University of South Carolina Libraries
r~ ISSUED SEMI-WEEKLT l. m. grist s SONS. Pubii.her., } % <|amiljj 3?firspaper: 4or the promotion of the {political, Social. Agricultural and Commercial Interests of the {people. {*?.*" cLraVAN'K ESTABLISHED 1855. YORKVILLE, S. C., TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1908. " NO. 96. T8E ill By OPI] > Copyrighted 1896, by Wm. I By Permission of La nii.iinif.niniii.il in mi ii * CHAPTER VII?Continued. The moon had not yet risen and the woods stood about us like a black wall. L No wind was abroad, the air in the ^ house was close, and I could hear my own heart beating against the floor. There was scarcely any use to look out now, for nothing could be seen, and I arose and sat with my back against the wall, taking care to keep clear of the small opening which I had made. It was so dark in the room that I could not see Alf, but I could hear him, for softly he was humming a tune: "Hi, Hettie Martin, tiptoe nne. f or auys he had been heavy with the melancholy of his love, but now in this hour ofj danger his heart seemed to be light fe and attuned to a rollicking air. I have known many a man to breathe a delicious thrill in an atmosphere of peril, to feel a leap of the blood, a gladness, but it was at a time of intense excitement. a sort of epic joy; but how could a man. lying in the dark, waiting for he knew n?>t what?how could he put | down a weighty care and take up a lightsome tune? Down in the hollow a screech owl was crying, and his mate on the hilltop replied to his call, while in the room near me was the whif of a bat. ^ And Alf was now so silent that I thought he must have fallen asleep, but soon I heard him softly wh'stling: "Hi. Bettie Martin, tip-tip-toe fine." "You seem to be enjoying yourself," said I. "If you had brought a fiddle we might have a dance." I heard him titter as he wallowed on ' "TKlo io fnn '* Ho coirl ''thp lilt" 11WUI . AUIO ao auut *?v ...? only real fun I've had since?I was going to say since the war, but I was too young to go into society at that time." "What do you think they are up to now. Alf?" I asked. ^ "Blamed ff I know. Getting tired?" "Well, I don't want to stay here all night. What are we waiting for?" "It's hard to tell just at present, and if we don't get a more encouraging report pretty soon we'll break the enk gagement and go home. What's that?" I listened and at first heard nothing, and was just about to say that it must K he the screech owl come closer, when from a corner of the house there came a distant and sharp crackle. I heard I Alf scuffle to his feet. "We are in for I ir:_" . It was true, ior now we euuiu occ the light glaring on the bushes and a moment later a spear of light shot inward. revealing my friend standing there with his hands buried deep in his pockets. "Those old logs are as dry as a powder horn." he carelessly remarked. "Won't take long to burn the thing down." / "But what are we going to do?" I cried. And now the room was aglow, and shadows were dancing on the wall. "I was just thinking." said he, looki ing about. "They'll begin shooting in fc here as soon as that end is burned out. I' Wish I had seen that rascal when he slipped up here to kindle this fire. Helloa, it's spread to the roof." I strove to show him that I could be as calm and as careless as he, but now I was startled, and excitedly exclaimed: "We shall be burned up line rats in a barn!" "Oh. I reckon not. Here, let's pull Uup a plank out of the floor and crawl under and if we can get into the bushes we'll be all right. Here's a crack. But I can't move it." he added, after straining at the board. "See if you can Bret your fingers through here." I dropped upon my knees and thrust my fingers through the crack. The fire had now gained such headway that the air was hot and a glare danced on the wall where the shadow had crept: and we heard the Aimes boys yell in the woods a short distance off. With all my strength I pulled at the board: I got off my knees and braced myself, and with a quick jerk the board came up with a loud rip and I fell backward ~ nn the floor. "Oo ahead." said Alf. quietly standing there, with his gun under his arm. Cet down through and work your way V toward the other end." "You go first. Alf." "I'm in no hurry. But may be I know of an opening where the sheep come under in winter. Follow me, then." Down we went into the fine and suffocating dust. Here and there the sheep and the hogs had dug deep beds in their restlessness, when nights had been cold, but in places the tloor was | so close to the ground that I could I scarcely crawl through. We heard one J end of the roof fall in. and then a volley was fired from the woods. "What did I tell you?" said Alf. "We understand their tactics, any way. Don't believe you can get through * * * ,lT '1 T ~ tVlic ht'l'f, Bill. wan, i uuii uij; u>??? ii mm lump with my gun. Wish I had a hatchet. Ever notice how handy a hatchet Is?" "For God's sake, let me get at it. Alf. I can feel the heat. The whole thing will fall down on us in a minute. That'll do: I can squeeze through." Alf crawled into one of the deep beds and reached hack to help pull me through. "Bill, looks like this place was made for you, only I wish they had made it u trifle bigger. Once more." And there I struggled and there he pulled. "I am gone. Alf; I can't get out. Save yourself if you can." "If you can't get out I know you are not gone. Bill." he replied with a laugh, but it was a laugh of despair rather than of merriment. "Don't give up. < >nce more. You are coming. What did I tell you?" And again he laughed, but not in despair. We were not at the wall, at the very hole through which f the sheep were wont to come in. "You f first, this time. Bill. Sheer off to the ^ left. The bushes are not more than fifteen feet away." With but little difficulty I squeezed through the opening. And now I was 4 in a hot and dazzling glare. A breeze had sprung up with the flames, and behind me was a roar, and a