Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1896-04-22

g. ENRY MARKHAM, III.
! ! : ! ! ! : : :: :. j j j j
~ NJ P, had accepted al
" W invitation from his
SSESf%A political friend, Sil
/ NH X GeorgeHoward, to his
ME country house. AS the
~ visit was more politi'
@g la: cal than private, Mr..
- " " Markham brought lii
pri7ate and political secretary, John
Warrington, with him. An import
ant measure was before the House,
and division was expected to take
plase Immediately. Sir George rep
resented land, Mr.. Markham, capital
and Warrington knew more about
both than either. Besides, Mr.. Mark
ham was vicariously engaged on c
work dealing with bimetallism. War
ringtou had ideas on the subject, ani
Mr.. Markham believed in these SO fal
that he had decided to put his OWL
name to them.
Warrington" he explained to Sil
George, sis q deuced clever fellow.
He works up my speeches; you see, ]
am very busy; and upon my soul, ]
could not do them better myself"
This statement was scrupulouslJ
true. Mr.. Markham and his secretary
achieved immediate and merited un
popularity with Sir George Howard'i
household and guests. Markham was
ignorant, ill-bred and arrogant. The
secretary was man of undoubted na'
tural gifts-he was highly educated
and had a fine literary style-but he
was lacking in the savoir vivre that
makes civilization worth while. A
strong character, he wauted that pre-
else mental adjustment necessary to
those who make the best of life as it
is and leave the conduct OF life as it
ought to be to remote posterity.
Warrington's apparent indifference to
his own and chiefs social failure was
pure affection. Hewas miserable and
tried to disguise his emotion by an
overaone cynicism, and o preposterous
interest in bimetallism. BE worked
night and day at-air. Markmsn's book
with only an hour off IN the afternoon
for pistol practice-his sole recreation.
Miss Marion Howard, Sir Georges
daughter and mistress of his house,
was at first civil to the private and
political secretary. 1t was her duty.
Bilnetallism she earnestly believed tc
be bore, though harmless one, but
when she discovered the bimetallisi
was also socialist, she was not sure
that she ought not to send for the
police: The secretary's fate was
sesled. Henceforth there must be {
great taboo. Warrington was dan
garous character. But the great
division was still in the future. The
dangerous character must perforce bt
tolerated. for the present. A Com
mittee of Public Safety was meantime
Organized. Its President was pub
lie sehool boy and its action wa
worthy of its President.
One evening thu secretary was stroll
ing through the grounds thinking
about bimetallisnl and other things
In dark corner OF q shrub borderet
path he stumbled over the out
stretched legs of man lying on th'
grass. Warrington apologized, bu
the man was not appeased. His coars
face, enormous muscles and whole set
up could hardly be mistaken; he wa
price fighter, or should have been
He would accept no apology.
81 have apologized,'' said Warning
ton. ''What more do you wa1t
81 want to know il. Is You thinl
yourself man, yST put up you
fives?"
'.No," said Warrington, ST won't
But I.Isel you what I'll do"
-Ne put his hand into his hip pooke
and snatched out short, black OBJ
iect with O barrel, which he poilte;
at the mans face. 'If you advance
single step I'll put bullet in you
skull"
The man fell back. There was
slight movement in the shrubbery
Warrington noticed it.
"Observe," he said sharply. 'tYo,
think I could not hit you in the hea
in this light? See me take that brancl
of the yewl" He pointed the pisto
straight at the densest growth of IN
rpt,a-o -ro, - be,&- eo-op, HI
and the sounds OF running footsteps
The pugilist again gave ground.
"Go!" said Warrington. Sand
ever you modest me again I'll fire frs
and think the matter over afterward.
In the smoking room that evenin
Warrington was reading aud smokin
a cigar, when young Charlie Telford
the President OF the Committee. ez
claimed:
"What do you think of swee
who draws a revolver on on unarme,
man?"
"Tbat he is sweep, "came SO unan
imously it was evident the scene ha
been rehearsed.
Warrington did not appear to hear
"What do you say, Warrington?
Telford asked, pointedly.
SIT depends" replied the secretary
s'upon what tho unarmed man was dc
ing-or goingto do. If he WAS inoi
fens1ve the man with the gun was
criminal rufian."
'Suppose the unarmod man was Of
fersive2"
"Then the man with the gun was a
ass.
sFor what?"
"For not firing"
"Oh, indeedl Perhaps, under th
same circumstances, you would hav
fred"
"Why. certainly"
'eThat'a curiods," broke in two Q
three. "For they say that you your
self were molested this evening an
that you didn't fire..
'el was molested as you soy, but
wasn't necessary to fire., fortunatel
for me, as I had not got q guu."
"We won't haggle over the wor
II L. ~