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|}Y E. B. MUKRA Y & CO. ANDERSON, S. C., THURSDAY MORNING, JANUARY 1, 1885. VOLUME XX.-NO. 25 REMEMBER THE OLD MAXIM, " LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP !" co pf o OQ f-i co f O to .r-t 9 M O CO 6 ?3 YOU wish to nmke;your friends happy. Of course you do. Then follow our advice, aud present each with a handsome Holiday Gift. Come at once and make your se lections from our stock of beautiful CHRISTMAS PRESENTS, which is tho largest of the kind in the city, and sure to please. Elegant Goods. Endless T~ariety. Moderate Prices. Now is the time to make your se lections. Don't wait until the last moment, wheu the choicest, perhaps, will be then sold, We will store away your Presents, if desired, until you wish to corry t'.iem homo or else where. Clirislmas Presenta, Wedding and Birthday Gifts/ Before you buy them call and see us. Our Holiday Goods are now being opened, display ing the highest decorative art, and are strikingly beautiful. They must bo seen to be appreciated, and are certain to please the taste of your relative or friend, and the selection of auy of these Gifts will be highly ap preciated by them. We have the handsomest Plush and Velvet Manacure Sets, Shaving Sets, Smoking Sets, Dressing Casei, Thermometers in plush frames, Whisk Brooms and Holders, Writing Desk and Work Box combined. Also, Fine Cut Glass Cologne Bottles, Fin est Extracts and Perfumery, Beauti ful Hand Mirrors, Shaving Mirrors, Velvet Whisk Brooms, Gift Cups and Saucers, Bisque Goods, Plush Frames for Placques, etc, If you dou't care anything for the above, we have the best 5c. Cigar in tho city, ? box of which will make! a good Piesent for some of your smoking friends. Besides the above, wo have the largest stock of Lamps seen . ir. the up-country, and the greatest variety, one of which will make a useful Present, and be au ornament for auy Parlor or Drawing Room. f ai Q >?? B. o CL, ? 03 O p cn H W H t? fr H w H Which is Fittingly Shown by the above. GOODS WERE NEVER SO LOW. This fact We are prepared to Prove lc our Friends and Customers who may favor us with a call. WE are now receiving the largest and moat carefully selected (Stock of General Mer chandise which we have ever purchased, and will make it to yonr interest to call and examine for yourselves. We li.we added to the lines usually kept by us many new and desirable ones, embracing ? Ladies' Dress Goods, Flannels, Suitings, Shawls, &c., And the best CORSET on the market at 50c., worth $1.00. Also, a A LARGE LINE OF READY MARE CLOTHING, HATS, TRUNKS, UMBRELLAS, BLANKETS, SADDLES and HARNESS. Also, the Celebrated "NEW GLOBE" SHIRT-the king of all Shirts. It needs only to be worn to be appreciated. We are agent: for the Celebrated Miabawaka 8ulky Flows, Cultivators and Hand Turning Plows. The "White Hickory" and "Hickman" one and two horse WAGONS, every one of which we guarantee. The attention of Glnners and Farmers is called to our COTTON SEED AND GRAIN CRUSHER, By which you v?u ?.~?h your Cotton S^ed ?nd make your FertJHier. Get our prices on Plantation and Gin House Scales, Cotton Gins, Feeders and Con densers and General Farm Machinery. We are at all times in the Cotton Market, and will do you right. We will pay all ties who owe ns for Supplies and Guano an extra price. A large lot of BAGGING and TIF8 at lowest prices. Oct. 2, 188? MoCULLY, CATHCART ? CO. 12 THE NEW FIRM. CUNNINGHAM & FOWLER, Successors to J. 6. Cunningham & Co., dealers in DRY GOODS, GROCERIES, HATS, BOOTS, SHOES, II ABD|WA^. And a full line of EVERYTHING usually kept in a General Stock. ".Also, the world-renowned Dixie Ajrento#fi>r^ Mickory Wasons, and tho Columbus Bngfity, the bett %n the urorld for tno raor-try. ^ n We want all the money that hi duo us thia Fall;on Guano, or otherwlae. The Books, Notes and Accounts of the Firm of J. G. Cun ningham A Co. are In our hands for^collectlon, and must be settled in some way. Thanking our friends for peat patronage, we ask ??m8 to see na. We will do you right. ?*r- All gooda delivered free inside the city. .Oct g. 1884 CUNNINGHAM A FOWLER. 18 G. BART & CO., 55, 57 and' 59 rv.rketyStreet, CHARLESTON, - S. O. THE LARGEST, FRUIT ANO PRODUCE. HOUSE IN THE SOUTH. JMPORT and keep constantly on hand Banana?, Cocoannta, , Oranges, Pino Apples. Apples, Lenton*, Nuts, Raisins, Potatoes, Cabbage, Onion*, ~._N. C. and Va, Peanut*. AftrftUse* i? - 4 m NOTICE FINAL SETTLEMENT. Notice ls hereby given that the un dersigned, Administrator of the Estate pf John Herron, deceased, will apply to tba Jo Jge of Probate for Anderson County, on tho 10th day of January, 1886, for a Final Settlement and dischntgo .rom said office aa Ad^injatrstorot ajaid^UU. W. A. McFALL, Adta'r. D?0 ll, 1884 22 6 Ho tico to Creditors. W. B. Watson vavEmma 0. Erskine, et aL Aspersor*having claims aramst tie S^Batata of Wm. B, Brakin?, detfd. are. hewby nolloed to prpTS thftrfialm* M?stcr. Dcc lS, 1834 ? ; ? The Tender Conscience of Mr. Bobberts. BY SHERWOOD BOMKES. fVom Harper't Weekly. It wuz about tho third year o' ruy marriage with Jed Burridge that the rust got hiter the wheat; au* what wuzn't rust wuz cheat. People saw the bread a-slippiu out o' ther mouths iu stid of inter them, an' every niau ou tho Nine-mile wuz ns blue na a wet hen. Talk ruu high about cmigratiu' to Kansas, which wuc represented as ovcrflowin' with milk an' honey, free fur all who wuz a-longiu' fur that Scripterai food. Nobody grumbled moro thun our nighest neighbor, Mr. So-So Bobberts. Israel wuz Iiis proper name, but 6ome wag had giv him tho kognomeu of "So-So," au' co'se it stuck to him like a burr. It riz from his habit of uevcr comia' out with a squar yes of no ou any p'int, nor, so to speak, of givin' any satisfactory praise or dispraise to things of God or the devil. Every thing wuz from fair to middlin', like an average cotton bale. Ho wuz mighty low once, au' the doctor had about give him up. "How do you staud with God?" says Preacher Snowden, a-bendin' over him, an' shoutin' loud inter his deef euiug ear. "So-so," growls Mr. Bobberts, true to hisself to the last. He never wuz one fur gilt-edge speeches, an' didn't want ter ornament his dyin' bed with anything uncommon. However, he didn't die this turn, 'nu wuz soon round, pearl os ever, seemin' ter think he hud outwitted death fur good. Truth is, he's OTU; of the tough kind that's hard ter kill, not a ounce o' adiposo on his bones. He is loDg an' lean an' lank an' ribby as the sea sand, as the poetry book says, On top o' that long body o' his is set the littlest head ever I see OB a mature adult person-not much bigger than a hilliard ball, an' nigh about cz smooth, if you could ketch him on a summer's day cool in' off under a tree, with his wig hangin' in the branches above, His face is smooth-shaved, an' has a kind o' scorched look, as if it had been held over a blaze till the red wuzb'irut iu; an' with glitteriu' little black eyes an' a tight mouth, he is altogether a curious-lookin' old critter. Ter begin my story proper, meh'oe I ought ter go back to the fust thrishin' machinc tnat wuz ever brough', to the Nine-mile. It wuz a sort of triangular purchase, Mr. Bobberts leadin' off, au' penmadin' two neighbors, John T?aney an' Farmer Sweet, to club in with him, it bein' too expensive fur any one man ter buy. Everybody wuz surprised at I sich a j'inin' of forces, fur John an' Farmer Sweet wuz jolly, slap-dash kind o' fellers, spendin' their money free os words, au' fonder of a good laugh than of daily bread, while Mr. Bobberts wuz as close as a chestnut, an' never could see any sense iu a joke. How somever, the thrasher wuz bought, au' a contract made settin' forth that the machine wuz to be controlled ekally by the three, au' that in any question concernin' it the majority wuz ter rule. One day Mr. Bobberts, John Haney, Farmer Sweet wuz hard at work in the fust-named's ten-acre field. Mr. B. wuz mortal cross that day, an' his helpers wuzn't feelin' very lovin'. Noontime brought Cissy Bobberts with two tin buckets containin* a snack. "Maw says you are to come up to the house, paw," says she; "iher's some hot gingerbread fur you." Bobbertu walked off very prompt, au' the two men that wuz left looked at each other an' grinned. "Did I ever toll you aboi.t my frandfather ?" said John Rancy to 'armer Sweet "Didn't know you had a grandfath er." "Well, I did ; an' I eau tell you he I wuz a man among men. On one oe- | casion my mother, who wuz a grot person for puttiu' on clylc, had invited a lot of town folks out to a. dinner. It ! to ba a big affair. Ovens au' I skillets an' pots an' pans wuz all full. As luck would havo it. my grandfath er wuz buildin' a mil1, in the vicinity, an' he had a good force o' laborers employed-some twenty men or more -*an' among 'em half a dozen black fellows that he had picked up in town. Jest as dinner wuz about to bo dished up, in stalked the old mar. as solemn as a turkey gobbler, an' after him six negroes, each with a brandnew wooden tray balanced on his head. 