crash of CUIUS* E READ. H. Lee?All Rights Reserved, ird & Lee, Publishers. the falling- beams. I looked not about me, but straight ahead toward the thicket, now waving as if swept by a strong wind; and within a minute after reaching the outer air I was crawling through a thick clump of blackberry briars, with Alf close upon my heels. We soon came upon a sheepwalk covered with briars, and now we could make faster time. The Aimes boys were still firing into the burning house, and it was evident that they had not discovered our escape. "We can walk now," Alf whispered. "Turn down here to the right and keep the shumac bushes between us and them. Now we are all right." Not another word was spoken until we had reached a knoll, some distance away. Then we halted and looked back. And now the old house was but a blazing heap. Alf was peeping about through the trees, and suddenly his gaze was set. He cocneu nis gun ano brought it to his shoulder. "No," I said. "You will only regret it." I grasped the gun and both hammers fell upon my hand. "Get back!" he commanded. "No," I said, my hand still under the hammers. "You must not." He looked hard at me for a moment and then suffered me to take the gun. The fire was now dying, and, looking to the left, whence the firing had come, 1 saw two of the Aimes boys standing under a tree. "Bill, I could kill both of them." Alf said, in a sorrowful voice. "I know, my dear boy, but you must not. You would always regret it. We will let the law take charge of them tomorrow." "Not tomorrow. Bill, but tonight. Tomorrow they will be gone." "All right: just as you say. Where is the pearest officer?" "A deputy sheriff lives about two miles from here, off to the right of our road homo. Come on." We came into the road after making a circuit through the woods, and hastened onward. And we must have gone nearly half the distance to the deputy's house when we heard the Aimes boys coming behind us, drunk and whooping. "They think we are burnt up." said Alf: "but we'll show them. Let's get aside into the bushes, and when they come along we'll let them have it." "We will get aside into the bushes," said I. "but we will not let them have it. Come over this side. Let me have your gun." He let me take the gun, and as he stood near me, waiting for the ruffians to pass. I thought that he made an unseemly degree of noise, merely to attract theii attention so that he might have an opportunity to fire at them. "Keep still. Alf," I whispered. They came down the road, singing a bawdy song:. For a moment I was half inclined to Rive Alf his pun. but that early lesson, the waylaying of Bentley, restrained me.* We heard the scoundrels talking between their outbursts of song.. "Piece of roast hog wouldn't go bad jest about now, Scott. I feel sorter knawish after my excitement of the evenin'." "Wall, if you air hongry and hanker atter hog, why don't you go back yander and git a piece that we've jest roasted ?" Alfs hand closed about the barrels of his gun. and strongly he pulled, but I loosened his grip and whispered: "Let them go. There is no honor and very little revenge in shooting a brute." "I reckon you are right." he replied, but he did not whisper, and out in the road there was a quick scuffling: of feet and then a halt. I threw one arm about Alf and pressed one hand over his mouth. "What was that. Scott?" "I didn't hear nothin'." "Thought I heard somebody a-talkInV "Yes, you thought like Young's niggers?thought buck-eyes was biscuits. Come on. boys. We'll go over and wake old Josh up and git more licker." They passed on, and when I had given Alf the opportunity to speak he said: "Good. They are going over to a negro's house and we'll get there about the time they do, and if we can't get anybody but the deputy to help us we'll have to kill one or two of them. Now keep up with nie." Off through the woods he went at a trot, leaping logs and splashing through a brook where it was broad; and I kept well up with him. Already my mind had ceased to dwell upon the narrowness of our escape; I was thinking of Guinea as she had stood, shielding the light with her hand. CHAPTER VIII. We were not long in reaching the house of the deputy sheriff. A loud call brought him out to the fence. And when we had quickly told him what was wanted, he whistled to express his gratification or his surprise and I fancied that I saw his "hair bristling in the moonlight, for he bad come out bareheaded. "Now let me think a minute, boys," said no. 1 navt- urru an umw enough to know that it ain't much credit to take a fellow after he's dead? most anybody can do that. What we want is to capture them and to do that we've got to have more men. Alf, I tell you what you do. You and your friend slip over to old Josh's and keep watch to see that they don't get away, and I'll ride as fast as I can and get General Lundsford and your daddy. What do you say?" "I say it's a first-rate plan." Alf answered. "I don't think the general would like to be left out and I know that father wouldn't. Come on. Bill." The negro's house was not far away, and hastening silently through the woods we soon came within sight of it, on the side of a hill, at the edge of a worn-out field. We softened our foot-steps as we drew near unto the cabin, and we could hear the ruffians within, singing, swearing, dancing. We halted at the edge of the woods, within ten feet of the door, and listened. "Let us slip up and take a peep at them." said Alf: and carefully we climbed over the old fence, taking care not to break any of the rotten rails lest we might sound an alarm. We made not the slightest noise, but just as we were within touching distance of the cabin, a dog sprang from behind a box in the chimney corner. I don't know how much noise it might have been his intention to make or whether he belonged to the stealthy breed of curs whose delight it is to make a silent lunge at the legs of a visitor, but I do know that he made not a sound, for I grabbed him by the throat