The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-08-08

- ~<a%g.1 S.ll~
'tsHO NUFF. AMT GwNE TO TELL NO
BODY"
versation with an old darky sitting on
barrel by the stable door and eVi-
dently master Of the horse.
"Fine night, uncle"
"Yas, berry fine night, sab"
"That's not very good tobacco you're
smoking, uncle. You'd better take
some o this hyar."
"Thank y, sah.''
"Do you hear any news, uncle"-
"DanI. My names Dan'l, sab. No.
sab; don't git no news 'cept de so
jers is getting mighty thick at Chatte'
noogy."
'Do you know how many are there"
."I reckon bout free hundred thou.
sand"
Mark laughed.
you're not much at figures" he said.
'sNo, sab, I amt got no larnen-"
"UncIe, I shan't want anything OF
you while I am hyar, but you must
have somep'n to remember me by all
the same" and Mark put new crisp
dollar greenback in the old mans hand.
"Bress de Lo'd. you is de fines spe-
cermon OBJ a po' white gentleman !
eber had de-facilatude OBJ meeten."
"Wel, don't spoil it all by tellen
t'other hands. Keep It to yourself"
ASho' huff. I amt gwine to tell no
body"
Mark left Uncle Daniel chuckling on
his barrel and strolled about the
grounds. Presently be found himself
walking near the front Of the house.
The mother and daughter sat on the
veranda in the moonlight Presently
the daughter came down the steps and
advanced to where Mark was lettering.
Mamma says that if you like you
may-she would be pleased to have
you come up and sit on the 7eranda."
''Thank you" Mark was about to
lift his hat in his usual deferent1ai
manner, but suddenly remembered
that he was not supposed to be a gen.
tleman- He followed the girl up to
the veranda, and she placed seat for
him near where they were sitting.
'sYour brother is good deal young
er than you,' said the mother when
Mark was seated
*Oh. yes, ma'am; he is ten years
younger"
"You don't resemble each other at
all. You are light and he Is dark"
$50 we don't. Jakey is my stepbroth-
er, you know"
'sHe seems to be a peculiar child"
'sYas, Jakey, he is peculiar, very Pc
culiar. ma'am-"
'sYou haven't told US your name yet"
said the mother.
"Slack. I'm Farmer Slack's son."
"How many field hands does your
father own?"
e dluEls OOA O"A 0o AAsoSSAS ~e
all. We're just only poor whites"
you're very frank about it." said
Laura.
':cWaal, there amt no use maken pur"
tensions"
"And you 90 to Chattanooga tomor"
roW?" asked the mother.
''Yas, ma'am; cal'late ter do som9
traden thar
"And you will return this wayw
II reckon III be along hyar in few
days"
The mother arose and walked with
all the stateliness Of a southern high
born matron into the house. There
she resumed the book she had been
reading earlier in the evening.
Mark had kept up his assumed char
acter very we'll during her presence.
Now that he was left alone with the
daughter he was put to a much Sc
verer test. He had been so used from
his childhood to meet a refined bear
ing with one equally refined that he
found it difficult to avoid doing so
row.
'Don't you love to look at the stars.
Mr.. Slack?" asked the young lady.
"Waal, yas, Miss
"My name is Laura Fain."
IT hev always been fond O. the SCI
ence off, He paused: be suddenly re-
membered that poor white trash"
were not usually versed in any Of the
sciences.
Astronomy" she supplied
"Waal, yas."
"How did you come to learn astron~
omy"
"Oh, T don't know nothen bout it."
he said quickly. 81 hearn a man at
Jasper taken onct. He said heap o.
quar- things"
"What bright star IS that?' pointing.
"Venus, I reckon"