'Fill 'em up, boys,' says he, in a voice to make your nair stand on end ; an' at the word, in a twinklin' the dinner wuz piled up on the trayB-venison an' pig, an' roast turkey au' fried chicken, an' vegetables an' pies of every name an' natur'-a clean sweep, even to the salt pork that wuz mixed in with the 'fresh,' fur old acquaintance' sake. Not so much as a cooky wuz left to tell the tale. Mis* Jacob Price, .who wuz a-cookin' fur my mother that day, wu? so overcome atseein' the company dinner hurricaned away in such a fashion that she jest sunk inter a ohair, an' sot there like a wax figger, big eyed an' tongue-tied. An' when the six Africans had marched out, all on tho broad grin, my grandpa turned to Mis' Price, an* saya he; 'I've, got twenty men a-labonn' at my mill, an' they deserve a good dinner, fur they've earned it. An as fur them lacy wo men at the house'-here he p'in ted his thumb over his shoulder very con temptuous-'let 'em come out an' cook another dinner, or go home a-faa tin'.'" Mr. Sweet took a thoughtful null at the butter-milk jug. "Must haf had a good deal of whisky in him, your grandpa mu9t," said he, "before he ventured so far with a woman of your mother's spuuk." "Well, maybe," returned tho other, cautiously. "They do say he subsisted i mainly on whiskey well into the nine ties." Both men laughed, an' dived further into their iiu buckets, in hopes of I findin' astray doughnut or a cold pie. "Well I must say," cried Farmer J Swest, "I wish your grandfather had been round thc Bobberts kitcheu this day ; wc might ha' had something fit for a Christian stomach." "Old Bobberts is a close hand," said John Raney, "no doubt of that." "No doubt at all, said tho farmer. "I don't quito see, John, how wo came to bc associated with bim in buy in' this machine." "Because wo were a precious pair of fools," said Mr. Raney, cheerfully. "An' then," cried Farmer Sweet, "fur nil the old 'coon wuz so crazy fur thc machine, nu' pestered us to death to go thirds with bim, you can't make him own now that he likes tho old thrasher, or feels in any way beholden to us. Twuz only this tnornin' I says to him. 'Well, farmer, how d'ye like the machine, now you've seen her a-goin' V 'Oh, so-so,' says 1"?. 'Sho',' says I, 'you ought ter come out strong er than that Mr. Bobberts. Think what a savin' of labor it is.' 'Well,' says bc, jest fur pure coutrainess, 'I ain't sho' but that I like the old way best; it wuz more sociable like. Now, you seo tho neighbors will all be a-wantiu' ter borrow the machine, an' we may regret ever a-purchasiu' of it.' Au' then he sithed, as hypocritical as a preacher at a strange funeral." John Raney wuz the greatest fellow fur a joke ou the perarer, au' a wicked thought come a-jumpin' inter his mind. "Say," cried he, "I ain't overproud of ownin' anything along with old Bobberts. Let's burn up the whole rig, an' clear out." "Burn her?" said Farmer Sweet, his eyes a-stariu' ; "arter all the money we've put in her ?" "We'd never ha' got much satisfac tion out of her," said Rainey. "Bob berts would always want her jest when our wheat wuz ready ; an' what a joke it would be on him jest ter take him at his word fur onco, an' tell him wo thought the old way wuz best as well as he." Farmer Sweet begun ter laugh. "All right," said he ; "go ahead." An' then an' there them two men act'ally did set fire ter that thrashiu' machine. I mustn't forget ter say that some folkB always declared that the fire wuz an accident, au' that them two men made up the tale of bu min' it themselves jest ter devil Mr. Bobberts. When Bobberts came out an' saw the thing in a blaze, it set him in the biggest rage ever seen on tho Nine mile. "Wc thought you would like it," says Farmer Sweet, artless as a baby, "Beciu' how you liked the machine onlv so-so, ati' the old way wuz the best," "How dared you meddle with my property ?" howls Mr. Bobberts. "Majority rules," says John Raney, cool as Christmas. Then Mr. Bobberts up an' struck John, an' John hit back with nuc? good-will that it euded in a fight that came near endin' Mr. Bobberts. Well, well it wuz a good mnuj years ago that this happened, an' no body supposed Mr. Bobberts wuz lay in' up anything ag'inst John Raney He wuz very friendly with both hin an' Farmer Sweet, au' I did hear tha they had paid him back every cent 0 the money he had put inter the ma chine. 'I hey wuz williu' ter pay fu their joke after they had their fun ou of it, an' it wuz considered very hand some of them on the prarer. Hf, As I wuz a-sayin', a bad year cam fur the farmers. Nobody felt lik umhin' much o' Christmas. W hadn't any fatted calves, an' all th turkeys an' gineroi fowls had bee traded fur store goods. So when th news came that Preacher Snowden wu goin' ter spend Christmas on Nin< mile it wuz quite a question where h would put up, fur he wuz pretty fon of the flesh-pots. He took hil- Orai before sermon an' after ; but he w xz good Hard-shell Baptist, and ooun on the doctrine. But I must say always went agin int ter hear him sa that boll wuz paved with infant skulls not half a span long. He wuz tho curiousest preacher ever sot under. He would take a tex an' stick to it pretty well fur a whil cou: hierin' he hadn't no eddicatioi but when the exhortin' mood came c him, an' he got good warmed up, 1 would drop chapter an' verse, a wander w ild an'free, as the song se Ho had a way, '.co, of pickin' o some text an' umhin' it mean som thing entirely duTerent from what y< had allays supposed. Tn foot wuz that old man's contrainens a pig-headedness an* conceit of hims? that he made nothin' of arguin' ag*it