Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-07-26

cross Is hard to bear, but fer fifteen
year I've hardly slept sound nights
sleep, expectin' an e1pectin' the off,
GERS O. the law to ride up an hello at
the fence. An keepin' his secrets
law, that's the wust of 1t, fer he would
tell me every blessed bit O. devilment
he ever was in. 1t all began away
back fifteen year ago, when he fell Oh
his wagon an struck his head agin a
rock. He never got over that; It made
i'm as Ill as snake an mad at ever
body, even his best friends. George,
I want to tell you how he did once
when"-
Don't, don't, don'tw the young man
cried. I know enough. don't want
you ever to speak to me Of his crimes"
"Well. 1 won't, then" promised the
woman. "I reckon I've heard 80 much
of his doin's that it don't horrify me
as much as 1t would you. Well, I'll
70 on back. I'm goin' to Webber &
Lands an buy him change O. under
clothes an some socks"
When she had reached the big en-.
trance Of the warehouse she saw Hill.
yer in the center of the building, walk
ing back and forth, his gray head hang
ing low, as If III troubled meditation.
Turning as If from a sudden impulse,
she went and Joined him. The two
faced each other.
IT smelt liquor on 'im," she said
tersely. II stood nigh to i'm; he's had
i'm dram, Mr.. Hillyer."
Eyes, he's had drink or two. Mrs
Buckley"
"Whar'd he git his whisky?"
"Jake followed i'm an seed i'm at
Hillhouse's bar. I hain't said word
about it. 1t don't do one bit O. good
to preach to a man all upset in mind
an half full at that"
mo, yo're plumb right an nobody
kin drive George. I'm powerfully
afraid this is goin' to be his downward
start, Mr.. Hillyer."
Don't say thatr' The words were
spoken almost in groan, and the
merchants sympathetic face seemed
wrung with inward pain. Don't say
that" he repeated, under his breath.
1--WE mustn't lose hope-we mustn't do
thatw
The old woman stared at the working
face for a moment in silence; then she
asked abruptly. "Mr. Hillyer. who Is
that family O. Cranstons that's come
here from Virginia?"
"Oh, you've heard O. them" said
Hillyer, taking breath. Major
| Cranston's q member Of fine old
family, a regular F. F. "; he owns
six or seven farms in this county an
has a lot O. investments all over the
country. He moved here about SIX
months ago bees'se the climate agrees
with i'm, an he hain't very strong.
George got acquainted with his daugh.
ter, a pretty. likely gal, but as proud
as q queen, an they've been good
| friends ever since. She's we'll educated,
an SOS he, an they get along power,
full we'll together. Have you ever seed
'er, Mrs. Buckley"
eyes, once" answered the woman,
"an' never shall forget 1t. fer 1t show
| ed me palmer what fine character
| George has than anything he ever
done. Thar's a lot O. meddlin' folks
out at the Cove, Mr.. Hillyer, an the
report got out that since George got
his schoolin' an you tuck i'm In with
you that he was ashamed O. me. They
kept this talk up, an when he got to
goin' here an yam with Lydia Gran.
ston 1t got wuss, an some Of 'em low.
ed that the girl didn't know what sort
O. scrub kin George had. This got to
George somehow, an one day when
was at Grove Level camp ground with
some O. my neighbors, George fetched
'er out along with some other couples
| of town folks. An when he seed me
a-settin' in front O. Mrs. Fellows tent
with some more women he fetched the
| cal right up to me. He was sorter
pale an excited, but he retched down
an tuck my hand an lifted me up
an says he. Miss Cranston, I want
YOU to make the acquaintance o my
mother'-no, that wasn't 1t exactly
This was It, Miss Cranston. want you
to meet my mother an me n her
shook hands. 1t was awful, Mr.. Hill
yer. I've got little more sense n 9
Jay bird, an seed through 1t. seed
moreover, that while she was perfect
lady. she was sorter set back. She got
red in the face an was all flustered In
what she said, but he stopped that talk
out our way an showed what he was.'
"Yes, he's all right, Mrs. Buckley
The old man swallowed.
Maybe" ventured the old woman
tentatively. maybe he's in love with
that gal, Mr. Hillyer, an knows she
hain't the sort-that her folks hain't
the sort-to overlook a-a"-
That's Just it, Mrs. Buckley" said
the merchant with flrmness, IAN that
accounts for his misery an the whis'
ky. This thing has hit i'm away be
low the belt. Thar's no two ways
about 1t. I'm dead afeard it's goin
to undo all that's been done"
The old woman raised her eyes to the
troubled face before her and stared
steadily. Lets hope not" she said
"Shorely the Lord will show US some
way toto avoid that"
Hillyer dropped his eyes, and, turn
ing toward the door, the old woman
slowly shambled out.
CHAPTER II.