The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-11-12

lS1Sg5 the winter, too, busy as was
filing in my Black Rock sketches for
the railway people who would still
persist in ordering them by the dozen,
the memory of that stirring life would
come over me, and once more l would
be among the silent pines and the
mighty snow peaked mountains, and
before me would appear the red shirt
ed shanty men or dark faced miners,
great, free, bold fellows, driving me al
most mad with the desire to seize and
fix those swiftly changing groups OF
picturesque figures. At such times
would drop my sketch and with eager
brush seize a group, face, figure,
and that is how my studio comes to be
filed with the men Of Black Rock.
There they are about me-Graeme and
the men from the woods, Sandy, Bap-
tiste, the Campbells and, in many atti-
tudes and groups, old man Nelson;
Craig, too, and his miners, Shaw, Geor-
die, Nixon, poor old Billy and the keep
er Of the league saloon.
1t seemed as if lived among them,
and the illusion was greatly helped by
the vivid letters Grae1ne sent me from
time to time. Brief notes came now
and then from Craig, too, to whom I
had sent a faithful account Of how 1
had brought Mrs. Mavor to her ship
and of how l had watched her sail
away with none too brave a face as
she held ID her hand that bore the
miners ring and smiled with that deep
light in her eyes, All, those eyes have
driven me to despair and made me
fear that I am no great painter after
all, in spite Of what my friends tell
me who come in to smoke my good
cigars and praise my brush! l can get
the brow and hair and mouth and
pose. but the eyes-the eyes elude me.
And the faces Of Mrs. MaTor on my
wall, that the men praise and rave
over, are not such as I could show to
any Of the men from the mountains.
Gracme's letters tell me chiefly about
Craig and his doings and about old
man Nelson, while from Craig hear
about Graeme and how he and Nelson
are standing at bis back and doing
what they can to fill the gap that nev-
er can be filed. The three are much
together, l can see, and am glad for
them all, but chiefly for Craig, whose
face, grief stricken, but resolute and
often gentle as woman's, will no
leave me or let me rest in peace.
The note of thanks he sent me was
entirely characteristic. There were no
heroics, much less pining or self pity.
1t was simple and manly. not ignoring
the pain, but making much Of the JOY.
And then they had their work to do.
That note, so clear, so manly, so nobly
sensible, stifens my back yet at times.
In the spring came the startling news
that Black Rock would soon be no
more. The mines were to close down
on April /. The company, having al
lured the conidiDg public with ent1c-
ing descriptions Of marvellous drifts,
veins, assays and prospects and having
expended vast sums Of the puDhcs
money in developing the mines till the
assurance Of their reliability was ab-
solutely final, calmly shut down and
vanished. With their vanishing van
ishes Black Rock, not without loss and
much deep cursirg on the part Of the
men brought some hundreds Of miles
to aid the company in its extraordina-
~ and wholly inexplicable game.
Personally it grieved me to think
that my plan Of returning to Black
Rock could never be carried out. 1t
was Il great compensation, however,
that tho three men most representative
to me of that life were soon to visit
me actually in my own home and den.
Graeme's letter said that in one month
they might be expected to appear. At
least he and Nelson were soon to come
and Craig would soon follow.
On receiving the great news at once
looked I'D young Nelson and his sister,
and we proceeded to celebrate the joy
full prospect with specially good din
ner. I found the greatest delight in
picturing the JOY and pride Of the old
man in his children, whom he had not
seen for fifteen or sixteen years. The
mother had died some five years be-
fore. Then the farm was sold, and the
brother and sister came into the city,
and any father might be proud of them.
The son was we'll made young fellow,
handsome enough, thoughtful and solid
looking. The girl reminded me Of her
father. The same resolution was seen
in mouth and jaw, and the same pas
sion slumbered in the dark gray eyes.