the Scripter. I s'pose he ain't the on man who ever thought he knew mo than the Lord who made him, but wuz the fust ever I see " ho brazen owned as much in the pulpit, an' wi the Bible open before him. He wuz sot agin now-fangled i tions, Preacher Snowden wuz, f made nothin' of dod arin' that temp ance societies an' Sunday-schools h sent more people to hell than c\ they kept out of it. I never had ai thing effect me like that; an' as 1 Jed Burridge, he ?est muttered in whiskers, "God help the people in t country if they've got to set un< your preachin !" An' then, with? a word to me, Jed jammed his hat his head an' walked out gloomy ai hearse, "I couldn't set thar an' stn that,'' he remarked to me, apologe when I j'ined him in the churchyi after proachin' wuz Over. . There wuz a sort of relief on Nine-mile when we heard that preacher had invited himself ter p Christmas with Brother Bobbe Ill-natured folks said his reason ?toppin' there wuz because Mr. B berts never had j'ined the tempera cause. He know ho could git hts tot in that house, while" in most of others he would have ter mil back hot coffee an' herb tea. The day before Christmas Mr. S Bobberts walked inter John Ran store. I forgot to say that John ! ?ve up farmw'some time before, td gone inter town an' engag?e tba drug bu sin esa. He h ad jest marrid to one. of tho BLvoo girls, everybody had a good word fur] the youug couple. Well, iu tromped Mr. Bobberts, bis hat set {.back on bis head, his cars wrapped in a woolen comforter, his wngou whip in his band, nu' his mouth spread very affable, as if once in his life thiugs* wus a'leetlo better than "so-so." "I want ter buy some whisky." "Got to entertain a preacher nt 'jany house, BU' make him a Christmas ??eg uog." "All right," enys John Raney*; "haifa gallou, I suppose ?" Now tho p'int o' 'bat remark wuz this : there wuz a law ia the State forbidden' any drug man to sell less than half a gallon o' whisky. Thia wuz ter put a stop to indiscriminate dram-drinkin* an' treatiu' on the part o' tho boys. "Half a gallon," says Bobberts ; "an' it seems as if that's a sight o' whisky fur a sober man like me ter ti be "ugj?uT home." "Oh, it'll keep," says Johu ; an' it'? handy ter have iii the house iu case o euako bites." "As to its kcepin'," said Mr. Bob berts, very grim, "Preacher Showdei f)urposc8 ter pass some d' .vt - " An ?ero he nausea very cloqu r?t. "Precisely," says Job*, -vith a laugl an' a wiuk. Then li*, filled up tbe ju< very deft an' handel*, it ter tho ol< man. "Hope your health is good thi winter?" he remarked. "So-so," eays Mr. Bobberts, with i nod. Then bc clomb inter his waggii an' druv away very swift. Some four hours later a figgor thu looked like tho wreck o' Mr. Bobbert appeared in John Rauey's store. Hi bat wuz off, an' his head wuz parti wrapped iu tho wooled comforter, wit! bare places sbinin* through ; his con wuz toro, au' iu bis hand bo held jit the handle o' the whiskey jug-notbii but the handle. "What on the earth bas happened ? ci ?cd John ; an' tho men all crowde round. Bobberts toppled over inter a chee; and it wuz snmo minutes before h fouud his breath. But at last he com out with a blood-cunllin' story of liai in* been sot on by tramps whilejoggii aloug the lonesomest part o' the roo? They robbed him, au' they fit bim, ai they stole his whiskey an' broke h ?ug. Thar sot tbe ola man lookiu' i pitiful as Moses in tho bulrushes. 13 wuzn't very poppolcr, but nobody cou! Kelp expressin' a sympathy fur hil an' feelin' run high agin the tramr Some o' tho young Idlers wuz fi startin' out ter hunt them up ; but wuz Into an' cold, au' it ain't so cai ter catch a thief who has his wits abo bim. Mr. Bobberta set by tho sUr until he recovered hisself, an' then 1 mys, with a grin, "Well, I s'poso I havo ter git some more whisky, an' 'ain't got a cent left." "You can have it ou time," sa John, very geuerous. "Half a gi lon?" He shook bis bead. "No," Bays h "this bas been a mighty bad year us farmers, John, an' 1 can't aile another half-gallon, but I'll buy quart, if you'll sell it ter me." This wuz a sort of dilemma 1 Jobu. On the one band wuz bis c neighbor, whom he reely wanted oblige ; on the other, the law. "Seems ter me, John," says Farn Bobberts, "you might do me a gc turn, seem' as it's Christmas-time.