The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-08-09
CHAPTER I.
by BoorH TARxINcroW
csey,vSs. 1893. II Deasss6ay "a fecfurs Co.
ceeyr3A4 1909. ky Aecir,s. Fsn

zss CHAPTER I.
SV1 yaHEN the rusty hands Of the
a !" Office clock marked half past
SE.z 4, the editor In chief Of the
Carlow County Herald took
bis hand out Of his hair, wiped his pen
! ON his last notice from the White Caps,
put on bis coat. swept out the close
little entry and left the sanctum for
khe bright June afternoon.
He chose the way to the west. stroll
ing thoughtfully out Of town by the
white, hot, deserted Main street and
thence onward BY the country road into
which its proud haf mile Of old brick
atore buildings, tumbledcwn frame
1hops and. thinly painted cottages de-
generated. The sun was in his face
where the road ran betw> n the sum-
mer fields, lying wayeless, low, gra-
e1ons In promise; but, coming to q
wood of hickory and beech and wal
hut that stood beyond, he might turn
his down-bent hat hrim up and hold
his head erect. Here the shade fell
deep and cool ON the green tangle Of
bag and iron weed and long grass in
the corners of the snake fence, al
though the sun beat upon the road so
close beside. There was no movement
of the crisp young leaves overhead.
high Ia the boughs there was quick
dirt Of crimson where two robins hop
ned noiselessly. The late afternoon.
when the air is quite still, had come.
vet there rested somewhere on the
quiet day faint. pleasant. woody
emell It came to the editor OF the
Herald as he climbed to the top rail
OF the fence for q seat, and he drew
q song breath to get the elusive odor
more luxuriousiy, and then it was gone
altogether.
"a habit Of deiicacies," !" he said aloud.
addressing the wide silence complain
angiy. '10ne taste and they quit" he
finished. gazing solemnly upon the
shining little town down the road.
5 ft was place Of which its inhabit-
ants sometimes remarked easily that
their city had population Of from
60oe to 6.O00 souls, but It should be
easy 10 forgive them for such state
ments. Civic pride is virtue. The
town lay in the heart of that fertile
stretch Of fat lands In Indiana where
eastern travellers. glancing from car
windows, shudder and return their eyes
Hc interior upholstery, preferring even
che swaying caparisons Of a Pullman to
the monotony without. The landscape
sans on interminably level ines-bleak
IN winter, desolate plain Of mud and
snow; not and dusty in summer. miles
ON miles OF fat lonesomeness, with not
one cool hill slope away from the sun
The persistent tourist who seeks for
SagAs pf man in this sad expanse per-
Seaves reckless amount Of rail fence.
Nt Intervals large barn, and here and
there man himself, incurious. patient
slow, looking up from the fields apa-
1heticaily as the limited flies BY. Now
Nnd then the train passes village
built scatteringiy about courthouse,
with mill or two humming near the
teaSRs This is county seat. and the
hhabItants and the local papers refer
o. at confidently as ''our city.
Such county seat was Plattviiie,
capital Of Carlow county. The social
@Ra business energy Of the town con-
cearated on the square, and here IN
summer time the gentlemen were wont
Co lounge from store to store IN their
shirt sleeves, and in the center OF
he square stood the old red brick
courthouse, loosely fenced in shady
grove of maple and eim-"slipp'ry
esium"-calied the courthouse yard"
when the sun grew too hot for the dry
Sootis box whittlers in front Of the
stores around the square and the occu-
nants of the chairs in front Of the Pal
oce hotel on the corner they would go
across and drape themselves over the
fence and carve their initials on the
epp board. From the position OF the
sun the editor of the Herald judged
chat these operations We're now IN
progress, and he was not deeply elated
ey the knowledge that whatever desul-
cory conversation might pass from man
80 man on the fence would probably be
Inspired by his own convictions ex-
Dressed editor.~;iy in the Herald.
He drew a faded tobacco bag and a
erier pipe from his pocket and. after
SSillag and lighting the pipe. twirled the
peuch mechanically about his finger.
<sIea. suddenl5, regarding it. patted 1t
caressingly. 1t had been u giddy little
bag aong ago. gay with embroidery IN
TIE coiors Of the editors university.
assd, although COW it was frayed TO the
verge of tatters, it still bore an cir OF
peis1ne jauntiness. an air OF which It's
awper in nowise partook. He looked
feunn it toward the village in the Clear
distance and sighed softly rs he put
the pouch back in his pocket and. rest
3ug his arm on his kEee and his chin on
his hand. sat blowing clouds of smoke
oaat of the shade into the sunshine. alb
Ssassy %.;..t.4.:is De slostiy sna0ow oa
Ssse white dust Of the road