Under Magnolia: A Southern Memoir (35 page)

My Lucky Number

My lucky number is 8
.

What is your lucky number?

I challenge the world to beat me on my lucky number 8
.

The flood was in the year 2448 B.C
.

My forefather, Noah, was 599 year and 48 days old when he entered the ark
.

I had 8 ancestors saved by water
.

The 28 American soldiers who were killed in the battle of King’s Mountain were buried on October 8th, 1780
.

My liberty was celebrated in 1880, the year of the great centennial at which time the old monument was unveiled
.

The old monument is 18 feet square at the base and 28 feet high
.

The distance from our home to King’s Mountain Battle Ground is 18 miles
.

My liberty was renewed in 1818, the World War, 8 years ago
.

I am 78 years old
.

My wife was born in the year 1848. She is 78 years old
.

My father left the farm in the year 1858, moved in a wagon, and I rode 8 miles
.

My great grandfather, Jacob Rhyne, was the father of 8 sons
.

I was the 8th child in the family
.

I was married in 1878. I have been married 58 years
.

The first money I earned was 5 cents when I was 8 years old
.

I married my wife out of a family of 8 children
.

I went 8 miles to get married
.

I celebrated my fiftieth anniversary in 1918, 8 years ago
.

My wife and I lived together 58 years when death separated us
.

The first cook stove I owned was Number 8. It cost $18 and was given to me in 1880
.

I had 8 sister-in-laws and 8 blood aunts. I had 8 uncles in the Civil War
.

I had 8 great-uncles, I had 18 uncles in all
.

I started to the Civil War with 8 in my company
.

I moved to Gastonia NC in 1888. 8 Children had been born in my family
.

I have been a resident of Gastonia NC 38 years
.

The first time I saw the ocean I was 48 years old
.

I have a Christmas present 38 years old
.

I was standing on the summit of Spencer’s Mountain 8 hours before the nineteenth century passed out
.

I voted for the removal of Gaston County Court House from Dallas to Gastonia in 1908
.

The first Republican ticket I voted was for Garfield for President of the United States and George McKee for Sheriff of Gaston County, this was in 1880
.

I voted no more Republican tickets until 48 years afterwards.

I was 80 years old when I voted the Republican ticket for the second time in my life
.

I quit drinking coffee on May 8, 1908
.

The first cotton mill built in my county, Gaston, was in 1848, it ran for 68 years regular without stopping before it was destroyed by high water
.

The first railroad built through my county was in 1858
.

My first trip on a train was in 1868. I rode a distance of 18 miles
.

I have been 800 miles from home. I have been in 8 states
.

I am glad to say I live in the best country in the world which is composed of 48 states
.

The father of my country, George Washington, was president 8 years
.

The Washington Monument was started under construction in 1848
.

I visited Mt. Vernon and went through George Washington’s home in 1918, 8 years ago
.

I live 8 blocks from the city square
.

I live at 408 Willow Street
.

My favorite verse in the Bible is Revelations 1–18, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for ever more, Amen; and have the keys of hell and death.” On this hangs my soul. What does your soul hang on?

These are facts and are correct to December 28th, 1926
.

20
From her, I understand in the marrow:
The line “A pity beyond all telling is hid in the heart of love” is from W. B. Yeats’s poem “The Pity of Love.”