^ John wuz a-kuitten' bis brows, I af a sudden his face lit up. "Tell} what I'll do," soys he. "I'll sell j A quart, an' add it ter the half-gall so I eau put down ou my book a s of three-quarts, don't you seo. Tba make it all right with the law, satisfy you too, Mr. Bobberts." "Jest so," naid tho old mao. ? niter a little moro talk he pocketed quart of whisky an' druv off fur second time. Tber wuz quite a turnout at moctin'-house next day ter hear Ft ar Snowden preach. He wuz ia jf bis belligerent fits, an' il\vuzied? Brother Bobberts's eggnog hed b uncommon strong. Ho took a g Christmas text, an' preached along & while very decorous, thea, all c mddint, off he branched. "Says he, a-slappin' his hands on Bible, But ther is some things, brethren, in this sacred book as n not be took too literal. Wo bet gre't deal, fur instans, about not se tho mote in your brother's oyo on count o' tho beam in your c That's a -very pretty figger, but won't hold waier. I've got my fai huge as the mountain::, an' plentift the leaves ; bui what would I he i as a preacher if I made a umbreiii 'em tel prevent my seein' tho faul my fellow-sinners < It is asy mit ter find out the wickedness an' misdoin's of my brethren in .ho I an' it's every Christian man's dut go and do likewise. It's the protci of society an* the bulwark of lib Ther wuz once a feller who wuz se guard a treasure. His name Argus, an' he had os many eye ther are freckles on a turkey's eg Bpots on a peacock's tail. Au' \ ono o' them eyes wuz closed in t tho others would be wide av Always on the look-out ; couldn't I him nappin'. An' so the sinner it world must be made ter feel that gus ir a-watebin' of hiv,. Whet eye is shet, Brother Br oberts's is c when Brother Bobberts is takin' s Jed Burridge is a-- /atehin' out. so it it goc3. Look out, sinner, i cape fur you) As well hope te! out the uncountable stars as cloe twinklin' eyes of men. l'An' th er'? no use, my bret h ri a-wrestlin' an' a-etrugghn' an'a-g in' your teeth because of the bes your own eye. Some good bro tl overlookin you, and tho fust thin know,' it 'll be h'iated inter ete An'you needn't be afeard of p at tue moto in your brother's PYaps it ain't so much of a mob all, an' it's your bounden duty t< a bund to cast it out." d?Vin' settled thia, the pn wondered to other p'ints, an' ] .ay he give nu a very rtUrrtainii course. Sonio folks smiled, un' tsome looked sour. Au' ns fur Mr. Bobberts, ho sot thar nu* groaned an' eithed ns if somo powerful concern wuz on his mind. Ou tho -voy home ho j'ined mc, un' wo walked to the cernerlo gether. "I'm worried in my mind, Mis' Burr ridge," sez he. '.Is it tho moto or tho beam, Mr. Bobbert* ?" sez I, airy like, feclin' a jovial Christmas spirit coundn' through my vcius. "Sonic 6Ubjcctd shouldu't bo turned inter lightsomencis," he replied, look in* nt mo quito grim. "Things looks dark un' drctful to my mind, an' it wouldn't surprise me if tho cud nf this sinful world wuz clus at band." "oho !" sez Jed Burridge. "You bad better be propared, Bro ther Burridge. Thor's uo uso in a blindin' your oyes au a-hardeuin' your hcr.rt. Preacher'Suowden wuz talkin' last night-an' a powerful mau bo it on argument an' logic. Ho took ur that mysterious part of Scripter callee Revelation, an' bo mado it all as cleat as cry8tial. Heven seals wuz broke hy tho angel, aud seven mighty oveuts it tho world's history hez to correspond with them seals. Ther hez been al ready a earthquake, an' a great fire an' a pestilence, an other things o marvclhous import. But one is lef ter como to pass, an' that is predicted Mis* Burridge. When you see a com ct big as a locomotivo light tn then heavens, with a tail streumin' like i blnziu' rope acrost the sky, then bavi your account ready. Fur tho world' book will bo closed, au' 'Tho End' wri on the last pago." "You malee my blood run cold, Mi Robberts," says I. "Well," says bc, "I don't want to have anything ou my conscience who that awful day rolls round." Ter this good hour I ain't boen abl ter make ?jp my mind whether Mi Robberts wuz a-talkin'4hypocritical,c whether lits mind wuz reely upset. A any rate, before tho week wuz out Ii bad distinguished himself by tho mot extraordiuory t-ieee of meanness eve committed on tho Nino-mile. He ha gone to totvn an' informed on Joh Haney fur seUin' him less than half \ gallon of whiskey ! An* tho fine wi throe hundred dollars, j Graciouf ! gracious I what a-buzzi: aud a-talkin' ther wuz over tho pen Irer! Not bin' elso wuz spoke of fi an' wido; an' finally such wuz tl I gineral disiatisfaction that some o' tl neighbors ?ot together an' went ter sj j Mr. Bobbe rte iu a remonstratio spiri They found the old niau with bis I bio on his knees, a-lookiu' very piot He wuz quite williu' ter talk, but 1 wuz as set as a rooted rock. Ho "a be couldn't 'a rested with that sin ? John Haney's on his couBcieuco ; tb I be bad broke the law of man, whi wuz only second to that of God. "But he broke it fur you, old mat cried Roland Selpb, "out o' pure cc Bideration an' giuerouB-hearfcediiesfO. "That's neither here nor thar," sa I old Sc *o, firm as Brutus. "It ot muk?s my duty tho cnpleasanter. E I never wuz a flincher, au' I sha' take up that line now." "Why didu't you inform on some your own sius while you wuz ab( it ?" cries Reuben Thiug, "I aiu't broke no laws," say9 ? Bobberts. "My sius is between an' my heavenly Father, an' any you as feels a call to do so can info on me iu your communications w Him." Alter this