Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-12-12

| 'Ho-a small cnlld! crleQ the
Judge, laughing. He cooked his head
on one side and surveyed Hannibal
Wayne Hazard with a glance Of COM
lie seriousness. "a small child-and
lin Gods name what do you call your
self now? To hear you talk one would
think you had dabbled your feet in
the Flood"
I'm most ten," said Hannibal with
dignity.
"I can we'll believe it." responded
the Judge. "And with this weight of
years, where did you come from and
how did you get here?"
From across the mountains
"Alone?"
mo, sir. Mr. Yancy fetched me
part way" The voice broke when
he spoke his Uncle Bob's name, and
his eyes swan with tears, but the
judge did not notice this.
"And where are you going?"
ITO West Tennessee"
Have you any friends there?"
"Yes, sir"
You've money enough to see you
through" and what the judge in
tended for a smile Of fatherly affec-
ton became a leer Of infinite cunning.
"I got ten dollars"
"Ten dollars" the judge smacked
his lips once. Ten dollars" he re-
peated, and smacked his lips twice.
There was a brief silence, in which
he seemed to give way to pleasant
reveries.
From beyond the open door Of the
shanty came a multitude Of night
sounds. The moon had risen, and
what had been a dusty country road
was now a streak of silver in the hot
light. The purple flush on the judges
face, where the dignity that belonged
to age had gone down in wreck, deep
ened. The sparse, white frost above
his ears was damp with sweat. He
removed his stock, opened his shirt
at the neck, and cast aside his coat;
then he lighted a blackened pipe,
filled his glass, and sank back In his
chair. The long hours Of darkness
were all before him, and his senses
clothed themselves in rich content
| Once more his glance rested on the
boy. Here, indeed, was a guest of
whom one might make much and not
err-he felt all the benevolence OF
his nature flow toward him. Ten dol
lars!
Certainly the tavern would have
been no place for you! Well, thank
God, it wasn't necessary for you to
60 there. You are more than well
come here. I tell you when you know
this place as 1 know it, you'll regard
every living soul here with suspicion.
Keep 'em at arms length!" he sank
his voice to an impressive whisper
I'm particular, 1 warn you against
certain Solomon Mahaffy. You'll see
much of him; 1 haven't known how
to rebuff the fellow without being
rude-he sticks to me like my shad-
ow. He's profited by my charity and
he admires my conversation and af-
fects my society, but don't tell him
you have so much as rusty copper,
for he will neither rest, nor eat nor
sleep until he's plucked you-tell him
nothing-leave him to me. 1 keep
him-there-" the judge extended his
fat hands, at arms length. Il say to
him metaphorically speaking-'so
close, but no closer. I'll visit you
when sick, I'll pray with you when
dying, I'll chat with you, I'll eat with
you, I'll smoke with you, and If need
be, I'll drink with you-but be your
intimate? Never! Why? Because
he's a damned Yankee! These are
the inextinguishable feelings of gen.
tleman. I am aware they are out of
place in this age, but what's bred In
the bone will show in the flesh. Who
says it won't, is no getleman himself
and a liar as we'll! My place in the
world was determined two or three
hundred years ago, and my ancestors
spat on such cattle as Mahaffy and
they were fattered by the attention.
The Judge, powerfully excited by his
ldenunciation Of the unfortunate Ma
haffy, quilted his chair, and lurching
somewhat as he did so, began to pace
the floor.
Take me for your example, boy!
You may be poor, you may possibly
be hungry-you'll often be thirsty,
but through it all you will remain that
splendid thing-a gentleman! Lands,
niggers, riches, luxury, I've had 'em
all: I've sucked the good Of 'em;
they've colored my blood, they've gone
into the fiber of my brain and body.
Perhaps you'll contend that the old
order is overthrown, that family has
gone to the devil? You are right, and
there's the pity Of it! Where are the
great names? A race Of upstarts has
taken their place-sons Of nobody
pephews of nobody-cousins Of no
body-I observe only deterioration in
the trend of modern. life. The social
fabric is tottering-I can see it totter
i" and he tottered himself as he
said this.
Il The boy had watched him out of
wide eyes, as ponderous and unwieldy
he shuff1ed back and forth in the dim
candle light; now shaking his head
and muttering, the judge dropped in
to his chair.
J well, I'm an old man-the spec
tacle won't long = ,nd me. I'll die
presently. The Sench and Bar Will
review my services to the country the
militia will fire a few volleys at my
graveside, here and there flag VIII
be at half mast, and that will be the
end" He was so profoundly moved
by the thought that he could not &c
/ on. His voice broke and he buried
his face in his arms. A sympathetic