The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-03-22
THE NEW BROOM.

u n tie good OLD days OF the French
va. when England was SO occupied
& 3-.en the seas that she had little time
/, guard her coasts minutely. the peo-
a,le Of Trewarne were smugglers to ii
a. and throve exceedingly There
3vs.e indeed riding officers stationed
dtsrl by. but they were not numerous
atpoush to interfere effectually-nor.
= is said. were they notably eager 10
their hands strengthened
j But this season of prosperity and un-
*l,.oubled quiet came to an end Peace
do England meant the very reverse to
1t was with the utmost dis
3gust that its people saw their old friends
Icing replaced or SO surrounded with
sE.w colleagues altogether unused to
s9E 9Eay ways of the district that they could
s 4 d. remain harmless if they would. 1t
swas soon beyond doubt that the rev.
.1e men were really in earnest in their
E.leayors to suppress the free trade.
Among the men Of Trewarne the
@vhcle blame in this matter was laid
the shoulders Of John Coffin, a
Aew man. whose energy was such that
ssSn mere self defense his comrades were
compelled to emulate his detestable
'bc.yity
Il He was a little man, black bearded
s4bni exceeding neat in his attire. He
broke outlandishly. mincing his words
I.$'fter the manner Of people inhabiting
lhs regions which lie up the country
hnd lie interfered shamelessly with the
BUSINESS of his neighbors
M For example. at the edge of the cliff.
Dome two miles to the west of Ire
3farne. there was copper mine. Just
above the sea level tunnel mad been
'}ryen from the shaft to the face of the
,8if The water pumped up from the
bottom of the mine was not taken to
}he surface. but simply raised to the
S3eyel of this ''adit" and so allowed to
Jain the sea- And the recording angel
'$lone can tell how many keg of good
liquor. landed on the beach. has gone
7s3ntO that adit. been carried to the shaft
|And conveyed to the surface in the
great iron ''kibble. bucket which
Iz9S7as used for hauling the ore to
3yass. Once the stuff had gained
3he surface it was slowed away in the
Engine house, to be sent to its ulti-
pate destination at convenient oppor-
'$lnity
Now. one night very decent little
sfarso had been run. A goodly number
p kegs were buried in the sand of the
peach Some twoscore were carried up
&aanto the adit and later on drawn to the
S3ariace in the kibble. They had been
?z93arefnlly disposed in the engine house,
'3nd all seemed we'll, when suddenly the
53lace was invaded by n gang of revenue
pm The engineer did not lose his
a Presence of mind. He sprang to the
tfiety valve In moment the room
zfas lllled with steam. and customs Off
#fss and miners were tumbling one
s3'er the other in wild confusion But
PRESENTLY John Coffin got to the safety
aaye and stopped the escape of steam
Hhe miners melted away like summer
3foudS (being unarmed) and O little
fler saw the good liquor going off in
:|asks to the stronghold Of the revenue
pen Mr.. Coffin was a proud man, but
<faere were ominous murmurs as he re-
sfsed and his name suggested many a.
1m pleasantly
This sort Of thing happened continu-
fuy but as the smugglers were still se-
Naies from loss if they saved one cargo
AS three-and as they had behind them
pany years Of uninterrupted success
sf made 10 great difference Indeed the
|fsn engaged in the traffic saw the hu-
Porous aspect in the triumphant mien
IL John Coffin. and for a little while
sp0ught the spectacle well worth the
8fs OF few kegs from time to time.
~ was at this time that they construct
.sa a "cavie. or store, in big field not
l'o Yards away from the custom house.
|Sat John Coffin was not content with
"A Mfese successes. and his ambition soon
3same intolerable
:" all the young men in those parts
33m Penlerrick was the most promis-
&s There were none but knew the
EDITIONS Of the smuggling and could
8elp If help were needed But Jim was
8ae 8:s. OF those rare spirits who make ira
ffuons- He was hardly more than four
iaa twenty. tall. fair and boyish. but
~ mad already made himself a name
IN Inc cleverness of the lodges he in
asated and the magnificent coolncss
kNa which he carried them into execu-
soa Il was no wonder that Maggie
PIE the prettiest girl in Trewarne.
!2as prond to have him known as her
Sseetheart
81 eae was little, dark haired creature.
q 'n cheeks tinted like wild roses and
NY gray eyes that would have made
a'ersation an easy thing to her if she
~ Glanced to be born dumb There
las childish innocence in them some
aes. and sometimes a reckless mis-
'rlei' which, Jim himself could only
.,y and admire. It was said that some
II n's cleverest inventions had been in
by her. And there was only one
ing IN her which. Jim deemed unrea-
asrle' She appeared to detest John
lUinn with nll the strength of her soul