The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-01-13

|
; Buckley put his arm on the old man
shoulder caressingly.
: ''Now get on the horse and rid
. home" he said II want to stretcl
my legs. They are stiff"
"Nov' Hillyer looked up, his fac
radiant. you ride. want to go bacl
in the woods an pray an shout
don't want to go home now. / wan
to thank my Maker. l may not com,
to dinner. I'll fast May God bles
you, my boy!"
George mounted the horse, and as NJ
rode away he saw the old man plunge
into the woods at the roadside. hii
hands clasped before him, his lipb II
motion,
Buckley did not see his employees
again until about o'clock In the aft
ernoon. Then he came In slowly and
sank into his chair at his desk and
took up the letters George had Loft
there for him. There was a general
droop Of dependency on him. and he
handled the letters with listless mat
1 ,tention.
"Wheat's still a-climbin'," he said, a
little note Of qualification In his voice
as he allowed a thin market report to
futter from his hand to a wastebas-
ket. I'm glad O. that, George. fer 1t
backs yore judgment l wonder what
| Kenner thinks now"
Both he and Hanks are urging me
to get you to SELL" replied the young
man.
well, you kin bet I won't till you
| tell me to on yore judgment"
We'll, / can't do that yet, Mr.. Hill
yer"
Then George saw the old man push
back the letters on his desk, half of
which he had not opened, and low.
.stified groan escaped his lips Buckley
got down from his high stool and went
and leaned over him.
Has anything happened since left
you, Mr.. Hillyer-anything to-upset
your?
The merchant gave him a steady
look. mo, cayn't say anything has
appened-anything at least, like you
mean-but my thoughts have happen
ed, George. Fer about a hour after
you left me out in the woods / was
jest too happy fer anything, but after
awhile got to thinkin' got to won
derin' what was so happy about, any
way, an the thought come to me like
a lick from a club in the dark that it
was jest beca'se l lowed l was goin'
to escape the consequences O. my deed
without undoin' it. George, l caynt
neutrality-suspicious. give back that
boys life, an he had as much right to
1t as l have to the content I'm prayin'
fer right now. Huh! What difference
does it make toto the dead how much
good Hank Williams an other folks
believe I'm a-doin? How do l know
Lynn Hambright hadn't ruther be
alive than fer me to be dom any
thing?"
Buckley found himself unable to
make any reply adequate to the situa-
ton Different thoughts suggested
themselves, but he discarded them one
by one. Something made him think
that the old man would like to be
alone, and lie took his hat and went
out. AS he did SO Kenner came into
the Office with some samples of cotton
m his hands and threw them into a
huge pile that lay like snowdrift in
one corner Of the room.
I've jest dropped on to some'n' l |
don't exactly like" he said, standing
behind the merchant. !
Hillyer looked up indifferently.
ITS about George" said Kenner.
"You say it ISL" Hillyer frightened |
visibly. What about him?"
The cotton buyer sat on the corner |
of Hillyer's desk and swung one of his |
slim legs to and fro. George Buck
ley stands all right in the society o. this
town." he said, but the boys at sort |
o. turnin' point. Mr. Hillyer Joe Drake
an some more young men is organ
lin club. It's Major Cranston's
idea, an the majors contributed S25 |
to help 'em fit up the room. The list
o. charter members was lynn on the
show case at brakes drug store.
an l looked at it. Georges name
wasn't on it. I'm sure it was Jest a.
oversight, but l don't exactly like the
idea O havin' George left out o. any
thing Jest right now. Some busybodies
make capital out Of it. DO you
see what ] mean?'
Hillyer understood, and he nodded
knowingly IS he rose to his feet. The
cloud had left his face.
"You stay here, Jim," he said. "I'm
goin uptown an look at that list" /,
He found joe Drake busting the bot
lies on his shelves. and he turned to him
/,
Anything can do for you, Mr.. Hill
verT he asked.
The old man smiled seniaily. 1--WE
rot crow to pick with you boys" be
'ad. FER not calm on me fer don.
ion to that club you are a-gittfn', up
lmong you. I'm interested In boys
Il usad p Be eaezAn' I yaat n sss 1