The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-05-11


trem the little weakness of her sex. She
did not know her own mind. She yield
ed to the mistaken impulse OF an undls-
ciplined beast and wrecked herewn life
ard those Of the two men who loved
her so their own destruction.
husband seeking solace IN drink
curses the wayWardness OF woman;
suilen, angry man bereft OF: her who
would have made his happiness stalks,
gunm hand, over the mountain side,
sursing all hunaniIty and the authoress
Of the mischief sits BY her father g Ere
side, sad eyed and weersng, breeding
oYert the fragments OF 9 wrecked life.
S Martin Dome was q strapping boy OF
IA and the pride of the little village
Of Hayessille, N. e., when one day he
heard that DE- Hardin, physician fa-
nous IN that part Of the country, had
retired from practice and was about. to
pass the rsst Of his days in that beautl-
9nl spot. The DOCTOR came. bearing with
him pretty baby of 8 years, whom all
those around him knew as Nellie. Her
black eyes, curly hair and dimpled,
rosy cheeks soon became one of the most
attractive sights Of the village.
Martin Dome watched over her as she
grew up, and IN his big, numbering,
awkward way he loved her-loved her
as baby, as girl, as woman. But ne
had never dared to mention the matter.
AT 18 he could thrash any man twice
his size in those parts; he could shoot
straight, !, even Tor Carolina, where
s1shooting straight is part Of the edu-
q Eon, ard be sat his horse like an
Apache.
Bnt IN the presence Of the divinity
who held his fate IN the hollow of her
hand he wasever the big, awkward boy:
his. knees seemed always in the way.
his fingers twice as numbering and thick
and heavy, and he could only stand
stock Still and turn red ard blush like a
Schoolgirl and stammer. Lor, Miss
Ellen i' whenever she touched ON the
Question of the weather.
She knew that he loved her-had
known it as soon as she. was old enough
90 know anything. Somehow at last she
found way of making him tell her so.
When her father, in pursuance of his
long cherished plan, sent her to Nash
wills for the completion Of her educa-
ton, It was known all over the coun-
trysiide that the young farmer and the
sdccsm,s daughter were to be man and
wife some time
She left Hayesvills specimen OF
dainty, unsophisticated rusticity. She
came back clever, cultivated. witty
woman somewhat masterful, some
what impetuous, changeable as the
winds, but all sweet and womanly.
The change in her most striking and
Sommsus of all was the change in the
expression of her eyes as they rested on
Martin Dome. The light that had once
been there was gone, and Martin Dome
knew why, when presently there came
to HayeNille John Crawford. a young
man she had met in Nashville. He had
the ways and manners Of the city; he
wore city clothes as no country bred
man could wear them. He had the su-
perfcial veneer polish that comes Of a
three years course in a western college.
He was Of her caste.
.eIt has all been mistake, y she said
60 Martin one day. ct love him. Ths
man T marry must have my heart. .
And in the heart Of the man whose
doom she spoke there stirred the deep,
fathomless well Of passion that had been
hidden under the placid surface OF his
rustic life.
.sWho is the man?' he cursed. "1s it
that white livered puppy from the city
who has taken you away from me:
..I won't answer you You've no
right to asks che cried. "He's gen.
tle-nan, which yon never were. 1t is
M-2Crawfc-d, if you will know"
.sThen I hope may never klll
him.
Those were his last words. The next
moment he was gone. On the day OF
the marriage all Hayesville and many
people who had known the doctor in the
world outside were assembled In the
village church. One great gasp OF sur
prise and horror burst from the crowd
as Crawford, the happy bridegroom, en-
tered the church, hmping on crutch,
his head swathed in bandages, his face
battered out Of all recognition.
"Thrown from his carriage while
driving, y be said. And only DR.. Hardin
knew that Martin Dome had waylaid
him in the woods and beaten him al
most to death.
In the city of Knoxville the young
couple we're living happily, but it was
noticed that Mrs Crawford was always
tired and i'll, tnat her step dragged and
that the light had gone out Of her eyes.
OF Martin Dome only. one thing was
oertain-that he was somewhere IN the
mountains and that he had joined the
moonshiners and that the officers wers
81. L :.