The times and democrat. (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, May 08, 1909, Page 3, Image 3
When Wild I
Plums Blossom
By JEANNETTE H.
WALWORTH.
Copyright. 19C9. by American Press 3?
Association.
*
IF the ceremony of baptism had ever
been performed for the benefit of
Johnsie Ralston, be would have
figured in the parish register as
John C. Calhoun Ralston, but neither
parish register nor baptismal font could
have been found within twenty miles
of the lonely plantation where he first
?saw the light
Given locality and environment and
"the corruption of the boy's mime was
inevitable. In bestowing the name of
the illustrious state's lighter on his
?only son bluff Bruce Rh'. -ton had ?n
:parently trusted to his achieving great
ness from association of ideas evident
ly, for other aids to progress were con
spicuously absent.
He was the last direct Ralston.
There were collaterals, nephews and
?cousins, but no strnigbtout descendant
1 "NEVEK, NEVER, JOHN BALSTONl"
-of old Daniel Ralston, who. having
?opened a' plantation In the swamp
lands of Louisiana before 1800 had
?been calendered, had fought Indians
-and malaria with even banded irapar
ttiality. vanquishing the first until vau
-quished by the last
In the bitter moods which came to
him later in life?that is, after a girl
rhad slain hope in him by a word of
negation?be was given to declaring
that he might have attempted some
thing worth the doing if his whole
family connection had not drilled it
Into him that he must follow iu the
footsteps of his fathers. Now, as his
fathers had never done anything but
"fight at the drop of a hat" or "bully
rag" their neighbors into attitudes of
? deferential respect, there was some
thing in the more refined fiber of the
^fcist of the Ralstons which made him
shrink from following in their footsteps.
His mother, gentle monitress, im
proved her opportunities while comb
ing the tangles -out of his wiry, curly
hair to pour into his boyish ears sto
ries of ?Iiis father's splendid dash dur
ing the "Mexican muddle." She coul^
? never dnsnre attention save when she
had ner fin;rers closely in twined in his
black locks, and as her reminiscent
: pride waxed warmer she would bring
I her "omb chaining through the serried
ranks of his t'ngles in a fashion to
make him wish'he had been born witb
.-out a father.
In a burst of eLacn'n bis aunt Mar
1 tba communicated "her disapointment
to .bis aunt Jane t on after he bad
? completed his short l.-rm of schooling:
"I'm afraid we've g >t a milksop in
the Ralston family : t I ist. .lane. Not
that I want the boy fc drink or race
horses or do a lot of tliiL.rs the old set
did. but his father warn't afraid of his
toddy, and he was a man that was a
man wheu'H came to a pinch."
In response Iiis aunt Jane tnouru
fully admitted that she was afraid the
boy had "kinks in his brain." which,
being a species of disorder no previous
Ralston had ever been afflicted w!tcb.
? caused Miss Martha to ask tartly:
"What sort of kinks. Jane':"
"Oh. scruples?scruples about not
fighting, about its beiujr more manly
'to dwell together in amity with every
body and ail that sort of impractical
nonsense. Pm afraid he is tame. Sis
ter Martha, dreadfully tame, and he
?could whip any man iu the parish with
one band tied behind him. He's flavor
- less utterly."
His sense of having disappointed lo
? cal expectation was sharply etupha
.~^ized by the cruel directness of a girl's
? tongue. Of course he loved her: oth
erwise her scorn would have fallen
harmless.
Such a small creature, a dimpling.
Houghing child to the eye. an imperi
ous despot when the mood was upon
her. a girl with the cooing voice of a
wood pigeon, and yet under the blow
? she dealt him the great fellow went
? down as if heaven's own bolts had
struck him. All the sunshine, all Hie
purpose, of his life went out in an hour
? of exquisite pain.
Om; short hour out of the long,
sweet May morning be and she bad
consumed searching for the pale wild
violets she loved and she wanted. The
. soft spring air was perfumed by the
jl iaeelike blossoms of the wild plums.
