The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-11-15

almost imperceptible, and Harkless had
! little money he had saved. He let
| Meredith arrange it for him, and a few
lays later the stock leaped cloudward.
However. his modest riches interest
| ID him as little as did everything else.
He left his bed less and less. took no
| more drives, and his lethargy deep
med.
The only thing in which he showed
| interest was the congressional cam
paign of the district. 1t was far ad-
:anced before t:>e herald spoke OF 1t
at all. and Harlless saw that McCune
had lifted his head.
One day Tom came in and found
him writing on pad on his knee.
Rouen, Sept. 2, -.
Dear Mr. Fisbee-Yours Of the 1st to
hand. I entirely approve all arrangements
| you have made. think you understand
| that l wish you to regard everything as
| in your own hands You are the editor Of
| the Herald and have the sole responsible
| ity for everything, including policy, until,
after proper warning, I relieve you in
person, if that ever happens, but until
| that time regard me as a mere spectator.
do not fear that you will make any mis-
| takes. You have done very much better in
| all matters than could have done myself.
| At present have only one suggestion:
observe that your editorials concerning
| Halloway's denomination are something
lukewarm. It is very important that he
be renominated, not so much on account
| of assuring his return to Washington for
| he is no Madison, fear), but the fellow
| McCune must be beaten If we have to
send him to the penitentiary on an old
issue to do 1t. The man Is corrupt to the
bone. He has been bought and sold, and
am glad the proofs Of 1t are in your
| hands, as you tell me you found them. as
| directed, in my desk. The papers you
! hold drove him out Of politics once by the
mere threat Of publication. You should
have printed them last week, as I sug-
gested Do so at once; the time is short.
| The Herald is a little paper (not so little
nowadays, after all, thanks to you), but
| it is an honest one. and it isn't afraid Of
| Rod McCune and his friends. Please let
| me see as hearty a word as you can say
| ior Holloway also. You can write with
| ginger. Please let us have some in this
| matter. I am, very truly yours,
JOHN HARKLESS.
When the letter was concluded, he
handed it to Meredith. please ad-
dress that, put special on it and send
it, Tom. 1t should go at once, so as to
reach him tonight
III. Fisbee?'
"Yes-E. Fisbee"
81 believe it does you good to write,
boy" said the other as he bent over
him. "You look more chirrupy than
you have Cor several days.
"It's that beast McCune. This young
Fisbee is rather queer about it. 1 felt
stirred up as I went along" But even
| before tie sentence was finished the
favor Of age and utter WEAKNESS re-
turned, and the dark lids cloSed over
| his eyes. They opened again slowly,
and he took the others hand and looked
up at him mournfully; but, as it were,
his soul shone forth in dumb and elo-
quent thanks.
Tin giving you jolly summer,
Tom," he said, with quivering effort
to smile. "Don't you think am?
don't-I don't know what should have
DONE
You cid Indianv' said Meredith ten
derly.
Three days later Tom was rejoiced
by symptoms Of invigoration in his pa
tent A telegram came for HAIRLESS,
and Meredith, bringing it into the sick
room, was surprised to find the occu-
pant sitting straight up on his couch
without the prop Of pillows. He was
reading the days copy Of the Herald.
and his face was flushed and his brow
stern.
| whats the matter, boyf''
.'Mismanagement, hope" said the
other in a strange voice; worse, per-
haps. It's this young Fisbee. 1 can't
think what's come over the fellow. l
thought he was a treasure beyond
dreams, ard he's turning out bad. I'll
swear it looks like they'd been-well. I
wont say that yet, but he hasn't print
| ed that McCune business / told you Of,
and he's had two days. There is less
han a week before the convention,
and He broke off, seeing the yellow
envelope in AIeredith's hand. rs that
a telegram for me?' His companion
gave it to him. He tore it open and
read the contents They were brief
and unhappy.
Can't you do something? Can't you
come down? It begins to look the other
| way. n. H.
Tom, give me that pad and pencil"
said the sick man. He rapidly dashed
off a note to II. Fisbee.
Sept. 5. -.
H. Fisbee, Editor Carlow Herald: