Houston County Researchers: For the past 3 years, I have been compiling a book entitled: EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS OF HOUSTON COUNTY, GEORGIA 1821-1871: Copyright 2000 by William A. Mills. I thought I had this book finished last year, but I keep finding more interesting items to include in it. By the time that I actually print this book, it may be too large to contain in one volume. But, there is no need to keep all of this good info hidden away. I stumbled across an original story written by a man who was born in 1826, and resided in Perry, GA for several decades. This story was supposed to be published right after the Civil War, but I cannot find any evidence that it ever was. I've checked everywhere that I can, and no one has ever heard of it before. ================>>> Portions from Chapter 8: Aunt Annie Gauze was, in her native country, a Lutheran, but joined the Methodists here, and was a zealous, devoted Christian. Being of a very nervous temperament, she had spells of hysterics, but never would acknowledge it. During one of her paroxysms, she overheard Dr. Reese tell my mother that, that was her present ailment. This offended her, and when the doctor called again, she was up and said to him, "Go way mit yourself; I takes no more your meticines. You says I is got de highstrikes; go way mit yourself". After that, she had no more "highstrikes"; it cured her. My father hired an old well digger and, during his stay with us, an acquaintance between him and Aunt Annie was followed by a fondness for each other's society; soon a matrimonial contract was agreed to, and the time fixed for its execution. The old man came ahead of time, and boarders furnished him with a suit, not a little fantastic, and sent the old lady a box of artificials, ("argrewations" she called them) with which the girls adorned her white bridal cap and robe. Thus they were united in holy wedlock, as happy as if theirs had been the spring time of life. The union proved to be a happy one, but oh! how sad were all when Aunt Annie was taken away by death. Another very old couple was married and their wedding was celebrated by the young men and boys with bugles, horns, tin pans, quills, songs and powder guns, and a procession with torches headed by the bride and groom. They marched all over town, and kept up the excitement until the wee small hours of the morning. The old court house was illuminated one still, dark night (the occasion of a marriage in town). Every pane of glass in the building exhibited a bright light, and we have never witnessed a scene that excelled it in brilliancy and beauty. It is said that "a thing of beauty is a joy forever", and in one vivid recollection of it, have thought of that "building not made with hands", in another and better clime, where there is no night, and whose brilliant sheen is its own founder and builder. There were two worthy old women, well remembered by not a few yet living. One of them, Mrs. Kent, lived near the bridge and owned a large flock of geese, which were valuable in those days for their quills and feathers. During one of their aquatic frolics in the branch nearby, they raised a squall and commenced an unusual splashing. The old lady, satisfied that an alligator was the cause of the alarm, gathered her apron full of light-wood knots and ran to the rescue. Sure enough, there was the monster, and making for him, she slew him outright before he could get into deep water. The old lady was better known to the boys because she made and sold ginger cakes (so called). Mrs. Crawford also was an item, or rather her apples, peaches and plums were so well guarded by her dogs and her constant presence at home, that no one ever received any benefit from them, except seldom as a gift or frequently for the money. One Mrs. Highnote, came to town often with provisions for sale. The old lady in her dump cart, with her rustic manners and dress, crowned with a man's fur hat, was a curiosity. Another, with enough loud talk and vim for a half dozen of her sex, came alone and did her own trading, and wasn't afraid. If her husband was living, we do not remember ever having seen him; perhaps, like the husband of Nancy Hart, he was not the head of the family. These welcome visitors, with others who supplied us with butter, eggs, poultry, etc., had several runaways in town, one of which was both amusing and somewhat remarkable. A yoke of yearlings, not well broken, hitched to a truck cart, ran away up Carroll Street, tacking about in triangular, rectangular, and zigzag style; they swept the whole street, now and then the cart seemed ahead, but the speed was kept up till they were out of town. The excitement and laughter of the town boys at the fun, was participated in by the boys who owned the runaway team, and they informed us afterward, that the team and cart hauled up at home all right, nothing broken but the steers, which never ran away again. Others occurred, during which sidewalks and streets were cleared of pedestrians, and the frightened horses, with hucksters' carts attached, girated as if they didn't know the way out of town. And corners, piazzas, steps and shade trees were fixed up to be run into on such occasions. And after the mischief was done, stop, and with forward ears and honest face, gaze with mute and apparent astonishment on the debris of the tear-up. The custom of women walking behind their husbands and brothers, Indian-trail fashion, was once common in the country, especially with old people. I always thought it odd, never could see any good reason for it, and well remember the astonishment created by the first couple that was seen walking side by side, the lady resting her arm upon that of her companion. ~~ TO BE CONTINUED ~~ _______________________________________ William A. Mills Perry, GA [email protected] ________________________________________________________________ YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.