The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1892-09-09

tnlS particular OCCa-
sion, for Sile was very sick man. 1t
was his own fault, that is, he had no
business to 60, as he did, with Sheriff
Tom Owens, to suppress that riot over
in the Bloomer District, last month. 1t
was not in the line of his duties. But,
then, the call had been hasty aud i'm
perative one, and poor Tom was short
a-deputies as we'll as being pressed for
time, and Sile could hardly have refused
to go even if he had wanted to-, which
he did not. He enjoyed little row as
we'll as the Sheriff himself did, aud, be.
sides, he was one of the most obHging
men in the world. So he went, and
not only got hit with club or some
thing, but received 44-bullet in his in-
terror department, while Tom and the
rest of the posse escaped without
scratch. Sile was better now, and could
think with considerable facility; which
was unfortunate, perhaps, because his
thoughts were mostly of his expiring
term of Office and his helpless condition.
1t was pretty tough, everybody agreed,
because it was going to be "close'
year, and Sile was great worker. His
friends, 100, unfortunately were kept
pretty busy looking out for their own
scalps, and could not give his affairs the
attention they needed.
There was the last payment still due on
the house; there was "paper" in the bank
to be taken up; Sile Burton was in a bad
financial way, because, in addition to
being what Is known as "good fellow"
he had made some unfortunate invest
ments lately, aud now, to complete his
misery and overflow the cup, Brad Bout
well, of Chloride District, had come out,
in his sneaking but effective way, for
Jere Hobart for county auditor, and was
working night and day for his man, who
had heen Sise'i strongest opponent in the
last convention. Oh, it was rough, and
here was Sile, lying helpless, with the
nominating convention only two weeks
away
All this, and much more, Sile poured
into the ears OF his pretty little wife, as
she hovered over him attending to his
many wants, in the way that nobody but
woman, and a wumanly woman, ever
will learn. She did not say SO, but she
had talk with Tom Owens that day,
and he had agreed with her that the out
look was pretty blue; for Brad Boutwell,,
boss of the Mountain Girl and two lesser
mines, employer Of three hundred men
aad IN entirely INSCRIPTIONS politician,
was about the worst man in the county
to have on the other side, and he had
assured Ovens that he certainly intended
to defeat Burton's denomination, and
"thats all there is in it. 1t goes, too,
what Brad Boutwell, says: and you know
it, Tom Owens.
Yes, Tom did know it, and he knew
that without Boutwell, his own name was
"Dennis, for he had not the strength in
the precincts near town that Burton had.
So lis hands were tied, and he could do
nothing for Sile in the Chloride Dis
rict.
Mrs. Burton said nothing to Sile of
Toms visit to the boss of Chloride. She
closed his complaining lips with a kiss
every now and then, and chirped away
as cheeIluliy as though mortgages, and
unpaid notes, and big surgeons bills,
and conventions had never part in her
lie. And all this time she kept up a
''bIame sight O thinkin'," as Tom
Owens used to say to his wife, who was
also an ardent admirer of the little
''tenderloo." bride Sile Burton had
brought from the States a few months
ago.
Sile Burton was sleeping soundly rext
morning, when his wife, the usual smile
gone from her face, stole up to his bed
sioe' Kissed him softly two or three
'itnes' and ran over to the Owens's. II
was not until ten O'Clock that he awoke
ana noticed that the woman by the win.
dow was not Mary, but Mrs. Owens
And he did not know that this kindly,
big-hearted woman fibbed when she tolt
him that Mary had "just gone down t.
the Springs to get prescription filled
that they couldn't put up here, ant
would be back on the two thirty train. >
Tom Owens, with the buck board an6
tns nan, dsnoft distance IRON CnIorlds
Camp. A pretty little woman, stared al
respectfully by the numerous men loaf.
ing about-for women were scarce in
Chloride, tripped down the street, trying
to look unconscious, and entered the
door of Brad Boutwell's office. 1t was
the noon hour, and he was alone, en-
gagged in the pleasurable occupation OF
dlsposing Of an excellent lunch. He
heard the hesitating step in the outer
flee, and stepped to the door of his
sanctum, where he stood, somewhat
taken aback at the sight of his visitor.
1t was several seconds after her sweet
voice had asked sis this Mr.. Boutwell, g.
that he recovered his equanimity and
gracefully acknowledged the fact.
81 am Mrs. Burton Mrs. Silas Bur.
ton. came to see, you-to-to-"
But her courage gave out for the
moment, and she did the very best thing
she could have done--just wept few
relieving tears, while the sympathetic
Boutwell,, who bad been lss!susyvIba bachelor
himself said, "My dear madam ed" her
stammered, grew red in the face, vaguely
,eit himself triumphant ass, and finally
lea her gently to chair, where she
finished her weep.
Then she pulled herself together and
told him the whole pitiful tale. 1t was
'ndeed--thought Boutwell,, who bad
always had more money than he hao
known what to do with-a barrow:n..