The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-05-28

llhC al n 4AOy S%H~
doppels, it brought shivering dread OF
the Last Day. The oldest persons re-
collected having heard their fathers
say. that 'ssich a somethin' was seed in
the Permanent, jest before de war OF &c
Intepentency broke out" and predicted
robberies and battles. These forbod-
ings were strengthened by rough cen
sus of the Dutch F"~k, showing that
there were at least two young men to one
young woman,--an incongruity which
it was thought could be corrected only
by war. Mr.. Samuel Burns, a stranger
who for two years had been employed
as schoolmaster at St. Johns church,
informed his patrons that the object
now exciting their wonder was comet;
and that philosophers considered the
world in some jeopardy, whenever it
was approached by one of these bodies.
He was a pedagogue of rare plausibili-
ty, and had so ingratiated himself into
the good opinion of the old folks in the
neighborhood - especially those who
had pretty daughters-that he was
held in deadly detestation by the
swain. He was an ignoramus, as
is generally the case with itinerant
schoolmasters, and imposed upon
the inquisitive ignorance of the
farmers by an afectation Of learn
ing oftentimes extremely ludicrous.
Now and then, he excited momentary
suspicion of ineompetency, when he
failed to give satisfactory explanations
of shooting stars; or asserted that there
was no further danger after the tighten
ing's flash was over; and once his ruin
seemed inevitable, when he denied that
the custom of planting potatoes in the
sign of the feet was founded in reason.
He took shelter under the avowal that
he had preference for the sign Of the
head; but he had at last to hang his
head under the general denunciation:
''dat nopody but g. outdacious fool
would tink OF plantin' taters ia de sign
of de head wen effery pody from de
very peginning Of de worlt know'd
dat de feet is de blaze for 'taters." !"
His disquisitions respecting the comet
were marvellous; but the admiration
they inspired has long since been de-
,stroyed by the incidents to be related
in this story. Mr.. Burns fell from
honor, perhaps unjustly, and the comet
of '43 is Snown to this day in the
Dutch Fork, as Mark Meyers, just as
the one of 1852 is distinguished by the
name of Hailey's.
The same Sunday on which Mark
Meyer related his adventure, young
man and young woman were riding to-
wards her home from st. Johns church,
after the services were concluded.
Although it was a cold day, and they
had several miles to go, their shivering
horses were reined into e slow walk.
The young man in his general appear
ance was natures model. He was tall
to the utmost of six feet; and his Saxon
blue eyes though they sometimes fash
ed with indignation oftener beamed
with generosity. His ungloved hand
and swarthy visage showed that hus-
bandry was his occupation. His name
was Abram Priester.
The damsel was fair to look upon.
No veil concealed her face. The rim
of her bonnet with the red ribbon tied
under her chin encircled smooth fore
head shaded by the blacklist hair, and
cheeks over which bushes were con-
tinuaily sporting with the smiles that
played around her mouth. There was
fire in her dark eye and ready pout
lurking about her lips that gave warn
ing of a will to brave much parental
opposition in favor Of a lover. All,
Eet:a Elfns was the girl for Abram
Priester! He had often said so, and
vowed to overcome every obstacle op-
posed to his gaining her hand. There
were difficulties, but not with Yetta.
Her parents, infatuated with the Pc
dantry of Samuel Burns, intlmated
their willingness that be should marry
their daughter, by forbidding his rival,
Abram Priester, to enter their house.
Ietta was not equivocal in making
known her preference. She darted
from her eyes flashes of warning which,
if they had not increased her beauty
to degree irresistibly fascinating,
would, perhaps, have repulsed the peda-
gogue, but, as it happened, she en-
chanted the poor fellow more and more
by her manifestations Of displeasure.
He had the'good will of the old folks
on his side, and he resolved to win her
ny luIpOiLuulty.
Ah, Samuel Burns, Samuel Burns,
you are rock in the current of true
love, and I will have to blast you!
1t may we'll be supposed that the
conversation of the lovers, as they rode
from church, was painfully interesting.
When they approached as near to Mr.
Elfn's as Abram could venture, they
paused in the road, and continued
little while longer the conversation
that had been so absorbing to their
feelings up to the moment when they
must part for the present.
II wonder watts got into de olt
man." began Abram Priester, "dat he
won't let me so into his house"
''Wy, Abram," answered Yetta,
"you know,-or you ought to know,
it's becase he don't want you to
marry me.n
"But I will marry you, Yetta,n cried