Newspapers / Gardner-Webb University Student Newspaper / Jan. 1, 1955, edition 1 / Page 6
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Page Six THE PILOT January, 1955 I Remember Childhood By: EARL HARRIS Early life is forgotten or becomes merged into more complex life as a child grows older. Most of us reminisce of childhood days. Vividly, I recall windy October afternoons, munching sweet red apples and playing tag and follow-the-leader with my playmates, until we were ready to drop. Later in front of the fire, we dozed as we tried to study tomorrow’s geogra phy, history, spelling, and arithmetic lessons. November afternoons found us in the woods. Hickory nuts and walnuts covered the ground waiting to be packed into pockets bulging with tops, marbles, string, and heaven knows what else. Hillsides were covered with acorns — valleys stretched away from them with golden rod. Leaves turned into a glory now remembered vaguely. The ruddy feeling on the cheeks, the smarting crack in the lips and the rough feeling of chapped hands are all remembered. Chasing each other tirelessly as air was close, though all the windows Indians and cowboys made us hot were open. The sound of cars would and tired. On extremely sultry days come in from outside, to drown out my playmates and I would gather the preacher’s voice, for the refreshment of the crystal There was a retired preacher who waters. When “trunks” weren’t was often called on to pray. At handy, some would shift to the great length, he implored the Lord, “raw,” sinking deep into the water As he was called to pray, the con- at the sound of an oncoming auto- gregation would move restlessly, mobile. smile at one another, and collec- In the late evenings, we would tively bow heads for the ordeal, chase about the lawn barefoot af- Near our porch stood a massive ter lightning bugs. beech tree. Its rugged arms spread The memory of my childhood is over the house and yard protective- associated with the dusk, the sizzl- ly. I remember the beech lovingly ing of the hose playing upon the as a refuge. The mossy carpet un lawn, and the feel of the damp grass derneath the spreading branches was under my feet. Lightning bugs our home, from which we set out flashed here-now-there. In the back- on all sorts of adventures. During ground, the bedtime songs of the a gentle summer rain, we would July fly could be heard, dropping huddle together under its protection away gradually, then sounding far and assure my mother, as she call- away. ed us to come in, that we were not Sleeping in the yard was always getting wet. It gave us a feeling of a glorious thing. The wind blew the independence, and aroused a proud covers of the trees gently. Overhead feeling that we were out on our a white moon rode, and the stars own. We didn’t need the protection let themselves down, bright and of a house. We had our own house, close, like fireflies. As the rain became more insistent Occasionally, on one of those gold on occasions—the porch began to en days, we would go fishing. Care- look far away. Often we would feel lessly we listened with one ear to a desire to dash for its shelter, but the chatter of the frogs, not mind- none of us could admit that. So we ing whether anything picked at the laughed bravely and boasted about bait or not. how hard it was raining. Presently Religion was an accepted part of it would stop and we would smile at our lives. Our family was Baptist, our fears, but sometimes the rain My sister and I accompanied our would come down harder and hard- parents to church. I remember the er. When Mom called a second time, long summer hours of service. A someone would weaken; then all big solid woman sat in front of us. would scramble madly to the porch. Her fan moved mechanically, as if To me, these things are lovely attached to an electric motor. I dreams. To me, these things are squirmed on the hard pew. The childhood. A Review of John Pendleton Kennedy's Horseshoe Robinson - part of Virginia—wherever the exig- popularity of the story comes. There ■ ■' " " ’ 's something exciting and appealing fthe military situation and South Carolina—is rich in historical the interests and welfare of Major about the interview between the fic- lore. One of those who capitalized Arthur Butler, Horseshoe’s special titious Mildred Lindsay and the his- on this colorful history was John charge, demanded that the hero and torical Colonel Tarleton or in the _ . other characters betake them- rescue of Major Butler while an Major Butler had been sent actual battle raged. Kennedy hand- , „ . secret " Pendleton Kennedy (1795-1870), erican novelist, in his Horseshoe Robinson: A Tale of the Tory As- by General Gates cendency in South Carolina, in 1780. sion to Georgia. He along with Butler as guide. led both fact and fiction admirably, and the modern reader follows the exploits and escapades of the i - panion, and aide. Before reaching boubtable Horseshoe with interest. 