Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-08-05

,omplish more'n outsiders that jest turn
Their hands to the job at odd times"
Dole drew himself up straight and
glared at the offender.
81 think that is rather personal re-
mark, Brother Daniel" he said coldly.
'Well, maybe it is," returned Abner;
"but I didn't mean fer 1t to be. I've
heerd you praise up certain preachers
fer the good they was a-doin', an I
saw no harm in mentionin' Alan's
method. I reckon it's jest case O.
the shoe bein' on another foot. I was
goin' to tell you how this misfortune
O. Alf's had affected Pole. Hes been
like q crazy man ever since it hap
pened. It's been all Alan could do to
keep i'm from goin' to Atlanta an
chokin' the life out O. Perkins. Pole
got so mad when he wouldn't let i'm
60 that he went off cussin' i'm fer all
he was worth. wonder what sort
of a denomination a man nd fit into
that III cuss his best friends black an
blue beca'se they won't let i'm fight
fer 'em. Yes, he'll fight, an ef he
ever does jine the ranks above he'll
do the work O. ten men when thar's
blood to spill. I seed i'm in a row
once durin' election when he was
leggin' fer a friend O. his'n. He
stood right at the polls an wanted to
slug every man that voted a"'n i'm.
He knocked tho" mems ''''' h"wn
Their throats an bunged up two more
SO that they looked like they had on
false faces"
Here the preacher permitted himself
to laugh. Being fighting man him
self, his heart warmed toward man
who seemed to be born to that sort Of
thing.
"He looks like he could do q sight Of
It," was his comment. g..
At this juncture the subject Of the
conversation came round the house,
carrying a big piece Of bacon wrapped
in tow grain bag.
"Say thar, Pole" Abner called out to
the long, lank fellow. 1--WE are a-goin'
to have preachin' at Rock Crest to-
morrow. You'd better have shirt
washed an hung out to dry. Theysare
a-beatin' the bushes fer yore sort"
Pole Baker paused and brushed back
his long, thick hair from his heavy
eyebrows.
give been a-waitin' to see ef meetin'
ever d do you any good, Uncle Ab,"
he laughed. "They tell me the more
you 60 the wuss you git to be. Neil
Fillmore said t'other day eff you didn't
quit shootin' of yore mouth they'd
give you trial in meetin'."
Abner laughed good naturedly as he
spat over the edge Of the veranda floor
to the ground.
THAT'S been talked, l know, Pole"
he said, "but they don't mean it. They
all know how to take my fun. But
you come on to meetin'. 1t will do you
good" =
"Well. maybe WILL" promised Pole.
And he came to the steps, and, put
ting his bacon down, he bent toward
them.
Its q powerful hard matter to know
exactly what's right an what's wrong
In some things" he said. "Now, looky
heer." Thrusting his hand down into
the pocket Of his trousers, he drew out
q piece of quartz rock, with lump Of
yellow gold about the size of pea half
imbedded In it. THAT thar's puore
gold. / got it this away: A feller that
used to be my right bower in my still
business left me when swore of an
went over to Dalonega to work in them
mines. T'other day he was back on
visit, an he give me this chunk an
said he'd found it. Now, know In
reason that he nabbed it while he was
at work, but I don't think I'd have q
right to report it to the minin' compa-
ny, an SO I'm jest obleeged to receive
stolen goods. 1t amt wuth more'n q
dollar, they tell me, an I'll hang on to
it, reckon, ruther n have laborin'
man discharged from job. I'm tryin'
my level best to live up to the line now,
an l don't know how to manage sech
a thing as that. I've come to the con-
clusion that no harm will be done no.
how. beca'se miners amt too well paid
anyway. an eff jest keep it an don't
git no good out Of it l won't be in it
any more n eff I'd never got hold O. the
blamed thing"
"But the law. Brother Baker," said
Dole solemnly. without the law we'd
be an awful lot O people, an every
man ort to uphold 1t. Render the
things that are Cgsar's unto Cesar"
Poles face was blank for a moment
and Abner came to his rescue with q
broad smile and sudden laugh.
81 reckon you don't remember him,
Pole" he said. He's dead. He was a
niger that used to belong to old man
Throgmartin, In the cove. He used to
be sech an awful thief during slavery
days that it got to be common sayin'
that everything lyin' round mought as
we'll be his'n, fer he'd take it sooner ur
later anyways"
"I've heerd O. that nigger." said Pole,
much to the preachers disgust, which
grew as Pole continued: "Well, they
say a feller that knows the law is
broke an don't report it is as guilty as
the man who does the breakin'. Now,
MIR. Dole, you know how I come by
this nugget, an eff you want to do
your full duty you'll ride over to Dalo-
mega an report it to the right parties.
I can't afford the trip"
Abner laughed out at this and then
forced O serious look on his face.