The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1902-08-07
CHAPTER L
AN ITEM OF NEWS.

-
NNfMTl traditions. Surely the
- 49, creature could not
have suuirmed through that tangle OF
humanity between Brenda and the
door Of the car. Yet there he was,
standing close against her knees end
looking straight up into her face.
Often the eyes Of children seem to
read our hearts. II is because they are
new In the world and'are content with
superficial views Adults try to look
In through our eyes and they fail and
we note the failrre: but children do not
try, and We, saeing them satisfied, trein-
bic for our .nmost secrets
Brenda shook her head to intimate
shat she had DO wish 70 buy the news,
but the boy did not move. He cootin-
ued 60 bold his papers before her. gaz-
ine over them into her face meanwhile
with en- unwinking stare.
1t was probable that IL she bought a
paper the boy would pass on. 30 Sren-
da laid a hand upon ber purse. The
hand remained there rigid, and for
some slow seconds the ragged urchin
and the smooth product Of all the social
refiuements were like figures on can
vas both for fixity OF pose and for bat
ance Of contrasting expressions the
child still calmly staring. his utter ig-
norance counterfeiting wisdom, the wo-
man tense and eager. ber eyes search
Ing and unsatisfed-
Il will take this paper" she said
speaking with considerable effort, ard
she gave the boy coin
Presently she stood upon the side
walk Of Broadway, gazing across nj the
ugly brick front Of the opera house
with a confused notion that II could
give her important Information, out
was perrersely refusing to do so.
She merely wished to know where
she was, and the familiar scene iIn-
pressed her as IL she had not been
there in long time and had forgotten
Then her mind became clear. She
paused in deep thought and at fs end
raised her hand as II to beckon to
cabmau: but. changing ber purpose.
she stepped into doorway and read
once more the item In the paper mat
the little hoy had thrust under her eyes
AT the first glance Que who knew
Brenda might have said that the story
lay outside her world and could DOT in
terest her. However. IL was what a
journalist might call good news" and
therefore It was printed with the lines
very far apart by way Of emphasis,
and It bore the marks Of haste Thus
It ran:
Elsie Miller IN srtress living ct l4S Wert This.
ty-eigtth street., vas stabbed By some psrsoo IN
known In her room this afternoon.
il is o lodging house ouned and occupied BY
Mrs. Alice Simmons Miss Miller bed lived in the
rear room On the erst Cow fvs some months.
The crime Vac Discovered BY Q servant. Who en-
tered the room and found Miss Miller unconscious
on the foor. Dr. A. C. Blair cf i0o West Thirty
eighth street WIS austily suInmooed. and he pro
nouuced the wound mortal. II is Just below tbc
collar boSse on the left side. cxsenJiDS sharply
downward within the body and undoubtedly Iierc-
ing the outer wall OF the heart. That Miss Miller
sAor!c 1--we survived the wound longer thsn teSV
seconds Is regarded IS miraculous By Dr. BAR
and her physicians, several q whom, tociuSAne
hosp,,y.. wete at the houst within rev mtnu:es
after the discovery Of the crime.
Tic weapon wss a hunting knife. having toIS
blade ard deer's foot handle. The biace Is I-e-
culiar, being much thinner than thst Of the orb
nary hunting knife. II wss found 90 the Dor
beside the bo6y. A servant says that she has seen
the knife In Miss Mi!iers room within the iass
few Gays
On table in the room Uas letter which mar
In lola M T1lc nrlfca kpyp K alt
rsfuse 10 divuige rs contents. but II b kDown
that The writer is Clsrrnce II. Alden. . broker
with an olH.- Bread ar,~t- lie 70 the ooy son
Of the late 81. CLAIR Aiccn- wfo pestttcshy dis
inhcr4,e! him.
Miss Miller Is q very bcsutttul gir. tail and q
tie hrunrt,e type. Size is 70 ycsrs Old She play
ed the Part OF Mamie in '"rie isoosyt"e>" an
unsuc,~ssiui co1neL, pnsi,HNd in this 1'y tSo
years AGO sinse then Der wort has nos oeco seen
here.
ErpCda walked down Broadway to
Thirty eighth street aud turnt1i west
ward. immediately she Is|cTived The
motley crowd which the neU'S OF The
crime had brought together. aDi she
hes!tattd. Then. shutting ber bps
firmly together. she tesuDed ber orig
inal purpose.
The house numbered As bad a high
stoop and 4 yard the size OF dinner
table. In which The grass was greeu and
we'll watere-d. though the neighborips
yards were brown with the heat aIi1
drought OF that remarkable month OF
June. The house Itself had an al! q
ncatne.s ald the favor Of bone, but
It's privacy had been inyaded trsI BY
crime aud then by all the tram that foa-
lows it. The door stood ajar tor pr?-
ing eyes, and the two gigantic police
auen lounging at the head Of The steps