The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1907-04-25
CHATTER IN.

IF any echo Of doubt concerning his
undesirable conspicuousnesS sound
ed family in Joe's mind. 1t was 81
i leaced eftsoous. Canaan had not
forgotten him. Far from it. so far that
i u.r,n pointing him out to strangers
Oh The street the very day Of his re-
turn. His course Of action. likewise
that of his friends. permitted him little
o1scrrity. and when the rumors OF his
finally obtaining lodging ut Beaver
Beach and Of the celebration Of his in
stallat:ol there were presently con-
fir:uei he stool in the lime light in
Gecl. rs a Mephistophe!es upsprunG
through the trap door.
The welcoming festivities had not
been 50 discreetly conducted as to ac-
cord with the general policy Of Beaver
Beach. An unfortunate incident caused
the arrest Of one of the celebrators and
the ambulancing to the hospital of an
other on the homeward way, the ensu-
Ing proceedings In court bringing to
the whole affair a publicity devoutly
unsought for. Mr.. Happy Fear (such
was the habitual name Of the imprison-
ed gentleman) had to bear a great
amount of harsh criticism for injuring
a companion within the city limits aft.
er daylight and for failing to observe
that three policemen were not too dis
tant from the scene Of operations to
engage therein.
Happy, IL he had 1t in mind to harm
him." said the red bearded man to Mr..
Fear upon the latter's return to socie-
ty. why didn't ye do it out here at the
beach,
Because" returned the indiscreet.
"he didn't say what he was goin' to
say till we got In town."
Extraordinary probing on the part 0
the prosecutor had developed at the
trial that the obnoxious speech had re-
ferred to the guest Of the evening.
The assaulted party. one Nashville"
Cory, was not of Canaan. but bit Of
driftwood haply touching shore for the
moment ut Beaver Beach. and-strange
Is this world-he had been introduced
to the coterle Of Mixes Place by Hap
py Fear himself, who had enjoyed q
brief acquaintance with him on day
when both had CHANGED to travel In
cognito by the same freight. Natural
ly Happy had felt responsible for the
proper behavior of his protege-was.
In fact. bound to enforce 1t; addition
ally. Happy had once been saved from
a term Of Imprisonment (at a time
when 1t would have been more than
ordinarily iuconvenienb by help and
advice from Joe. and he was not one
to forget. Therefore he was grieved
to observe that his own guest seemed
to be somewhat jealous Of the hero OF
the occasion and disposed to look cold
ly upon him. The stranger, however.
contented himself with innuendo
(mere expressions Of the face and 9TH
er manner Of things for which one
could not sQuarely lay hands upon
him) until such time as he and his
sponsor had come to Main street In
the clear dawn on their way to Hap
py's apartment, variable abode. 1t
may be that the stranger perceived
what Happy did not-the three blue
coats In the perspective. At all
events, he now put into words OF SIM
pie strength the unfavorable concep-
ton he had formed Of Joe. The re-
suit was mediaevally immediate. and
the period Of Mr.. Cory's conyalescence
In the hospital was almost half that OF
his sponsors detention in the county
Jail.
When Happy Fear had suffered,
with a give and take simplicity of pa
thence, his allotment Of months In
durance and was released and sent
into the streets and sunshine once
more. he knew that his first duty lay
In the direction OF a general apology to
Joe. But the young man was no lon
ger at Beaver Beach; the red headed
proprietor dwelt alone there and. re-
ceiving Happy with scorn and pity.
directed him to retrace his footsteps
to the town.
"Ye must have been in the black hole
Of incarceration indeed IL ye haven't
heard that Mr.. Louden has his law Of
fee on the square and his llvin' room
behind the office. It's In that little
brick buildin' straight acrost from the
sherifrs door O. the Jail. Ye've been
neighbors this long time. A hard time
the boy had Dersuadin' anv one to rent