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MBWNAN HERALD I Consolidated with Coweta Advertiser September, 1886. 1
Established 1866. ( Consolidated with Newnan News January, 1916. I
NEWNAN, GA., FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1921
Vol. 57—No. 4
little newnan boys of the early fifties
By ROBERT H. HARRIS.
Yes, t was one of thorn—one of Ihe
little boys who, from the yenr 1849 to
1854, ranged in age from 7 to 8, to 12
ov 13. There was a swarm of little
fellows below our age limit. I am not
ed” shirt, AVo boys railed him “Mr.
Cheek Apnrns," so understanding the
pronunciation of “,lnkc Abrams.”
But on with tho roll-call. There were
Dick and Henry Brewster—the former
talking about them, although there were called “Bate,” (1 never know why,)
many beyond that limit—from 13 to 10. and the other called “fink” by his
jenny beyond
They are not my subject.
Wo wore a.“gang "—or, rather, sev
eral gangs, foi we did not nil go lu one
“bunch.” We had never lienrd the word
“clique,” and the word “coterie”
would have sounded as strange to us as
Choctaw. But there were two or three
groups of us, resultants of •temperament, I
think, rather than of family wealth and
social standing’. Indeed, none of us had
ever heard the latter term, and the for
mer meant simply a matter of “niggers
an’ nudes,” that nine out of ton of ns
didn’t care a straw about.
Yes, there were little girls, too—plen
ty of them—in long pnntelettes and
curls and “pig-tailed” hair and sun-
bonnets. But we were shy tff girls; and
they are not my theme anyway.
By the by, speaking of headgear, I
do not remember 'ever having seen a
“hat” on a girl’s head in those days.
.Sunbonnets were the only head-covering
worn, except in winter, when warm hoods
(were substituted:. Young ladies also,
•and many of their elders, wore sunbon
nets on most occasions. I have often
seen ladies’of all, ages at church in that
garb.
But I am bringing out reminiscences
of little 'boys. What did they wear!
Our head-covering consisted in summer
of the coarsest kinds of straw hats, worn
to look like a hornet’s nest before the
season was over, with tufts and wisps
of our 'hair sticking out througli sundry
holes In winter we wore warm caps,
OuJC clothing in summer wa(s '* ‘ com
posed” (literally) of a pair of
“britches” (that’s tho way we pro
nounced it) of' the thinnest material, and
a buttonless cotton shirt fastened (or
not) at the collar with a Btring. The
“ britches ” were supported by a pair of
home-knit “galluses”—frequently, if
not usually, only one of them in opera
tion over one shoulder. I don’t think I
ever heard the word “suspenders.”
There was ilo undergarment worn be
neath the “britches” even in winter.
The winter material was heavier, how
ever—usually of wool—and a short jack
et was worn (or supposed to be) over
•the shirt. Ro shoes weve worn by any
of us in summer. In wiiitor stont cow
hide shoes with home-knit socks pro-'
tected our feet, But some of us went
barefoot through all the seasons. Thine
was a 'bpy who never had a “full sot”
of toe-nails on at one time until 10 or
12 years -old, They hail -been “stump
ed” off. Our hair-cutting was done by
our mothers 'it home. A little fellow,
with an air of martyrdom and long hair
brushed down straight all around, over
eyes and all, was seated on a Btool. A
porcelain howl the size of his cranium
was placed inverted upon his head, and
so adjusted that the rim came down as
far as the operator desired. Then she
took a pair of scissors 'and cut the hair
off all around, following the edge of
the bowl. The job was done. Such a
thing as ‘ ‘ shingling ” or “ clipping ’ ’
hair I never heard of in my childhood.
Our trousers were worn long, down to
our heels—that is, when not rolled up,
which was mostly our style—especially
one leg higher than the other. Other
wise a boy was sometimes “tripped up
by the big toe of one foot catching in
the open trousers leg flapping over the
other foot while running. We never
heard of “knee pants.” None of us
had ever heard the words “trousers”
or “pantaloons;” hence our word
““britches,”, (aiming at breeches,’
which we had heard.) And we know
no distinction between “coat” and
'■'jacket'’'' as garments. Each was, to
us, a “coat.” I don’t remember ever
hearing the other word at all except
as the name of an insect. I did not, and
don’t yet, know what girls’ shoes were
made of. Boys’ shoes were of cow
brother, (for some reason also un
known.) The Argo boys—General An
drew Jackson and Dandy, (not nick
names.) We pronounced the name
“ Ahgrmy, ’ ’ and called tin) boys
“Gen’l” and “Dninily." In those
days brown sugar was shipped in hogs
heads. Whoa one had been emptied it
was rolled oat back of the store. • Then
we boys would gather to scrape off
Hakes of sugar left Stiilking to the
staves on the insiilo. Only one boy at
a time would enter the hogshond, and
we either drew lots or fought for our
turn at the sugar. On one occasion,
while “Gen’l” was on the inside, one
of the boys gave the hogshead a shove
on tho upper side of the steep declivity
that had previously supported the big
barrel. Away went the hogshead
bumpetty-bump,” with “Gen’l” tum
bling 1 lmnpetty-lump ” within. The
instant the cavortin’ paused out popped
Gen’l,” bilin’ hot, and made for us.
