Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1925-06-17
MEMORIES.
written for The Spirit of Jefferson
by Arthur Hawks, SRI

The other night as | waited in my
boat of dreams, Old Father Time
came strolling In and said. Arthur.
YES he called me Arthur, he had
known me for some time. II must
take some things from you" All
right, old gentlman, proceed. In my
left hand pocket of my grey pants
you will find az cents. help yourself;
but in the right hand pocket of the
aforesaid pants you will find Con-
federate five-dollar bill, leave that !:
It's memory money and it's the best
money on earth. | can't spend it
and nobody will steal it. "All right.
said the old man, "but | must take
your youth" "You can't, / am
treading towards Eternal Youth" II
must take your health" "And well
come. The only health have now
is poor health. Take it." Then.
said the old gentleman, Il must take
your memories" Then | got mad.
mo STREE bob-hoss fly, | will keep
my memories for Eternity, so long
And woke mp.
: Well, Memorial Day in Charles
Town was blessed memory day. The
Court Room was filled with many
men of blessed memory. was a
long once more there with my father.
/ saw Andrew Hunter as he came in
and took his place inside the rail.
dignified, ponderous, gentleman Of
the Old School. ! saw Daniel Bed
niger Lucas, forceful speaker, es-
pecially strong in sarcasm. re-
member hearing him speak for two
days in a big land case at Clarks-
burg. Then | had a view of James
M. Mason, stroking his frey name,
and stirring up things generally. |
remembered Charles Davies who
drifted in after the war. OF course
he wanted to defend all the darkies.
/ remember one case especially. An
old negro woman in Shepherdstown
had q negro man arrested for steal
ing her chickens. Davies was cross
examining her. and made trouble for
the chicken thief.
swell. aunty, you say this man
stole your chickens"
mo sahl / sholy did not say so.
! swear it. You know your own self
you say things you wouldn't swear
to-"
"How do you know he stole your
chickens"
Glow | know? Well sab. he is a
chicken thief: he was in Shepherds
town the night of the disappearance
of my chickens; he is a chicken thief,
therefore, he stole them chickens"
"But aunty, that won't do. | was
in Shepherdstown that night my
SELF
"Was you sab. Well, l didn't
know you was thar when / had him
arrested"
Then everybody laughed except
Mr.. Davies
One of the most mastery speeches
] ever listened to was the defense
of Cook by the Tall Sycamore of the
Wabash. James w. Voorhees,. | have
it in my library. But it does not
read as well as it sounded in those
days.
/ think the wittest man / remem-
Der in Charles Town was John Hurst.
He dropped into Cleon Moore's office
Superintendent of tine Presbyterian
Sabbath School. proceeded to lee
ture him on his wasted life. Now,
said Mr.. Moore. "John, | hate to
think of wasted life. | have new
err done any of the bad things you
do" And Hurst answered.
swell, Cleon. ! am aware of the
time you have wanted. but if you
will start doing right now what I've
been doing for you, you may catch
up with me. Let's drop in and see
George yesterday"
mo" Moore declared.
We had a man in Charles Town
who took great deal of interest in
the people and from the people. He
used to walk with cane and his
favorite saying was, Every time
this cane hits the pavement it means
dollars. and it did.
He met Hurst on the street one
day and said, Hurst. they tell me
you are great thinker"
81 have to be to make all my i'm.
promptu speeches."
well what do you think Least
when you think about nothing?"
You, said Hurst. Good morn
ing. "
Mr.. Hurst had tooth that needed
filling, and he went around tx
Thornton Tomlinson's several times
to have it filled, and Tomlinson wa:
always busy. Finally, one day HI
called and Thornton said. John,
am mighty sorry but ] am too busy
to fill that tooth now"
"Oh. we'll all right, and he pulet
out the tooth and handed it to him
81 pulled it out this morning, and
am going to leave it with you. Yol
fill it at your time, and | will com,
around in a week or two and get it.
ooh. see here. | am not going t
fill that tooth"
IAN right. give it to me.
it,"
Il am going to take it home an,
stuff it full of--and put it on +;
watch chain"
There was a man in town Hurs
did not like at all. He met him OF
the street one day and said, "Hurst
] passed your house yesterday"
Thank YOU" said Hurst.
| was standing on the front norc1