The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-11-23

only some drunken mountain rowdies,
personal friends of Mr. Buckley's, when
it waS-oh, only little thing like 4
great, tall god Of man standing in
door daring mob OF fifty strong to
pass in after the man they were pursu-
ing! The man in the door With the re-
yolver and the blazing eyes was
George Buckley, and the little, dried
up man he was offering his life for
was no relation to him and man he
could not be congeniai with
"Kitty, you surprise me-" said Mrs.
Cranston.
you'll be more than surprised be-
fore this thing is over with, if I'm any
Judge Of human nature" Kitty laugh
ed. "N-hy, Mrs. Cranston, you are bat
Ting with Niagara falls in dusout
when you are trying to keep two peo-
pie like Lydia and that young man
from admiring each other, especially
Lydia or any real woman" She then
proceeded to describe minutely all that
had taken place in the Office. At times
her voice would clog and her eyes fill
to overfowing. "And the beauty Of it
was" she ended, "that the hero Of it all
was mad enough to kick the people
who were sobbing out his praises"
Lydia heard all that" said Mrs.
Cranston.
Eyes, she heard it ALL You have al
ways thought she was proud and
naughty and cold. Huh! She melted
all over and ran out at the eyes. She
doesn't know she's in love with him.
She doesn't comprehend it any more
than q baby comprehends life. Ee fol-
lowed US outside to apologize-just
think of that-apologize! He tried 70
laugh it off. I introduced myself.
had to. Lydia was acting as If she
were in dream. She was asking ques-
tons about the exact spot where he
had stood, as reverently, Mrs. Gran
ston, as a girl looking for the grave
Of. a soldier lover. Then the father Of
the rescued boy came out and went all
over it again. I've been to plays that
moved me, but always, away down IN
nv heart, lay the knowledge that it
was only acting, but that this morning
was the real thing. They say all the
world loves q lover. I was asked to
thwart that pair, but when saw those
two together-he with his great, hun
CRY, dreamy eyes that seemed full Of
eternal suffering with love for her ac-
tually burning In their depths. and she
with her sweet, wondering face-I-l
felt like an egg sucking dog! I wanted
to put out my hands and draw their
heads together. Love is beautiful al
ways. 1t was like glimpse Of heaven
this morning. l always considered
Lydia a strong woman. I admire her
more now than ever. All along she
has seen what there is in this man and
been trying to give him simple justice"
Mrs. Cranston groaned aloud and sat
down, covering her face with her hands.
81 reckon We'll have to send her off"
she said
"Send her off? Where to? Send her
to Mars, and she'll still see his eyes
and hear his voice and-and know she
has wronged him for something ne
can't heip. Think Of that! You know,
after all, he can't help what histfafher
did. Huh! If man like that adored
me as he does Lydia Cranston and
wanted me to marry him I'd do 1t II
fifteen powdered and perfumed princes
stood with their arms stretched out to
me, and-yes, if he had fathers looking
out:of Jail windows on every street.cor-
ner in proud old Richmond. Oh, I've
thrown up my job! I'm not the man
for it. The weight Of a hair would
make me work on the other side. You'd
better send me away. Ny own heart
Is hopelessly in danger.
81 have never met the real thing In
man form before Think Of It! There's
Charley Mason, at home, who viii talk
to q girl by the hour about how he
was obliged to call Delaney out for in
sulting Richmond girls, and II Della
ney hadn't humbly apologized shots
might have been exchanged, with the
accent on the might That's the fash
ionable, bouquet courage. The real
thing IS where q man acts like this
Buckley did last night and then gets
as mad as the dev-as mad as the very
dickens when it is mentioned IN his
presence. Mrs. Cranston, I believe you
have been trying to keep God from DO
ing a beautiful piece Of work so that
you can do an ugly one-hideous eS-
cept to the sight Of narrow, squnt
eyed people. I may be getting crooked
mentally for not espousing the govern
or's cause, but after what I've seen
this morning, after seeing that couple
together and reading their throbbing
hearts, can see it only one way"
"The son Of convict!" groaned Mrs.
Cranston. 'Never, never! Lydia Will
not do it. She respects our feelings
too much. You say she doesn't yet re-
allie that she's In love with him?'
'Eot yet, but she's light sleeper,
Mrs. Cranston. Somebody will throw
cold water in her face, and she'll open
her eyes. I fancy If you and the ma
jor were to begin to urge her marriage
to Governor Telfare that she'd rub her
eyes and wonder If she had q night
mare. She wouldn't talk driving home.
I took her hand. 1t was as cold as ice,
but'her face was on fire. had spent
the whole morning sneering at every
thing we came to-the little law Of
fees and stores and the clerks coming
to wait on US without their, coats-and
as we approached the warehouse l
laughed at its dtngy appearance and