The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-11-05

,!.S ulInLCr OIL uN III SOIeLuully uc Cttl
r;cd. Geordic was struggling consci-
cntiousIy to keep his promise to mot
lie lard on the boys" and found consid-
cradle relief in remembering that he
had agreed "to leave them tae the Al
MIGHTY" But the manner Of leaving
them was so solemnly awful that l
could not wonder that Slavin's super
slitious Irish nature supplied him with
supernatural terrors. 1t was the Sec
ond day after the funeral that Geordie
and I were walking toward Slavin's'
There was a great shout Of laughter as
we drew near.
Geordie stopped short and, saying
We'll juist gang in q meenute," pass
ed through the crowd and up to ths
bar.
Michael Slavin," began Geordie, ant
the mea stared in dead silence, witt
their classes in their hands-"Michae
Slavin, l promised the lad I'd bear u
nae i'll wull, but juist leave ye tae the
ALMIGHTY, an I want tae tell ye tina
Tn keepin' ma wur-r-d But" and here
Re raised his hand, and his voice be
came preternaturally solemn, Ibis blui6
is upon yer hans. Do ye mo- see it"
His voice rose sharply, and as III
pointed Slavin instinctiyely glanced a
his hands, and Geordie added:
AYE, an the Lord will require it o
ye an yer hoose."
They told me that SlaTin shivered as
if taken with ague after Geordie went
out, and, though he laughed and sWore
he did not stop drinking till he sank il
a drunken stupor and had to be car
ried to bed. His little French Canadian
wife could not understand the change
that had come over her husband.
Hes like one bear" she confded tc
Mrs. Mavor, to whom she was showing
her baby Of a year old. "He's not KEGS
me one tam dis day. Hes mos hawfu
bad. He's not even look at de baby"
And this seemed sufficient proof that
something was seriously wrong, fol
she went on to say:
Hes tink more for dat leel baby dan
for de whole worl'. He's tink more fol
dat baby dan for me-" But she shrug
ged her pretty little shoulders in depre'
cation Of her speech.
"You must pray for him." said Mrs
Mavor, "and all will come right"
"Ah, madame" she replied earnestly
''every day, every day, I pray Ia sainte
Verge ct tous les saints for him."
"You must pray to your Father in
heaven for him."
"Ah, oui, weel pray" And Mrs
Mavor sent her away bright with
smiles and with new hope and courage
in her heart.
She had very soon need Of all her
courage, for at the weeks end her
baby fell dangerously i'll. Slavin's anx'
iety and fear were not relieved much
by the reports the men brought him
from time to time Of Geordie's ominous
forebodings, for Geordie had no doubt
that the Avenger Of blood was hot
upon Slavin's trail, and as the sickness
grew he became confirmed in this con.
viction. While he could not be said to
find satisfaction in Slavin's impending
atHiction, he could hardly hide his com
placency in the promptness Of ProTi'
dence in vindicating his theory Of retri.
button.
But Geordie's complacency was some
what rudely shocked by Mr.. Craig,s
answer to this theory one day.
"You read your Bible to little profit,
it seems to me. Ceordie, or perhaps
you have never read the Masters
teaching about the tower Of Sloan.
Better read that and take that warn.
ing to yourself"
Geordie gaZed after Mr.. Craig as be
turned away and muttered:
"The toor O. Sloan, is it? Aye, ]
ken fine aboot the toor O Sloan an
aboot the toor O. Babel as weel, an
I've read, too, about the blaspheemious
Herod an sic like. Mon, but he's hot
heided laddie an lacks discreemeena-
ton"
What about Herod, Geordie?"
asked.
ABBOT Herod?' with a strong tnge
of contempt in his tone. ABBOT Herod
Mon. hae ye no read in the Screep-
turs aboot Herod an the wur-r-ms IN
the wame O. him?"
ooh, yes. see," l fastened to an
swer.
AYE, a fule can see what's tapped
in his face" with which bit Of pro-
verbal philosophy be suddenly left
me. But Geordie thenceforth content
ed himself, in Mr.. Craig's presence at
least, with ominous head shakings,
equally aggravating and impossible to
answer.
That same night, however, Geordie
showed that with all his theories he
had a mans true heart, for he came in
haste to Mrs. Mavor to say:
yell be needed over yonder, I'm
thinkin'."
"Why? Is the baby worse? Have
you been in?'
'Na, na," replied Geordie cautiously;
"rll no. gang where I'm no. wanted,
but yon puir thing ye can hear ootslde
weepin' an moanin'.
Shell maybe need ye tae," he went
on obviously to me. "Ye're q kin o
doctor, I hear" not committing him
self to any opinion as to my profession
al value.
But Slavin would have none Of me,
having got the doctor sober enough to
prescribe.
The interest Of the camp in SlaTin
was greatly increased by the illness OF
his baby, which was to him as the ap'
pie Of his eye. There We're q few who,
impressed by Geordie's profound con-
victions upon the matter, were inclined
to favor the retribution theory and con
meet the baby's illness with the venge'
ance Of the Almighty. Among these
few was Slavin himself, and, goaded
BY his remorseful terrors, he sought re-
lief IN drink R11t this brought him