ther didn't seem ter much more ter say, so the boys wit ed at each other an' took their lew but they agreed that old Bobberts v an' ugly-lookin' lot fur a couver Christian whoso conscience wuz tender fur evcry-day uso. "Think of his cullin' it a mattel conscience 1" cried Roland, very i giiBted. "Pooh I" soys Jed Burridge, * revenge, nothiu' more nor less. Ai do hopo old Bobberts will bo come with-I reely do." in. "I tell you, judge, it's the wicked cruelest, most unjust thing; an' if ; make my husband pay that monej shall think you just as bad as old ? beria. Therol" "My dear child I my dear Leil -and Judge Wimbleton waved hu hands most cxpostulatory-"I am responsible. It's the law-the 1 Leila." "Well, the law is a fool 1" ehe oi I her black eves snapping for Leila i ney hadn't lost any of the temper had aa Leila Biacoe. "I know it/' sayu Judge Wimbli very T??I?. "I've often thought law wuz one thing an' justice ano! But ther ain't any other way of set human affairs. We must nave a to go by, an' follow it to the letter, every man wuz to give his own ni in' ter the laws of the land, tho r would bo chaos, turbulence, rei tion." Much Leila cared fur his words. "What's that ter rae," cried, "when I see my John wo out of his senses ubout that awful You know, judge, we are just 8? in life ; it took every cent wc coal together ter pay fur our little hom start John's business. It will juet pie him, cripple him fur life, toi out that money now ; au' all ter. fy the spite of a cross old niau. John did nothin' wrong. He sob Bobberts three quarts of whiskey "Leila, there s no nae insictu that The facts are these : Mr. herta in his charge declares on that John Raney sold him one of whiskey. ' Ter provo th ii?, li dozen witnesses hold themselves i Now the law ia explicit, an' doest inter motive nor private feclin most expound that law, an' I an as helpless as yon arc." "Helpless r criesLeila. "V TOW ter Heaven I won't bc bel If you had seen my poor boy, as a-sittin' with his head in his lookiaV aa if his. heart wux I 'Well have ter sell the co?,' sa; W put a mortgage on our home' hard work payin'. off ? moi Maybe we'll leave ii as a blet?* tance to our children.'" An' hero a great Bob choked Leila's word::, an' she turned aa ret? as a hun? dred roses ; fur her fust baby wuzn't to como until June. Judgo Wimbleton wuzn't a particu larly soft mau, hut somethin' warmed the cockles of Iiis heart, an' ho got up un' took Lei!;-, hy the haud. "Leila," sez he, "old So-so Bobberts t? a beast. Now thats my caudid opin ion. But my opiuion ain't wuth a row of pins when it comes to tho law. All I can do is to mako the linc as small a:? may bo. But if old Bobbertu could be induced to withdraw hit? chargo, tho wholo thiug would full to the grouud." She throw up her head. "I'll try to inako him withdraw it," set she. "Ho's a hard mau to deni with," BCZ Judgo Wimbleton. "Perhaps he won't ho a match fur Leila Roney ;" an' she laughed out liko a bird. "Fair means an' foul Judge- I'll try both." "All's fair in war," sez tho Judgo, with a soothin' smile. From that tiu o Leila Rauey wui simply possessed 'Uh tho desire, some way, somehow, to ?et the4better of Bob berts. All her scckin's au' quesiiouiu'i wuz long iu vain, until one day cnanct -or Providcnco mehhe-set her OE tho right track. Leila had hecn persuaded*to attcud a rog-tftckin' at Sister Weeden's, oui on tho perarcr; au' when sho gol thar the women's tongues were a-clat torin' equal to a hotel dish-washin'. "We wuz just a-talkiu' of you Leila," said Mis' Amos Burridge, win was very outspoken, "an' a-sympathiz iu' with you an' Johu." "Well," says Leila, forcin' a smile "the axe ain't fallen yet, an' mebbi ucver will." "Get tho Lord on your side," say Sister Charity Hackloton, "an' yoi need not fear the power of man." "I'm miro He ought to bo ou ou side," cried Leila, "for it's a wicka piece of wqrk to take the bread out u our moutliB." "It's a pity that your husband shoul sell liquor/ said Martha Hatfield, little black-eyed spitfire of a womat "Well, ho don't driuk it," answero Loila, very dry. "Neither would my husband drill' it," cries Martha, "if it wuzn't for cei Iv in folks I could Dame a-temptin' hil au' trent in' him an' a-sellin'him liquc on credit." "If it's my husband you'ro slappii at," says Leila, "I can tell you ho lu r old no liquor en credit to Jim Hatfich fur I know his books as well as li kuuws them hirasolf, nu' your hu baud'o nr.me is ?ot ou them, Beside John knows that Jim has joined tl Sous o' Temperance, on' he is too goo to tempt any man*to!drink who is tr; ing to git shet of tho nabit." "Too good 1" sniffs tho other ; "thal all you know about him. I've g proof of what I say : jugs an' bott! that come /rom John Knncy'n usual have his namo pasted on tho sides." "What de you mean ?" an' up juni ed Leila, quick as n mad eat. But Martby shot her lips very res lute. "I