The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1907-02-28
A SLIGHT MISTAKE.
By 4, ELLIOTT Nc RIDE
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10 say ludl thS ue5
wouldn't express the meaning. II was
very cold. The wind came down from
the northeast with whirling sweep
and made those who were out OF doors
draw their greatcoats closer to their
bodies, and turn their heads In sucA
q way as to endeavor to ward on the
biting blasts.
An old man waited at Plainfeld sta
ton. He had come by rail to TINS
place and expected that he could
reach his destination by taking the
stagecoach which ran down the Plain
aeld Valley.
Now THIS old man. although quite
wealthy, was somewhat eccentric
and although he could have come
back to the scenes Of his childhood
looking as well as anybody and wear
Ing as good clotes as any other man,
yet he preferred to put In such an ap-
oearance as would make his old-time
friends that he had got down In the
world.
He had waited an hour or more at
the station when the hack, or stage
coach, drew up.
II want to go down the Plainfield
Valley" said the old man.
"Yes," answered the driver, Il got
q telegraft about you. You want to
90 to the poorhouse.
"Well, ! don't know as do. Al
least, not on such day as this. But
want to go in that direction. You'll
take me, l suppose?"
"Oh, yes; oh, yes; I'll have to take
you-that's the orders. But / don't
know how the young ladies inside will
take 1t. I'll have to speak to them
about It."
He opened the side door Of his
coach and said, In low tone that he
had orders to take pauper from this
station to the Pennington poorhouse.
He isn't just as slick lookin' feller
rs you might want to have in the
coach, but you ladies can take the
back seat and I'll make him sit In
one corner Of the front seat"
Indeed he shant come in here"
said one of the young ladies-Fanny
Raymond, by name. Ride with
pauper-never! Let him walk, or
wait until tomorrow"
"or he might ride outside with you,"
said Ellen Anderson, who seemed to
have. more kindness of heart than her
companion
But" said the driver. ut Is such
very cold day, and he doesn't seem to
be burdened with outer garments.
I'd hate 20 ask anybody to ride out
side. I'm prepared for the cold, you
know" continued the driver. Tn al
ways prepared. To tell the whole
truth about the matter, II I should re-
fuse to take him, or II should make
his ride outside with me should
lose my place"
"Well. lose 1t, then," said Fanny.
He shant come in here"
It was now the proper time for the
driver to lose his temper and speak
sharply.
"And, nradAm," he said, II say he
shall come In. I'm running this
stageccach- know my duty and
know my ORDERS"
Then turning to the old mamie said
"Come In, Be seated and make
yourself comfortable. like to be
agreeable and please the ladies, but
know my dnty, and, knowing. dare
perform"
The matter was settled. the door
vas closed and the driver mounted
his seat and drove of.
And so, you are pauper," said
Fanny spitefulIy. "Of course 1t is very
pleasant for the young ladies to ride
down the valley with a pauper"
"Pity the sorrows of a poor old
man." said the new passenger laconi-
cally.
u don't pity anybody" snapped Fan
ny, who gets away down so low in
the world as to be pauper, and then
comes and pushes himself into stage
coach with respectable young ladies
who have respectable homes and res
pectable families"
yes, yes" said the old man,
sometimes people can hardly keep
erom being respectable. They were
brought up that way. and 1t follows,
ss a matter Of course. that they have
some respectability about them, or.
rather the appearance Of respectable.
ity. But. otherwise. they are dead
mems bones, so to speak. They may
even be whitened or whitewashed sep
ulchres. Probably 1t would be better
II they had little more common
sense"
Fanny was now quite angry.
ITO be talked to in this way" she
said, "is little more than I can en-
dure. / believe shall get out and |
walk"
THAT would be a good idea," sug-
yested the old man. "A walk down
The valley this breezy morning would, |
40 doubt. be conductive to health and |