Hold my sugar, hold my. sugar,
Daindy,” he kept exclaiming as he
came, ‘ ‘ hold my sugar till I wliup ’im 1 ’ ’
But Dandy hnd caught a warning
glance and would not tell on us; so the
culprit escaped the well-deserved
“whuppln’ ” threatened. And ‘ 1 Gen T ’ ’
never lost a grain of his sugar in his
niad chase after usl
There were the Martin boys, Billy
and Hollis.; and Joe Pinson. Joe was
called
‘ Jo-per-cow-patch”—I never
knew why. His mother’s backyard was
covered with “tea-weed,” and ’twas in
there, according to report, a turtle’s
dissevered head caught in its mouth a
little cliir.ken while the family were
dining off the reptile within the house.
You may not believe this “yarn,
but
‘knowed’
some others of that day just
it to be true. __
There were Geo. Burch, Len Bolton,
Joe Dent, (with his long logs,) Ben
Corbin, Jinnnio Heflin, two Willcoxon
boys, Sam Harlan; the Words—llhett,
Ike and Edward
As I pass the boys in review I feel
tempted to .comment upon their line
qualities, but space will not permit.’ Not
all of us were saints, nor do I remember
seeing indications of sprouting wings on
any of them; but many were tip-top
boys, and some were just lovely. Had
there been any “rale mean fellows” I
wouldn’t tell tlieir names anyway—so
lot it go at that.
Am not. quite-sure, but I seem to re
call a Wnlter Cole. Then there were
Will Tucker and his brother, Edwin
Berry; Jim Combs and his legs; Prank
Simril; Jodie Welch, and Lee; John anil
Jimmie Bheinlmrdt; Abner Calhoun.
But I must stop to tell you something
about Ben Colbert, mentioned back yon
der. Ben anil I were desk-mates—anil
such love as existed between us! Well,
Ben “raised him a bile” on his tem
ple—a whopper—big as a guinea egg!
Wouldn’t allow it lanced, and it looked
like an overripe tomato!. Mad.e me
swap seats with bun for fear I’d hit
his “bile,” which was on the side next
to me. At recess he would stand around
with both hands up to fend off boys
who came near. At recess one morning
I picked up a big oak chip and sent it
sailin,’ ” as we boys called it, toward
him, but without any idea of striking
him. “Look out, Beni” I exclaimed
as I threw the chip. He ran exnctly into
the curving path of the chip, and,
wlmckI—it struck the “bile” corner-
wiso precisely in .the center! A mass
of bloody pus gushed out and ran down
his cheek, and the “core” tumblod out
like a big, defunct grubworm. I “lit
out,” Ben after me. Round and round
we went, until Ben was winded and in
a good humor. I hnd cured- the ‘ ‘ bile.
But there were still other boys—Alvan
Freeman and his brother, Bill, the latter
nest, completely destroying it. Tho
“creoters” swarmed out and covered
I’nddy, l wore my brush to n frazzle
beating them oil', but scores upon scores
stung him; yet the game little fellow
never flinched. Drew Brown performed
his part well, ns did the other “brush-
ers, ’ ’ but practically all on tho ground,
including spectators, were set h-dnneing
ami slnmbnnghig. The postoffleo was
rid of the yellow jackets, but Buddy
was kept in lied for several days with
“big head” mid fast closed eyes. Mr-
Alexander (“John Elllek”) paid us off
and wo were as happ.V as “flop-lips” and
bunged up eyes would porlntt. Now,
speaking of our pay, what, was iv
“ thrip?" It was a piece of silver hall’
the value of a “ sovoiipcneo, ” old Feil-
crnl coinage, worth cents; a
“111rip,” then, was fl'A touts. The
“ sevonpoueo ” ” (ono word) was liy
many called a “boh,” mid after the
introduction of decimal coinage was
called “long bit,” while a 10-cent pieco
(dime) was called “short bit.” In
those days, and later, a quarter 1 ,dollar
piece was called “two bits.” These
fractional pieces gradually disappeared
from circulation, until in the course of
years all were gone. Many of them
found their way into the pouch of an
old blnck mammy called “Aunt Sy-
liie, ” who sold gingorcakes and per
simmon beor at a chosen corner on the
Btreet. Don’t know whether she was a
slave or not; never inquired. Iu fact,
wo little boyB know nothing abou
“slavery,” and cared less. We played
with little “niggers” of our Bizo,
wrastlcd” with them, went “n-fish-
in’ ” with them—and that was the. end
of tlie matter with us.