and the first thing he knew his eyes were popping out between their fuzzy lids. I choked him until I thought he must be dead, and then, with a swing, I threw him far over the fence into the woods. We listened and heard him scrambling in the dried leaves and then he was still. The cabin was built of poles and was old. Many a rain had beaten against the "chinking" and we had no trouble In linding openings through which we could plainly see all that went forward within. Just as I looked in I heard the twang of a banjo, and I saw the old negro sitting on the edge of a bed, picking the instrument, while two white men were patting a break-down and two others were trying to dance. At the fire-place a negro woman was frying meat and baking a hoe-cake. "Generman," said the negro, twanging his strings and measuring his words to suit his tune, "don't want light now to be so pertinence?be so pertinence; but, yes. I'd like to know, hi, hi. hi, yes, like to know whut you gwine gimme fur dis yere, yes, whut you gwine gimme fur all dis yere?" The patting ceased instantly, and the two men danced not another shuttle, and one of them, Scott, I afterward learned, cried out: "What, you old scoundrel, air you dunnin* us already?" "Oh, naw, sah. skuze me," said the old negro, "I ain't doin" dat, fur I dun tole you dat I didn't want ter be perti nence, dui tiars some uuiiks, >uu miu?, dat er pusson would like ter un'erstan', an' whut I gwine git fur all dis yere is one o* 'em. I has gib you licker an' I has gib you music, an' wife, is cookin' supper fur you, an' it ain' no mo' den reason dat I'd wanter know whut we gwine git fur it." "Well, we'll pay you all right enough," replied Scott Aimes. "You've always treated us white, and you are about the only man in this neighborhood that has." "I thankee, sah." the negro rejoined; "yas, I thankee, sah. fur I Jest wanted ter be satisfied in my mine, an' I tell you dat when er pusson is troubled In his mine he's outen fix sho nuff. Hurry up dar, Tildy, wid you snack, fur dese generman is a-haungry." "I hope she won't get it ready any too soon," I whispered to Alf, and he, with his face close to mine, replied: "You can trust an old negro woman for that. It won't take Parker very long to ride over to the general's house, and they can pick up father on the way back." "Won't your mother and?and Guinea be frightened?" "Not much. They've seen the old man go out on the war path more than once. Let's see what they are doing now." Scott had taken the banjo and was turning it over, looking at it. We saw him take out a knife and then with a twang he cut the strings. "Good Lawd!" exclaimed the negro, and his wife turned from the fire with a look of sorrow and reproach, for the distressful sound had told her accustomed ear that a calamity had befallen the instrument. "Now jest look whut you done!" the negro cried, and his wife, wiping her hands on her apron, looked at Scott Aimes and said: "Ef dat's de way you gwine ack, I'll burn dis yere braid an' fling dis yere meat in de fire. Er body workin' fur you ez hard ez I is. an' yere you come er doin' dat way. It's er shame, sah, dat's whut it is. It's er plum shame, I doan kere ef you is white an me black." Scott roughly tossed the banjo into a corner and laughed. "Sounds a blamed sight better in death than in life," said he. "But who gwine pay fur dat death music?" the negro asked. "Pay for it!" Scott turned fiercely upon the negro and Alf caught up his gun. "Wait!" I whispered. "Pay for it!" Scot raved. "Why you infernal old scoundrel, do we have to pay every time we turn round? But we'll make it all right with you." he added, turning away: and Alf lowered his gun. "I hopes ter de Lawd you will," said the woman, "fur we needs it bad enough." "You do?" Scott replied. "Well, you'd better be thankful that we don't blow on you for sellin' whisky without license." "Dar ain' no proof o' de fack dat I has sol' none ter-night," said the old negro, .shaking his head. "What's that?" Scott demanded, wheeling round. "Skuze me, sah. nothin* er tall. Jest er passin* de time o' de day, sah." "Didn't I tell you that we would pay you for everything we got?" "Yas, sah, an' you's er generman, sah; yas, I thank you fur gwinter pay me." "Yo* supper Is done an' ef you'll jest gib me room I'll fix de table," the woman remarked, taking the bread off the griddle. "I hear them coming!" Alf whispered. I looked round and saw them at the fence. They had tied their horses in the woods. We stepped out from the shadow and held up our hands to enjoin care. "I'll go first, and you boys follow me." said the general, cocking his pistol and letting the hammer down to see if it worked well. "Oh, I reckon not." Lim Jucklin replied. "I'm older than you are and you know it. Come on. boys." "Older!" the general exclaimed, with such force that we had to tell him to make less noise. "I am eight months older than you are. and you know it. Come on. boys." Old Dim took hold of him. "This ain't altogether your picnic; the invertations come from my house, and ' "What the devil difference does it make?" the deputy spoke up. "I'm the only officer present and I'll go first." I thought that it was my time to act, and telling them to follow me, I reached the door almost at a stride and threw my full weight against it. The door flew off its hinges and fell on thel floor broad-side, and the Aimes brothers, now seated at a table, were "covered" with guns and pistols before they had time to stir in their chairs. They appeared to" be horror-stricken at seeing Alf and me, and in a moment their hands were in the air. "Josh," the deputy commanded, "bring us a plow line. Never mind, you haven't time for that. Take off that bed cord." The woman had squeezed herself into a corner, between a "cubbord" and the wall, but she came out and protested against the use of her bed cord. "Get that cord!" the deputy commanded. "Move that hand again, Scott Aimes, and I'll kill you. Here we ate," he added, when the