The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-02-03
CHAPTER XII.

~ compress ana load several cars
of cotton to be shipped to New England
This big piece of machinery and the ex,
tensive sheds and platform surrounding
1t belonged to Hillyer and stood direct
ly across the railroad tracks behind the
warehouse. When bale of cotton was
compressed there was loud escape
anent of steam and clatter of rough
shod feet as the negroes FASTENED to
bind and buckle the iron ties and truck
the bale into the open car.
Look out thar, you triflin' scamp
Kenner yelled to negro who stood too
near the descending press for safety.
who'd pay damages on that bale eff
1T got stained through and through by
havin' you mashed on it? Jake, it
seems to me you get a green hand on
every pressin' day"
Il tot dat fool niger to look out,
Marse Kenner," replied Jake, who. with
Dar-d arms and neck and wet with per-
SEPARATION, was bossing the others. "Ef
he git smashed ter Jelly l reckon he'll
be more careful next time"
Just then old Hanks came out of the
rear door of the warehouse and lazily
picked his way across the cinder strewn
tracks. He did not go round to the
steps, but climbed on to the platform
like a schoolboy.
Jake, gi' me a match" he called out
as he fished cigar from his pocket
and bit the end of it.
Match snarled Kenner. EFF that
coon handled matches around this plat
form I'd bust his skull"
"Well, reckon I'll not smoke any
way" said Hanks, and he seated him
self on a bale of cotton and took a
small piece of tobacco from the pocket
of his vest and began to chew It, 'Say,
JIM" he went on, what do you think
about the way Hillyer is actin about
wheat? Is he plumb losin' his mind -
II was jest a-studyin' about that my
self" replied Kenner. tits quar- to
me-" ~
~ reckon you don't feel like you are
exactly a Solomon" smiled Hanks
with the market at $1.42, after all the
row you made about him payin' $105."
mot exactly" and Kenner burst into
a harsh but hearty laugh. That's
whar was wrong. I'll admit 1t, but
most O. what said was Jest to keep
George from maxim a mistake. 1t don't
do a young Teller any good to start out
with a record for bad judgment But
what's got me is Hillyer's quar- excite
ment all along. Why, he is as nervous
as he can be. 1t don't look like he'd
be that away with all that profit on his
side. An then, whenever thar'd be a
rise an anybody advised i'm to sell,
he'd always turn to George and Ak i'm |
what about it-never knowed i'm that |
way before an whatever George |
would say went. But the old man is |
ratified bad this mornin'."
you say he isT
Eyes; ! was in the office just now
when he got the reports. Two brokers
wired that the top notch price was
SLAP and that nobody colld predict
she'd advance or decline. The
old man was as white as a sheet as he
handed the kilograms to George an
his face. That boy Is simply
He's as cool as a cucumber
In a barrel o. frozen vinegar. He's
read every newspaper bearin' on wheat
all over the country an knows the
thing from a to lizard. He's on 70
every grain that's exported, every
dourin' mill that's shut down on ac-
count Of the rise-in fact, every detail
wheat In America an every
whar else. l acknowledge was ex-
:ited Just now watchin' the two.
George didn't change countenance one
Dit: he jest sorter laughed an said.
Well, thar's one thing certain, Mr.. Hill |
yer, this strain amt a-doin' you any
rood, an, as fur as I'm concerned, |
'eckon we'd better try to Unload"
Good Lord, he said that, did heT
"You bet an the old man got whittier
IN more excited eff anything. Re
member, 1t Is jest with you, George,
le said Tell me positive, would you
ell right now IL it was yore dealY
George hung his head minute an
hen he said: Yes, Mr.. Hillyer, since
ou leave it to me; I've hung on jest
8 long as I'm willin' to. 1t may
limb to S1.50 or even higher, but |
ont want to resk IT. Then the old
nan shot around the office like dog
fter its tail. wirin fer cash offers. |
ever seed the like. l tell you, old
nan, thars some'n at the bottom o
his"
"Whar are they now" asked Hanks. :
They wasn't in the Office when l
ONE through" I,
Both of 'em struck off uptown fer
he telegraph Office lickity split. They
,as too anxious to wait fer a messen-
err boy to bring the reports. Ha. thar
omes george now. long oy Boo's ,,
tore-see i'm ?-an' right behind i'm
the old man. DidsgHcu ever see Hill i.
er walk Ike that? Let's go over to !,
ne Office an meet EN-"
Kenner and Hanks stood under the :
wning In front of the warehouse :
hen George and the merchant ar
we'd. They all went into the once
'gether. \
"You think jacobs & Co. are the :