The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1897-04-23

TSz.u.!W They cay that there
E9 is little pictur.
esqueness except in
the backwoo6s and
In districts tar removed from the en-.
vironments Of railroads and electricity,
and that dialect peculiar to each 10.
oality il beng flattened into monotone
by the omniI'resent schoolmaster, who.
they complain, has his way far too
much In this proudly new world OF
ours. hut ii this be true, as a whole.
there are delightful exceptions. A
carriage drive of few hours. or the
whirl of ones bicycle an hour, brings
one to the home of folk lore and pro.
vincialism capable Of causing ecstatic
thrills in the heart of the dialsct.mon.
ger.
Such were my thoughts as aliehted
from my wheel at nightfall, one cold
autumnal day, and raped there was
no belly at the door OF low. browed
cottage, behind which clumps OF
bu>hes shut off the horizon and seemed
to narrow the world down to the little
house, the yard, and myself, with q
heavy heart, standing before it, steady
ing my wheel, for was tired.
Presently IN old lady came to the
door. Her comfortable, rotund form
and mild blue eye but decided chin
impressed me with instant respect,
while the inborn ladyho of her
nature was evidenced by her courteous
greeting and invitation to enter.
edo you ever keep travellers over
night?" inquired after decent inter.
val had elapsed.
ave do and we DON'T" she replied ;
but you can stay in welcome. SIT
up and eat with me if you hain't had
no supper"
81 haven't" was my reply; and
presently the old lady and 1 we're dis.
cussing her homely but toothsome
supper, and doing it ample Justice in
the way Of testing its qualities; at
least did.
"My husband has gone to town." re-
marked my hostess, "and if you hadn't
come l should q ben here all alone to-
night.
"Would you have been afraid to
spend the night alone7"
"Oh, mol But tonight feel diff.
runt, for. you see, at last we're ready
to lift the mortgage. It's two hun.
dred and thirty three dollars an one
cent. That last cent got by selling
an al g." che .aid with happy laugh,
"and now it's altogether 'twixt the
straw bed and feather bed in my room !;
and husband. he's gonter pay it off to
morrer-if he lives" she added, with
the reverence felt by the old who have
seen 30 many hopes fade and friends
die that they Iever dare to speak even
OF almost certainties without an "lf."
"But are you not unwise to speak of
your money to stranger2" 1 asked as
warning.
"Oh, mol" she said. laughing pleas.
antly. 81 know an honest man when l
see him, and was glad the minute l
see your face and knowed that you
wanted to stay all night. 'Taint likely
anybuddy would steal from me but
strsgglers. One has been seen round.
and feel little mite uneasy"
My hostess and I spent q pleasant
evening together. She showed mo
many m heirloom which had been
handed through five generations from
an ancestor who had been a great man
in colonial lays. There was silver
punch bowl and q gold snuff box,
either worth more than the sum treas.
ured so carefully in the owners bed
but i suspect she would have parted
with her life as quickly as with either
of them.
''They are Jameses, she said, cor
will be when husband and are done
with them. James is my nephew, and
he's out to Chiny now. He's had lots
OF pullpacks, James has, or he'd helped
US. But you look tired, Mr."
Bradley"
"Mr. Bradley, you look zif you
douShter be to bed. I'll light you up."
Ascending the short flight of stairs.
llearned that my room was exactly
over the old lady's ''settin'" room, as
she called it. There was sort OF reg.
lister overit. through which the warmth
struggled agreeably enough. How.
ever, should have closed it had not
. sense OF the old lady's unprotected
situation impressed me, and SO / re.
tired to bed and dreamland, where I
wandered lazily until awakened by
voices beneath.
Evidently the first word had reused
me. for as sat up in bed, wide awake
in an instant, heard the old lady say
in matter .of.faot tone