aiu t no more ter say,", si cried ; "I've said too much airead If you're satisfied with your husban lam with minc." An with tlmtB fell to toarin' rags so vigorous that t dust flew out an set us all ter coughii Sister Weeden, who wuz ever ? pouriu' oil on troubled waters, propos that we should sing a hymn as soon we had calmed tho tumult in o throat?, an' Boon tho rafters wuz ringin' to tho tuue of "With cherubim and seraphim, Foll royally Ile rode. And on the wings of mighty winds Went flyin' all abroad." Well, well, them two women watch each other out of tho corners of lin eyes all the rest o' the day, but th< wuz no more disputin'.. Wheo Loila got home, first thi she did wuz ter ask her husband, if had been Bellin* Jim Hatfield a whiskey lately. . ? f "Not a pint," says John-"not set I heard he jined the Sons o' Temp ance." "You oro positive ?" "Just aa positive as that I've got I Prettiest wife ia the State.''said Jo! blain* her ; for be bad determined chirk un before Leila, seeln' aa how depression weighed on her. Leila, ber side, wouldn't dampen John's spi by tellin' of the false charge against hi but she rando up her mind to get to bottom of the metter. . The next day she started off on a a ond tramp to the Niuo milo, this ti bound for the Hat field bouse. WI she got inside the gate ber totri soroetbin' that gave her a st It i a blt of broken jog, with J?~-_ Ram name printed very ?Uiioct ou the lal "So Martby told the truth 1" she ir. tered, au' her feelio'a softened conoids ble, while at the same time.she i plunged inter deeper perplexity.. < Hu' Hatfield bad jest got through mornin's work, an' wuz sitting dc rock i n' her baby, when she saw L standin' io the doorway. Surpri enough abe woe; but bavin' lo be p?u io her own houae, obs aaked her in, banded ber a cheer. "1 want ter "\y in the beginnin', i thy," ?aye Le'io, "that I done you an justice yesterday, an' I ask your nardi Martby looked all taken aback bes Leila apeak BO gentle, but abe cool help feelin' mollified. "I'm glad to bear auch words.1' abe, very hearty. "Oar Father in net knows I wouldn't speak untrue on sp subject. It's too painful." "Well, Martby. I'm in a bewlldera and I jest call on yon as one woman Bister woman to help me'ont of H. ' you made a charge against my busb and I want yon ter take it beck, me Ibis-did yon ever hear of J Raney tellio'a lie?" "I've beera of bis bein' a great Jol says Martby, cautions like; "but OJ tellio'a lie-no.'' t "Hi? jokes have no malice in th says Leila, "an' it sio't in bia blot lie. An' I tell yon soJeatn that . ow mi his word that be ain't sold, husband oner drop o' whiskey ?te? united -?Ith tho Sona o' Temperance make sorer than sure I went eve book* myself, an' Jim*?' namo ain't i fur a thing except soma qulnino t bottloofEootbin'Tyrup." "TbomrAfridldfae?et it?" cries ti!;* Hatfield. ! ? *. What mad? yo& suspicion John h Th* ?to* cfcmo io Uarffij> <r/& "As long as you've come to mo so frank an' friendly, Leila ?aney," says sbo, "I'll tell you all about it. though it looks like a mean thing to do agin my own husband. They would turallin) out of tho Church if it wuz found out, and that would jest be the ruin of poor Jim." "Don't you be afraid, Marth y. Jim ii too good a follow fur tho Lord ter let go of." "This is how it WUK. The day before Christmas Jim went ter town to get some things. There wue shoes fur Phi), ec' a cap fur the baby, au' a calico frock fur me, nu' a new bat fur himself, an' a roast of meat, an' a pint of cranberries, an' a pound of fine cut tobackker, an' a box of snuff, an' some candy fur the chil dren's atockin's. 1..M)'.8 Uko a good deal fur poor folk* t? ben buy in', but Jim had been so good about not drlnkin' that we bad mo: ) Christmas money than wo have ever had eence I've been married. Jim wuz in (inc ?pirita, an' I hadn't a sbadder of mistrust of bim. I weut about my work 'gingin'-you know how a woman feels when a great load has been lifted from her shoulders"-nn' Loila nodded very sympathetic. "It wuz tho day old Mother Burridge got her dreadful fnll, and they sent fur me ter como over. I wuz lookin' out fur Jim, an' about uonn be pnssed by with old man Bobberts." "With Mr. Bobberts?" cried Leila, starting up. "Yes ; an' I run out ter the gate ter meet them. Jim wuz ez sober a man ez ever drow brenth. I told bim where be would find bis dinner, au' that I wouldn't bo homo until Into; that mebbe I would havo to stay all night, an' tbat, consider ing the uncertainty,! he needn't come after me, czoue of thc boys would Bee roe home. Howsomever, I got home about sundown, an' what d'ye think wuz the sight that met my oyes, Leila Ranoy ? There wuz tho room in a mess, the ure burned out, tho sm<dl of whiskey every where, a broken iug on the floor, two glasses on tho table, *r?' my husband stretched Out on tho sofa a-aleepin' the sleep of drunkenness I I flung the jug out