The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-01-01

/ Is
looks like mean thing TO do apiiI INV
| own husband. They would turn him ont
| OF The Church If IL wuz found ont, and
that would jest be the ruin of poor Jim.D
Don't you be afraid, Martfiy. Jim in
too good fellow fur the Lord ter let 10
This is how It wuz. The day before
| Christmas Jim went ter town 60 get soma
things. There wuz shoes fur Phil. en- =
cap fur the baby, an calico frock fur
me, an new hat fur himself, an n
roast of meat, an pint of cranberrjes.
an pound Of fine cut tobackker, an
box of snuff, an some candy fur the chill.
dren's stockin's. LOOKS like good deal
| iur poor folks 20 oe buyin', but Jim had
| oeen 80 good about not drinkin' that we
had moro christmas money than we have
ever had sence I've been married. Jim
wuz in fine spirits, an hadn't shadder
OF mlstrust Of him. l went about my
work singin'-you know how woman
feels when great load has been lifted
from her shoulders"-an' Leila nodded
very sympathetic.
ut WIZ the day old Mother Burridgs
got her dreadful fall, and they sent fur
me ter come over. / wuz lookin' out fur
Jim, an about noon he passed By with
old man Bobberts."
"With Mr.. Bobberts ." cried Leila
starting up.
ayes; an run out ter the gate Ter
meet them. Jim wuz ez sober "A man ez
ever drew breath. told him where be
would find his dinner, an' that wouldn't
he home until late; that mebbe would
have to stay all night, an that, consider.
ing the uncertainty,o he needn't come
after me, ez one of the boys would see me
nome. Howsomever, I got home about
sundown, an' what dye think wuz the
sight that met my eyes, Leila Raney?
! There wuz the room in mess, the FIRE
burned out, The smell of whiskey every.
where, broken jug on the floor, two
| stretched out on the sofa a.sleepin' the
sleep Of drunkenness flung the iue
out of.doors, but not before saw that X
had John Raney's name on it. I wuz
that overcome that just sat down an
cried myself s'ok. knew that he must
have got the liquor on credit, fur there.
In little pile, wuz everything had sent
fur, even to the candy nm buyin' them
.iast q took the last nickel. Icalled nv
little boy, an asked him if he could teIl
me who had been with his pa; AM he
said that before he went to school, Phil
| Oglesby had been hangin' round, mighty
anxious to see Jim; 40 I s'pose he an
Jim got drunk together. for, yon know.
Phil 10 the most drinkin' man on tha
perarer. / taxed Jim with it when he
came ter himself, but not word could
get out tof him an q sorry Christmas
broke iur us, all because somebody let my
key"
of it, for tho world |" cries Leila. "This
must be cleared np."
She wuz so excited she could hardly
speak. Her cheeks wuz on fire. an
curious triumphant sort Of look was n
glitterin' in her eyes.
May see your husband, Marthy?
Don't be afraid. I'll not let out word
| of what you've told me. But must have
talk with Jim. Where Is he p
HE ia 6xin' the fence behind the barn.
an OF course you can sec him IL you're
mind ter. But Dear aakes! Do look
at herP
For Leila had tore out of the house
without waitin' ter hear the end of what
Marthy wuz a.sayin'.
She found Mr.. Hatfield nailin' AN old
plank acrost broken place 10 the fence.
| Good mornin', JIM" says she, col.
lcGtin, herself, and smilin' very friendly.
| Leila had pretty coaxin' way when
sho liked and Jim wuz in good humor
before she said another word. Not that
he wuz hard man to deal with. He
wuz good .lookin' young fellow. with n
weak mouth, an O bright open face thnt
made him only too poppeler with the
wild chaps In town. i.f o., NJ. ~
"Mr. Hatfield, !" Rays Leila, "you know
| my husband 10 in trouble, an I'm frvin'
my best ter help him out Of 1t, An r
think anybody thnt's his friend or mine
ought ter be willin' ter help me. |" 4 '.s;I
sure" -
"yon see, ito this way" ssys Leila
speakin, very rapid. "Ofd Mr.. Bobberts
bought half o gallon of whinkey ne dav
before Christn,as, an few hours later
came inter town with what Won mon
would cal! acock and bull story, OF havin'
been act on BY tramps an robbed OF ik.
go. pleadin' hls poEerty, he persuaded my
husband 70 let him have O. quart, an
seein' ez the two purchases Ssguz only a
few hours apart, John didn't consider
that he broke the law in putin, fhofo
down ez one. But, 10 an behold ! ITr.
Bobberta conscience wuz GO very. tantIer
that he informed ON John, am 1nleag va
can eco some way ont of IL, hewill heye
to pay Q big fine." I73f1 q S''t,
ut wus o mean trick, y said AFr. Hat.
hesd, with 8 si6Is shake Of the hesd IDA
powerful mean tricks {,
"So It wnz," !" says Leila :. IAN, I'll tall
you my opinion. Mr. Hatfield. Itisthat
Mr. Bobbefts mover saw so much az the
back OF Q tramp. believe that half.
gallon whiskey went In quite another Wav.
an I've reason 70 think.that you can tell
me, how IL went" y :, 81 b s.
stop r cries Mr.. Hatfield, very ner.
yons can't give you no Information.
an If could, q don't see how it WoIi9
bear on the case - 3; ~
"Just this way. Mr. Bobbsrts pretanda
ie WIZ his consctence made him Inform on
John. Nowif could prove, tiist he told
o lie-not to nince words with gou--and
threatento exposs him to the Community.
1might force him to withdraw his charss
against John, aud that would end the
matter p q s Ii - Z, -,
aWHo said so ~ cries Hatfield. very
much startled. aNVho said 60 ~ s.' !, q =
udge Wimbleton said 80. and on
dim, " you could help me, itl anyway 20
turn the: tables on that wicked Ola anIan.
do beg aud pray and beseech Won notfo
hold yonr tongue. . s .1,,II5
Z. Iehrs were streamins down Leiia's face
an she had canght Jim Hatfield's avn /,
between her little brown hantiss5 - 81
cant stand this, Eeil b., Z, said he.
I'LL tell you what i know, though its
0iyfnt m, vaat N r1n =, a III ,TJlt a