The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-10-26

trunk, I'll git the money fer you. I'm
expectin' some next Monday I know
ed then that I was done, an done
brown but l didn't know my crust
was burnt to q cinder. The next~day
was Sunday, an a niger bapdzin'
day, an in the black procession headed
fer Mill Creek 7 seed Alf Hardin
among the elect, on his way to be hap
tized. with my overcoat on. It was a
solemn OCCASION, but I was mad.
stopped Alf an axed i'm whar he
got the coat. Marse Fred Dinslow
SOP it to me, suh,' he said. How much
did you pay i'm fer it, I a1ed i'm.
Five dollars, suh,' said All; he tried
to git six, but I didn't have it. At
another time, Fred-but I see that.cot-
ton wagon out in front, an I've got
to git a move on me-"
Hillyer was alone in the Office when
Bob Hanks and George came in, flushed
and hot, their task finished.
"You are the right kind, George" the
old man heard Bob saying, in q CRATE
full tone, "and I'm not going to forget
it either"
"Pshaw!r' Buckley said, 1T was e1-
actly what T needed to set my blood In
circulation. get the cramp sitting on
that STOOL"
Bob went to the wash pan in the cor
ner Of the room and cleansed his hands
Of the brine and salt. Hillyer called
him when he had finished.
Say, Bob," he said, 'come sit down
here" The old man indicated chair
near his desk. The young man obeyed
wonderingly.
Bob" began the merchant, Il be-
reve I'm yore friend an that I have
yore intrust at heart"
"Well, I've always thought you treat
ed me decently, Mr.. Hillyer. was
just telling George out there in'the car
that I could work like steam engine
for a man like you. Mr. Hilyer, I
may look like a pretty tough specimen,
but I'll give you my word that I am
sick and tired Of living like I am.
That's Gods truth"
What sort o. work do you think you
would like, Bob?" Hillyer could not
suppress the round note of sympathy
that dominated bis voice.
"It may seem very silly to you," Bob
declared slowly, "but am just as sure
that could run a business for myself
as am that I'm sitting here talking
to you. To make a clean breast of it
for I know you will Understand my
fix was on a trade with 4. G. Sand
ford, up the street, for his grocery
store Sandford's wife has got Indian
blood in her an she's entitled to land
in the territory. He wants to move
out there and quit here. I've looked in
to his books an his trade, an he's got
a good thing-a thing that could be
built up till it would pay big. Hes
got old fogy ways an hasn't kept up
to date, an I believe money can be
made in this town according to late
methods. Well, when 1 heard he was
thinking Of selling out had a talk
| with him. I told him / had no money,
but if he'd sell the stock to me on time
I'd pay him. Well, that pleased him
and his wife, too, fo. they are anxious
; TO get away, and we even took stock.
It invoiced about $4,000, an he doesn't
owe cent in market, but somehow my
father got wind Of it, an, Lord, the
row he raised over it. He made me
60 out in the yard an cut wood all that
morning, an be went down to Sand
ford and said so much against me that
Sandford backed clean out"
Hillyer stared for a moment at
George, who was listening, and then
he looked at Bob. care you twenty
one?" he asked.
"I was last July, Mr.. Hillyer."
"Then you are yore own boss2"
"I reckon am, as far as age goes, :"
said Bob, with q good natured smile,
"but my credit doesn't seem to amount
to much
"Bob"-Hillyer was not looking at
him-'you must not lose that chance.
It's a good one, and 1 believe you can
run the business. believe it's in you
You are interested in it, an that's the
chief thing
Thank you, Mr.. Hillyer. I like to
hear you say that, but I don't much
blame father. haven't beaa living
i,1st like he wanted me- to and 7 have
thought seriously Of getting away from
this town It's pretty hard to do the
right thing surrounded by gang like
I've been ina crowd that thinks it be-
meath a fellow to work"
"They wouldn't laugh at you if you
were the proprietor O. that grocery"
said Hillyer. Look here, Bob; I've
got lot O money lent out on a sight
wuss security than yore word, an eff
you'll give me yore note fer two thou