A very important boy has been over
looked in this rumbling sketch. His
name was Charlie Sanders. His father
was a physician and kept a “doctor
shop.” Within tlmt building were stored
many medicinal supplies—among thorn,
in glass jars, sticks of licorice. The
Doctor allowed his son free range of the
“shop.” Some of us traded “aggits,"
fishhooks and other things to Charlie for
licorice. He sported cornelian ‘(taws,”
angled with us on Wnhoo .creek, and
we—ate licorice.
By the way, there wns a -‘.‘ tag-on.”
nuisance of a boy named Jinnnie
KERSEY «& PRATHER
ME PRICES LOWER?
COMPARE!
And just what benefit does the shopping pub
lic derive from a cut in wholesale prices ?
THE ANSWER DEPENDS ON THE STORE
leather, calf-skin not being worn until a little over our “ago limit;” a Ligon
lads were well up in thoir “teens,” boy; two Gwins; one_ or two Luckies;
when they, put on ‘.‘pump-soled” boots
with long, soft legs. Tom Calhoun is
tho only, boy I remember as wearing
boots, and he was rather too large for
our class.
I now recall the names of those boys.
There were Phil and “Shack” Simms;
Ben and Morgan Colbert; Joe Keller,
a native wit; Joe Nat Beadles, his
brother Billy, a little older than our sot,
and Ed, among the younger boys; Geo.
and Bill Ramey, a little older; the Orr
boys-; Davis Owen; long-legged Tom
Walker; Andrew Boyd; Tom Brown.
But let me tell you about Tom Brown.
His father was a merchant and kept
“playin’ marbles”—among them gen
nine “aggits,” and they were costly.
As a rule we had no money, but learned
how to trade other things to Tom for
“aggits,’’. and thus numbers of us soon
became possesors of ‘ ‘ caruelian taws
—beauties, too. -Now, Tom was no
thief. He felt that what was his fath
er’s was his, and his father seemed to
recognize this right.
But to proceed with the names of the
hoys of those days: There were Charlie
Arrington; Bill Kennedy, another long-
legged fellow, whom we called ‘Canna
dy; ’ ’ Ab Culberson; Jep Davis, his
youager brothers, Dawson anil Posey,
and Minor, a little older; Rhode Hack
ney; “Doc” Thomas; Charlie McKin
ley, and a brother whose name I do
not now recall, sons of Ebenezer, Mc
Kinley. Speaking- of odd names, there
was “Bugg” Leigh; (that boy was no
hum-“ bug, ” either.) Then there was
an old chair-maker named Bradley,
whose weight was, I think, in excess of
400 lbs,, whom we called Mister “Chur”
(chair) Bradley. Mr. Potts Nimrnons
was, to us, Mr. “Pot Simmons.” An
eccentric old man, with long, gray, un
trimmed hair and beard, lived a hermit
life in the forest near town. His name
was Jake Abrams. He always appeared
*n town -costless and wearing a • ‘T-.heck-
a Bowen or two; the Leigh boys; and a
gentle young Geo. Potts, in age below
long Bill Potts. Some of these names
are only vaguely remembered; but here
are two about which there is not a
shadow of a doubt-—John and Lavender
Ray. Being asked by his teacher how
the earth is supported in space, John
forgot what the book said, (if lie had
ever known it,) and answered promptly,-
‘ ‘ De.v holds it up wid a dreut big rope. ’ ’
We all laughed; but why was not John
right? What better name for “gravi
ty” could he given? What better de
finitive figure of the combined strands
of the centripetal, centrifugal and other
forces of gravity, ami what not else yet
undiscovered? We had not at that time,
any of us, ever heard any of tliose
terms; but ideas are ideas, and John lmd
one. On being asked liis name by the
teachey at the opening of the term
John’s brother, Lavender, replied: “Yal-
emler Yobinson Yay,” hut everybody
called him “ Paddy ’’—because his fath
er was irish, I suppose. And he ivas
as game as any Paddy that ever “shin
ned up a mast” in a storm or charged
a battery. I give an illustration: The
postmaster (“John Ellick,” everybody
called him,) contracted with a hunch
of little boys at a “thrip” apiece to
destroy a yellow jackets’ nest in a rot
ten sill at ono of the corners of the
postoffice building. Wo organized and
drew for places in the assaulting col
umn. Paddy drew No. 1, and his part
the attack was to rip off the plank
whom none of our crowd Wanted ' witli
us, but who would follow us about. One |
day that boy discovered that I was fish
ing in tho branch below his home, and, I
despite my objurgntive protests, inflict
ed himself upon me. I had just decided
to give up my sport when I lienrd his |
mother’s voice: “Jimmie 1 Jimmiet-
you, Jimmie!” No answer. Then,!]
