The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-11-09


ucc an cotton come here last Satday
from beyond the Tennessee line. l got
the cotton, an Cob got the produce an
loaded the wagons with groceries Ter
enough profit to pay fer his advertls1u
Fer a year. reckon. I'm always anX-
ious to learn. cf 10 live in the back
woods. an I a;icd the head man O the
gang how in the thunder he happened
! to come so fer, an he told me, he did,
that some old woman up thar tuck the
Reporter an was always a-talkin'
about Hanks cheap prices-nine pounds
o. green coffee fer dollar an the like
an that they all got headed this way
On that account, Now, I'm goin' to
let out some'n' that you may not want
to hear. but maybe it will soak through
yore hide an do you some good. Ihe
feller said wharever he'd meet any
body on the road an mention the
Hanks store they I'D hold up 'the'r
hands in holy horror an say: Hanks,
the man that sells meat at 20 cents
pound on credit an drives pore folks
out O. house an home to git It? NO,
stree, excuse me, pleasev The feller
said he'd always tell 'em it wasn't that
Hanks, but another one that had a
conscience an believed in future tor
ment. La, me- the feller said, 'yore
town will have to spend lot fer print
ers' ink fore It gifts over the black eye
that fust Hanks give it.
"Bob's talkin' some about addin' Cd
dry goods" Hanks went on to George
in his even tone, without the slightest
change Of face Il reckon it won't be
bad idea. Ee misses lots O. trade
by not bei1' able to fit folks up all
round. But he's got to so slow; he's
too headstcong. He don't know it all
yit by jugful.'
ssHe ort to set around here an hear
you talk, Lib" Nenner laughed. GIVE
rarnt a sight by listenin' to yore
harangues. But you cayn't rarn that
boy a thing about maxim money an
turnin' it quick BE could give you
pointers in his sleep. Tricky? Geewhlll-'
kris! I lowed was some pumpkins
in that line when I started out, but Bob
beats the Jews. Talkin' about Jews,
the boys uptown say feller looked in
at Bob's shebang t'other day an start
ed out. Thought this was the Jew
store he said. 7 promised my old
woman to so thar the next time come
in town. Oats vat it is, mein frientv
said Bob as quick as a flash. MI
Eppstein has jhust gondt oudt Vat
can do for you?' an he whirled in an
sold the feller a big bill, jabberin all
the time like a drove O. geese"
Then Kenner walked out to the, conf
press and Hillyer went uptown to mail
some letters. Hanks took a brown
paper parcel from his desk and opened
it. It was FIVE or six hard tack crack
ers and some slices Of cheese; he was
always eating such things between
meals.
81 see the governors in town." he re-
marked, little puffs Of powdered crack
er issuing from his lips and falling like
fakes Of snow on his beard.
George started; an unpleasant thrill
passed over him and his heart sank 81
didn't know il" he said, giving Hanks
a steady stare.
eyes, I was at the train when the
Cranstons driv up to take i'm home
with 'em. You cayn't Harnv folks any
sense. I reckon fully a hundred was
crowdin' around tryin' to git look at
i'm. An as the carriage driv along the
street a whole passle O loafers run aft
er it, maxim a big to-do. They'd "a had
the brass band out, they say, ef the
majors gal hadn't put FER foot down
on it. Mrs. Dugan come over an told
US be was expected-she struck US
while we was at the breakfast table.
She never had no use fer me-says /
don't talk enough to suit 'er. She neY-
! er would "a let US in on the racket this
mornin', but she come through our
yard to make q short cut through a
hole in the fence to AlexandeTS. SIZE
said Mrs. Cranston was in fe1 glVln
the governor a big blowout an IN
vitin' all the upper ten, but her daugh-
ter set on that too. Mrs. Dugan lowed
it was beca'se Lydia was afeared ef he
ketched sight o. some O the other gals
in the town be might transfer his at
tentons. I dunno-Pm jest tellin' you
what that old hag said"
Buckley did not encourage the old
man to- continue talking. He dipped
his pen in the ink as if to resume
work, and Hanks sauntered away.
The ink dried on the pen in George
Buckley's tense fingers. Finding him
self alone, he turned around and for
several minutes sat staring vacanuy IN
front Of him. His face was pale, his
brows drawn together.
sOh, my God, how am I going to
face ttis?" he said suddenly. Il have
been blind, stupid idiot. She has SIM
ply been treating me as she has out OF
pity. She'll marry that man.. shell
do it. It's the way Of the worN-her
world. Oh, God, give me the man
| hood to meet II:
Suddenly Hillyer loomed up in the
outer doorway and came into the Office.
He had heard nothing that had fallen
from the lips Of his clerk, but he saw
his gloomy face. Somebody's told
'im,' he thought. he started to speak,
but changed his mind and sat down,
his countenance very grave. There
was one subject he had never broached
to George Buckley-a subject that the
young man had made him feel was not
to come up between them, and yet
George" was the result Of the old
mans sudden impulse, and he stood
near Bucklcv's elbow, i axcd the Al
mighty fer sign that was on the
right road to peace O. mind an got
it. Iwant to say to you row, my boy,
that in every prayer send up from
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