The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-12-31
CHAPTER XIII.
THE DESIRE OF THE MOTH FOR TIE
STAR"

I "
S made a great stir. 1 never have
E been able to trace the ways by
which it got into print. but
within thirty-six hours the newspapers
seemed to be full Of it.
should not have regretted very Sc
riously the publication of the exact
facts, but the controversy which re-
suited was somewhat annoying. Don
aid suffered, but he bore it we'll. He
was beset by interviewers and persons
with cameras; all sorts of absurd tests
were proposed to him; he received let
ters from many serious minded lnves-
tigators and a multitude Of cranks, and
there were several proposals from the
atrical managers who wished to exhibit
him. The photographers secured plen-
ty Of snapshots, but the interviewers
were obliged to depend upon their own
imaeinations, for Donald would not say
word to any of them.
All Tunbridge became debating So
ciety, though there was far less skep-
ticism than l should have expected.
My main concern is with the attitude
Of two persons, both Of whom were
witnesses Of the manifestatons-l re-
fer to Bum and Kelvin.
The effect upon Jim Bum was most
remarkable. I may truthfully say that
he was never the same man afterward.
He had been profoundly impressed.
Upon Kelvin the effect was peculiar.
I will wager all I possess that he had
no more doubt originally as to the gen
uineness Of the manifestations than l
had. Upon that night he was shaken
to his very vitals by what he saw. Yet
upon the third day afterward he told
Isaac Thorndyke, an old resident Of
Tunbridge, that it was all mere trickery.
Thorndyke was the most notorious
babbler who ever existed. He never
kept a secret longer than the time re-
quired to so from the person who gave
it into his keeping to the next with
whom he had speaking acquaintance.
Kelvin. though a newcomer in the
town, could not have been ignorant Of
this. There seemed no escape from
the conclusion that he had deliberately
selected the person most likely TO
spread the story broadcast
was enraged at this, and l taxed
Kelvin with the SANDER. Ee showed
considerable backbone, saying that he
had only expressed a private opinion
to an acquaintance and blaming Thorn
dyke for repeating that which had been
told in confidence. The scene between
Kelvin and myself was very unpleas-
ant, and l could not help feeling
throughout it's duration that he was
secretly trying to make it worse.
In the end I said something quite
sharp. to the effect that he was an un-
grateful brute who ought to be walk
ing on four feet and that, moreover, he
was the last member Of the animal
kingdom that had a right to accuse an
other Of underhand devices and dis
honest trickery. This opened the breach
once more between the Kelvin family
and my own. Poor Donald! His boy
ish love affair was progressing over
very rough road
There was some reason to regret this
Quarrel which would embitter the war
for the control Of the branch ROAD.
Carl Archer had a talk with me upon
this point and suggested that it was
very unfortunate to involve Mr.. Thorn
dyke in the quarrel, because be was
stockholder in the branch. I perceived
the iniquity Of the situation; but, hay
ing already given Thorndyke a piece
of my mind, could hardly take it
back However, l could not believe
that be would make this an excuse for
deserting our party. to which he had
pledged allegiance before the incident
arose.
'.I think that Donald is carrying this
matter little too far" said Carl. sit
Is true that he doesn't seem to be doing
any harm, but we can't be sure that
he won't, because we don't know the
motive which has led him into all this
wonder-working."
"Why don't you ask him." said l.
81 wish that you would" he replied
very earnestly. Hes outside. Call
him in
"It won't do any good" said 1.
"Try it," be rejoined.
He got up on a chair and looked
through the glass of the partition
which is between my room and the
main Office. The glass part was once
movable, but I had it fastened perma-
nently some years ago and even added
q double sash in order to exclude more
effectually the noises from the outer
Office, where many people were EN-
ployed.
"He's out there, talking with Tim
Healy," he said and called Donald's
name, but the partition is so thorough
ly impervious to sound that he was
not heard, although Healy's tall desk
is directly upon the other side Of it.
"I'll 60 out and get him. said Carl,
''or you tell him when you go out,
Bunn," he added to the old cashier,
who at that moment opened my door.
''Teu Donald that we want to see
him"
Bum laid a paper Oh my desk and
made some comment. AS he turned
to go Donald entered.
"My boy" said I, do you know
! what your future father-in-!aw is say
ing about you?"
"Yes," he replied cheerfully; ''Ir.
Kelvin thinks I'm bogus. hope he'll
be able to prove it, and then we shan't
have any more trouble
At this Jim Bum laughed neryously.
"What is the exact truth, Donald?"
said I.
"Well," he answered, smiling, "the
truth is that Mr.. Kelvin would do
we'll to wait. He has seen things that
were hard to explain; he will see 9TH
ers that are q laundering sight harder.
But I can't help it. I call you to wit