Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-03-08
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in view than his stipend-his ardent
fancy saw the whole machinery OF
government in operation for his bene-
fit. 1t was a singular feeling he ex-
perienced. Then promptly his spend
thrift brain became active. He need
clothes-so did Mahaffy-so did his
grandson; they must take a larger
house; he would buy himself a man
servant; these were pressing neces-
stiles as he now viewed them.
Once again he reached for his hat,
the desire to rush off to Belle Plain
was overmastering.
'I reckon I'd be justified in hiring
q conveyance from Pegloe," he thought
but just here he had saving memory
of his unfinished task; that claimed
precedence and he resumed his pen.
An hour later Pegloe's black boy
presented himself to the judge. He
came bearing a gift, and the gift ap-
propriately enough was square case
bottle of respectable size. The judge
was greatly touched by this attention
but he began by making most tenn
perate use Of the taven-keeper's Offer
ing; then as the formidable document
he was preparing took shape under
his hand he more and more lost that
feeling OF Spartan fortitude which
had at first sustained him in the pres
ence of temptation. He wrote and
slipped in complete and quiet luxury,
and when at last he had exhausted the
contents of the bottle 1t occurred TO
him that 1t would be only proper per-
sonally to convey his thanks to Peg
loe Perhaps he was not unlnspired
in this by ulterior hopes; if so. they
were richly rewarded. The resources
of the City Tavern were suddenly
placed at his disposal. He attributed
this to a variety of causes all good
and sufficient, but the real reason new
er suggested itself, indeed it was of
such a perfidious nature that the
judge, open and generous-minded'
could not have grasped it.
BY six o'clock he was undeniably
drunk; at eight he was sounding still
deeper depths of inebriety with only
the most confused memory of impend-
ing events; at ten he collapsed and
was borne upstairs by Pegloe and
his black boy to a remote chamber IN
the kitchen wing. Here he was un-
dressed and put to bed, and the tav-
ern-keeper, making a bundle Of his
clothes, retired from the room, lock-
ing the door after him, and the judge
was doubly a prisoner.
Rousing at last from heavy
dreamless sleep the judge was aware
of a faint impalpable light in his
room, the ashen light Of a dull Oc-
tober dawn. He was aware, too, of
a feeling of profound depression. He
knew this was the aftermath Of indul-
gence and that he might look forward
to forty eight hours Of utter misery
of soul, and, groaning aloud, he closed
his eyes. Sleep was the thing If he
could compass it. Instead, his MEM
ory quickened. Something was to
happen at sun -up-he could not recall
what it was to be, though he distinct
ly remembered that Mahaffy had spok-
en- Of this very matter-Mahaffy, the
austere and implacable, the disem-
bodied conscience whose fealty to
duty had somehow survived his own
spiritual ruin, so that he had become
a sort of moral sign-post, ever point
ing the way yet never going it him
self
The Judge lay still and thought deep
ly as the light intensified itself. What
was it that Mahaffy had said he was
to do at sun-up? The very hour ac-
cented his suspicious. Probably 1t
was no more than some cheerless OBJ
legation to be met, or Mahaffy would
not have been so concerned about it.
Eventually he decided to refer every
thing to Mahaffy. He spoke his friends
name weakly and in shaking voice,
but received no answer.
his position, looked in what should
have been the direction of the shake
down bed his friend occupied. Neith-
er the bed nor Mahaffy were there.
The judge gasped-he wondered If this
were not a premonition Of certain hal
lucinations to which he was not a
stranger. Then all in a flash he re-
membered Fentress and the meeting at
Boggs, something of how the evening
had been spent and spasm Of regret
shook him.
II had other things to think of. This
must never happen again." he told
himself remorsefully.
He was wide-awake now. Doubt
less Pegloe had put him to bed. Well
that had been thoughtful of Pegloe-
he would not forget him-the City
Tavern should continue to enjoy his
patronage 1t would he something for
Pegloe to boast of that Judge Slocum
Price Turberville always made his
place headquarters when i'm Raleigh
wealth and distinction on the fortu-
nate Pegloe the judge thrust his fat
legs over the side of his bed and stood
erect. STOPPING he reached for his
clothes. He confidently expected tc
find them on the floor, but his hand
merely swept an uncarpeted waste
The judge was profoundly astonished
Maybe I've got on 'em on, don't
recall taking them Off" he though,
hopefully. He moved uncertainty in the
direction of the window where the
light showed him his own bare eX-
tremities He reverted to his Original
idea that his clothes were scattered
about the floor.
He was beginning to experience q
great sense of haste, it was two miles
to Boggs' and Fentress would be there
at sun-up. Finally he abandoned his
quest of the missing garments and
turned to the door. To say that he
was amazed when he found 1t locked
would have most inadequately de-
scribed his emotions. Breathing deep