The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-10-26
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.I'll be hanged ef don't be
lieve Bob Hanks has struck his proper
element" lie said. "He's turned thai
| old slvTe upside down already. Seee
i'm burnin' a half bushel measure o
| live cockroaches jest now. Stores al
about had to shet Their doors, thar was
sech stencil. Bob's got his coat of
an up to his neck in business. a fel
Ter told me Bob was thar at O'Clock
to open up an swept out hisse'f.
sorter call that good joke on Lib
He's always keepin his eye peeled fel
somebody to lend money to an over
looked his own boy"
Half an hour later Hanks slouche6
in and sat down In his accustomed
place at the stove. Kenner was eying
him curiously, a quizzical smile playing
on his face Hanks swung his foot tt
and fro, his rnllghted cigar in hiE
hand, till be caught Hiliyer's glance
then he grunted:
Thought you was powerful smart
didn't you?" he said dryly.
81 don't know as did," replied Hill
ger, flushing a little
| There was silence for moment, theI
Hanks said, "Well, you'll see whar yore
moneys gone ef you'll keep watch
OUT
It'll be gone clean to the Indian Ter
| ritory as soon as Sandford's packed uI
his effects"
Hanks grunted again. "You never e
"a done it eff you hadn't lowed Pt
make it good. but I'll tell you nov
you'll never git cent on that drafted
note from me-"
"I never expect to-" said Hillyer
smiling agreeably.
"Oh, that'n do to talk" answered
Hanks. "You think, though, that r.
never stand by an see a body lose b.
a child O. mine; but this Is different
was fetchin' up that boy aecordtn' t
my lights, an you come in an inter
| fered"
"He told me he was twenty-one,
said Hillyer, still amused, "and I saw
a chance to lend i'm some money
That's all there is to It"
"Oh, well, you kin afford little los:
like that" retorted Hanks, "an' whel
Bot's run through with the pie kI
show everybody was right In tn
stand tuck with i'm"
AS it was q busy hour, nothing more
was said on the subject. A ragged
farmer in a slcuched hat came in tt
talk to Hanks about mortgaging mule
and a milk cow for his next years
supplies, and Hanks went out to sex
| the mule and hear minute descr1p
ton OF the cow-her age, weight, prog
eny and habits.
That afternoon, as George and tht
merchant were closing the warehouse
to go to supper, Kenner came along OF
the way to his boarding house. ''TheJ
say old Lbs been hangin' round Bob't
store all day watchin' i'm like hawk
be informed them, with a laugh. "Ht
cayn't hide his interest. AS soon a:
Bub nd make sale the old man ue
run up to the cash drawer an count
the change an ask the cost OF the
article. He's neglectn' bis own mat
tiers. I'll swear It's funny. Eff he's
talked with one man today he has witt
forty about Bob's venture. he wanted
to find out what folks thinks, an he's
literally astocished to find so many
believe Bob knows what he's a-doin'.
II seed i'm a-standin' In Bob's door
watchin' Bob an Heneker Brothers
biddin' agin one another to buy q load
O. mountain chickens. speke to Lib
but he jest kept chawin' his tobacco
so much absorbed he didn't Aear me
Then we seed the feller start to drive
up to Bob's door, an old Lib clappen
his hands together an said: BY gum!
Bob got 'emr But he sorter cooled
down when the chickens was unloaded
an he heard Bob had bid IS cents
apiece all round. He grabbed Bob as
he was passin' an said, Say, don't
you think you went too steep on that
loads' Bob was purity red, anyway,
from lifting at the coops-he was so
anxious to get 'em Ia his shebang-an'
he got redder, but he pulled the side
O. his face down an Looked to see that
the Teller couldn't hear, an said: 'Sh!
I've got 'em already sold In Atlanta at
20 cents apiece, an that galoots goin'
to take his pay in coffee at 1S cents q
pound-coffee that cost 10 in New Or.
leans. You see whar come inf don't
you?'
"'You better go it sorter slow at the
start Lib said, but he was simply
tickled to death. I'll swear it was fun
to watch i'm! He'd rather see that
boy learn how to handle money than
fer i'm to be- elected governor O. this
state"
Old Hanks seldom left his home after
supper, but that evening be dropped
in at Hillyer's, finding the merchant
and his wife before a cheerful fire In
the sitting room. He came IN aWk-
wardly, but lis self possession was
thing be always had with him. Ken.
ner had once said that Hanks could sell
scrap iron in pigeon tailed coat and
white vest and never realize the odd
ity Of his appearance. his brogan
shoes were united, as If he had started
to so to bed and changed bis mind.
'I see Bob's got that store to goin', -
he said dryly. 1--WE been sorter watch
in i'm today. I hardly know what to
make Of i'm"
Htllyer looked knowingly at his smil-
ing wife and replied:
$50 he's got opened up, has heT
Opened up? I reckon he has; tuck
in ninety odd dollars today, an the
Lord only knows what profit he'll aV-
erage. I don't reckon Bob does, from
what observed, though he amt losin'
so fur"
"Oh, he'll hold Sandford's trade" :"