Light went out so did a life. Another instance of what proved to be a forerunner of
death occurs to me.
William Ashley DeBruhl age 17, the only son of Mr. Jesse DeBruhl by his first wife, Eliza Donovan was killed while shooting bull-bats received a load of small shot in the head from a
gun in the hands of a young man named Bird, a very gentlemanly appearing stranger, (Mr. Bird introduced family painted oil-cloth table covers here-something new.) It was clearly an accident, but poor Bird was completely broken down by it. I was present when the shooting
occurred. We were boarding at the time at the Globe Hotel, kept by Mr. William Reeder and his wife, where the post office now stands. Fearful of worrying young DeBruhl's relatives by his appearing at the house , he engaged me to go twice a day to inquire about the wounded youngster. The patient seemed to be doing very well, although the physicians could see no hopes for his recovery. This was in the oil lamp days. One night while the solitary lamp in the sick room was apparently burning all right, it suddenly went out. Young DeBruhl noticed it,
turned to his mother and said quietly, " I know what that sign means-- goodbye", and died before the lamp could be relighted. Dr Samuel Fair, of Newberry SC who had graduated in Paris and lately begun the practice of medicine in Columbia, attended the young man, and afterwards married his sister. The grave is unmarked in the Presbyterian Church yard.
Jullian Selby South Carolina Gazeteer
Transcribed by Norman DeBruhl
December 8, 2014
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