The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-08-09

, their wings above the smoker s1tunS
on the top fence rail.
But be had remembered. A thousand
miles to the east it was commencement
day, seven years to day from his
own commencement.
Five years ago, on another June aft
ernoon, young man from the east had
alighted on the platform Of the station
north Of Piattville and. entering the
rickety omnibus that fingered there
seeking whom it might rattle to deaf
ness, demanded to be driven to the
Herald building, It did not strike the
driver that the newcomer was pre-
cisely gay young man when he Climb
ed into the omnibus, but ar hour later.
as he stood in the doorway Of the edi-
fee he had indicated as his destination.
depression seemed to have settled into
the marrow Of his bones.
Plattville was instantly alert to the
strangers presence, and interesting con-
!! lectures were hazarded all day long at
the back door Of Martins Dry Goods
Emporium (this was the club during
the day., and at supper the new ar
riva, and his probable purposes were
discussed over every table in the town.
Upon inquiry he had Informed Judd
Bennett, the driver Of the omnibus.
that he had come to stay. Naturally
such declaration caused a sensation,
as people did not come to Plattville to
live except through the inadvertency OF
being born there. In addition the young
mans appearance and attire were re-
ported to be extraordinary. Many OF
the curious, among them most Of the
marriageable females Of the place. took
occasion to pass and repass the sign OF
the Carlow County Herald during the
evening.
Meanwhile the stranger was seated
in the dingy Office upstairs with his
head bowed low on his arms. Twilight
stole through the dirty window panes
and faded into darkness. Night filed
the room. he did not move. The young
man from the east had bought the Her
aid from an agent-had bought it with
out ever having been within hundred
miles of Plattville. The Herald was
an alleged weekly which had some
times appeared within FIVE days Of its
declared date Of publication and some
times missed fire altogether. 1t was
thorn in the side Of every patriot OF
Carlow county, and Carlow people, aft
er supporting the paper Loyalty and
long, had at last given it up and sub
scribed for the Gazette, published ID
the neighboring county OF Anlo. The
former proprietor Of the Herald.
surreptitious gentleman with goatee.
had taken the precaution OF leaving
PlattyiIle forever on the afternoon pre-
cedfng his successors arrival The
young man from the east had vastly
overpaid for his purchase. Moreover.
the price he had paid for it was all the
money he bad in the world.
The next morning he went bitterly to
work. He hired compositor from
Rouen, young man named Parker.
who set type all night long and helped
him pursue advertisements all day.
The citizens shook their heads pessi
mistically. They had about given up
the idea that the Herald could ever
amount to anything. and they betrayed
an innocent but caustic doubt of abi'-
ity in any stranger.
One day the new editor left a note o..
his door: will return in fifteen mil
utes."
Mr.. Rodney McCune, politician from
the neighboring county of Gaines. hap
pening to be in Plattville on On errand
to his henchmen. found the note and
wrote beneath the message tie scath-
ing ,,uiry. Why?
when he discovered this addendum
the editor smiled for the first time since
his advent and reported the incident in
his next issue. using the rubric ''Wh!
Has the Herald Returned to Life?' as
a text for rousing editorial on hon
esty in politics. subject Of which be
already knew something. The. political
district to which Carlow belonged was
Governed by limited number OF gen
,innlen whose wealth was ever on the
..ar~ease. and honesty in politics was
4 S.aTTI.ng CONCEPTION 10 the minds Of
tie passive and resigned voters. who
ra....::~d the editorial over on the street
..o:aess and in the stores. The next
week there was another editorial. per-
oval and local in its application. ana
hereby it became evident that the new
n-oprietor of the Herald was a theoF'S'
,rl. believed in general that politl-
s.ia,', lonor should not be merely o!
At Inidd!ing healthy species known
| .s honor among politicians. and !"
particular that Rodney McCune should
49, receive the nomination of his party
;'c,. congress. Now. Mr.. McCune W
i.e u@t;au5ted dictator of tie GlStf.T /.
a,d Is followers laughed al the stra
-e,.'s fantastic onset: bat the editor W
!! sc. ,~,a:ant Will? the word Of print
,,i,.4,l y l.,orSo and ro:'e ahont Tie CO.. z
~ ..:9j! 20 lis OWL surprise proved %
be an adaptable young man who ca