The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-09-09


Of tight whenever you give 'er the
wink. Me an her together worked
Hortense as fine as split silk t'other
day. You know, Jim Kenner's jest
about crazy to pay his attentions, an
she holds Off 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 1 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, n steady gal
like Hortense Snowden sometimes has
regular horror of goody goody fell
ler, an I seed she thought he'd jest es-
capped bein' a preacher by n hairs
breadth an was not goin' with gals be-
cause he was afeard of 'em. let Mrs.
Dugan in on my racket, an lowed
she'd have At, she was so tickled.
She got her sewin' 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 so serious.
She led up to 1t as gradual as man
drivin' school O. fish upstream into n
net. l think she give everybody In
barley 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,
happin' out the sheet she was hem
min. Folks thinks he's so innocent;
but, la me, he's the terriblest flirt in
seven states. He buys cotton all over
the country an has gal in every town
he hits.
"'You are off thar said l. 4 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 'er about
n bet Jim Kenner an n 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 q whack ut her,
but that when Jim Kenner got through
with 'er she had the backache an said
he was the wust she'd ever seed.
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.
1 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 a man o that stamp.
l seed Hortense sorter bite 'er lip an
straighten up like she was maxim n
resolution. And after Mrs. Dugan had
gone home she set around like she was
out O. j'int all at once. You know a
woman will kinder count on a mans
regard, an feed on 1t, an Jest drift
without lookin' ahead. Eff she's shore
o. his admiration she'd heap O. times
ruther 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 a few married men an
had noticed how plumb crazy they was
about the'r wives after the honeymoon
was over. But nothin' ain't smooth in
. this world an why should married life
be an exception? An then Hortense
hates to be called old maid. Well
to cut my tale off. Hortense Jest come
out fat 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
parlor to themselves. Nc an Mr.. HILL
Yer set on the front veranda. Jim Ken
ner hain't no slouch. He 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 I'll
talk to 'er about 'er things inside Of a
week, now see eff l 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 gotta sight to trouble me- | worry
about Mr.. Hillyer mighty nigh con-
stant"
II suppose you do" answered Buck,
ley, meeting her glance sympathetic.
ally.
II worry about him beca'se he hain't
open with me-" she went on. You
know thar's one matter that we never
mention betwixt us, an l jest have to
guess at how he feels I'm his different
moods. Now, I'm bothered over the
way he's actin about Trabue's sick.
ness. Why should he git excited over
that? But lie is. When we fust heard
1t he didn't seem to pay no more at
tention to 1t than If the report had beer
about any other citizen, but all al
once, while he was readin' the Advo
cate at the lamp, he put the paper
down quick an got up an went out
side. I went to the door an heard i'm
AKIN Jake how Trabue was, an wheI
Jake told I'm he wasn't no better Inc
come back In the house pale an nerv
Gus. an, last night he hardly slent aI