negro had tumbled off the bed-clothes and unfastened the ford "Vow cut it in four pieces." "Fur de Lawd's sake!" the woman shouted, "you ain' gwine treat er pusson datter way, is you? Fust da cut de banjo string's an den yere come de law an cuts de bed cawd. Laws er massy whut got inter dis worl' no how." "Keep quiet," said the deputy. "Here, big man, tie their wrists and don't be afraid of hurting them. I've had my eye on you gentlemen for some time. That's it, give it to them hard. Tie their ankles, too. But we have only four pieces of rope. Go now and get a plow-line, Josh."' We put back the table and the chairs and stood our prisoners in the center of the room, sullen and coarse-featured brutes, and waited for the negro to come with the plow-line, and presently he appeared with a new grass rope. | "That's just exactly what we want," said the deputy. "Cut it in four pieces, and, big man," he continued, speaking to me, "I must again call on you. Tight around the shank and no feelings considered. That's it; you go at it in the right way?must have tied chickens for the market. I must really beg pardon of these gentlemen for not getting a warrant; we were pushed for time, and therefore, we are a trifle irregular, but my dear sirs, I promise you that you shall have a warrant just as soon as we get into Purdy. You should be satisfied with my admitting that I am irregular." The general roared with a great laugh. "Your apology is of the finest feather, the most gracious down," said he, "but our friends must remember that in an irregularity often lie some of the most precious merits of this life." "If we hadn't been huddled round this here table you wouldn't be bavin' sich fun." said Scott Aimes, quivering under my strong pull at the rope. "We never did ask nothin' but a fair show, but " ,A ?f A ! 4 n 1 nnr* we man i kh u uu? nine, uj ? shot." "Silence, brute," the general commanded. "As low as you are, you should know better than to break in upon the high spirits of a gentleman. Oh. I have understood you all along. You were working your courage toward me. Hush, don't you speak a word." "Clot them all strung?" the deputy asked, examining the ropes. "Good. Now, Josh, you run over to my house as fast as you can and tell my wife that you want the two-horse wagon. And hitch it up and come back here as fast as you can. Go on; I'll pay you for everything." "Thankee, sah, I'm gone. It loosens er ole pusson's feet, sah, ter know dat he gwlne be paid. Hard times alius comin' down de big road, er kiekin' up er dust." "Are you going?" the deputy stormed. "Confound you; I'll put you in jail for selling whisky if you are not back here in fifteen minutes." "Gone now!" exclaimed the negro, bounding from the door and striking a trot. "Gone!" we heard him repeat, as he leaped over the fence. "Mr. Parker," said Scott Aimes, stretching his neck toward the officer, "I've jest got one favor to ask of you. Git that bottle over thar an' .give us fellers a drink. It was licker that got us into this here muss, an' you ought to let licker help us a little now." "Old fellow used to keep a grocery over at Blue Lick," the deputy remarked, looking at me rather than at the prisoner, "and when a man's money was all gone he used to say: 'Lord love you, honey, I couldn't think of letting you take another drop; I'm so much interested in your welfare that I don't want to see you hurt yourself.' No, Seottfiehl"?and now he looked at the prisoner?"I am too much interested in you to see you throw yourself away. Don't be impatient. 'Just wait for the wagon,' says the old song." The old general had sat down, but old Lim continued to stand there, his arms bare and his teeth hard-set. On his countenance lay the shadow of a regret, and I have thought that he was grieved at the spoiling of the fight that he thought should have taken place to reward him for the trouble of leaving home. The prisoners winced under his ga/.e, as his eyes leaped about from one to another. But he said not a word; just stood there, with his teeth hardset. Soon we heard the wagon, rumbling along the road that skirted the old field, and we began to set our prisoners near the door, picking them up and putting them down like upright sticks. The wagon drew up near the door, the woman held a light for us and we began our work of loading. And I was glad when the deputy said that he no longer needed our assistance; I was afraid that he would ask me to drive to town with him. "Well," he said, gathering up the lines and glancing hack at his load, "a pretty good haul for these hard times. Whoa, wait a minute. Say, general. I suppose you have heard some talk of my candidacy for the office of sheriff, and I reckon you have seen tonight whether or not I am worthy of the trust. It's always well to put in a word in time, you know. I reckon I've gm you all right. Alf, and. big man, wish you could vote with us this time. Well. I'll let you gentlemen know when vou are wanted at court." Old Lim and the general led their horses and walked with Alf and me; and we heard many a grunt and snort as we told of the burning of the school house. Old Lim swore that I ought to have let Alf kill Scott Almes, but the general sided with me. "That would have done no good. Lim," said he. "It's far better as we now have it. I am glad to see. Mr. Hawes, that you have so much discretion, a most noble quality, sir. Now as to the loss of the house, that amounts to nothing. It ought to.have been set afire long ago. And I'll tell you what shall be done: A new building shall be put up at once; not of logs, ' but of frame, and it shall be neatly painted to show people that we are keeping up with the times. Every neighborhood about us has a fine school house; the old log huts have disappeared, and we are going to march right in the van, sir. But I want to tell you right now that it was in those log school houses that the greatest men in the nation have been taught; and when I see a pile of logs out in the woods I fancy