Observe among your people which one succeeds best in any undertaking, whether it is in the raising of a particular kind of crop, or the saving of it, the successful curing of his meat, the raising of fruit, the breeding of good stock, or having attractive home—go to that one for that particular kind of information or instruction that you want. Strive to improve the moral standing, which is necessary for physical as well as social advancement.
No one who has been with these people, worked with them as we have, but must be pleased to observe their gratitude, their gentle manner of expressing it, their desire to improve and their attention to instruction or suggestion, their cheerful disposition and their faith in God and the Red Cross.
ON THE CHARLESTON GROUP.
Among those who lived the storm and later brought their experience and quickened sympathy to us for such help as they could give to their still suffering companions in danger and woe, was our tireless and faithful assistant, Mr. H.L. Bailey, of Charleston.
It has never been my good fortune to find one who—entirely new to the work and to its conception—has grasped more readily the field of labor presented to him. The success attending his work and the satisfaction attested by his beneficiaries are rich stores of memory for a lifetime. The Red Cross could not have asked for better service.
Report of Mr. H.L. Bailey.
In order to make the following narrative more complete I deem it not amiss to preface it with a short account of my own experience in the great Cyclone of 1893, and a few incidents relating thereto.
In August, 1893, I was doing business on that part of Edisto Island, known as “Little Edisto,” and spending the nights at a small place “just across the creek” called “Brick House,” said place taking its name from an old and substantial brick house which had been built on that spot, at a time ante-dating the Revolutionary War, and much honored in that locality on account of its antiquity and the good material of which it was built, the bricks, etc., having been imported from Holland.
On Saturday morning, August 30th, I went to my business on “Little Edisto” as usual, and on arriving I remarked to Mr. Whaley (my employer) how promising the crops were looking, and the bright prospects of a fine harvest. His answer was “Yes; but I am afraid a storm is brewing, and one of unusual severity, too, because the signs of the last few days have been ominous of such, and I feel very uneasy.” I, being young and skeptical, of course took no heed of his prophetic words, and alas, only a few hours more convinced me that something of unusual magnitude was upon us. I retired that night, and on awaking next morning (Sunday) took breakfast, and parted from Mr. W. to spend the day at “Brick House,” promising him to return that evening and remain all night. But circumstances intervened (which prevented me from doing so for several days later) so appalling that even as I write them now, a cold shudder comes over me, and all the horrors of that awful time come back.