He bad come of age that very week.
'" The Cross Bayou place was his own
Mr. Ericson's Old House.
Go see it, it's a beauty. It stands
out among all its neighbors, because
the coloring is so bright and clear.
Mr. Ericson painted with L. & M.
Paint and says it cost 1-3 less than
ever before. He bought only 12
gallons of L. & M. Paint and 9 gal
lons of Linseed Oil to mix with it.
This made 21 gallons of pure paint,
and cost only $1.20 per gallon. It's
as handsome as the finest in town.
The L. & M. is sold by J. G. Wan
^Jtamaker Mfg. Co., Orangeburg, S. C.
now. Wby should lie not ask Katie
to be its mistress and" his well beloved
lirtle wife? Then and there be would
do tt.
She had hidden him Iff! her into a
grapevine swing that looped itself
from branch to branch of two wild
plum trees. They were white with the
fullness of their blossom tide.
Sue was but a light armful. He
could easily have put her In the covet
ed seat with one hand, but he trembled
tinder the pressure of her sweet young
body, and his great heart thumped vio
lently against his ribs, all because he
was such a coward Ralston, you see!
The swaying of the swing set the
delicate plum blossoms a-falllng. Thej
gemmed her brown hair and fell upon
her lap. She filled her little hands
with them and laughed gnyly:
"Such p:,fi:v. gauzy petals! They
look like fairy laee. Titania's wedding
veil might we?l have been woven of
iust such stuff."
He had thrown b'mself on the ground
at her feet. His greet brown eyes were
full of the dumb adoration of a slave.
"When I get married." he heard her
say, 'Til have a wedding bell made
of the wild plum blossoms?so much
daintier than the stiff, conventional
things one always sees."
He laughed nervously. "I'll have a
whole wagon load of them gathered as
soon as you say the word."
She stared at him Insolently. "What
word ?"
"Such a little word. Katie?yes."
" She still held him mercilessly with
the blue eyes that had taken on the
chill of polished steel.
"What are you talking about, John
sie Ralston?"
He rose from his crouching posture
to tower over her commaudingly.
"Don't you know that I love you,
Katie? You will have to answer 'Yes*
to that. There's no other honest an
swer."
She flung her answer at him defiant
ly: "Yes. What then?".
"And don't you know that I want to
marry you? Haven't you known it
these half dozen years, Katie?"
"Yes. What then?"
"Then"?he held out pleading hands
to her?"oh. my little girl, will you
not come to me while the sweet wild
plums are blossoming for you and for
me? 1 will try so hard to make you
glad all the days of your life." I
From under her crown of wild flow
ers she looked at him with a cruel
smile of negation. She vaulted lightly
earthward and stood before him with
her small hands clasped behind her.
Standing thus, she dealt him his death
blow.
"Never, never, never, John Ralston!
I'll marry no coward, an it please you,
sir. Why didn't you kill Dave Sturms
the other day instead of turning the
other cheek? Ah. you thought I would
never hear of it. but you see 1 bare?I
have!" Her pretty face was dark with
passion. "No man shall ever point the
finger of scorn at my husband. Wed
ding bell will never hang over you
and mo, John. Goodby!"
She tlung him a mocking farewell
from the tips of her fingers and sped
homeward alone through the leafy
aisles of the forest. ?
He stood like a man who has re
ceived his deathblow in buttle. A?
the sweetness Lad gone out of the
air. all the light out of the sunrty
day. He flung out bis hands with a
gesture of despair.
She bad never loved him or she could
not have condemned him unheard.
How easy to convict her of error if
it bad been worth while!
It was then that he retired to the
Cross Bayou place and took up the-life
of a hermit crab, all because he was
a coward, you sec.
Only one human bemg accepted: him
unquestioning!}', believed In him abso
lutely. That was Black Prince, and
when Johnsie went Ento retirement on
the Cross Bayou place Black Prince
went with him. v
Prince was his foster brother and!
his chattel. Mammy Ann had nursed!
them both from her full maternal foum
tains. There was nothing princely
about the chattel save his loyalty and
a chlralric devotion that found all ehe
reward it asked In obliterating seld'?or
the object it adored.
