The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1921-08-25
CHAPTER XVII.
Bill Dale Laughs.

Bill Dale Laughs.
Bill Dale sat thinking Of what he
had done there In the Big Pine coun-
try. From the stone-and-clay CHM
neys Of the cabins Of the Littlefords on
the other side Of the river the bowling
wind snatched sprays Of blue wood
smoke. The Morelands had gone to
farms lying around Gainesville in the
lowland. on each Of which a fair-sized
6rst payment had been made. the bor-
rowed capital was to remain borrowed
for another year. The Morelands were
already losing their outlandIshness
and growing into universal respect.
David Moreland's dream was at last
being realized.
Then Dale frowned heavily. if only
he could do as much for Babes peo-
piel But he couldn't. The men of the
Littlefords still worked the coal mine.
They received almost twice the custom
ary wages. but even that wouldn't buy
them farms and educate their children.
Under his eyes lay two unanswered
letters from his parents. He found
little pleasure In answering their let
ters. for he was still somewhat bitter
toward them-toward his father be-
cause OF his father'o Ill treatment Of
David Moreland and David Moreland's
people; toward his mother because she
had let him go hungry for mother-love
| as a baby. as a child, as boy, and as
a man; toward them both because he
had been reared do-nothing.
|. The door opened. suddenly. and By
Heck game stamping in with a gust Of
cold air, at his back. He carried In
one hand the mail satchel I'm the other
was his ever-present rifle. After throw
Ing the satchel to the floor at Dale's
feet. he turned to the glowing wood
stove. .zt.o
I'm dang nigh friz, BILL" he chat
tered any gosh, COULDN'T be no cold
er'n. what I EN- ef I'd ha' ciim't the
nawth pole neck-ed. Say, Bill, why'n't
ye burn coal Std o. wood7 Igod, it's
hotter"
Goal Is worth money. Wood isn't"
Dale ran through the mail hastily.
He threw aside letter from the Alex
ander Crayf1eld Coal corporation. which
y
an extraordinary figure, and picked up
q letter which bore the postmark Of his
home city.
1t was from Babe Littleford. Since
he paid 80 little attention to the letters
Of his parents. they had requested her
to write to him-they wanted him to
come home for Christmas dinner.
Wouldn't he conner
He arose and paced the Office floor
for two or three minutes. then he. sat
down at his desk and dashed of q let
ter that contained only two sentences.
By Heck sat beside the stove and
watched his god with thoughtful eyes.
He understood. he believed. How any
woman on earth could turn down
man like Bill Dale was utterly beyond
him. BY Heck was a great deal like q.
good-natured dog. y.
II Bill would only laugh, II would be
good for him. 1t had been so long since
he had heard Bill laugh. BY Heck de-
cided that he would make Bill Dale
laugh.
"Old boyf"
"Wenr'
DO ye want me to tell ye a funny
taller" drawled Heck. He barely heard
the answer:
II guess don't mind, By"
Heck's sympathy made him gulp.
But ne swallowed the lump that came
mp In his throat and began braveiy:
"One time the was feifer named
Smith. Odd name. Bill. amt itf Hoss-
fly Smith, they called him, cause II
was said at he could easy shoot O
hossfy offen hoss's ear and never
break hide on the animile. He was q
hellion, too. One time Hossfiy, he was
a-tryin' to git app'inted the Chairman
o. some sort o. politics doin's, and on
that same day he was a-drinkin' sort
O. toFable heavy. They agreed to
make him the Temporary chairman. but
Hossfiy. he didn't want that. SO he
hops right ND In the middle O. the meet
In, and he hsllers out and says:
"'Feller 0tizens.' he says, I want
to be the permanent chairmanI amt
a-goin' to act In the capacity Of q
burned temp'rary chairman; abso.
| d--n-lutely ain'ti' ss :.
rHia ID insmxk IN Mrtshl he gells