Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1867-04-11
q geItttea stury.
THE GROCER'S STORY.

closed, and where there was so little passing that
spears of grass grew here and there between the
Hagstones, and the stone curbs OF the iron rallied
areas were fringed with soft green moss. A very
afternoon strange cry sounded through it. which
awakened all its echoes, and called curious faces to
the doors and windows.
''Stop thief! stop theft.
The strong voice of policeman uttered the cry
at first, and the shrill treble of two boys at play
near by took it up and repeated it, and by and by
there was full, deep chorus like the cry OF pack
of hounds sound you might have known at any
distance, however ignorant you were OF the Ian
guage, to be the cry Of men who hunted something.
Policemen with their clubs, errand boys with
bundles. bakers with baskets on their arms, young
gentlemen Just released from the academy close
at hand, and ragged urchins, whose school-house
was the gutter all Joined together in the hot pur-
suit, and followed the miserable object with bare,
begrimmed feet and hatless head, that fitted a.
long before them with speed which only fear could
lend to one so worn and wretched "a speed which
kept the crowd long way off, and made the bur-
Eest of his pursuers pant tor breath.
They were out Of sight in a,momsut, but IN
little while the cry was heard that the thief had
baf1ed them, and some amongst the crowd rushed
back to see If their prey had doubled on his track
and others sulky and indignant with the result OF
their useless chase, came back muttering angrily
or swearing, with many violent oaths, that they
would have him yet. One policeman, well TED tel
low with acrimson face, made quite hero OF hum,
self by asserting that he knew the fellow and would
trap him before sundown. There was good deal
of sympathy expressed for the gentleman who had
lost his 5oc}et handkerchief but none that could
hear for the poor degraded wretch who had pur,,
loihed it, until placid voice at my elbow uttered
the following words, apparently in solloquy:.
ssWen. NAV be wrong, but somehow hope
they won't catch him."
turned in SURPRISE and confronted our grocer,
on whose steps had sought shelter from the
crowd, which at such moment, could not be ex-
pected to think much of the safety of a woman.
Our grocer was portly man, with q shining nm
the tonsure of Roman Catholic priest, and wear
ing at the moment Holland apron and short
blue jacket. , ,,
eyes M" he went on, II really hope the mis-
erable, starved looking creature will get off,
''Then you don't believe he picked the gentle
mans pocket" said /.
s'Tm afraid it's only too certain that he did,
maam," said the man, shaking his head. THe
looked straight at me as he passed, and ne had
hungry, desperate eyes that looked hkethett, and
murder, too, for the matter -
"And yet you wish him to escape, when he has
broken the laws of the land, and will probably dc
50 again?''
God forbid that should help to break the
laws" said the old grocer. 'God men made them
and they are right but there other laws that
read in my old Bible Sunday nights, that seem to
be as binding One Of them is-'Do unto Others
as you would that others should do unto you :
and another, Love thy neighbor as thyseK =
When remember these words, ! think that you
may be too hard with poor sinful fellow being,
and not go beyond the limits Of the law either.
- pho hoI nlypf1 Mo
ed will 90 home to fine dinner and bottle OF
wine, no doubt; the wretch of thief may have q
crust of bread and glass of burning gin, if he
can sell or pawn what he stole for enough to gel
them. Somehow, if could, I wouldn't have him
hunted down tonight Il VOW wouldn't
s'Still, don't blame these young fellows; Id
have been as furious in the chase as any Of en-,
years ago; but [ learnt lesson once that
never have forgotten, and hope never may.
was young man and poor one then, and had
hard struggle to make my little shop keep my. ut
tie family. 1t was only by pinching and saving
and keeping sharp look out for every bargain
that managed it all.
1--WE lived in a shabby street, and had only
very poor customers. A loaf of bread, q quarte
ola pound of butter, and two ounces Of black tel
was quite an order, and most Of those who came
wanted trust.
Gas for laying in fine fruit Or vegetables, nev
er thought OF such fOlly. Dla1nOnQS WOulu naS'
been as saleable in that part Of the city, wher
washerwomen and the poorest laboring men wer
the aristocracy. :.
'Now and then, when foreign ship came t.
port with load Of ruined pine-apples, or decaye'
oranges, bought lot Of these, and charging
next to nothing, sold them easily enough AZ A
though own, my wife used to say the miserable
babies, who rolled about the CUTTERS died OFT fast
ter every stock of damaged foreign fruit sold II
the old shop, and am afraid that she was right;
Well, as told you, struggled along the best
might, and after while things began to improve
and began to have visions Of a clean store IN {
good street, when laid down to rest at night.
$50 one day when had been to market,
brought home half dozen hams and hung then
up about the door, more for show than anything
else, for hams were grand holiday dinner il
those regions, and not an every day affair cal
tell YOU. They went off slowly, as though
thew would Now and then some would come il
for a pound, and once ] sold half the smallest ont
to a woman who wanted it for her Sunday dinner
She was to pay me on Monday morning. but sh
never did, for on Sunday night her husband killet
her with rum bottle and they took her body pas
my shop with its poor head beaten out OF shap
and bloody.
HAnd so the hams hung there through the sum
mer and through the fall, and quite on into tn
winter
TT was just as the December nights began t
grow long and dark and cold, that noticed ne'