The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-12-23

old litter days, when they contended
agair st droutbs, pests and mortgages,
fade out, and they could look back on
the past without shudder.
1t las long time before they knew
Of tie great sacrifice Louise proposed
MAX; g for their sakcs in those old,
dark days, and when finally the know
ledgc came to them they could only
prize her little more highly as pre-
cior jewel. the brightest and best pos
sesS of their lives.
Scr ggs continued in his old occupation
of s. ling real estate and booming his
tow. and much credit was due him for
the wonderful growth of Magic City in
the ' arS that followed. The'person who
goes 20 Magic City now may sec q little
old aan, wiry and nervous, sitting at
his c,.slz in his Office surrounded by a
fine ,isplay of agricultural products,
BUS: !. al work on some scheme for ad-
vanc ng his towns interests. That
man S Scraggs. He is always at work,
and lis work is always for his town.
To sra :rgs, and men like him, the west
owes much OF its prosperity. Il is such
as i rvho nake boons and cause
tow and cities to spring up Ike
mage. They turn waste places into
gart,2 as. and deserts into prosperous
communities.
1t ;ranspired after Blatchford's death
that ne was indeed broken up. All his
western securities were carried away
by pearson, and into these he had, upon
Pearson's recommendations, turned
nearly all his wealth. His property in
the east was heavily mortgaged for
morsy to send west, and when the
news of his death and his western
losses became known, his eastern cred
;tors closed in, and everything, includ-
ing his residence, was sold at trustees
sale.
Mrs. Blatchford was thus left penni-
less, and suddenly she awoke to the re-
alization of the fact, and came up face
to face with the most abject poverty.
Sarah is sadly disappointed woman,
and iull often she sighs for her fallen
grandeur. She often recalls the days
when she was mistress of Blatchford's
house and when she with all her rela-
tives lived in great plenty and comfort
on Blatchford's bounty. She is, indeed,
receiving the just rewards Of her
actions, and is tasting the bitter draught
she poured out to Others Rev. Wheed-
Ter has long since forgotten Mrs.
Blatchford In fact he lost interest in
her when she lost her position in So
ciety and became unable to contribute
to his salary. Mrs. Blatchford has
never forgotten nor forgiven Aunt
Mitchell, and it is probable that she
never will. But that matters little TO
Aunt Mitchell, and she goes her way
quite as well satisfied as though MIS-.
Blatchford was her best friend.
And now, having disposed Of all the
other characters, nothing remains but
to account for Harry Pearson. He
went to the mountains beyond Denver,
and though Scraggs made every effort
to spprehend him, he was not
heard of for some months after
his escapade. The report that
came then was to the effect that he had
drifted into the mining regions, and
after gambling away all his money
undertook to raise stake by robbing a
mine. He was caught in the act and
after a hearing before an ex-
temporary pioneer court, was taken
out and promptly hung 10 the nearest
tree.
And now our story is done. Years
have elapsed since the events recorded,
and the great state OF Kansas has out
grown its early disadvantages. The
fertile soil of it's great plains produces
wonderful crops, and its people are
nnGng the first to respond with their
rich products to the calls of other suffer
ing lands. It has become one OF the
frs. states Of the union, and but for one
thing it's people would be the most
pros porous on earth. It mas escaped
the curse Of pests and drouths; but,
alas, the farm mortgage still has its
deadly fangs buried deep II its soil
When this curse is abolished and the
homes of the west become free OF the
greedy Shylocks' grasp, then will the
land blossom as the rose and the struggl-
ing people enjoy the full fruits Of their
labors. May that time come quickly.