5 their destination, however. But' — J and Horseshoe were captured by 1 of Kennedy’s novel—is in the best Tories. Horseshoe later escaped, L-. --- . - - tradition of American heroes of Butler remained in the hands of the cities and bi-utalities connected with romantic and historical fiction. Ken- enemy throughout most of the tale, warfare—such as the gruesome de- nedy, however, insisted that Horse- being finally rescued during the tails of hanging and personal com- x,;— u„ 4-v,„ —ai-g vividly delineated. Per haps no more gory and repulsive scene is recorded in the annals of Am erican literature than that of the fiendish Wat Adair’s skinning alive series of episodes hav- of the sheep-killing she-wolf as she one way or another, stood with her head in a trap. Ken- secure the re- nedy’s novel in spots is not fare ■ ~ for weak stomachs. Like his contemporaries. Cooper and Simms, Kennedy seems most adept at portraying characters from an humble station in life. Horse- , shoe, Mary Musgrove, the lovable stories of sacrificial and miller’s daughter and John Ramsey, -that of Major Butler the courageous partisan. nedy had met and had taken delight in the reminiscences of the prototype of his hero, though, on the other hand, no one would doubt described that Kennedy threw about his hero ing to d( a romantic glow which one could with the efforts hardly expect to find in the original 1 backwoodsman. ^ell-being of Major Butlt This looseness of structure is gen erally regarded as the chief fault of the story. Horseshoe, in the prime of vigor ous manhood, was endowed with phenomenal physical strength which inured him both to fatigue and and, to a privation. There was that in his two tend( make-up which caused him to take unselfish love- a sincere delight in the rough a ’ ’ ’ - ’ ■ tumble aspects of personal combat ^ ^ and military skirmish. Keen obser- These fictitious characters are made like Major Butler and Mildred Lind- vation and an understanding of to love and hate, rejoice and suffer, say, though one would hardly say human nature left him with an un- live and die amid the actual cam- that Kennedy has not in these drawn usual i mind. But nothing of the Sergeant his unwavering sense of loyalty his cause and to his friends. I the working of pagins of the Revolutionary War characters of charm and appeal. of actual char- iwallis. General Davie, The action of the novel is confined to any locale. Rather characters are shifted here there, at times as fast courser could travel, ( North Carolina, South Carolina, and and in the . acters—Lord Marion, Co Cleveland (for whom the county named). Colonel M’Dowell, and Col onel Sevier, to name some, this interspersing fiction without le fastest of the two much of The novel is brought to an end Colonel by the Battle of Kings Mountain. ' ’ The victory here over the British and Tories evidently meant to Ken- id of the story which _ „ _ ledy set out to tell, a story “un actual blending spoiled by flag waving sentimen- . _ a fault. How- tality,” yet a vivid portrayal of the from this faul^-if indeed it feelings and loyalties which divided e—perhaps a good deal of the a people. Compliments of — WINN'S CLEANERS FLORISTS Boiling Springs, N. C. Compliments of — CRAWLEY'S Shop in Boiling Springs For A Bigger Value Boiling Springs, N. C. THE SHEBY DAILY STAR PUBLISHERS AND PRINTERS Shelby, N. C. EAGLE ROLLER MILL CO "Carolina's Finest Flour" CAROLINA MAID Shelby, N. C. Fielcd Seeds, Coal ancd General Merchancdise Manufacturers of Super Gro Fertilizers Phone 6381 D. A. BEAM CO., INC Shelby, N. C.
Gardner-Webb University Student Newspaper
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Jan. 1, 1955, edition 1
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