Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1872-1875, 1874-12-17
BEYOND D1At DOUBT.
YY NIoaoLTNoa HAYNN.,

BEYoNDfAl DOUBT. lI,s-a
BY NIoHoLTNo H1YNN.
Paul Wayne was bachelor of forty
five. Not ono of the wayward, nomadic
sort, but who occupied splendid house
, and took excellent care Of IAN corphan
who called him Uncle Paul. He was
blessed with the best heart in the world,
and possessed so many of the requisites
OF good husband and father that 1t
was matter of great surprise among
his friendsE that he remained single.
Those who knew him best rightly traced
his single blessedness to his one faultea
most wonderful obduracy and unwilf-
lngness to give up an impression once
fully Observation-Disclosures characteristic
injured him in his business affairs too.
but those with whom he had business
differences attributed it to what, for q
better term, they called eoc4ntrioity.
Paul Wayne had his love passages in
his earlier manhood, but they came to
nothing but disappointment because of
this obdurate md unaiterable determine
alton to abide by his first impressions,
whether these agreed with subsequent
facts or not indeed, whether it suited
the other party in the love affair or not.
Young girls do not generally like q
= lover who is not the least bit pliable.
While their natures demand strong,
manly love, for something that shields,
there is intermingled with it all a touch
OF the conquering spirit to be recog-
nized. Paul Wayne's lordly way of
woolng, Away which to his lady friends
seemed to say, wait until I am ready
and have only to name THE day, brought
him at least one ridiculous jilt, but to
it all he only said, as he put the girl out
OF his memory, "She will regret it.
beyond doubt"
Mary Dale did regret it: for che
married q man who broke her heart by
brutal treatment and deserted her while
she lay helplessly sick with girl.baby
inher bosom. That girl-baby was given
to Paul Wayne with the last breath of
the dying mother, and it was baby Mary
Dale who, at seventeen, called him
Uncle Paul.
"Nary, Philip Hastings is a bad man.
I know it beyond doubt. j am not
deceived"
How do you know it, Uncle Paul ?"
Well, how do we know anything
Why, there are many ways and reasons
for knowing and thinking SO one is
we'll, it don't matter. i know. 1T beyond
doubt"
He knew it, and that was enough for
him. Aud Mary knew him we'll enough
to end such an argument ut once. It
was Just mt the proper moment, too, for
Philip Hastings, the "bad man." was
announced. While we leave the lovers
together enjoying brief morning call.
We vii! go out with Paul Wayne, and
town town.
''Bad man, beyond doubt. Bad
company. He is always with that man
Quigley; what in the world brought
that man, that wretch Qnigley. back,
when we all thought him dead and bur-
led these years )? He onght to have
died long ago" Aud Uncle Paul lthrast
his cane against the pavement with a
nervous aippetpous motion, and looked
up to sesNQnigley. ~ s ''a
They passed, Paul Wayne looking
straight ahead down the street, the 9th.
er casting quick glances at the stern
face OF the bachelor, hoping for a look
Of recognition. then stopping to look
after the retreating figure, as if to be
certain that. it was the man. a few
yards separated them, and then Panl
could not fesistg the curiosity to look
back, and their eyes met. It was awk-
ward, hut only for an instant, the bach
elor turning quickly and proceeding on
eff conld only talk to him a mo.
ment. Bdtsthe poor get but few words
and these not kindlysone T will let
him nlone,~ and tho man Quigley
threaded his way among the throng of
mon bearing strange faces. he had
been gone for years, and a new, genera
ton had sprung iIlp. Few Egave him a
look betokening recognition. Now and
then man with wbitened hair and
bowed form wotiid half stop, gaze Mt
him an instant with n curious, ,iaqmisi-
tive look, rs if trying to recall some.
thing Of tboIpast. then pass on. Far
ther away from the bustle Of the busi-
ness streets fhe stranger pauseds III lIia
walk, and said again, aloud, TO himself,
eff J coHld only talk to him mo-
mont" Tho half piteous tone fell upon
the ears of two ligbt-hearted girls who
wero passing, ai1d a shade Of mpInn-
choly passed over the face of the Younger
as both turned to look ut tho speaker
aud we reGogniaeouf Uncle Paul'e Mary,
Not o superbly handsome girl with orr
entail eyes and the soft, sensnous lano.
nor of the famed east, but n good honi.
thy, pretty girl, something to love
fondly, something tangible to stand the
wear and tear OF life, something worthy
OF mans striving efforts. That even.
ing there was an 10y party Mt Uncle
Panl's. Mary had been amusing him
in the earlier hours with "o old-fashioned
songs" al Paul called them, and the
wo we're in the midst of these pleasures