Newspapers / Forest City Courier (Forest … / May 14, 1925, edition 1 / Page 3
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THURSDAY, MAY 14, 1925 "THEN AND NOW" Reminiscenses and Historic Romance, 1856 to 1865 BY JUDGE D. F. MORROW Rutherfordton, N. C. Notice Copyright CHAPTER SIX At the Muster Ground, 1862 (Continued) Just as the crowd began to quiet down and talk about the things that had happened, Aunt Julie and Uncle Johnny found me and Tom and Dixie. Aunt Julia said, "why bless my life, Tommie," for she called Thomas Jeff erson, Tommie, and we all just call ed him Tom, you know. "Where have you been all this good day. Me and Pa have been looking all over the crowd for you and thought you were lost, Haven't we Pa?" For that is what she called Uncle Johnny. There were other mothers looking for their boys that day, for they were scat tered all over the muster ground. Now that the speaking was over the folks scattered and were walking about and talking, as well as the boys and girls. For just as we were talk ing to Aunt Julia and Uncle Johnny, Bill Sniffles and Mattie passed us, and were walking just as close to gether as they could. And, Mat, for that is what Tom called her, was laughing right out loud and Bill, he was just stepping high like, you know, and looking right down at Mat same as if there were no one else on the grounds, but them. Now that is the way they were doing for Tom said they were and they were. Tom and I now started to take in what was going on around the grounds and right ahead of us, up under a big old oak tree, stood that same old big wagon with the old woman sitting in the rear end and had her cider, cakes and brandy, same as she had at the muster a year ago, and was smoking that same old pipe and selling things just like she did then. I told Tom she was here before, for Tom wasn't. We wondlered if she just stayed here all the time, but she didn't. All was now in a general mix-up. For everybody was talking with everybody else, just like folks do at such places and times, you know. For right out in the thickest of the crowd stood William Buster, and just a few yards from me and Tom. He had his hat (no —it was his Rebel I ' ti^i vi F3 @ 3 3 5 Solid big cakes of pure ice frozen from carefully | h filtered water. Ice which will withstand the heat and ij^ I is most economical for home use. Do not risk the j§ health of your family in delaying a start of summer || ice service. Our delivery service is now on full schedule. Phone jjj| us and let us supply you with a driver's call card and jgj our coupon book. You save when you order through iqJ our special coupon book. Forest City Oil Mill Co, 1 Forest City North Carolina |j ij^j^fgfgjgjajHjrEJZJsrsjHiiicLiHiEfHJZfEizrsiErsLraiEJHfEicLjrsjzfeLfgjZingizrErEiz^ | Yes, they are on the way—as are countless • 1 others —to our store. ♦ * / Where they will receive the I : d best of attention, courteous T M treatment and prompt service ♦ IjppTfl at all times and their orders ! I Wl fl carefully put up. I I JgWftl i'/gUS||j| We handle only the best and { !, I choicest of— \ Fresh Meats, Fancy Groceries, i: 90 Cheese, Canned Goods, Vege- ; jj 0 SERVICE, OUR MOTTO. ! HARRILL'S MARKET ( Forest City, N. C. cap), off, in his hand and was "kind er" looking down like and had' a big smile on his face and looked like he was listening to some oi\e talking, and me and Tom began to rush thru the crowd to get where he was, for we had not seen him since he threw Sid Gitsome away. For that is the way Tom said he done Sid, and it was. Just as we got close up to him Tom said, "Look, if 'yander' ain't Annie Lightfoot and she is talking to Uncle Bill," and she was and laugh ing till the tears were running down her pretty face. Now Annie and William Buster had been sweethearts for ten years or more, so Tom said, and it was so, for Aunt Julia and Uncle Johnny said it was so, or rather Uncle Johnny said through his nose, "Well, probab ly it is so, or it may be so." For Uncle Johnny never was positive about anything. Anyway, it was generally said in the community that Annie Lightfoot and William has "split up," for this is what they call ed it in those days, when young peo ple who had been courting for a time and quit, folks said they split up. Now, if you know what that means, that is what they had done, for they had not spoken for several months for Aunt Julia said they hadn't. Aunt Julia and Tom both said they had fallen out about the war, and split up for good. Now, Annie Lightfoot was a Se cessionist or Rebel of the very strong est kind. Annie's Pa owned lots of negroes, and most of this kind of folks in the south were strong for the war and hated Yankees. Now Wil liam Buster had for some time, been, as the old folks said, on the fence, and it was this that he and Annie were talking about when they had split up. Annie told him never to come to her home again, and he didn't. The first time they had met was at the Muster Ground, on the day of the speaking and dog fight. The same day that William Buster had thrown Sid away. Annie Lightfoot, as we have seen, was a