The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-10-15
CHAPTER Y.
TIE MAKING OF THE LEAGUE.

@ESf but with fight in every line Of
ESSG2g his face. I tried to cheer him
in my clumsy way by chatting him
about his league, but he did not blaze
up, as he often did It was thing too
near his heart for that. He only shrank
a little from my stupid chaff and said:
Don't. old chap. This is good dea,
to me. I've tried for two years to get
this, and if it falls through now shall
find it hard to bear"
Then 1 repented my light words and
said: WHY, the thing will GO sure
enough. After that scene in the church
they won't so back
"Poor fellows.' he said, as if to him
self. whisky is about the only excite
ment they have, and they find it pretty
tough to give it up. and a lot Of the
men are against the total abstinence
idea. 1t seems rot to them"
"It is pretty Steep" I said. "Can't
you do without it?'
"No; fear not. There is nothing else
for it. Some Of them talk Of compro-
mise They want to quit the saloon
and drink quietly in their shacks. The
moderate Grinker may have his place
in other countries, though I can't see
it. haven't thought that out, but here
the only safe man is the man who quits
it dead and fights it straight. Anything
else is sheerest humbug and ..>t--Ee."
had not gone in much for total ab-
stinence up to this time. chiefly because
its advocates seemed for the most part
to be somewhat i'll balanced, but as
listened to Craig I began to feel that
perhaps there was total abstinence
side to the temperance question, and,
as to Black Rock, I could see how it
must be one thing or the other.
We found Mrs. Mavor brave and
bright. She shared Mr.. Craig's ankle
ty, but not his gloom. Her courage
was Of that serene kind that refuses
to believe defeat possible and lifts the
spirit into the triumph Of final victory.
Through the past week she had been
carefully disposing her forces and WIN
ming recruits, and yet she never seemed
to urge or persuade the men. But as
evening after evening the miners drop
ped into the cozy room down stairs
with her talk and her songs she charm
ed them till they were wholly hers.
She took for granted their loyalty,
trusted them utterly and so made 1t
difficult for them to be other than true
men.
That night Mrs. Mavor's large store
room, which had been fitted up with
seats, was crowded with miners when
Mr.. Craig and entered.
After glance over the crowd Craig
said: There's the manager. That
means war" And l saw q tall man,
very fair, whose chin fell away to the
, vanishing point and whose hair was
parted in the middle, talking to Mrs.
A1avor. She was dressed in some rich,
soft stuff that became her well. She
was looking beautiful as ever, but
there was something quite new IN her
manner. Her air Of good fellowship
was gone, and she was the high bred
lady, whose gentle dignity and sweet
grace, while very winning, made fa-
miliarity impossible.
The manager was doing his best and
appeared to be we'll pleased with HIM
self.
"She'll get him if any one can. I
failed" said Craig.
stood looking at the men, and q fine
lot Of fellows they were. Free, easy,
bold in their bearing, they gave no
sign Of rudeness, and from their fire.
quent glances toward Mrs. Mavor I
could see they were always conscious
Of her presence. No men are so truly
gentle as are the westerners in the
presence of a good woman. They were
evidently Of all classes and ranks orig
inally, but now and in this country of
real measurements they ranked SIM
ply according to the man" in them.
"See that handsome young chap of
dissipated appearance" said Craig:
''That's Vernon Winton, an Oxford
graduate, blue blood, awfully plucky,
but quite gone. When he gets repent
ant, instead Of shooting himself he
comes to Mrs. Mavor. Fact"
"From Oxford university to Black
Rock mining camp is something Of a
STEP" I replied.
THAT queer looking little chap in the
corner is Billy Breen. How in the
world has he got here?" went on Mr..
Craig.
Queer looking he was-a little man,
with a small head set on heavy, square
shoulders; long arms, and huge hands
that sprawled all over his body; alto
gether a most ungainly specimen of hu-
manity.
By this time Mrs Mavor had finished
with the manager and was in the CEN
ter of a group Of miners. Her grand
air was all gone, and she was their
comrade, their friend, one Of them
selves. Nor did she assume the role
of entertainer, but rather did she, with
half shy air, cast herself upon their
chivalry, and they were too truly gen.
tlemen to fail her It is hard to make
western men, and especially old tim
ers, talk. But this gift was hers, and
it stirred my admiration to see her
draw on a grizzled veteran to tell how,
twenty years ago, he had crossed the
Great Divide and had seen and done
what no longer fell to men to see or
do in these new days. And so she Won
the old timer. But it was beautiful to
see the innocent guile with which she
caught Billy Breen and drew him to
her corner near the organ. What she
was saying I knew not, but poor Billy
was protesting, waving his big hands.
The meeting came to order, with
Shaw in the chair and the handsome
young Oxford man secretary. Shaw
stated the object of the meeting in
few halting words, but when he came
to speak Of the pleasure he and all
felt IN being together in that room his
words flowed in q stream, warm and