"Me and Marse Johnste" comprised
the universe for Black Prince.
From Black Prince's: point t<5' view
I*fe as it was lived at Cross Bayou by
^ne and Marse Johnsie" was simply
perfect. A little labor and a great deal
of resting?what mere could heart of
man ask?
If the white maw had his periods of
self disgust and bitter retrospection:,
the black one wus never t&e wiser for
it. If there came to the master mo
ments of passionate longing, when a
shadowy girl face lookrd at him from
out the memory land with a cruel
smite of negation on her sweet face,
the- chattel was never the sadder for
It. If Prince was conscious of any de
fined longings, !t was to have things
go on ju^i as they were forever and
forever unless, indeed, it might be for
the glorious annual excitement of a
barbecue.
There was an unwritten law which
Impelled the people about Cross Bayou
t-.> rally once a year and "ketch up
with loejil affairs."
No man assuming lo be considered a
good citizen dared abseilt himself from
the general rally. F.ven Johnsie felt
(lie obligation iaid upon him. The
gloom lifted temporarily from his
handsome fa.ee as he took the reins
from his hostler and gave reiu to bis
spirited liays and?to bis fancy.
Of eoursc Katie VVroon would he
there. II?- bad stayed away from two
annual barbecues now for that very
reason. r.^ii he believed lie bad found
the words in which he could make bei
repent ?'f her cruel charge without
having to blacken another man's char*
acter.
Perba [is she had already repented.
Aunt Martha bad given him a friendly
message fmm her the last time be had
Itev. I. W. Williamson's Letter.
Rev. I. W. Williamson, Hunting
ton, W. V.. writes: This is to cer
I tify that I used Foley's Kidney Rem
1 edv for nervous exhaustion and kid
i
i ney trouble and am free to say that
it will do all that you claim for it."
1 Foley's Kidney Remedy has restored
health and strength to thousands of
weak, run down people. Contains
no harmful drugs and is pleasant to
take. Lowman Drug Co., A. C.
Dukes.
seen her. Two vefT? hot since ifocto
tad dealt hitu that blow under th*
wlild pluro trees. Thfpluru trees were
in fclossoiu again. He could' catch the
perfume of them as ire' spun rapidly
toward- the barbecue ficouuds-. The
scent 01 them bad always: haunted him
since that day.
Perhaps he could persuade- her to
drive home- with him behind his band
some bays. She dearly loved- a fine
horse. He hud started late in order
to make a more imposing arrival; He
wanted Katie to see him. His first
glance was cast toward the fringe- of
woods where the carriages already
stood in serried ranks. Yes, th?- old
Vera on coach was there, but enapty.
The girls would be gathering wild
flowers until called to take their places
at the long improvised tables.
As soon as he could find Prince, wto
bad gone ahead with the hampers, he
would hand over his- team and go in
search of Katie. But the boy was
singularly^ hard to find. In and out
of the laughing, dancing, rollicking
crowd he wound his way in increasing
irritation.
On the outskirts of the grounds he
hitched his horses and pnrsued his
search on foot. At last, curled up on
the roots of a willow tree which over
hung the water's edge, he found his
foster brother. He sat with his wool
ly head buried in his clasped bands.
"Prince! Drunk?"
A wet but sober face was lifted in
response to the sharp demand.
Ts been hit. Marse Johnsfe. Me yo'
ve'y own nigger. Marse Dave Sturms
done it. It were this way; Miss Katie
Vernon an* a passei er young ladies
went by this a-woy with tTrcfr bands
full er wIT flowers, and vrheo they
been gone a little ways I seen some
thing blue laying on the grorrad. I
pick it up an* see it was a little- blue
silk handkerchief Miss Katie had wore
tied about her neck. I pick it. up- an'
were foldin' it up, meanin' uv cose
for to follow Miss Katie up with It.
when Marse Dave Sturms he step- out
of the bushes an' ask me if I see any- j
.^ing nv a lady's silk handkerchief.
