The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-03-23


of very large chestnut trees near the
town Of New Baltimore. These trees
were utilized as one of series of
signal stations by which messages
were relayed between distant points.
When our turkeys saw the sun sub
siding, they took immediate adyant-
age of these trees and of the signal
apparatus on them. Again we spent
the night under the trees. There was
nothing else to do.
Dresses Fifty Turkeys a Day.
$50 it went for six days. There
were many Incidental troubles. At
last, however, we got to Round Top,
overlooking the Potomac river on the
other side from Washington, near
where Fort Meyers, Va, now stands.
There were a few big houses there,
near race track, and not far of
there was a settlement of perhaps
1000 negroes. 1t didn't take us long
to get an idea. First, we drove the
turkeys into the cellar of one Of the
big houses. Then we got into touch
with the negro settlement.
"That night and for five nights
thereafter we hired negroes enough
to dress so turkeys for market. These
so birds we carried to Washington
the next morning and sold at the hest
prces we could get.
"When we finished, exactly two
weeks had passed since we: left Or
leans"
Here the judge made an involun-
tary motion as if to: mopchis brow:
The newspaper man rose and ex-
pressed appreciation. The judge smil-
ed and beckoned to messenger to
call in the next visitor. "Glad to have
seen you," he said, as the newspaper
man retired. 'Now you know the
facts"
The Order of the Banana.
The correspondent is gratified to
be able to say that Judge Payne did
not offer him banana.
Why gratifed?
Well, because the proffer of a ba-
mana is understood to be the judges
method of signifying to visitor that
the conversation or conference is
ended.
Whether it is the suggestion of
dessert or the mouth filling signifi-
cance of the gift that is in the judges
mind on such occasions the deponent
saith not. Possibly it is both.
At any rate, the order Of the ba-
mana is not usually conferred upon
one who knows for himself when he
has taken up enough time for the
subject in hand, and "gets there
first"
Worked All His Life.
Judge Payne was born in Prunty-
town, Fauqhier county, Va, June
26, 1855. At the time when most
boys start their schooling the Civil
War had begun, and for some years
after the war was over conditions
were altogether unsettled. Hence,
young John Barton had no regular"
education. He received good foun-
dation of private tuition from his
father, DR.. Amos Payne and others,
but from the age Of Is he was at
work.
First, the boy clerked in store at
Warrenton, Va, a few miles from his
home, at the munificent pay Of $50
per annum. After earning $25 and
accumulating a great deal of expert
ence in that clerkship, the youth bet
tered himself by becoming the right
hand man of merchant who was also
the postmaster and railroad station
agent at place called Thorough
fare Gap, On what IS now the South
ern railway. The store and office for
sometime consisted Of box car.
Much of the time Payne ran the in
stitution by himself, the employer
frequently being absent for consid-
cradle periods. This job paid $50 a
month!
Hard times grew harder after a
year or so. The box car merchant
sold out. That was the turn of for
tune which steered young Payne to-
wards the profession in which he was
to score such remarkable success. His
father sent him with a message to the
clerk of the court in an adjoining
West Virginia county. The clerk
asked the boy to work for him, and
an agreement was promptly reached.
While an attache of the clerks Of