of-doora, but not before I saw that ii had John Raney's name on it. I wuz that overcome that I juBt sat down an' cried myself a'ck. I know tbat be must havo got tho liquor on credit, fur there, in a little pile, wuz everything I had sent fur, even to the candy ; nn' buy i o' them must a took tho last nickel. I called my little boy. an' asked him if he could tell me who bad been with bis pa ; an' he said that before be went to school, Phil Oglesby had been nungin' round, mighty auzious to seo Jim ; ao I s'pose he an' Jim got drunk together, for, you know. Phil is the most drlnkin' man on tba perarer. I taxed Jim with it when be carno ter himself, hut not a word could I get out (of him ; an' a sorry Christmas broke fur us, all because somebody let my Eoor weak husband havo a jug of whia ey." "I wouldn't havo my husband suspected of it, for tho world 1" cries Leila. "This muat be cleared up." ?She wuz so excited she could hardly speak. Her cheeks wuz on fire, an' a curious triumphant sort of look was a glittcriu' in her eyes. "May I eco your husband, Marthy ? Don't be afraid. I'll not let out a word of what you've told mo. But I must have a talk with Jim. Where is ho ?" "He is fi xin' the fence behind the barn, an1 of course you can seo him if you're a mind ter. But- Dear sakes 1 Do look ot her 1" For Leila bad tore out of the house without waitin' ter hear the end of what Marthy wuz aaayin'. She found Mr. Hatfield neilin' an old plank acrost a broken place in the fence. "Good mornin', Jim," bays Bho, col? lectin' herself, and smilin' very friendly. Leila had a pretty coaxln' way when sh? liked ; and Jim wuz in a good humor before she said another word. Not that he wuz a hard man to deal with. He wuz a good-lookin' young fellow, with ;., weak mouth, an' a bright open face that made him only too poppeler with the wild chaps in town. "Mr. Hatfield," says Leila, "you know my husband is in trouble, an' I'm trytu' my best ter help him out of it. An' I think anybody that's his friend or mine ought ter be wllHu'ter help me." "Ter be sure," saya JHt: "ter be sure." "You see, i t'a this way." says Leila, spoakin' very rapid. "Old Mr. Bobberts bought half a gallon of wbinkoy tho day before Christmas, an' o few hoon later came inter town with what yon men would call acock and bull story, of lin vin' been cot on by tramps an' robbed of it. So, plcadin' bu poverty, ho persuaded my husband to let htm buvo a quart, sn' seein' es the two purchases wuz only a few hours apart. John didn't consider that be broke the law in p?ttin' them down ez one. But, loan'behold I Mr. Bobberta' conscience wuz so very, tender ! that he Informed on John, an' unless we j csu seo some way ont of lt, be will havo to pay a big fine." P ''It wus a' mean trick/' said Mr. Hat- k fi?iu, with s sic? shake of the he tul ; "a ' powerful mean triok." L "So it woz," says Leila; "an' I'll till 1 you my opinion, Mr. Hatfield. It is that 1 Mr. Bobberts never ssw so much cz the back of a tramp. I believe tbat half gallon whiskey wont lu quito another way. an' I've reason to think that yon can tell me how it went." "Stop 1" orles Mr. Hatfield, very ner vous: "I can't give you no information, sn' if I could, f don't seo bow it would bear on the case," "Just this way. Mr. Bobberts pretends it woz his conscience made him inform on John. Now if I could prove that he told a lie-not to mince words with you-and threaten to cr poso him to the community, j I might force him to withdraw his charge i against John, mid that would end the -natter.'' ' . .:<.-. "Who caid co?" cries Hatfield, very ! much startled. "Who said so ?" ! ,?<Judge Wimbleton said so, and ob, Jim, \f you could help rae in any way to turn the tables On that wicked old man, I do beg sod pray and beseech yon not to bold your tongue." Tears were eireaouV down Leila's face, an' she bad caught Jim Hatfield's arm between her little brown hands. "I can't stand this, Leila;" said fae. "I'll tell you what I know, though it's givin' myself away, an' I'll lose my seat in church." .o "Maybe you'll gain a higher seat In God's church," saya Leiln, very coft, fixin' her black eyes on his v?ith euch a look of pity and friendlies as Went right to bis hesrt.' . "Old Bobberts did Us tot you I" ' bo cried, speaklo'very fast, ea if afraid ter trust himself; .'W I'm the maa that can prove it. Ho caught up with mo cv I was ridln' out of town, rV we wen't ovi home together. We got ter diecusaln* s horse trade that bad been off an' on be tween ns fur a year an* more. Ho wanted tor buy tho bay maro I wuz riding ao oflerod me this -time something ?sa i fair price, I wus wlUin'ter sell if I couh make a good bargain : ad when we got U wy house I invited bim ter comOln ea talk it over. After chatting qcito a apel hy tho Aro tba old maa deefared it wu jlry:;:work; tofcUff jug fty^ jalng ?.J: ;J*d:-v".-. >;:.;....'.';'? -V'-.' ',? r-.)?<??