The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-11-19

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n bit unstcadily even now
"Why not?" he scowlingly, sullcnly,
thicllly asked. "What harm's there
kicking rattlcboX that S almost broken
my shin? What's tho matter with YOU
fellows, anyhow?'
"It isn't tho box, yo goncril, it's
what's inside ofitl That's Colonel Far
rar's picture! Gods praise to him for
tho finest soldier that ivcr rode at the
head of tho Twelfth. -
'That Colonel Furrar's picturc?''
muttcrcd tho man in Il strange, half
awcd, half defiant manner. "Wcll. |
swear, that ts-that's quccr. And then,
III some odd, nervous abstraction, he
| whipped out cigaI, and the next thing
they knew, had lighted it at the stove
ana tossed the flaming paper among the
sWccplnSS on tho floor Instantly there
| was rush, II atrampling of feet and Just
rs Rorko wrathfully had collarcd the
stuprficd man Lieutenant Farrar burst
III upon the scene, stamping out tho few
remaining sparks, and then turning an
grily upon the group.
'Who dropped that fire? Who,
say!' nc repeated, for, in soldier si-
lcnc", tho men had stood at attention,
but, truc to soldier ethics, would tell no
tales. 'Don't let that happen again,
CORPORAL ho went on stcrnly. "You
know well enough what Il fire would
mean hcrcabOuts with the cannon DOW
der stored i'll the tower yondcr Rcmcm-
bcr the ordcrs-thc guardhouso for the
first man fooling with fire. Go on with
your work. And then, as the men
turned silently away and Terry stood
there, looking abaShCd and troubled at
tho implied rcbukc Will sought to
| soften the effect "Why, You're doing
great work here, corporal. Tho old place
is wearing Christmas dress and no mis-
take. "
"lt is, Masthcr WILL" said Rorko de-
ightcdly.
"Masthcr Will" repeated Farrar in
dignantly. "On my soul, Rorkc, you"-
Il beg tho licutcnant's pardon, "said
Terry, all contrition and suldicrly re-
spcct. "But 1vo known him such a
few weeks az Hcutcnant and SO many
and many long year as Musthcr
WHIP
''That'n do, corporal. uavo the pic
| turc III its place AZ soon as you can.
Mother will be over here to look at it. :"
"Ics, Mas-ycH, SOFT.
And again, as Will turned angrily TO
rcbuko tho poor fellow, there was :,
| gathering or tho men at the window
looking out upon the parade, and some
thing was said about Il lady slipping or
the ice. Which carried VIII away like
IL shot. Two strides took him to tn,
door, and ono glance sent him ruslin,
TO the rescue. 1t was Miss OrmSby
And then, while some Of the mcl
went on with their work, others seem
cd to hang about Graicr, who was odd
ly fascinated by the box and cast fur
tive &lanccS at it, while Grow Knife
under Rorkc's 's.dircctiuil, was Qui2:!y IN
packing it. Again had Ctrairo wandered
unsteady over hy the stove and STOOD
there, sullrnly kicking at it until oMr OF
tho mon bado him quit or he'd start 4
fire i'll spite of them. "You'll have liz
all in blHZCS before our time, " were the
soldiers words
'Not /. Fires my friend, answer, ii
Graicc in Il surly tone.
"And likely to Sivo 80 II long and
warm welcome if 80 carry to purgatory
the spirit yc so sWr"tly manifest here.
How yer fricnd?' rctUrtcd Rorkc
Il mean 1T saved my life Il year ago
in Mexico. | saw II girl once too often
for her lovers good---hol hcadcd cur! He
would have it and got titin the heart
and ] got in qu0d, and our consul could
no! help mo. | ann not the kind Of citi-
zon the United States binders foreign
government from sending to Kingdom
roE", and | was mighty nigh getting
there"
"And yc didn't" said Terry, highly
interested. "Ihc Interpretations Of hiv-
Ell are past tindin out. "
"Firo's stood my friend, | say. / had
my pipc-grrascrS ain't the ID mar
tinCts you have hurc--;nd Il spank went
| into the straw. II blaHcd in an instant.
There was hi TO pay, with the guard
and ErcAscrs and prisoners running
| every which way The prison had lit
tie tower, like that, yonder," said he,
pointing to tho wooden structure above
the old guardhousc. II saw my chance
in the confusion and ran for it, 1t was
stone and never took fire, and got safe-
ly away at night and vamoOscd tho
country and read aftcrwam how the
l'lii'S nitl tcNbuTfu me 1ulllUnly muir
'"rcr Roy and hero he caught him.
! .elf, with Sudden gulp, seeing Rorkc'a a
suspicious eyes on him. "
"Eh, Graicc? Roy, yc were sayin.
Murderer, roistcrcr and rascal, Tom
Graicc, he went on. $50 I've nothing
to fear from fire.
Rorkc eyed him long and distrustful-
~, Prunting audible comment on the
story, to which some of the men had lis.
| toned III absorbed interest, while others
were busily removing the picture and
setting it il place upon the wall. Then,
as 1t was fairly hung, Grow Knife step
ped back across the room, his eyes rev
crrntly fixed upon the fine, sodiclly
! faco. Grairc, meantime, after a hurried
glance about him, had drawn flask
from his vest pocket and had lifted it to
his lips, when Rurko grabbed it.
81 thought so, yc mad braincd Rab-
bier! Yc'll be drunk before tho day s
half over. Get mp and look at the pic
turc, man. It's lookin at ye straight
! ard stern.
"Who--who's looking at me? What
d II rot are you talking?" shuddcrcd