The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-08-09
BORROWING & NEWSPAPER.
An Article that Should Be Read by all
Borrowers

Did you get the paper, Cry" Mr..
Luther Carter put his head out of the
sitting room door and spoke sharply.
Yep" Cyrus approached with easy
moderation and held it out.
"WelI, | guess you stopped to print
it on hand press. don't know where
in the world you take your slowness
from Mr.. Luther Carter recrossed
the room to his easy chair, adjusting
his spectacles on the way. His mo-
tions were all deliberate, and suggested
probable reason for little Cyrus slow
ness.
Mrs. Luther Carter glanced up de-
precatingly from her mending. Now,
Luther" she said, with meek disap.
probation in her voice. Now Luther,
you haven't been borrowing Andrew
CANDLES newspaper again."
That hitting the nail higher on
the head than you ever did before, Jane
Ellen
But you borrowed it last week,
Luther, and the week before, and the
week before that.
"And week before that-keep her
agoin, Jane Ellen. | guess you can 60
as far back as the food" Mr.. Carter S
laugh cackled unmelodiously behind the
paper.
Luther, anyway. 1t does seem as if
We might take newspaper ourselves,
and lend instead Of borrow, spell.
Then we'd see how it feels.
One spectacled eye appeared above
the papers rim, followed shortly by
its mate. Little Mrs. Luther withered
under them. She fumhled for a new
needle, clicking the scissors and spools
together nervously. She had never
ventured upon so bold suggestion
before. and already was deeply repen-
tant.
Jane Ellen, you better darn those
stockings, and guess you can do it
easier if you keep your lips shut-to.
In at the open window stole pleasant,
fower-sweetened watts Of simmer air
Incessant, keen insect voices buZzed and
clicked and sang. Within, for while,
there was no sound but the gentle
crackle of Andrew CANDLES newspaper;
then Luther Carter spoke with gruf
attempt at apologetic good humor.
"When I'm in Andrews luck, and
the uncle I never had and wasn't
nlned after dies and leaves NE pret-
u little mess of money, Illtake the
paper, Jane Ellen. l guess till then
'twont hurt Andrew if l DO borrow his. !"
That was a good while ago. l
should have thought Audrew'd spent
it all long ago, Luther, building barns
and things as he did.
Luther Carter suddenly laid down
the paper. He gave startled cry.
''My good land, what is it, Luther?
You look all struck in a heap!" ex-
claimed his wife.
'He's dead, Jane Ellen
'Who's dead' Her voice rose
shrill and anxious.
".Andrew is-Andrew Gamble! He
died this morning as we 60 to press,
it says. There's black mark all round
the notice. | guess Marietta was think
ing to send it to ions folks. 1t clean
takes my breath away"
"Andrew Gamble dead I can't be-
lieve it, Luther-It isn't possible! I
guess we shouldn't have to find it out
in the newspaper.
"Well, read it for yourself, then,
Jane Ellen"
They huddled over the paper, read
ing the lines together with scared, dis
tressed faces. 1t was small sheet,
whose local columns stood out, boldly
prominent.
Andrew Gamble dead! Andrew
Gamble Why, he lived just house
or two beyond. How could he die and
they not know it at once? But there
it was: ''As we go to press, the pain
full news reaches US of the sudden death
Of our much-esteemed and "ell-known
citizen, Andrew Gamble. 1t is too late
to obtain particulars Of the sad event
for to-day's issue"
Luther Carter went to the door and
called. "Cyry! Cyry!" imperative!y.
Cyrus shufaed slowly in and sat on the
edge Of chair, awed by the solemnlty
in his parents faces.
"Cyry, did you see Au-did you see
the folks when you went to borrow the
paper?'
MIS-. Carter groaned softly and
wiped her eyes on Cyrus undarned
sock.
"Nope-guess there wasn't anybody
at home 1t looked all kind of shut
up. :.
Mrs. Carter groaned again. ''Dinn't
you see anybody, Cyry?" persisted
Luther. "Now you think real hard.
Who came to the door,
"Nobody did. l walked in, after [ d
kept knocking while"
but who gave you the newspaper,
Cyry? Now you think.
Cyrus began to look embarrassed un-
der this fire of mysterious questions.
"Well, nobody gave me the paper, |
took it. Us always lying on the table
waiting to be taken. [ guess Mrs.
Candles got sick Of getting it for r.,
and last time she told me to go into
the sitting room and get it myself. |
had to hunt all round. 1t was under
the sofa Say, pa, why don't we take
our own paper?'
'Did She look as if she'd been cry
ing, Cyry?" quavered Mrs. Carter.
Il didn't see her, l said her
picture hanging up. That looked real
solemn. guess somebody was crying,
tho-gh, somewhere. heard snitfy
sound, real loud.
Luther and Mrs. Luther gazed grave
II at each other, sighing.
'Marietta's such sensitive woman
poor Marietta" murmureG little Mrs.
Luther, tearfully.
She lose suddenly, upsetting the
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