful life.
The only son of wealthy father
who taught him how to guide the
plow, pull fodder, pick cotton and
other farm industries and very little
else. When Allen reached maAhood he
like all sensible folks married wife
and started out on wise endeavor
to raise a family in which he sue
ceeded.
For a number of years he lived
in peace and contentment, stranger
to the ways of the business world and
the ways and byways they have Of
capturing the almighty dollar. Aliens
sole thoughts and energies were Gen.
tered on his little farm on the bleak
hills of Maple Swamp, an historic
name that will ever conjure remini-
SCIENCES Of the bloody scenes enacted
along it sshores years ago. Allen
toiled on his farm year in and year
out. The first crow Of his shanghier
rooster in the early morning awoke
Allen to the duties Of the day. After,
feeding his mule and eating his home
ly breakfast, he kept his plow turn
ing up the soil to his corn from sun
to sun. The bread winner for his
wife and children, and the bread they
ate was the result of his honest labor.
Aliens religious activities did not as
sumo any great proportions. What
little he had he kept it to himself.
Being a poor farmer the lien con-
sumed his years labor. Only a few
years ago his father passed away
leaving a large and valuable estate
in farms, town property, stocks and
bonds and Allen one Of the executors
named in his fathers will. This great
accession to welath found Allen as
unfit to cope with the problems be-
fore him as a ten year old boy.
What he received of his fathers es-
tate If put on the market today
would exceed $4,000 or more.
To assume the role of a rich man
was not in Aliens makeup to make
it a success. His first inclinations
seemed rather of sportive order,
having somewhat of a weakness fof
fancy live stock, etc.
Allen in the public eye was alto
gether another person. He had money
to cast before tbs winds and many
fingers were itching to get some OF
his dollars. His friendship was court
ed by many who ignored him when
he followed the plow in his fathers
field. His first public advent was
surry. two high-spirited pennies, re-
slpendent in new harness. He and his
family driving through the streets
where carnival was in full SWING.
The sporting blood was in Allen. He
ceded for a consideration a portion
Of his farm in the outskirts OF the
town for a race track and an annuai
pass to all the races.
Later on he sailed into politics, OF
fered his services to the county as
coroner. feeling that merely sitting
on a dead man would be an easy JoD.
Then as a merchant he hoped 10
retrieve what he had lost on the
spotted ponies, This enterprise did
not materialize any wealth for him.
All was loss and no profit. Then his
next fad was automobiles. He soon
had two dilapidated old Fords on hia
hands and by the time he had dis
posed of them his last dollar mao
taken wing and flown away into otn-
er mems pockets.
And today if there is any one man
to be envied in Dillon it is poor
unoffensive Allen Surls. Homeless.
friendless, nothing that he can can
his own except the well-worn clothes
on his back, old age has come upon
him. Physically unfit to work out .
living for self and wife with future
as dark as the grave. Not alone IL
he responsible for the misery that
surrounds him. All that his father
left him increased other mems
wealth. Had no change been made
in his life-the little farm his only
hope for bread-his life would have
been more bearable and all who
reaped in the harvest he scattered
their sins would have been less.
ELIHU MULDROW.