Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-01-22

High HIS, they say, tnouBn he hae
friends at The Oaks 1t was there he
went tonight. But the supper, mother
is it all ready?" ...
"Sit and eat, boy. There's hoecake
and bacon, and some cold collards."
and rum?" he inquired, rising slug
gishly from the bed, ana approaching
the little table which, while the pre-
ceding dialogue had been going on, his
mother had supplied with the edibles
enumerated. She handed him the jug,
from which, undiluted, he drank freely,
following the stronger liquid with q
moderate draught from the gourd of
water which she brought him at the
same moment While he ate, he NUT
tered occasionally to his mother, who
hung around him all the while in close
attendance, regarding the besmeared.
sallow, and disfgured wretch with as
much affection as IL he had been the
very choicest of all Gods creatures.
Such is the heart, erring continually
in its appropriation Of sympathies,
which, though intrinslcally they may
be valueless, are yet slngularly In
proof of that care of nature, which per-
mits no being to go utterly unblest by
its regard, and bestows on every
homestead. however lowly, some por-
tions Of its soothing and its sun
shine.
Google had eaten, and now, like a
gorged snake. he threw himself once
more at length upon the couch that
stood in the corner, grumbling, as he
did So
"A'drat 1t! l hate to go out again!
But / must-I must go back to camp,
to blind Singleton; and as for that fell
low Humphries, hear you. mother-I
was in the pond by Coburns corner
when he came upon me, and just about
to cross 1t. They called out and
crack, crack went their pistols, and
the balls both times whizzed close
above my head. It was then they gave
chase, and I lay close, and hugged the
hollow. Singleton's horse stood right
across me, and ! expected his hoofs
every moment upon my back"
You don't say 80, Neddy?"
"Ay, but I debut that's not 1t. The
danger was something. to be sure, but
even then I could listen-I could hear
all they said; and had reason to lis
ten, too, for 1t was Of me Humphries
spoke. The keen chap suspected me
to be the man they chased, though
they could not make me out; and so
he spoke of me. Can you count up
what he said, mother?"
mo, Neddy: how should II"
What! and you tell fortunes, too.
and bewitch, so that all Of them call
you cattle charmer, yet you can't tell
what Bill Humphries spoke bout me,
your own son! For I reckon I am
your son, no matter who was my right
father!-Can you not tell,-eh?"
mo, sure not; some foul speech, I
reckon. considering who spoke It."
cay, foul speech enough, IL you
knew. But the long and short Of it,
mother is this, and I put the question
to you plainly. and expect you to an
swer plainly"
What do you mean, my SOM"
"Ay, that's tim your son, I be-
lieve that; but tell me and tell me tru-
ly-who was my father? 1t was OF
that that Humphries spoke. He spoke
for all the country round. and some
thing. too. I've heard Of before. He
said / was no better than my father;
that he was q horse thief, and what
was worse, that had a cross in my
blood. Speak, now. mother-speak out
truly, for you see I'm in no passion; !;
for, whether it's true or not, l will have
1t out Of him that spoke It, before long,
some way or other. II it's true, so
much the worse for him, for can't
cut your throat, mother-I can't drink
your blood; but what I can do, I will,
and that Is, have the blood Of the man
that knows and speaks Of your misdo-
lngs"
That affectionate tenderness Of man.
ner which she had heretofore shown
throughout the interview. passed
away entirely after this inquiry OF
Google. She was no longer the moth
er Of her son. A haggard scorn was
in every feature-a hellish revival Of
angry passions, Of demoniac hate, and
q frenzied appetite. AS she looked
upon the inquirer who. putting such
question, yet lay, and seemingly with
out emotion, sluggishly at length upon
her couch, her ire seemed scarcely re-
strainable-her figure seemed to dilate
in every part-and, striding across the
floor with a rapid movement, hostile
seemingly to the generally enfeebled
appearance OF her frame, she stood
directly before. and looking down upon
him.
And are you bent to hearken to such
foul words of your own mother, bring
ing them home to my ears, when your
bullet should have gone through the
head Of the speaker"
"All in good time, mother. The bull
let should have gone through his head
but for an accident. But It's we'll 1t
did not. He would have died then In
a moment When I kill him now. he
shall feel himself dying. I warrant"
1T is we'll. boy. Such a foul speak
er should have a death Of terror-he
deserves Il"
"Ay. but that's neither here nor
there, mother-yOu have not answered
my question. Speak out; was l born
lawfully"
"Lawfully!-and what care you. Ned
Blonay, about the lawfulness or the
unlawfLlness of your birth-you who
hourly fight against the laws-who
rob, who burn, who murder, whenever
a chance offers, and care not? Is 1t
not your pleasure to break the laws
to live on the profits and the property
Of others? Whence came the purse
you brought here last week, but from
the red coat who travelled with you as
a friend, and you, all the time receiv-