with shrieks: “ You, Jimmie! ” again
and again. ‘VLook n-liere, said 1,1
‘that’s your maw n-callin’, an’ you
gotta go;” nml I escorted him. Ar-|
rived at the house, Jimmie’s ‘ ‘ mow ’ ’
took him into a shOil-room for an “in
terview,” to. which: I. listened -with- much'
satisfaction! The good woman sound
ly berated her son for nllowing that |
bad boj’.” (deponent) to “toll him
off ’ ’ from home; and then I lienrd the
rythmic ‘ ‘ swish ” of a peach-sprout ns
it was being applied to that part of ilie
anatomy tliut would do the most good,
accompanied by wnilings and sounds of
distress which indicated thnt the peach-
sprout was “hitting the spot.” Than
I overheard a prayer in jerky sentences,
in which the Lord was asked to ‘ ‘ for
give Jimmie for yielding to the wicked
enticements of that ‘ ‘ bad boy, ’ ’ and so
on. The “interview” ended and. Jim-1
mie out in the yard again, I “enticed’
him into the woods back of the house- I
lot. There occurred another ‘ ‘ inter-1
view, ’ ’ in which no peach-sprouts fig
ured, nor prayers—unless Jimmie niado I
them soto voce. But there was loft
‘ ‘ some signs ” of it among the leaves |
miller the big .ed oaks.
I pall up hero. You’ve heard enough
uhout tiie little Newnan boys of the
early ’50 ’a, huvon’t you. All right. 11
wish merely to remark, in conclusion, I
that so fur as I know only one other
of those small boys besides myself is
living today—Henry Brewster, of the
distinguished legal flrhi of Dorsey,
Brewster & Howell, of Atlanta Blit
maybe some of those boys whose names
have not recurred to me aro -still among
the living. If so, may the blessings of
the Almighty God attend upon every |
one of them.
(The author of these delightful remi
niscences is a retired Baptist minister, |
now nearly 80 yenrs of age, and well-
known throughout the State. His pres
ent residence is in Columbus, Ga. He I
has emitted the names of at least
two of liis boyhood chums whom wo |
know to he yet living—Col. Jos. H. Dent,
of Oakley, Md,, anil Mr. B. D. Brewster, I
of Sunny Side, Ga. There may ho oth
ers; but, alas! nearly all have answered |
the Inst JO'oll-call,” us the author puts It.
There ore numerous descendants of his I
“compatriots” of early days, however,
and they will greatly enjoy Ilia- charm
ing sketches of persons and incidents
now almost forgotten by the present |
generation.—rjidi tor.)
A year ago we made public our policy, and
announced then that we would give our cus
tomers immediate benefit of every drop in
wholesale prices. Regardless of profit or cost
our stocks were cleared of inflated values.
TODAY—with every garment new "'from the
maker (majority of them purchased recently)
—due to unseasonable weather for manufac
turers, we offer most opportune savings.
19.75 24.75 29.75
39.75
Skirts
4.95 9.75
covering the sill and dig out the nest
with a sharp Stick. I drew No. 2, and
mv part was to thrash the insects off
Paddy with a brush. Drew Brown, one
of the bigger boys, was No.. 3, and his
part was to protect me in like manner,
anil so on down to the end of the line.
Perhaps a hundred men and boys stood
around as spectators. The assault was
made iu the order described. Paddy
ripped off the plank ond dug out the
VIM AND VIGOR
Follow, If You Take This Advice
Chattanooga, Tenn. — "After four
years of suffering and misery untold,
from a trouble that seemed to baffle the
doctors, I became despondent, when
somehow I came into possession of Dr.
Pierce’s book, “The Medical Adviser.”
After reading it 1 decided I could be
benefited by Dr. Pierce’s Golden Med
ical Discovery and the Anuric tablets, so
1 began their use and in three weeks I
started (o improve. I only weighed 125
lbs. when I commenced the treatment
and today 1 weigh 140 !bs., and am prac
tically well. 1 can’t give too much praise
to Dr. Pierce’s God-given remedies.”—
John A. James, 1812 Citico Avc. -
You can quickly put yourself in A-l
condition by going to your druggist and
obtaining Dr. Pierce’s Family Remedic
—tablets or liquid; or write Dr. Pierce,
president Invalids’ Hotel in Buffalo,
N. Y., for free medical advice. Get the
Medical Adviser from your neighborhood
druggist or send $1.00 to Dr. Pierre.
In many instances the savings will buy an
other garment of equal value. In every in
stance the savings are fine.
SEE FOR YOURSELF- COMPARE!
YOU ARE NEVER URGED TO BUY
SPECIAL
SPECIAL
Fine, roomy “Beacon”
Extra heavy Jersey
BATH ROBES
PETTICOATS
5.00 5.50 5.95
5.00
KERSEY &
PRATHER
I