Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-09-09

was q curious confidence OF evil.
"Eheu! Desc Yankees! Dey boil d
coffee, Wiley! Savages! But dey dom
know you, Ell? Dat it?"
Curran was staring out the window
Ladeau came nearer. IT reckon yo' go
a dollar 70 an old friend, Wiley?"
Wiley's hand went down. Here"
"Mebbe five dollars? Look at dem
shoes-name of God! Dat Rube-we
walk from st. Joel"
Ihaven't that much here, Maur-
ice. But-well, I'll get 1t. But for Gods
sake, go; let me think a blt!" Then
as Ladeau shambled on step he hur-
ried to him. 'Wait. You know OF
Adrienne? She died-are you sure she
died?"
Madame Artois tell me when &c
back to N'Awlyns TO years after. She
says she write you. She say you send
back wan beautiful letter when Adri-
enne died-just what a poet would
say, Wiley. Wan beautiful letter--but
no money to bury Adrienne!"
'T-know. I was broke out In Ari-
zona, Maurice. Madame Artois knows
that. / just could thank her for TAX
ing care of Adrienne, that was all"
"Oh, madame know! She cry when
read dat letter. All women yo' can
make cry, somehow, madame she say.
Eheu, dat beautiful letter!"
Curran was watching past him to the
western sky. Tomorrow" he NUT
tered, come back. Maurice, and I'll
do what / can-that money. But L
haven't much. I'm in debt terribly"
He watched Ladeau shamble down
the street feeling of the dollar, turning
into the billiard hall among
the idlers. He did not see Harlan In
the shadows. After while he raised
his hand toward the shiftless figure.
have been me! Me
me! But God help me-Pm saved!
From the numbing vision Of his own
past he turned slowly and saw the
man. He came to him swiftly.
do you hear, Harlan? Just that-a
shambler, a wreck" He sat down and
covered his face with his hands. Pres
entity he writhed with some agony.
God, what a man misses" he exclaim-
ed, what he filings away! What
ghosts come back, Harlan! After
twenty years!"
What is 1t, Wiley-that hurts so?"
'I don't know. Fear-that must be
It. Nervous fear. OF late It's been so
fine just to live. Harlan. To go down
the street and feel that you've done
That you have ambition,
purpose; and that they've counted with
men. That's it-that you've won! New
hope. new courage; Pv felt like shout
ing 1t to all the world!" ..
Il know, Wiley"
mo. you don't boy. You've got to be
down and out first; you've got to be
adrift and lose hope, and know yourself
the failure first. before you can ever
realize how fine It is to succeed, how
sweet it is to live. Oh, boy, when was
your age drifted all over the old west
1T was q big adventure. ! wanted to
write what ! felt-its sweep and power
and bigness! Nevada, New Mexico,
California, Alaska-wherever life beat
last and free, / wandered. But !
couldn't write it-no-no! 1t was too
big and splendid for me-the epic. But
lived 1t, Harlan! And then I came
back here when father died, and left
me the old shop. No one knew; had
failed, that's all. I settled down here
and worked, but the old fine ardor was
gone. Eight years Of this village
prosy, dull-not ore to speak
with Of the big things but you and ia
net! And then I awakened-why here
was the poem had dreamed and lost
here was my work, my place, my
people" He lifted his arm and swept
t out to hills beyond the leafy square.
Yes, got back my old spirit, my
lighting soul, but didn't put 1t into q
poem, Harlan-but into politics, this
won!"
Harlan had stirred before his ecstacy.
Was this the man Of yesterday
his winging spirit. whom the SNUG
own had never understood?-who had
come back to an ennobling youth?
Wiley came to put his hand upon the
younger mans shoulder: II won, and
there's something for me, Harlan.
There's work, there's life-there's love!
He Strengthened and struck his fists
.ogether And I am not afraid, boy!
tell you I've not been myself all this
year-Fve been reborn!" He sat at his
iesk and stared out at the summer
night "The glory Of it! The beauty Of
t." Again he turned and reached his
land across the table to his friend. "Oh
he great hours we've spent here, boy!
You. can't tell what it all meant. You
ire so different from me, but here
your manhood was formed, Harlan
md you watched my fight, too! Just
away here at the old press
md then the light dawned. She came,
Iarlan!"
She? Janet?"
The other man stared at him. ia
let? Why no! Aurelie!"
Harlan did not stir. Then he NUT
cred as to himself. "They told mel"
Told you?" A high and serene smile
,ame to Curran's face. II didn't think
my one knew! Why, who could guess?
Oh, weli-what matter! It's as Old
Mich says: A little child shall lead
EN-! Done lead 'em to the land O.
oy!' Yes; that was it, Harlan. She
ed that old whisky -pedling soldier to
owe and decency; and she led me out
# failure! God bless the kid with all
Ter impudence and poses and absurdi-
ies!"
You never told me, Wiley!"
What was there to tell? 1t just
rev on me-that's ALL" Then he stop
,ed still; so still were they both that
he crickets in the old shop wall re-
umed their singing. Wiley first CROP
d to utterance. He turned, and his
'oice was whisper
Harlan, that old affair?-you and