The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-09-13

= you; 1 late you; r. She rus:lea
from the room.
There came a nervous tapping at
Eigglegag's door.
"Come III.
Miss Hampton entered.
care you the young lady saw this
morning? Sit down. y
''I have come, sir
eyes, I see. Your brother was here
Just now, and I am greatly indebted to
him. These temporary fits Of nelan-
choly are awful. All about a girl
beautiful creature; dead now. Oh, how
loved her! Last time I saw her she
was looking back at me. Horse ran
away with her and killed her. You have
come to whip me? Well, well, SO be it.
Oh, Dora Clyde, Dora Clyde, did I
think Sit down, please. Pay no atten-
ton to my rambling remarks. To die
to die Of love! There, put your. whip
down. In the night strange whisperings
come to me, breath warm with love,
but the icy morning breaks, and see
the frost fantastic dance marks on the
window pane. We're you ever in love?"
CT fear, sir, that I have wronged
you,'' said Miss Hampton. 81 did not
know that you were suffering. You
must pardon me. Goodby. -
When Miss Hampton returned home,
her brother, who was still sitting in the
rom looked nm and said:
"Well." :"
"Why, Norwood, that poor man is
grieving himself to death about girl
thatwas killed. %
Hampton roared.
"He is, just as sure as you live. 1
never saw such melancholy in a human
beings eyes
ssAnd never saw such business. -
ooh, you are mistaken. Perhaps he
talked to you of plows because he saw
the girl on horse-not exactly that,
but probably he did not know what he
was saying"
"Why, we made an extensive trade,
and, by the way, he told me to offer
you his apologies.
"Why didn't you tell me? If you
had told me, I wouldn't have gone to
see him. You ought to be ashamed of
yourself. %
81 rather like him, Ella, and I'll tell
you what We'll do. Well invite him to
supper tomorrow evening"
ssIdon't know about that. Itwouldn't
seem exactly right, would it:''
81 think So The whole affair has
been so ridiculous that anything would
be appropriate now.
The next morning Higglegag called
on Hampton at the store, and when in
vited to supper heartily agreed to come.
Hampton and his sister lived alone
in an old red brick house almost cover
ed with vines. There were many shrubs
in the yard, and along the paths ro-
nance strol,ed hand in hand with quiet
fancy.
When they sat down to the table,
Miss Hampton, looking at Higglegag
with an expression Of tenderest SYM
pathy, told him that he must make
himself perfectly at home.
''I shall make myself near enough at
home to feel at ease," he replied, "but
shall not be SO much at home that may
fail to remember that it is being here
and not there to which I am indebted
for SO pleasant an evening"
"You are a shrewd hatterer as well
as" glancing at her brother, ga sharp
business man.
Call sharp business men, Miss Hamp-
ton, are shrewd fatterers, but they are
also men who believe that timely
statement of an effective truth is worth
more than groundless compliment. %
She looked at her brother and, catch
ing his mischievous eyes, smiled.
''The average Chicago man, [ am
told," she said, "does not read many
books
''The average man, no matter where
you find him, is not devoted to books, %
he replied "The Chicago man may not
read many books, but he thinks great
deal. While some men are worrying
over theory advanced in book the
Chicago man is watching the great kite
If this mornings thought and now's