The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-12-14

after supper. when my sperits sink
way down to zero go out in the yard
an give 'er a chance to come over an
talk. No; Inever go over thar. All I got
to do is to let 'er see me, an she's on me
like duck on June bug. She'll talk
yore head OF. but she'll help you out
of a tight whenever you give 'er the
wink. Ne an her together worked
Hortense as fine as split silk t'other
day. You know, Jim Neuner's jest
about crazy to pay his attentions, an
she holds of an won't let i'm set in.
I made up my mind six months ago
that I'd make a match out o that ma
terial, but beyond gittin' Jim to foller
me all over creation an her to fairly
lap up all T had to say about i'm that
was as nigh as come to doin' busi-
ness. 1t puzzled me right sharp, fer !
knowed the gal had marry on her mind,
an knowed Jim Kenner was Jest the
thing fer 'er. Finally drapped on to
the difficulty. You know. steady gal
like HortegSe snowden sometimes has
a regular Horror Of goody goody fel-
Ter, an seed she thought he'd jest es-
capped bein' q preacher by q hairs
breadth an was not goin' with gals be-
cause he was afeard Of 'em. let Mrs
Dugan in on my racket, an I lowed
she'd have a fit, she was so tickled.
She got her SEWN an come over, an
we tuck chairs nigh Hortense, an Mrs.
Dugan begun. You'd "a thought she
was on the courthouse stand swearin
in a murder case, she was s9Aserious.
She led up to 1t as gradual as q man
drivin' a school O. fish upstream into
net. 7 think she give everybody IN
Darley slap or dab in passin'. FL
nally she said it was the men that
laid low an that everybody thought
was so steady that was the regular
devils on the sly. Now, thar's that
long, slim shanked Kenner,' said she,
dappin' out the sheet she was hem
min. Folks thinks he's so innocent;
but, Ia me, he's the terriblest firt in
seven states. he buys cotton all over
the country an has q gal in every town
he hits
"sYou are off thar said I. I know
better'n that. He's one man that don't
care fer women
"'Tell that to the maroons,' Mrs. Du-
gan sneered. Then she reeled Off tale
she said Bob Hanks wife told FER about
q bet Jim Kenner an a whole passle
O. fellers had made, that they was goin'
to kiss certain gal whether or no.
She said the gal was kinder saft, any
way, an they all got a whack at her,
but that when Jim Kcnner got through
with 'er she had the backache an said
he was the wust she'd ever seed. I
was a-watchin' Hortense out o the cor
ner O. my eye. She got fust white an
then red, but she kept 'er ears open.
I don't know all Mrs. Dugan didn't
say, but the best thing was when she
said no ordinary woman could make
any impression on man o that stamp.
I seed Hortense sorter bite 'er lip an
straighten up like she was maxim a
resolution And after Mrs. Dugan had
gone home she set around like she was
out O. tint all at once. You know
woman will kinder count on mans
regard, an feed on it, an jest drift
without lookin' ahead. Eff she's shore
O. his admiration she'd heap O. times
2uther have i'm at arms length than to
be cookin' an scrubbin' fer i'm ur his
brats. That's whar Hortense was at.
She's knowed q few married men an
had noticed how plumb crazy they was
about tae'r .iveS after the honeymoon
was over. But nothin' amt smooth in
this world, an why should married life
be an exception? An then 8ortense
hates to be called O old maid. Well,
to cut my tale off, Hortense jest core
out fac that evenin' an said, When
you see Mr.. Kenner you may tell I'm he
kin come An while you was out
home last Thursday night they had the
perlor to the'rselves. Ne an Mr.. Hill
yer set on the front veranda. Jim Ken
ner hain't no slouch. BE kept 'er
laughin' all evenin' at his tales, an
when she come out after he'd gone she
said he was the most agreeable man
she'd ever met. Not words been said
about marryin' betwixt 'em, but III
talk to 'er about 'er things inside OF
week. now see eff I don't. Seems like
lots O. Darley folks is under the wealth
er here lately. Thar's Lawyer Trabue.
They say he's awfully sick. George
Buckley, may look light hearted, but
I've got sight to trouble me. worry
about Mr.. Hillyer mighty nigh con-
slant"
81 suppose you do" answered Buck
ley. meeting her glance sympathetic