The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-04-17
A TOWN scoLD STORY.
How sylvanus Crabb Escaped Being
Tarred and Feathered.

everything IN CoFySlue. -
Eyes, SIR" Mr.. Crabb would remark
transferring his quid of plug tobacco
from the right to the left side Of hi:
mouth, "this here old town ain't q
for the junk heap. Why. I've livet
here, man and boy, for forty-nine
years, and the towns been goin' dowr
ever since can recollect. Yes. sir
Coryville's almighty pore town to live
in, but some of US can't get out"
The stranger to whom Sylvanus con
fided these lifelong impressions would
sit patiently in his chair On the hote
yeranda or stand patiently at the depo
awaiting his train. Sometimes ht
would reply with question::
care you in business here, Mr
Crabb?"
"Business! should say not. dom
mix with tile, people Of this here town
I don't, My folks left me the ole
homestead and some rentinf houses
and live off the income. But dom
spend my money around here-no, sir
l buy my:supplies i'll bulk right straigh
from Chicago and get my clothes there
too; send my measure in by mail
When need any new furniture | looE
it up In a catalogue and send right OF
for it myself. These here Coryvillt
people. don't make nothin' off of syl
vanus Crabb-no. sir!'
One day stranger of distinguished
appearance came to Coryyille. 1t was
in the midst of the late unpleasantness
the financial depression.
eyes, SIR" Mr.. Crabb took occasion
TO say to the stranger. "this towns ne
good at all No place for business
sir"
81 was beginning to think so my
self" replied the stranger, from what
have heard from my representatives
here"
"And who might you be-" inquired
Sylvanus.
"My name is Hawkins" said the
stranger, "and I'm the owner of the
Coryville shoe factory. l came doWr
here hall inclined to close up the rae
tory for good and consolidate 1t with
my main works in Chicago, and what
YOU have told me about the sloWness
of Coryville has determined me to dt
so. thank you.p
Mr.. Crabb stopped in his tracks ano
stared. He was worried for two rea
sons. One was that two or three
young men who on other occasions nae
told Mr.. Crabb that he was useless
ornament to Coryville had overheard
him running down the town and mac
heard Mr.. Hawkins statement as &c
closing the shoe factory. the one instl
tuition which kept the town from dis
integration during the panic. The 9th
er reason for Mr.: Crabb's worry was
that his four houses, which rented foi
SIS a month each and supplied his en-
tire cash income, were occupied by
meh who would be compelled to leave
town and look elsewhere for employ
ment when tie factory closed, they be-
Ing skilled employees therein and nav
ing no other trade.
"It's .23' for you," remarked one OF
the young aforementioned as he passed
by Sylvanus. 1Those young men work
ed in the shoe factory.
That night Sylvanus sat In his home
feeling truly detected. His final knock
at Coryville had had results disastrous
to himself. But he did not brood long
in somber silence. Suddenly somebody
knocked at his door. Mr.. Crabb opened
the door and found himself confronted
by nearly Hundred ablebodied men
They wore no masks or any other dis
guIses. They were young men from
the shoe factory. merchants of the
town, lawyers and others whom Syl'
vanus had been running down for thlr'
ty years. They carried with them a
large bag OF feathers and pot of tar
with brush stuck in 1t. q
The spokesman was the young man
who had hissedi"23" at the town scold
This man. after lSylvanus had obeyed
the order to come out into the street
said sternly:
"Sylvanus Crabb, town scold and
general nuisance, unless you march
straight to the hotel, call Mr. Hawkins
out. get down on your knees before
him and before all Of US tell him that
Coryyille is the best town on earth
and plead for him to keep hls factory
here we'll tar and feather you and SET
every dog in town on you" -.
Sylvanus had met his Waterloo. He
walked to the hotel surrounded by the
stern faced men. his neighbors with
whom he never had neighbored, and
after kneeling to Mr.. Hawkins and
making his declaration and plea IN
whining tones, he was permitted to &C
home.
Next day the local paper contained
an account Of the affair and also stated
that Mr.. Hawkins had determined not
only to leave his factory in Coryville
but to enlarge it.
Mr.. Crabb also learned from the
newspaper story that the committee
Of public safety had visited Mr.. HaW
kins just before" waiting upon himself
and had induced the factory owner tc
change his mind after telling him the
life history Of the town scold, o7el
which he laughed heartily and Ions.
BURR JOYCE.
Easter PicniCS.