The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-09-09
The Substitute
Bp WILL N. HARDEN,
ku.hss Of sAbnsR Daniel" Tho Land Of
he Changing Sun" The North
walk Npsts1p." E,c.
OopsvlpAs, Iaos, by Horper d Brothers
Continued from 3rd page }

man, his eyes nverteu. some 00y Sne S
thinkin' o. marryin' that man beca' SO
her sick daddy wants her to, an' I'd
never be satisfied ef let a woman
marry a thing like that, believin' he
was honorable an brave like her daddy
an like somebody else 1 know. No;
would thank anybody to tell n daugh-
ter o. mine sech thing, an felt like
It was my duty"
George bit his lip and sufied an ex-
clamation OF irritation, but he met the
old mans look presently with a steady
stare.
what did she say, Truitt2' he asked
finally.
Say? 1 hardly know" said Truitt.
Her face got the purtiest color 1 ever
seed, an while was talkin' she kept
sayin', Go on, go on, Mr.. Truitt, go on!
an right in the middle O. some things
she'd Jest laugh out an kiver 'er mouth
with that white hand O. her'n, but she
kept sayin', Go on, go onv an looked
like she Jest couldn't wait fer me to
git through. An when I finally got
to whar 1 lifted i'm by one O. his side
straps out O. his chair she jest hollered:
No, you didn't rally, Mr.. Truitt. Did
you do that to the governor O. Georgian 2
told 'cr I certainly did, an she
laughed like she'd bust. She followed
ME clean to the front gate. You may
think she's n purity woman, but I'll bet
she never looked rs purity to you as she
did then. The wind was devilin' her
hair, an her cheeks looked like ripe
peaches. Seemed like she'd sorter tuck
likin' to me, fer once or twice she
forgot an put her hand on my arm.
Then she said, 'Mr. Truitt, + believe
kin trust you with a secret, an I want
to tell you some'n'.'
II told 'er l was graveyard itself
when 1t come to keepin' secrets fer
women folks, but she sorter hung fire.
Her face got serious, an she wouldn't
look me In the eye like she had been
a-doin'. I told 'er not to be afeard O.
me. an she started in agin. but
stopped. No. says she, I believe l
won't tell you after all. Men are the
very dickens to tell tales Then I re-
minded 'er that was n old Confeder-
ate soldier an that women nm ther
private matters was sacred to men that
had At for the south an it's honor, an
that sorter fetched 'er. Well says
she, you do look like n man n woman
could trust, an ef you'll give me your
word that this won't go no furder I'll
tell YOU
"T'n do it. says I.
"'Will you swear itT says she.
"'Not only that says I. but I'll cross
my heart
"'Well,' says she, that's all wom-
an could AK, an I'm sorTy 1 have to
be SO particular. but I'd rather die
than have a single soul know what
I'm goin' to tell you. I want to tell
you to show how much appreciate
what you did on that Atlanta trip
Then she swallowed once or twice, an,
lookin' me in the eye an p'intin' across
the yard. she said: 'Mr. Trultt, / was
settin In that summer house t'other
night an heard Governor Telfare in
suit George Buckley, an I'm glad
glad-glad-you done what you done.
As Governor Telfare was visitin' my
house an as fathers health is so bad
couldn't do more, but tried my best
that night to show preference to Mr..
Buckley, but he misunderstood me an
went off mad"
"She said that" George exclaimed,
his face aglow. his eyes flashing And
did she say anything else?"
"Yes, she did, George, an | got aw-
fully sorry fer 'er. She told me her pa
had set his heart on her marryin' Tel
rare, an that she was afcard, since her
father had heart disease to run con-
trary to his wishes. She said she was
afeard the Disappointment ud actually
kill i'm. l didn't know what to say.
i tried to think o. some'n' comfortin',
but couldn't, an so jest come off an
left 'er thar at the gate. The Lord
does n sight O. things that is beyond
our ken. but why he makes women
like that un suffer is morcn l kin ac-
count fer. / reckon he knows his busi-
ness, but 1t conflicts with my notions
Ike rips. Eff I was at the head o. thfs
whiriin' universe I'd not let men like
Telfare lord It over better folks. but
the Almighty made the skunk, an the
Teller may be 30 perfect, in his way,
that he's actually pleasIn' to an> om-
nlpotent eye. The truth is. Telfare
may be stuck up thar to rarn us con-
tentment l know I'd ruther be Gcorn-
field niger an split rails in the tbr'ilin
sun AN to be the sort of q governor
that man Is an know it-like he:knows
1t now"
Without another word Truitt turned
and left the office. George sat!a mo-
ment as II dazed by a sudden fealiza-
don that had come to him from the
old soldiers recital He was recalling
Lydia's appearance and manner as che
came into the parlor that evening with
the flower In her hand.
God bless herr he said reverentiy.
She was right, then, trying to show
her contempt for TeIfare's conduct,
and was brute enough to misjudge
.bsr0