Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-11-17
est. He knew his history and charac-
Ter. and had built on his genius q


shoemaker, but his mother, woman
of vigorous intellect and indomitable
will, had succeeded in giving her lame
boy a college education. He had early
sworn to be a man Of wealth, and to
this purpose he had throttled the
dreams and ideals of a wayward I'M
agination.
His hope of great wealth had not
been realised. His iron mills in Penn
sylvania had been destroyed by Lees
army. He had developed the habit OF
gambling, which brought its train OF
extravagant habits, tastes, and inevi-
:able debts. In his vigorous manhood,
in spite of his lameness, he had kept
a pack of hounds and a stable Of fine
horses. He had used his skill In shoe
making to construct a set OF stirrups
to fit his lame feet, and had become an
expert hunter to hounds.
One thing he never neglected-to be
in his seat in the house Of representa-
tives and wear its royal crown of lead
ership, sick or well, day or night. The
love of power was the breath Of his
nostrils and his ambitions had at one
time been boundless. His enormous
power today was due to the fact that
he had given up all hope of office be-
yond the robes Of the king Of his par
ty. He had been offered a cabinet
position by the elder Harrison and for
some reason it had been withdrawn.
He had been promised place In Lin
coins cabinet, but some mysterious
power had snatched II away. He was
the one great man who had now no
ambition for which to trim and fawn
and lie, and for the very reason that
he had abolished himself he was the
nj tr-hn walked
the halls of congress.
His contempt for public opinion was
boundless. Bold, original, scornful OF
advice, of all the men who ever lived
in our history he was the one man
born to rule in the chaos which fol-
lowed the assassination Of the chief
magistrate.
Audacity was stamped In every line
of his magnificent head. His choicest
curses were for the towards of his own
party before whose blanched faces he
shouted out the hidden things until
they sank back in helpless silence and
dismay His speech was curt, his hu-
NOR sardonic, his wit biting, cruel and
coarse.
The incarnate soul of revolution, he
despised convention and ridiculed res
pectability. -
IneTe was Out one weak SpOl
the world never suspect
ed it: the consuming passion with
which he loved his two children. This
was the side of his nature he had hid
den from the eyes of man. A refined
egotism, this passion, perhaps-for he
meant to live his own life over In them
yet II was the one utterly human
and lovable thing about him. And II
his public policy was one of stupen-
dous avarice, this dream Of millions OF
wealth he meant TO seize,
1t was not for himself but for his chill
dren.
AS he looked at Howle and Lynch
seated in his library after dinner,
with his great plans seething In his
brain, his eyes were flashing intense
and fiery, yet without color-simply
two centres Of cold light.
Gentlemen" he said at length. Il
am going to ask you to undertake for
selves a dangerous and important mis-
sion. / say yourselves, because, In
spite of all our beautiful lies, self is
the centre of all human action. Mr..
Lincoln has fortunately gone to his
ately for him and for
his country. His death was necessary
to save his life. He was a useful man
living, more useful dead. Our party
has lost it's first president, but gained
a god-why mourn"
1--WE will recover from our grief"
said Howle.
The old man went on, ignoring the
Things have somehow come my
way. l am almost persuaded late In
life that the gods love me. The insane
fury Of the north against the south for
crime which they were the last peo-
pie on earth to dream of committing
is. Of course, a power to be used-but
with caution. The first execution of
a southern leader on such q idiotic
charge would produce a revolution Of
sentiment. The people are an aggre-
CATION of hysterical FOOLS"
II thought you favored the execution
of the leaders of the Rebellion? said
Lynch with surprise.
II did but II Is too late. Had they
been tried by drumhead-court-m martial
and shot dead red-handed as they
stood on the field in their uniforms,
all would have been well. Now senti-
ment Is too strong. Grant showed his
:, eth t. Stanton and he backed dowl:
from Lees arrest. Sherman refused
to shake fands with Stanton on the
grandstand the day his army passed
I'm review and It's wonder he lidnf
knock him down. Sherman was de-
nounced as a renegade and traitor for
giving Joseph E. Johnson the terms
Lincoln ordered him to give. Lincoln
dead, his terms are treason! Yet had
he lived, we should have been called
upon to applaud his mercy and patriot
ism. How can a man live In this
world and keep his face straight"
Il believe God permitted Mr.. Lin
coins death to give the great Com
moner, the Leader of Leaders, the
right of way" cried Lynch with en-
thusiasm.
The old man smiled. With all his
fierce spirit he was as susceptible to
fiattery as a woman-far more so than
:he sleek brown woman who carried
the keys Of his house.
1.-THE man at the other end OF the
avenue. who pretends to be president,
in reality an alien of the conquered
province of Tennessee. Is pressing Lin
coins plan of restoring the Union.
He has organized state governments
in the h, and their senators and
representatives will appear at the Cap
itol in December for admission to con-
gress. He thinks they will enter"
The old man broke into a low laugh
and rubbed his hands.
MY full plans are not for discus
sion at this juncture Suffice to to say,
mean to secure the future OF our
party and the safety Of this Nation.
The one thing on which the success
Of my plan absolutely depends Is the
confisca;ion of the millions Of acres OF
land owned by the white people Of the
south and it's division among the ne
groes and those who fought and SUI
fered in this war"
The old Commoner paused, pursed
his lips and fumbled his hands a mo-
ment, the nostrils Of his eagle-beaked
nose breathing rapacity, sensuality
throbbing in his massive jaws, and
despotism frowning from his heavy
browS.
stanton will probably add to the
hilarity of nations, and amuse himself
by hanging a few rebels" he went on
but we will address ourselves to SER
ious work. All men have their price
including the present company, with
due apologies to the speaker"
Howle's eyes danced, and he licked
his lips.
IF I haven't suffered in this war
who has?"
Your reward will not be in accord
ance with your sufferings. 1t will be
based on the efficiency with which you
obey my orders Read that"
He handed to him piece Of paper