Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-07-29

to supper as usual, and the
Ill meal passed awkwardly. Even
S the efforts Mrs. Hillyer made
to enliven the little group fell fiat, and
she soon found herself as moody as the
others. The merchant gulped down a
cup of hot, black coffee, ate very light
ly of what was on his plate and then
went out on the front veranda to
smoke.
The evening passed slowly, and about
10 o'clock the family retired. Hillyer
could not sleep. His wife, tired as she
was, was kept awake by her hus-
bands constant movements. About
midnight he got up, half dressed him.
self and took his hat.
"Whar are you goin'?" asked his wife,
"I'm a-goin' down to satisfy myself
about George" he said sheepishly.
THAR amt no use tryin' to hide it; I'm
worried"
"Well, I'll be switched" exclaimed
his wife. But reckon you mought
as well. I don't believe me nor you
nuther is goin' to close our eyes to-
night unless you do. I'll bet you'll
find i'm in bed. No doubt he jest went
to the hotel an got his supper rather
than let us know he was drinkin'. He
still sleeps at the warehouse, don't
hep
"Yes, he still rooms thar" answered
Hillyer, IAN eff thar's no light I'll
come right back. Sometimes when
he's bothered he sets up an works on
his books"
When her husband had gone Mrs.
Hillyer crept up the stairs to Hortense
Snowden's room. Tie girl was sitting
up In bed.
"Why, are you awake" Mrs. Hill
yer cried. "I declare, we are all set
O. night owls"
II haven't slept wink" was the re-
ply. do you know, every sound in
your room comes right up that stove
fue. I could hear the creaking Of your
bed, an just now heard you talking.
Oh, Aunt Martha, where do you think
it's going to end?"
'T'll end in q madhouse ef 1t keeps
up" said Mrs. Hillyer, with little,
forced laugh. 'I'm goin' to crawl in
yore bed. I'm not to say afeard O.
sperits, but am Of niggers an tramps.
Phew! I'm all of shiver. Let's COW
er up. Hortie, you've always said
was a good woman. Well, try to be,
but hain't perfect by long shot. I
say I hain't perfect, an I mean 1t.
You'd say so eff you could see through
my outside. I've got one whalin' big
fault, an that Is suspicion. Somehow
I cayn't root 1t out. Now, like George
Buckley as well as you or Mr.. Hillyer
does, but what on earth has made Mr..
Hillyer so wrapped up In that boy an
the whole layout O Buckleys? Why,
he's as crazy as a bedbug right now
about this trial an Georges condition.
Oh, know you kin say he likes the
boy an all that, but thar are heaps
O. boys in the county an heaps O. folks
that's jest as worthy Of assistance as
the Buckleys."
"Oh, Aunt Martha. you surely don't
mean
II don't mean nothin'," interrupted
Mrs. Hillyer, "but I'm as sure O. one
thing as am that got my cold feet
agin yore'n, an that Is that Mr.. Hill
yer hain't told me everything about
them Buckleys. He may think I
wouldn't keep 1t, but he hain't let me
on to his game"
Hortense had no observation to make,
and they lay silent for several min
utes. Then the girl spoke:
George could really bear 1t much
better If he had not met Lydia Gran
ston. I don't blame him for caring for
her, Aunt Martha. She's q splendid
girl; we all like her; she's just as frank
and open as can be. She's always
making fun of her fathers family
pride He's got Cranston tree in the
library, but Lydia gets all mixed up
when she tries to tell any one who her
connections are. was just thinking.
She'll be apt to be disgusted with
George II Sne nearS tnat tnlS mas OrlV-
en- him to drink, and"-
Don't you bother about that" retort-
ed Mrs. Hilyer. THAR never was a
woman that turned agin man she
cared fer on that account; they'll make
excuses fer 'em, an the Lord knows
she could fish up good many to justi-
fy George. know 1 could. Pore fel-
low! Jest think O. him tryin' an trytn'
to git his head above water an that old
scamp Of a daddy jerkin' i'm down.
an right now when he was gittin'
sech a fine start. He could a married
that Cranston gal eff this thing hadn't
come up-I mean he could In time,
beca'se it was in i'm"