The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-07-22


Hillyer started home. He pass
ed the postoffice, went into the
~ little building, looked absentlv
Into his lock box, and then, taking a
street that led past the town park
and several of the most pretentious
:burches, he soon reached his house.
which was two story brick building
with an old fashioned white veranda
and nm l.. The house, like many others
In the place, stood on a big lawn shad-
ed by large oaks, magnolias and mul-
berry trees. A wide walk bordered
with stunted rosebushes Of some cheap
variety and covered with gravel
reached from the gate to the steps
Along the side fence was q row Of bee
hives. and frisking about In the yard
was young calf.
Mrs. Hillyer was in the sitting room
with her niece, q rather plain girl Of
thirty, Miss Hortense Snowden, who
had been living with the Hillyers since
the death Of her parents, twelve months
before. They both rose at the sound
Of the merchants step in the wide, un-
carpeted hall, and when he had enter
ed they stood waiting for him to sit
down before resuming their seats at the
open fireplace, in which some dry hick.
ory logs on old fashioned brass headed
dog irons were cheerfully ablaze, fur
nishing the chief light of the shaded
<. room.
"Well, anybody would know from
his looks how ths easo no.,an -o.,.,n es>;a
Mrs, Hillyer as she sat down and
--spraad out. her calico skirt. AN eff 1t
had "a been dark could "a read the
news in the way he put his. feet down
IN the hall" She was q short, cheerful
looking woman past fifty. Her eyes
were almost black. very keen, and they
flashed ut all times with q merriment
that seemed as much q part Of her as
electricity is n part Of an electric bat
terry. Her hair was abundant and red
dish brown and fell In intractable
waves over her brow and ears.
Eyes, 1t not only. went clean agin the
old man, but Judge MoorV p'intedly re-
fused to cut 1t down to fine." Hill.
yers voice had q tone Of deep de-
lection as he said this, and he kept his
eyes on the fire.
"An' kin see you mighty nigh had
a spasm over it." replied Mrs. Hillyer
"Lawsy me. eff never found anything
to worry about till worried over the
Just punishment leveled on the head
O. that old scamp I'd go to my grave
without gray hair or a wrinkle
That's the trouble with you an George
both. You are not carryin' out the
scriptural injunction not to kick agin
the pricks. don't know exactly what
the good book says about 1t. disre-
member. In fact, don't know that /
ever run acrost it in print myself, but
you bet It's thar. My father. who
eat an slep' with the Bible In his
hand, used to always keep sayin', when
folks was continually a-complainin',
Don't kick agin the pricks!' An he
was right. Ell you set down on board
with tack In 1t, the harder you set
the more tack you git, an that's SO
with life. It's full of tacks, an don't
you forgit.it. The Lord put old Buck
+ ley In Jail to keep i'm in bunch Of his
kind, so the devil wouldn't root around
among good folks 80 much to keep up
with i'm, but Oh, no! You amt
a-goin' to put up with It, an right now
yore face In sour enough lookin' to
spile cream In the middle o. Decem'
ber." Es
II was thinkin', about George" said
Hnfyer softly. 'Tts mighty nigh kill.
in 'im."
aThat's SO, Aunt Martha" spoke ur
= Hortense Snowden. Its awful on
him. Why. just think Of it. The best
people In barley receive him and like
s him. He was rising rapidly, but 0
thing Ike this, as proud and sensitive
as he is, will almost kilr him.
'You kin laugh an make sport as
much as you want to-" said Hillyer
more boldly, "an' you needn't kick agir
nothin' unless you want-to. but it's jes
like Hortie says. He won't be able t.
face the music. He's ail right whcl
he amt driv' too fur. but this. has III
ready started i'm to drinkin' agin."
"Oh. uncle. you don't mean itF'
eyes. It has" groaned the merchant
sAn' the Lord only knows whar fts 60
In to end"
~ "Huhl say, then, George BUCKLE.
hain't the man tnck I'm fer" retorte'
sfrs. Hiilyer. II wish could ketcl
I'm takin' a dram on account O thi
thing. I'd give i'm talk that nd max
1m"-
~Go xit blind, soakin' druak.r inter