rebel, Secessionist and a Con federate. She had av/ old servant whose name was Charles. This was her old negro slave who cared for Annie's riding horses, drove her car riage about the country when she wanted to ride in the carriage and when she wanted to ride horse back, Charles would put the saddle on one of the horses and lead him up for Annie to mount. Then Charles would mount another horse and ride along behind, so that if anything should happen to Annie or the horse, Charles was on hand to look after things. When she would want to dis mount, Charles was there to hold the horse and carry him to the stable or hitching post and wait till Annie was ready to go again. On this July day, 1862, Annie de cided to ride horseback to the Mus ter Ground. And of course, old Charles had the gay steed ready and waiting for her. Soon they were on their way to the grounds. When she arrived old Charles was' there to take the horse. Annie with some friends of the upper strata of society moved away to the speaker's stand and there remained to hear the speech and wave her handkerchief and cheer for the Confederate or Rebel cause. Bu*"., like other folks, after speaking was over, was attracted to the crowd around William Buster according ly made her way down that way. Be fore she got there some one told her that William Buster was the grandest Rebel on Muster Ground. For he had just then whipped one Union Scalawag and run all the rest clear off the grounds. And Annie didn't do a thing but just raise that lily white hand and handkerchief and shout "Hurrah for William Buster!" And made a bee-line through that crowd till she was standing right up close to him and just as me and Tom got there, she was saying something —Tom said she said, "she wanted to get down on her knees to him and thank him for what he had done that day," and was begging his pardon for telling him he could not come to her home any more. Tom said she was and she was. And if they ever had a split-up, as folks saidi it seemed now that they were going to split down or back, Tom said they would, and they did. Now Annie Lightfoot was one of the most handsome of the Southern beauties of that day—rather tall, about five feet eleven, slender, but muscular and active. It was said that Annie could spring from the ground to her side saddle on a horse sixteen hands high. I have said side saddle, for in those days ladies only rode side saddles. But now they ride astride, but Annie didn't —Some difference, then and now? But now the sound of the drum and fife was heard and the muster was in progress, Captain somebody was calling out the figures and giv ing commands. There was a step, for they were now passing down the road toward the east end of the grounds and right in the middle of the Shelby road, to the very spot where the dogs had fought and Wil liam Buster had thrown Sid' Gitsome out of the country; when the tat tain said "halt!" and the marchers stopped stark still, standing erect, all dressed in the Rebel gray, coats, cap, and all The officer then walked along beside and said, "Right face." All turned and looked square iat the captain. He said something |and each soldier dropped, not his gun, ! but his spear or pike, down by his I fide. The command was given shoul ! ;!er arms and those spears,, or pikes, | went back on the men's shoulders. I And then it was "right about face; march." And the step, step, step again off up the road toward Ruther ford Town, but stopped in front of | the speaker's stand. Now I have ! said that they did not have guns for 5 their drill. While writing this part | of these stories, I saw my friend, K. j J. Carpenter who was in Co. "I" and he said they first drilled not with (Continued On Page Six) CANDY KITCHEN ( John Thomas, Propr. HEADQUARTERS FOR FINEST HOME-MADE CANDIES Fine Assortment Fruits of all kinds. Visit Our Fountain. THE CANDY KITCHEN j JOHN THOMAS, Prop. Next Door to Postoffice J FOREST CITY, N. C. j THE FOREST CITY COURIER - - t ♦ ♦ x ♦ ♦ In Honor of Mecklenburg j ♦ Patriots of 150 Years Ap j ♦ ♦ I Breaking the "Political Bonds" that tied down the | state, that famous organization of Mecklenburg Coun- f ty Militia, in May, 1775, declared Americans a "free J and independent people." I On this Sesqui-Centennial anniversary we honor ♦ again their memory. ♦ Their loyalty to their country t their stalwart faith in the right, are a constant inspiration. J [ Adopt their spirit. Dissolve the bonds that may ][ hamper you in everyday affairs, by building up a bank account that will be an opportunity fund. In observance of the Mecklenburg Declaration this ► bank will not be open Wednesday, May 20, 1925. ► Farmers Bank and Trust I ♦ 0 * $ 111 |3 0 0 i * > ❖ * > U A Roll of Honor Bank" > ► «> T FOREST CITY CAROLEEN % > «> "Where Banking is a Pleasure." % 4> ♦ ♦ ♦ : ♦ Total Resources Over Two Million Dollars » ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ——A— ► "*■ ► ► ► ► ►
Forest City Courier (Forest City, N.C.)
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May 14, 1925, edition 1
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