that I can hear the classics lowly hummed." "flentlemen." said old Llm, "If it was day time instead of night I would invite you to see some of the finest sport you ever run across, for I'm in the humor for it right now. But chickens have a prejudice agin fightin' at night. Many a time when I had trouble on my hand and couldn't sleep I've got up ana triea to sur tneir oiuuu, uui they want to nod; that's what they want to do at night?nothln' but nod, untess you've got light enough, and then if you stir 'em up they'll git so mad that they'll go it smack to a finish." "Talking about those chickens?" the I general asked. "Confound them, they'd have no attraction for me if it were mid-day. But pardon me. I mean simply that I take no interest in such things." Old Lim grunted. "Right here is where I git on my horse," said he. And he mounted and rode on ahead in moody silence. I was now walking beside the general and Alf was just behind me. Several times the young man sighed distressfully and I knew that something heavy had fallen upon his mind. Presently he pulled at my coat and as I dropped back he took my place. "General. you said just now that Bill was right in not letting me shoot that fellow. Scott Aimes." He hesitated and was silent for a few moments, striding beside the general, and the general said nothing?was waiting for him to continue. "Said that I was wrong," Alf repeated, "and I reckon I was, but I ho.ie you won't say anything about It ?at home." "Why not at home, sir? Hah, why not at home? 'Od zounds, can't a gentleman talk in his own house?" Alf began to drop back. "What he means, general," said I. taking his place, "is that he has so much respect for you that he does not want you to think ill of him when you are alone, meditating in your own house." "Ha, now, a fine whim, but it's a respectful whim and shall be honored, sir. I don't understand the young men of this day and generation, but I know what respect means. I don't know that I condemned you, Alf; I spoke for the most part of the discretion of your friend. Well, gentlemen, here is where I leave you." He threw the bridle reins over the ii<irse.'n neck and was preparing to mount, when Alf started forward as If to help him, but I clutched him so vigorously that he turned upon me and asked what I meant, "Keep still," I whispered. "I'll tell you after a while." By this time the old gentleman was astride his horse. He took off his hat, bowed with the air of a cavalier, and. bidding us good-night, galloped off down the road. Then I told Alf why I had held him back, that I had almost insulted the old man by offering to assist him in mounting his horse; and Alf stood there actually trembling at the narrowness of his escape. I know that we should have been burned up had he been half so badly frightened while we were in the school house. The nights were shortened by the season's approach to the first of May. It seemed a long time since the twilight had glimmered on the leaves, and it was past mid-night when we reached home. Old Lim had put up his horse and was standing at the draw-bars, waiting for us. "For a smart man," said he, "I reckon the general's got about as little ^ense as any human now alive. By jings, he's a crank: that's what's the matter with him; and the first thing he knows people will be keepln' out of his way." A light flashed from the passage and we saw Guinea and her mother standing on the log step, gazing toward us. "It's all right!" the old man cried. "Go on to bed. and don't be standing around this time of night." A If and I, leaving the old man at the bars, went to the house. "Oh, I'm so giad you've all got back," said Mrs. Jucklin, striving to be calm, but whimpering. "Are you sure that you are all safe and sound?" Guinea began to laugh. "Of course, they are, mother, don't you see?" "But what's your father still standin' out yonder for? I jest know he's crippled. Limuel, are you hurt?" she cried. "Yes, I am hurt, and by a man that prefers to be a crank. Said that he wouldn't care anything about 'em even if it was daylight. "Oh, but you are not shot, are you?" his wife exclaimed, starting toward him. "Go in now, Susan, and don't come foolin' with me. Who said I was shot? Go on to bed. everybody, and I'll come when I git ready." "But you must be hungry, Limuel?" "Hungry, the devil?excuse me. ma'am. I'll eat a snack mebby between now and inornin'." "It's no use to talk to him," she said, with a sigh, and, turning to me, she added: "You and Alf must be nearly starved. We've kept the coffee warm. Guinea, go and pour it out for 'em." "Will you tell me all about the fight?" the girl asked when we entered the dining room. "I like to hear about such things." I strove to make light of it. but, seeing that this would not satisfy her, I - . t .. ... - . 1 ?f or,,1 r*f lO|(| OI Hit' IJIUIIlllK "? iiic iiwu.iv ...... ... tlie capture of the Aimes brothers, colored our danger in the house, to see l-er lips whiten and her eyes stare: pictured myself as I must have looked when I seized the dog, to choke him, and to throw him far into the woods? told her all. except that I had caught the hammers of Alfs gun. "I don't see how you kept from killing them when you got the chance." she said, leaning with her elbows on the table and her chin in her hands, musing: "I don't understand how you could keep from it." Alf threw down his knife and fork and struck the table with his fist. "I wanted to kill Scott?had a bead on him, but Bill grabbed my gun. Guinea, I'm glad you stand by me, you and father; but the general thinks I was wrong, and I was .iust about to think tnat everybody's heart was right but mine. I am glad you are with me, Guinea." I looked at her as she sat there, musing; her hair was tangled as if a storm of thought had swept through her head, and solely I wondered whether a care for me had been borne through the storm. I forgot the presence of Alf; I forgot everything except that I would have given my blood and my soul to please .her, and with bitterness I said: "Oh, if I had known that you wanted him killed I would not only 1 ave let Alf kill him?I would have ond and third places, respectively, i^asi year pum jumped to first place, pine to second, while elm, with a falling' off of 36 per cent in production, dropped to third place. Beech, maple, spruce, chestnut, and ash followed in the order named. While slack stave and heading production was reported last year from practically all the states engaged in the manufacture of lumber, a considerable percentage of the stock, in fact, being turned out as a by-product of lumber, the industry was to an extent localized, the five states of Pennsylvania, Missouri, Michigan, Arkansas and Virginia. in the order named, contributing i>6.8 per cent of the total production. The distribution of the industry of hoop manufacture is much more limited than that of staves and heading, and is due primarily to the fact that this commodity is made chiefly from elm timber. Ohio led in the quantity of hoops manufactured, closely followed by Indiana, the output of these two states forming 67.3 per cent of the total production. FRANKNESS IN POLITICS. What Might Be Gained by Sincerity In Argument. In enumerating the influences that brought about Judge Taft's election, the Outlook regards this as one: "The frank discussion of the so-called labor question before so-called labor audiences." Any why shouldn't it be frank? Why should there be any suspicion of another when we are all united in the same destiny, arid what injures one injures all, and there is no glory of the nation which all do not enjoy? Anything less than frankness is deceit and cowardice, and is only for the purpose of giving sway to selfishness and prejudice. True Americanism stands straight, looks you in the face, speaks clean, clear and kindly words upon politics, religion, labor, business and the social habit. It is a splendid sight to see such a man engaged in any cause. It is a cheerless sight to see a man sneak into a corner and eke out venom and suspicion. We ought to go into our little controversies in this wise?if our neighhur eon move us wrong, we should thank him for it, and not go behind the corner and curse him for trying. One should make room for truth, even at the expense of changing one's mind. So that men should be open-hearted and open-minded toward one another, tind not let their differences make them enemies. There is a great deal of wrong and Injustice done because men are. not frank and friendly with one another?Ohio State Journal. { uneu 111 in mysru. She looked up from her attitude of musing and met my outbreak with a quiet laugh. "The bigger a man is the siiiier he is, she said, still laughing. "Why, I don't want him dead. I wouldn't like to have anyone killed. I merely v. ondered how, having come so close to being burned up, you could keep from killing him. I thought that I understood most men, but I don't understand you, Mr. Hawes." "Yes, you do!" I cried; "you understand me too well, and that is why you torture me." "What!" exclaimed Alf, springing to his feet, "are you on the gridiron? Has she got you where somebody has got tne? By?there comes mother." I looked back as I passed out of the room, and Guinea sat there, musing. Alf put his arm about me as we went up the stairs. We did not light the lamp, but sat down in the dark, sat there and -for a long time were silent. "Bill, oh, Bill." "Yes," I answered. "Bill, don't ask me anything. Father may tell you something tomorrow. God bless you, Bill. You have stood by me. Good-night." To be Continued MILLIONS FOR BARRELS. Interesting Facts About an Industry of , Great Importance. The farmer with his potatoes and , his apples, the miller with his Hour and , >?"ni the hnrHwsi'c man with his nails. the cement manufacturer, and the ] many other users of the faithful slack , barrel, that combination of staves, hoops and heading, which is not intended to hold water or something ^ stronger in fluid form, says a Washington letter, used forest products last ' year having the enormous value of $15,800,253. The average man would little suspect that the humble barrel plays so important a part in the expense accounts of the American farmer and manufacturer, yet figures compiled by the census in co-operation with the United States forest service develop this interesting ( truth. Moreover, statistics taken directly from reports from 950 cooperage 1 mills,in all parts of the United States show an Increase of $1,569,683, or 11 j per cfnt, in the value of last year's pro- t duct over that of the previous year. ) In distinct contrast to tight cooper- { age stock, which in the main requires v oak timber for its raw material, slack cooperage stock, particularly staves and heading, utilized in greater or less , degree, most of the commercially important trees In the country, and for ^ this reason its manufacture was far } more widely distributed than is the t case with that of tight: cooperage stock. Twenty-one species of wood contributed to the total slack stave production { last year. Nearly two-thirds of the output, however, was manufactured t from the four species, red gum, pine, j elm and beech, in the order named. The figures disclose an interesting ( movement in the Industry in the sub- ( stltution of less expensive woods for { those which for many years were ( drawn upon most heavily for slack j stave material, but which, owing to growing scarcity and advancing cost, are rapidly being displaced. In 1906 f elm staves were manufactured In larger quantities than those from any other wood, and constituted nearly one-fourth , of the total production for that year, , with pine and red gum occupying sec ^Miscellaneous Reading. DISCOVERED BY CHANCE. Some Useful Inventions That Were the Result of Accident. Nature has her own ways of telling her secrets to man, and the commonest of those ways Is what man chooses to call "chance" or "accident." The words are convenient names and that Is about