Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-07-06
THE CARPETBAGGER
BY OPIE READ AND FRANK PXLEY
convriphted by Laird PublishersA Rights Reserved
By Permission of the Publishers
CHAPTER ~.
The Alligator Boy.

the midst of his threatening letters
and the manifold annoyances that be-
set him, he would turn to gaze upon
Il Dishonor contemplating the en-
blem of Honesty. At such times even
the dull minded Lummers could tah-
CIV a struggle in the mind of his mas
ter. But the struggle, If at all, was
ever brief. Vice often pays silent
homage to virtues it will not emulate.
When Willetts left the room the
Governor turned to the bust, his face
serious, a letter crumpled in his hand.
Suddenly he looked at Lummers as II
he felt the intrusion of stealthy
gaze.
well, what is it?'
Nothing, SIR" Lummers replied.
What were you looking at me TOT.
az didn't-didn't know 1 was look
ing"
"Um, you didn't? Well, see that
YOU know when you're looking after
this"
"Yes, SIR"
The young mans humility touched
him. "I didn't mean anything by
that, Lummers," he said. ''It was
joke. What do you do with your mo-
ney, anyway"
II send it home, sir"
That's right, take care OF It.
Theren come a time when 1t will not
be so easy to get. I'm going to raise
your salary"
81 am very much obliged to you,
SIR"
For the advice or the increase Of
salary?"
"For-for both," Lummer5 stan'-
mered.
"All right. But let me tell you, the
advice Is worth most"
He took a paper out of a drawer
and began to read. After time ne
put it down and fell into deep muse.
In the air there was a suggestion o.
change in the season, and his nina
flew back to time when he worked
on a farm in Illinois. He looked at
the palm of his hand as If to trace the
reminder Of a day Of heavy labor. HIS
life had been hard, a waif bound t. an
exacting farmer. When the p'ys Oh
the South, recently his foerien, hao
danced rapturously with the negroes
in the quarter; when, at Christmas
time. they had come home to be Wor-
shipped as the heirs Of a great baron,
10, ,yIf feyht
milk the cows. How we'll he remem-
bered the creak of the frozen door,
the farmers scolding, the cherries
breakfast! And there above the door
were the stern features Of one whose
boyhood, like his own, had been
span of toll and deprivation. But ne
came to save the sons of down
trodden race" he said aloud, anu
I.ummers looked up. Just at that mo-
ment Jim was heard, outside.
Say, hor on dar, lady, you KANT
go in dar' lessen you's 'nounced.
THE ideal" came a voice in reply
"Go way from here, you impudent
thing!" and then Nellie came bound
ing into the room.
why hello! hello!" cried the Gov
ernor, Frightening. What are you
doing down here?"
She ran forward, gave the Govern
or a hearty kiss and took a seat oppo-
site him. us this chair for me? I've
been here nearly two weeks md
you've promised me every day you'd
bring me down to see the state house
and YOU haven't done it. So I've just
come myself" She reached over and
took I'D a paper. Whats this?"
The Governor gently took it from
her. Never mind"
But what is it?" she insisted.
something that doesn't concern
you. It's a pardon"
For a man." she cried. What
did he do? Kill somebody"
Worse than that" said the Gov
ernor, smiling.
Worse than that? How many cid
he kill? A whole family?"
NO, he stole horse"
THE mean thing! Did he beat he
horse?"
Beat the horses owner, l guess.
Lummers came forward to place
some papers on the desk. The Gov
ernor, glancing at one Of them, asked:
What is Senate bill 147? oh, 1 see,
q change In the Bolivar county line.
All right" He signed the paper and
handed it back to Lummers, who.
glancing at the visitor, returned to
his desk, leaving the executive
with his letters. Several dinSy
portraits upon the walls soon became
the object of Nellie's inqusitive re-
gard. "Why don't you have some
prettier pictures here?" she asked.
Don't blame me for those things
was the reply. 'They were here be-
fore 1 came"
But who are they?" she insisted.
Statesmen"
Where are they now?'
Il don't know-they're dead
What! All of 'em dead?"
"Very-thats why they are states
men. If they were alive, they'd De
politicians"
There was a brief interval of silence
and then the young woman broke IT
ecstatically, "Oh, I've been having the
loveliest time down here!" she cried.
"I've had more fun here in two weeks
than l ever could have in that old Chi
cago school. But I've met some of the
funniest folks. Aren't they odd? One
old woman laughed at me because
said you used to be the best auctioneel
in Chicago. But you were, weren't
you?"
Il guess that's so,' said the Govern
or. with a chuckle.
But / don't like the girls very
we'll" Nellie went on. "And stuck up,
One of them said you stole this office
She glanced about the room. "You
didn't, did you?"
Nonsense said the Governor
laughing.