The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-28
'STRUTKER KANNOCK'S HALLOWEEN.
TALES TEN TRAVELLERS SERIES
BY EDGAR L. WAKEMAN.
Copyright. Ie4.

ing night wind of autumn as it swept
wildly through the almost bare branches
of the elms and sycamores which shut in
the gray old place darkly from the high
way that led TO the near and pleasant
New England village below.
Old Stone 'Struther, he was called by
the villagers who had most cause to dread
the cruel power his heartless nature and
considerable wealth enabled him TO exer-
else Miser Kannock was his commonest
title among the many who knew only his
niggardltness and greed.
Brother Anstruther, he was always
called by his dead brothers wife, who. al
his sole housekeeper and servant, trem-
bIngly shaved on through the years TO
thus protect her two children from want.
Ogre Anstruther. these children, Edith and
Herbert Hammock, whisperingly spoke Of
him to each other, to their mother and to
one loyal friend, the village schoolmaster,
Charles Penruth, between whom and old
'Struther HAMMOCK there existed some
thing akin to mortal hate.
Here's another cursed Halloween
muttered 'Struther Hammock at his ram
shackle old desk.
He struck outward and backward with
his fist. 1t broke a piece of dusty leather
out of his frayed and time-worn arm
chair.
, "Everythings going to rack and ruin"
he continued, as he noticed the rent his
fist had made.
He sat back in his chair and crabbedly
closed his eyes. A slight suffering of
the cande started him into an upright po-
sition.
"Of course! That's got TO waste, too.
The wick actually turns over and burns
the side all down into the soCketi'
He snuffed the light with a savage snap
of his fingers. 1t burned up brighter for
a moment, and some sort of revelancy
took his attention to the antiquated fire.
place near.
See therei Look at that waste That
woman'u ruin met
He stepped to the chimney side and with
his foot kicked ashes over the edge of the
blazing logs.
Wood costs money. But Lord! Little
they care. That's what comes of feeding
dead brothers wife and brats"'
He turned back to his chair and Just as
he was about to reseat himself, he caught
sight of his own shadow upon the old
wainscotted wall. 1t was as high as the
cracked ceiling, and was swinging its giant
arms wildly
He wheeled about to look at IT. II
seemed TO confront him threateningly.
shadows, shadows, shadowsg he
growled. More waste. Why shadows?
Just the same everywhere. Shadows lIn-
DER trees, shadows behind buildings, shad-
oWs alongside graVestOnes. Unnecessary
ALI folderol. All waster'
He advanced toward his own shadow,
upon the wall, and it gradually shrunx
10 MS own stature. Then he put his hard
INST against the paneing with a. grinding
motion. ''-'''e
That's it, now. Go right at ANYTHING
mat threatens and it'll wilt. Beat it out
Grind it out. Wipe it out If YOU don't
IL II wipe you out. That's Anstrutber
hannock's way; and it's a mighty good
way, tool" eOO"
Despite his clustering bravery. the man
seemed to be environed with shadows
Ihey worried him. The tapping of some
n,i.Is u ancn against the pane brought him
with start to the window.
Why amt them blinds shutq" he
ENORMOUSLY muttered. Just like thair
Pesky carelessness. / don't want anv.
Oouy looking in here, and they know II
NoHLound them all! They'd be even glad
%! 70 nave FRANKS played on me to-niFbtN
the orats and that deYilish scbooIrnss+ar
would, anyhow 'oi
he stood at the window a rnoner+ ord
seemed TO relapse into his former miser-
s AeHecuons. 1t was one of thosA
eerIe nights when it is dark and clear nv
turns, ana the wind leaps across the face
9i,i nature IN cutting, whitening pulsations
forces and presences. VIC
YES continued the man at the vzi,-
uoW IN an ugly tone. "wasta yvagt,
waste LOOK at that cloud of leaves
Every one got to go. That's waste
. vi as Is all bent and matted. Tbat,s
No. h,.i piIas fussed and fumed all sum
IleI building thir nests. Dead nov.
anu mats waste, too If I'd made The
earln and the things in it. tbere,d hea,,
no such dodrotted folderoIT' 0N
ne turned his eyes peeringlv into tho
nlght. The roof of gray church IosroaS
uIahly ABOVE the whitening branches Of
suIL9undlng trees, and 'Struther Kan
hock's face darkened. NAH
4hat cost ten thousand" he nut
tered. What alfred nonsense and r,aeto
that isn' anu waste
AT that moment the scant MOONLIGHT re-
Nealed little huddle of white tombstopes
IKE crouching ghouls against the biI1s -
yond the church front. and one ms Sue pe-
man the rest seemed to fill the man a.
the window with hateful resentment
and bitterness. resentment
he shook his fist menacinglv toward g
ralilng ht -ribly at it for a time wbiIe
S %aihlng PACK and forth in the old IL
prary with hard, impatient tread.
II level you yet, toow' he went -,
with passionate vehemence. "Nbat,s
your miserable white face got TO he a,-er.
IastlhgIy looking this way for? You'd
starved but for me- Your wife ana
orats would starved but for me Won
MouIun even had headstone but for
me Anson Hammock, you're dead ana
dust ten year! Stay there, YOU fool
Keep away from me-. Lie quiet now ar
iH-Iu- Who says I ain't done rfebt
oy you? Who says I amt done right
by them? Who says"
The door to the library opened. Its in
mate screamed out as though his br,tb-
er's ghost had stalked from the gJ-lve-
tons. 's HueS-
But the one at the door was only dead
Ahson kannock's widow, stopped. apolo-
getlc, humble, patiently ready for com
plant or curse, and timidly bearing a
Few letters in her hand to the master Of
Hammock Manse
The pale, bent little woman looked at
sruther Hammock in fear and trepida-
ton F'uA
He took the lettrs, glared at their bearer
as II TO fathom her thoughts and said
with pretense Of rough popularity:
Susan, 1 was just practiclng my part
In case any Of those young scalawags come
around here with their Halloween doinps
tonight. I've made up my mind to have
no more Of EN-; not any, mindw
Yes, brother Anstruthor"
III lame some Of 'em for life; for life
mind. No pranks tonight now. And
II that boy and young woman Of yours are