all we know of the phenomena which they are used to describe. Below are given the stories of a number of important "discoveries" made "by accident." "Perhaps it will occur to the reader that none of the discoveries were really made "by accident," since in each case it was the witnessing of the accident by an Intelligent human being which aroused in the mind of that human being the train of thought leading to the discovery. An Australian black might watch a swaying chandelier for ten years, and he would never discover the pendulum. As a rule, special knowledge Is required to make "discoveries by accident." But the apparent working of chance In the incidents here narrated are obvious: An alchemist, seeking to discover a mixture of earths that would make the most durable crucibles, one day discovered that he had made procelaln. The power of lenses, as applied to the telescope, was discovered by a watchmaker's apprentice. While holding spectacle glasses between his thumb and finger, he was startled at the suddenly enlarged appearance of a neighboring church spire. The art of etching upon glass was discovered by a Nuremberg glass cutter. By accident a few drops of aqua fortis fell upon his spectacles. He noticed that the glass became corroded and softened where the acid had touched it. That was hint enough. He drew figures upon glass, with varnish, applied the corroding fluid, then cut away the glass around the drawing. When the vamish was removed, the figures appeared raised upon a dark ground. Mezzotinto owed its invention to the simple accident of the gun-barrel of a sentry becoming rusty with dew. The swaying to and fro of a chandelier in a cathedral suggested to Galileo the application of the pendulum. Art of Lithography. The art of lithography was perfected through suggestions made by accident. A poor musician was curious to know whether music could not be etched upon stone as well as copper. After he had prepared his slab, his mother asked him to make a memorandum of such clothes as she proposed to *end away to be washed. Not having pen, ink and paper convenient, he wrote the list on the stone with the etching preparation, intending to make a copy of it at leisure. i\ lew uuy? mitrr, w ucu nuuui m vican the stone, he wondered what effect lqua fortls* would have upon It. He tpplied the acid and In a few minutes taw the writing standing out In relief. The next step necessary was simply to nk the stone and take off an impression. The composition of which printing oilers are made was discovered by a Salopian printer. Not being able to llscover the pelt-ball, he inked the :ype with a piece of soft glue which lad fallen out of the glue pot. It was tuch an excellent substitute, that, after nixing molasses with the glue to give he mass proper consistency, the old lelt-ball was entirely discarded. The shop of a Dublin tobacconist, by he name of Lundyfoot, was destroyed >y fire. While he was gazing dolefully nto. the smoldering ruins, he noticed hat his poorer neighbors were gatherng the snuff from the canisters. He ested the stuff for himself, and discov?red that the fire had largely improved ts pungency and aroma. It was a hint worth profiting by. He lecured another shop, built a lot of wens, subjecting the snuff to a heating Drocess, gave the brand a peculiar lame, and in a few years became rich hrough an accident which he at first hought had completely ruined him. Th process of whitening sugar was iiscovered In a curious way. A hen hat had gone through a clay puddle vent with her muddy feet into a su?ar house. She left her tracks on a alle of sugar. It was noticed that vherever her tracks were, the sugar ,vas whitened. Kxperiments were in itituted. and the result was that wet day came to be used In refining sugar. Origin of Tinted Paper. The origin of blue tinted paper came ibout by a mere slip of the hand. The wife of William East, an English taper maker, accidentally let a bluejag fall into one of the vats of pulp. The workmen were astonished when hey saw the peculiar color of the pater. while Mr. East was highly incensed over what he considered a grave tecuniary loss. His wife was so much Tightened that she would not confess ter agency in the matter. After storing the damaged paper for 'our years. Mr. East sent it to his igent in London with the instruction to ?ell it for what it would bring. The taper was accepted as a "purposed novdty." and was disposed of at quite an idvance over market prices. Mr. East was astonished at receiving in order for another large Invoice of he paper. He was without the secret, md found himself in a dilemma. Up>n mentioning it to his wife, she told lim about the accident. He kept the secret, and the demand for the novel int far exceeded his ability to supply he article. A Brighton stationer took a fancy for iressing his show window with piles >f writing paper, rising gradually from he largest to the smallest size in use: ind to finish his pyramids off nicely he 11 vi fn a nnlnt (II Uliun IU tji (life UIVIII u/ iv Taking these cards for diminutive tote paper, lady customers were coninunlly wanting some of "that lovely ittle paper," and the stationer found it idvnntageous to cut paper to the desired pattern. As there was no space for addressing iie notelets after they were folded, he, ifter much thought, invented the envelope. which he cut by the aid of metil plates made for the purpose. The sale increased so rapidly that he vas unable to produce the envelopes ast enough, so he commissioned a dozm houses to make them for him. and litis set going an important branch of he manufacturing stationery trade. Handwriting In Iron. It was an accident that led to the discovery of the method of transferring handwriting to iron. An Iron founder, while experimenting with molten iron under different conditions, accidentally dropped a ticket into a mold. He presently found that the type of the ticket was transferred to the iron in distinct characters. Following up the idea which