Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-04-12

REiSS5SSI ernOOn sunshine, stopping u!
&Es every village and every coun-
try postoffice on the line. There was
passenger in the smoker who found
-the>stops at these wayside -hamlets in
terminable. He got un and paced ~
aisle now and then. and his com1( O
reminded him that this was>~X
tain to hasten the hour Of Their arrival
at their destination. Il know that"
answered he. "but I've got to beat
McCune."
"By the way" observed Meredith
you left your stick behind"
"Yol don't think l need club to
face
Tom choked. "Oh, %; wasn't think
ing of your giving H::sFisbee beating
| meant to lean on"
"I don't want 1t. PvS got to walk
lame all my life. but I'm not going to
hobble on stick"
Tom looked at him sadly for a mo-
ment. 1t was true, and the Crossroad-
ers might hug themselves in their
cells over the thought. For the rest of
his life John Harkless was to walk
with just the limp they themselves
would have had If, as in former days
their sentence had been to the ball and
chain.
"Sit down, boy, sit down." said
Meredith, and his friend obeyed.
The window was open beside the two
young men. and the breeze that blew
in soothed like balm, yet held a tang
and spice In 1t. hint Of walnuts and
of coming frost. There was newness
IN the atmosphere that day. bright
invigoration, that set the blood tin.
Cling. The hot months were done with;
languor was routed. Autumn spoke to
industry. told of the sowing of another
harvest, of the tawny. shock, Of the
purple grape. Of the red apple. and call
ed upon muscle and laughter, breath
Ing gayety into mems hearts. The II: lie
stations hummed with hustle and noise.
big farm wagons ratified OF up the VII
lage streets and raced with cut under"
or omnibus; people walked with quick
steps; the baggagemasters called
cheerily to the tralnmen. and the
brakemen laughed goodbys to rollick'
ing girls. At times the train ran be-
tween shadowy groves, and delicate
landscape vistas. framed In branches,
opened, closed and succeeded each 9TH
er. and then the travellers were carried
beyond into the level open again and
looked out to where the intensely blue
September skies ran down to the low
horizon, meeting the boundless aisles
of corn. 1t takes long time for the
full beauty Of the fat lands to reach
mans soul. Once there, nor hills. nor
sea, nor growing fan leaves of palm
shall suffice him. It is like the beauty
In the word Indiana. 1t may be that
there are people who do not consider
Indiana a beautiful word, but let 1t
ring true in your ears, and it has a
richer sound than Vallombrosa.
All at once the anger ran out OF John
Harkless. He was a hard man Tor
anger to tarry with. And in place OF 1t
8 StrOnS sense VI hoihe -ohinS oSe"
to take possession of him. He was 60
ing home. Back to Plattville, where
belong" he said to himself without bit
terness, and it was the truth. every
man cometh to his own place In the
end"
Yes, as one leaves gay acquaintance
Of the playhouse lobby for some hard
handed, tried old friend, so he would
wave the outer world godspeed and
come back to the old ways of Carlow.
What though the years were dusty, ne
had his friends and his memories and
his old black .brier pipe. He had a
girls picture that he should carry In
his heart till his last day, and II his
life was sadder it was infinitely richer
for It. His winter fireside would be not
80 lonely for her sake, and, losing her,
he lost not everything, for he had had
the rare blessing Of having known her.
And what man could wish to be healed
of such hurt? Far better to have had
It than to trot SNUG pace unscathed.
He had been a dullard, sluggard,
weary of himself, unfit to fight, fall
ure in life i0Ee i3a1