Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-05-25
AN HUMBLE HERO.
By THOMAS p MoNTFoRT-

away. you know, an | hope l amt
said nothin to hurt you.'
"No. YOU have not" she replied, "and
perhaps it's wrong. but would like to
see him. hope you won't think me
wicked. Pap. for God knows l can't
help my feelings"
81 don't, Loueesy. 1t amt my place
to Judge. an amt blamin nobody for
nothin. | know it's sad that you an
Sim couldn't git along, but If you
couldn't you couldn't, an that's all thar
Is to it. Sim amt never faulted you
for nothin. an I'm moughty shore |
amt a-coin to nuther. Whatever may
be said. | know one thing, Loueesy, an
that Is, no matter what you thought of
anybody else, you've always been a
true wife to Sim. Your conduct has
been right, an that's all the world has
cot to do with. Your thoughts an your
feelin's is atwixt you an your Cod
"And God knows | never meant to 90
wrong" Louisa said, "but did when l
married Sim without loving him. But
I didn't know, Pap: l didn't know. l
was too young. loved the other then,
but liked Sim. and wasn't sure. On
love is so cruel. so cruel!'
"No, Loueesy. 1t amt that. It's that
people amt keerful enough Of what
they're doin when they marry. You
| was too young to know your own
| heart"
81 was. and the consequence Is !
have ruined Sims life and made my
self miserable forever"
"No, no, Loueesy. Don't you 60 to
lookin at it that away. Lord, thar's
many years afore you, an thars no
tellin what all may happen yit You
Jest keep up courage an be as hopeful
as you can, an some Of these days
you'll find that all your pains an suf-
FERNS has been left behind"
"Not in this life. Pap. 1t can't ever
be In this hard. cold world"
"But it can, an it will. You'll see."
They walked on q little way in 81
lence. They were both thinking. and,
though neither Of them knew it, their
minds were on the same subject. Pres
emily Louisa sighed and, as If speaking
to herself. said:
"Poor Sim, poor Sim"
Pap glanced quickly at her face,
while the faint trace Of q smile played
about his lips. In that moment he
saw farther into the future than LOU
isa would have believed.
IAN now about Melvin" he said. Il
reckon you know what people say an
think"
mo. but l suppose they think me
wicked and say hard things about me-"
"Waal, some of 'em do, Loueesy.
Yes; I'm afeard some Of 'em do"
Pm sorry, but can't help It,"
"In co'se. | understand all that. But,
seein as things are so, l lowed you
wouldn't keer bout givin folks no
more room for sayin things than you
can holp. so reckoned you'd ruther 60
% see Melvin when everybody want
thar to see you"
"Yes; | would. But can II?
"Shore. If you jest wait till tonight,
when ever'body's gone home, I'll take
you thar. I'll arrange it with Hicks
SOS you can 60 In. That away no.
body won't know nothin bout 1t, an
nobody can't have nothin to say"
"Thank you. Pap. You are more
than thoughtful and kind"
Lord. that amt nothin. Even If l
didn't keer nothin for you I'd do that
much jest to balk Mary Mann"
At the mention Of that name Louisa
shuddered Pap noticed it and said:
81 reckon you amt got much more
love for that woman than have"
81 deSpise her" Louisa replied.
"NIoSt folks does. Lord, she made a
plumb fool Of herself over Sim."
"And accused him Of making love
to her."
"Makin love to her! Sim Banks
maxim love to Mary Mann! My Lord,
gal, what was you ever a-thinkin Of?
why. Sim hated her wussin pizen."
81 know now that was unjust"
"To be shore you was. But l reckon
t,mebody told you somethin"
"Yes."
That's the way it is-allus some
body fairly splittin their skins to git
to stir up trouble. Sich people ort to
have their tongues split an their legs
run through EN-"
Dan had ,,rpoicol NIrc SamncOn
proved true friend to Louisa. She
! received her kindly and made her feel
heartily welcome from the instant she
entered the house. Like Pap, she nei-
| ther judged nor blamed, but rather
sought to sOothe and comfort. The
generous kindness of these two plain,
simple old people touched Louisa deep
ly, and she never forgot it.
That night Pap took Louisa to the
store to see for the last time all that
remained Of the man she loved. lie
felt that he was doing right. and when
he spoke of it to his wife she readily
agreed with him.
81 think it will be for the best" she
said. 1T may be n comfort to her.
an anyway it can't do nobody no
harm"
The store was dark, and there was
no one there but Pap had secured
from Hicks the key to the wareroom
where the body lay. Leaving Louisa
on the outside. he opened the door and
went in and struck light. Then he
came back to her and whispered:
'Now you can 20 in. an s'pOse you'd
ruther go aloneT'
"YeS." she replied.
She passed through the door, and
Pap waited on the outside. What