Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-03-06

Thing seemed to bust inside him, and
he wanted to stretch out his arms
and hug this guy.
Mark Dennen, shouts Sam, as
live. OF Readsboro. VT. The kid
1 used to play with under the arc
|lights-don't you remember me?"
but Sam says the guy just looked
him straight in the eyes and shut his
jaw and says. I suppose you'll be
lasking after my brother George
next?"
| You amt got any brother
George, you idiot laughs Sam. He
told me he was thinking how he'd
treat his old friend Mark to dinner
that would go down in history in
Readsboro. Mark, you old rascal.
he says, don't you remember me-?
Don't you remember little Sam
Burns that used to play andy over
with you, that stole your girl in 1892?
Don't you remember the old days in
Readsboro?' He was all het up by
this time, Sam tells me, and all the
old memories came creeping back,
and he kept thinking he never was so
glad to run across anybody in his
life. You remember little Sam
Burns, don't you? he asked once
more.
But this guy just looked back in
to Sans eye. with his own cold as
pretty clever, mister, says he: You're
pretty clever, mister, but you don't
fool me. No. you don't do me any
games on Mark Dennen."
| But, Mark, says Sam, I swear to
you by all that's holy that I'm that
kid-I'm Sam Burns. What proof do
you want? Do you remember old Ed
Haywood that used to keep the drug
store right across from the postoffice,
the guy that never washed his win
dows? 1 do. And Miss Hunter, that
taught the sixth grade school when
we went there, a little woman with
washed out gray eyes and broken
front tooth, and that pretty little girl,
Sarah somebody-wait minute, I'll
get it NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. or
Scott, you used to be so sweet on?
Did you marry her, Mark? And old
Lafe Perkins, who used to be on
hand whenever there was any repairs
being made anywhere
and a cane and a high, squeaky voice
that he used to exercise giving orders
about things that wasn't any of his
business. Why, Mark, 1 remember
'em all. Good Lord, man. says Sam,
do you want any more proof?'
But this country blockhead just
looked Sam up and down and re-
marks judicious: ITS certainly Won
derful how you know all these things
wonderful. But you can't fool me-
ne says, you can't fool Mark Den
men,"
Mr.. Max paused in his narrative for
a moment. The sound Of voices came
up from the office of Baldpate inn.
One that of the mayor. doomed loud
| ly and angrily. In an evident desire
to drown it Mr.. Max went on with
spirit:
We'll, gentlemen, it got to be a
point of honor, as you might say, for
Sam to convince that guy. He told
me he never wanted anything so
much in his life as fer Mark Dennen
to give in. 1t was a hot afternoon,
and he'd come aboard hat boat for a
rest, but he peeled off his collar and
started in. He gave Mark DenEen
the number of bricks in the Methodist
church, as reported in the Readsboro
told him the name of the piece Marks
sister recited at the school entertain
ment in the spring Of 1890. He bound
ed on all four sides the lot where the
Readsboro. He named every citizen
of the town. living or dead, that ever
got to be known outside his own fam
lily. and he brought children into the
world and married them and read the
funeral service over them, and still
the bonehead from the wodos sat there,
his mouth open, and says: It's be-
yOnd me how you know all that. You
New Workers are slicker than / give
ye credit for. But you can't fool me.
You amt Sam Burns. Why. l went
to school with him.
They was drawing near Coney
now" went on Mr.. Max, "and Sans
face was purple and he was dripping
with perspiration. and rafting off
ReadsborO happenings at the rate of
ten second, but that Mark Dennen
he sat there and wouldn't bulge from
his high horse So they came up to
the pier. Sam almost weeping real
tears and pleading like his heart
would break: Mark, don't you re-
member that time we threw little Bill
Barnaby into the swimming hole and
ly drowned on us? and still getting
the stony face from his old pal.
And on the pier this Dennis held
out his hand to Sam. who was phys
ical wreck and a broken man by this
time, and says: You sure are cute,
mister. Ill have great times telllnS
this in Readsboro. Once you met one
too smart for ye, Ell? Much obliged
for your company, anyhow! Ana he
went away and left Sam leaning
against the railing. with no faith in
human nature no more. L hope some
body got to him. says Sam to me.
and got him good. He's the kind
that if you work right you can sell
stock in a company for starting roof
gardens on the tops of the pyramids
in Egypt. I'd trimmed him myself
says Sam to me, but l hadn't the
heart
(To be Continued.)