The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-10-07
CHAPTER w.
THE NI.tTCNFORDS.


Blatchtord, however, cannot so read
ilv be disposed Of, since he figures IN
the narrative TO the end, therefore it Is
necessary to go back and give little
further account OF him.
1T the time John and Mary married,
Hiram BlWchto-d had been : widower
for two years, and he remained so until
after his daughter removed to Kansas.
Soon after that event, though, he met
Miss Sarah Spclllcr, an elderly splnster,
and asked her TO share his home. Miss
Spicklcr having been on the matrl-
monial market for good many years
with no bidders for her hand, was des-
pcratc enough to accept any sort CT
offer. and accordingly she snapped
Blatchford up in short order.
Miss Spickler was anything but
pretty. and her temper was sourcd and
her intellect none of the strongest. yet
she had not been in the Blatchford
home week, as Mrs. Blatchford, be-
fore she had her husband under her
thumb, and held complete sway over
everything and everybody about the
place.
Blatchford was her slave from the
first, and with him her word was law
Whatever she wished she had, and
whatever she commanded to be done
was done without delay. She married
Blatchford for his money, and she was
determined from the first to have 1t.
A month or so after his marriage
Blatchford began to study about his
daughter, and the more he thought OF
her the more he became convinced that
he had Ill treated her. In short, after
so long 8 time he came to the conclu-
sion that he was as much to blame as
Mary, and, knowing that she must be
suffering privations, he decided to eX-
tend to her the hand of friendship and
offer to her and John some pecunlary
assistance. Having come to this con-
clusion, ne hastcncd to mention the
matter to his wife for her sanction.
Sarah listened until he had unfolded
his plans. then with uplifted hands and
staring eyes exclaimed:
well, did ever hear of such thing
as that. Hiram Blatchford, have you
lost all your scnses?"
Why, Sarah" Hiram replied, taken
back, whats the matter?"
Natter" Sarah repeated. "Well, I'd
never believed it, never"
Never believed what?" Hiram asked.
''Why, that you could ever have been
taken with such fool notions, Hiram.
Whoever heard of the like OF it?"
"Why, L" Hiram stammcrcd and
stopped.
WHY, you," Sarah put in, want
to be fool, Hiram Blatchford, regu-
lar out and out fool, you do. That's all
there is of it. The idea Of you making
the first step towards Z reconciliation
between you and Your daughter, when
she throw you away for the sake OF
John Green. Yes, if was you would.
rdgo and get down on my knees to her,
and own that was in the wrong. Yes,
ia do all that, and beg her with tears
in my eyes to come back to my arms. "
Sarah. II
Eyes, 1 know Whit YOU thought,
Hiram. I know that your soft, silly
heart prompts you to make fool OF
yourself. But before you do it, ask
yourself il it would be right. Wasn't
you always kind and i1dulgent to Mary,
and didn't You do everything for her
that a father could do?"
"Yes. that's true" Hiram replied
with no little inward satisfaction, and
with growing feeling that he was a
much abused parent.
Then you have done your duty, Hi
ram, more than your duty, and if any
body is TO bend the knee let it be the
one who has done wrong. l don't be-
l:cve il father being made q slave to
the whi.a and wishes Of an ungratcful
child. Ill had ever had such a father
as YOU. and had ever crossed him in one
wish cvcr. never would have forgiven
mvsclf. I couldn't ever looked the
world in the face after being so heart
less and ungrateful. Oh. Hiram. what
q noble, loving, focgiving nature you
have. and how unfeeling must have
tctl- l-lc CA!!IIi ~ Az SOoAN~ SS osAAASSo-S
tra,nplc upoa it,
At this point the good Sarah, who all
along had shown strong symptoms OF
wecr;nG, was 50 overcome that she
could restrain her tears no longer, and
broke down and poured forth in per-
feet lool on her husbands shoulder.
Hiram was deeply touched. and he was
forced 20 exert himself to keep back the
tears o: self pity that welled up in his
own ercs He had never before real
lied how deeply he had been wronged,
and ucv2r before had he understood
how much he had been martyrcd. His
heart vent out to himself, and he pitied
himself from the bottom Of his soul.
There. there, Sarah. he said, don't
let the tenderness OF your heart cause
YOU to gr;cve TOO sorcly for what have
been made to suffer. I promise You
that shall not forget my wrongs again
soon, since the weakness that possessed
NE for short time is gone. No, III
never make any advances to a child
who SO far forgot her duty to me and
treated me with such cruelty, and am
glad that you recalled me to myself in
time to save me from taking the step I
had anticipated"
Sarah checked her tears and by de-
grees her sobbing ceased. The effort
she had made had been great one, and
her soul was terribly sore from the
effects OF it, but she had saved her hus-
band from abusing himself and sinking
his dignity, and she was satisfied. OF
course she had saved him from all ex-
pense on Mary's account and kept that
much more money for herself, but that
would not count for anything with such
noble soul as that of the angelic Sarah.
Hiram" sho said when she had got
her feelings sufficiently under control
TO DC able to cease her tears and sobs,
- hope have not said too much. I