this fact suggested, he procured a heatproof ink, with which he wrote invertedly on ordinary white paper. This paper was introduced Into the mold before the molten iron was poured in. When the mould cooled, the paper had been consumed by the heat, but the ink. which had remained intact, had left a clear impression on the iron. All forms of bituminous pavements, whether manufactured from natural or artificial asphalt, are. In fact, artificial stone pavements. The industry started with the use of the natural rock asphalt from the mines in the Val de Travers, Canton Neufchatel, Switzerland. The mines were discovered in 1721, but it was in 1849 that its utility as a road covering was first noticed. The rocK was -men oeing minea ior tne purpose of extracting the bitumen contained in it for its use in medicine and the arts. It Is a limestone, Impregnated with bitumen, of which It yields, on analysis, from eight to fourteen pe*cent. It was observed that pieces of rock which fell from a wagon were crushed by the wheels, and under the combined Influence of the traffic and heat of the sun a good road surface was produced. A macadam road of asphalt rock was then made, which gave very good results, and finally, In 1854, a portion of the Rue Bergere was laid in Paris of compressed asphalt on a concrete foundation. In 1858 a still larger sample was laid, and from that time It has been laid year by year In Paris. From Paris it extended to London, being on Threadneedle street in 1869, and Cheapside in 1870, and In successive years on other streets. JUNGLE TALK IN WHITE HOUSE. African Captain Telia President Roosevelt of Big Game. .With stories of his narrow escapes in the Jungle from African man eating lions, elephants, rhinoceroses and other animals, Captain Fred Lindsay, a wealthy ranch owner of East Africa, arrived at Philadelphia recently from Washington, where he had a long interview with President Roosevelt. Captain Lindsay says the president was much interested in his description of the game possibilities of Africa and was pleased to learn that the people of the dark continent are anxious to welcome him on his hunting trip. They promise him the greatest trip of his life. Captain Lindsay talked at the White House with the president for nearly an hour on hig game in East Africa. "The president seemed utterly surprised." said Captain Lindsay, "when I told him how .numerous big game was in our country, and he made all kinds of inquiries.* 'I want to shoot a lion and an elephant,' the president said. 'Do you'think I can get them?* When I told him he would have no trouble in getting any number of what he wanted he smiled and seemed pleased. I told him how delighted everybody was when they heard of his contemplated trip and that he would get a warm welcome from the people there. "We talked of big game, of rifles and modes of hunting for nearly an hour. When he parted he shook me warmly by the hand and told me he was sorry he couldn't talk to me longer. I told Mr. Roosevelt we would be glad to see him any time. Ours Is a big country? bigger than most Americans think. Our bamboo forests are full of elephants. Of course I don't mean to say the beasts come knocking at the back door asking to be shot, but if a hunter has a little patience he will be rewarded. As for hippopotamuses, there are certain lake regions that abound with these beasts. "A hunter in Africa must have a license from the government to shoot animals. Of course, if he be a ranch owner or holder of any kind of an estate he is at liberty to kill as much game as he can on his own land. The only stipulation the government makes in such cases is that it shall be given the skins of any animals killed. "If President Roosevelt goes to Africa he will be permitted to shoot as many wild animals as he can find. There will be no talk of a government license. He is too much beloved there. It may surprise you to know that every shred of information about him is seized upon with avidity. I told the president this, and he was much pleased." THE VATICAN. Home of the Popes In the World's Richest Depository. The Vatican covers a space of 1.200 feet In length and 1,000 feet In breadth and Is the largest palace In the world. It Is In Rome, on the right bank of the river Tiber, and on the Vatican hill, from which It derives Its name. It is said to have been founded by Pope Symmachus, who erected a small house on Its site about 300 A. D. On this site, too, a building was Inhabited by Charlemagne in 800. Several times It has fallen into decay and been restored. Pope Eugenius rebuilt It on a magnlflcant scale in 1160. In 1305 Clement V. removed the papal seat from Rome to Avignon, and the Vatican was in a neglected and obscure state for many years. Nicholas V. In 1450 commenced the great work of making It the noble palace that It now Is. After the return of the pontifical court to Rome it became the actual residence of the pope. One after another a long line of popes have added splendid buildings to it, and at present the lowest estimate gives the number of rooms at 4,422. Gradually it has been enriched with great paintings, statues, books, curious medals, gems, frescoes and antiquities of every description until It is now the world's richest depository. The museum of statuary is about a mile in length and contains more than 70,000 statues that have been exhumed from the ruined temples and palaces of Rome. The Vatican contains the Sistine chapel, built by Sixtus IV., 1473, and adorned by the wonderful genius of Michelangelo; the Pauline chapel, built by Paul III. in 1540; the Loggia and Stanze of Raphael and the court of the Belvedere. The library of the Vatican is truly a great one. It is exceedingly rich in manuscripts, containing as many as 40,000, some of which are by Pliny. St. Thomas and St. Charles Borromeo and many Hebrew, Arabian, Syrian and Armenian Bibles. It has about 50,000 printed volumes and several rich museums of ancient and modern articles of vertu.?Exchange.