The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-01-27

ideas won't stay In one place. got a
Job as time-keeper. but didn't keep
1t down a week. / kept the time all
right. but 1t wasn't the right time"
Again raising the glass to his Mps. he
added: They're so beastly particu.
lar"
you keep pretty good time with
that" laughed Underwood, pointing to
the whisky.
Howard grinned In drunken fashion
It's the one thing do punctually."
he hiccoughed. IL can row, swim.
play tennis, football. golf and polo az
well as anybody. but I'll be damned If
l can do anything quite "a we'll as
can do this"
What do you want $4,000 for?" de.
manded Underwood.
I've got an opportunity to 60 into
business. want $4,000 and want
II deuced quick"
Underwood shrugged his shoulders.
why don't you 90 home and ask
your father?" he demanded.
His visitor seemed offended at the
suggestion.
What" he exclaimed, with comic
surprise. latter being turned out like q
dog with young wife on my hands!
Not much-no. I've injured their
pride. You know father married a
second time, loaded me down with a
stepmother. She's all right, but she's
so confoundedly aristocratic You
know her. Say, didn't you and she
wasn't there some sort of an engage
ment once? Seems to me +"
Underwood rose to his feet and alb
ruptly turned his back.
I'D rather you wouldn't get person
al" he said curtly. Sitting down at a
desk, he began to rummage vita some
papers and. turning impatien=ly to
Howard. he said:
Say, old man, I'rn very busy now.
You'll have to excuse me-"
II Howard had been sober, he would
have understood that this was a pret.
~ strong hint for him to be gone. but
In his besotted condition. he did not
propose TO be disposed of so easily.
Turning TO Underwood, he burst out
with an air of offended dignity:
Underwood, you wouldn't go back
on me now. I'm an outcast. pariah.
derelict on the ocean of life, as one
OF my highly respectable uncles wrote
me. His grandfather was an iron pud.
der" With drunken laugh he went
on. Doesn't II make you sick? I'm
no good because | married the girl. If
| had ruined her life I'd still be a
decent member OF society"
lie helped himself to another drink.
his hand shaking so that he could
hardly hold the decanter. He was
iast approaching the state OF complete
ihtoNicatlon. Underwood made no at
tempt to interfere. Why should he
care If the young foo, made a sot Of
himself? The sooner he drank him.
self insensible the quicker he would
get rid OF him.
No, Howard" he said: you'd neyel
make decent member of society"
"P'raps not" hiccouphed Howard
How does Annie take her sOciaI
ostracism?' inquired Underwood.
Like brick. She's a thorough
bred. all right She's all to the good. :
All the same, I'm sorry | ever in
troduced you to her" replied Under
wood. IL never thought you'd make
such fool OF yourself as to marry
Howard shook his head In a maud
lin manner. az he replied
] Il don't know whether made a
/ fool OF myself or not. but she's all
/ right. She's got In her the makings
OF great woman-very crude, but
still the makings. The only thing
object to is. she insists on going back
to- work, just as II Id permit such q
thing. Do you know what | said or
/ our wedding day? Mrs. Howard JEFF