I say yes an' how I meant to carry it
to Miss Katie.
"Then he laugh an' say he reckon
not much, an' then I sass him a little
an' say I warn't i.nther n thief nur a
liar?you done teach me better man
ners. Then he say he teach me- better
manners then I kin ever learn from a
milksop like John Ralston, an'' with
that he haul off an' hit me a tick. It
warn't the lick I mhrded. Marse- John
sie, but he didn't talk respectful of
you."
It fs probable this last clause was
Jost on Johnsle. He turned' away
without a word beyond an' order for
Prince to look after the bays; Sturms
was not hard to find. He wn-s stand
ing beside the improvised bar drinking
a julep. .Tohnsie asked him for a pri
vate interview. A two mile tramp car
ried them far enough from the barbe
cue grounds for aLB practical purposes.
There was but out way to 3ettle it.
Would Mr. Sturms apologize for the
blow struck Prince-? No? Then?
? ?*????
It vcas not practicable to carry him
home behind the bays. He was laid
In a skiff,- and a white sheet hid his
y9
HIS STRONG RIGHT ARM DROPPED NERV?
LESS.
pallid face from the glittering stars
that came into the evening skies Ion?
before the skiff reached home, herald
ed by the rhythmic beat of her oars.
Its sheeted dead lay in quiet state.
Perhaps results might have been
different if David Sturms at the cru
cial moment had not insolently taken
a little blue silk handkerchief from his
side pocket and drawn it with affected
indifference across Iiis brow before re
turning it to the jiocket which covered
a coward's heart.
A bit of the blue and white remained
iu view. Johu Kaistou's strong right
! arm dropped nerveless. He could not
i aim at the kerchief which hail lain on
j Katie's bosom.
"I warn't worth it." Black Prince
I moaned, groveling in abject misery be
j fore a houseful of stricken women.
It was Miss Man!:.-; who answered
him with a note of melancholy pr ide
in her voice:
j "It was UiM for yon, you foolish boy
It was for his name's sake. A RalslOll
could have done no less."
It is Katie Vernon who spreads the
wild plum blossoms over his grave
every spring. In her heart she vows
:i;at no wedding bell shall ever swing
above her head since she has slain the
one love of her life.
THE BANK OP SPRINGFIELD.
Officers.
L. M. Mims, President; Jno. McB
Bean, V. P.: J. B. Smith. Cashier;
Edith Phillips. Asst.
Directors.
L. M. Mims. Jno. Bean, Joe. A.
Berry, L. B. Fulmer, W. P. Hut
to. J. W. Jumper, H. A. Odom,
T. L. Gleaton, O. C. Salley.
All business intrusted to us re
ceives careful, official attention.
Leave your Surplus funds with ur
at four ppr rent n'-erest.
Undivided Proflti. 12.000.00
Capital...fSO.000.00
Some Good
Things for May
We always try to gfve yon the* Best
value? possible for your
money.
See our fine of Ladles' aod'
'Children's Colored Paras?fs,
from.23c to $3.00?
Cotto Silk Foulards, very good for
dresses, at.15c
90-incfr Linen for ... .75c and 98c
27-inch Colored; Lawn, worth 7c
and 8c, at.5c
3(-inch Windsor Percal at_10c
Oar line- of Slippers are very
strong for 3ien, ladies and children.
New lot of Val. Laces by esspress.
Agents for the Ladres' Home- Jour
nal patterns.
Edisto Dry Goods Co.
Phono 128.
58 West Russell Street.
HATFDEN & BR2GGMAN,. Managessv
This is the Time
OF THE YEAR THAT
WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND
?
A GOOD BLOOD REMBDE.
A great many people are -troubled
with various blood troubles from, the
common one which manifests itself
by small "pimples" to the disease
which is wrongly treated by mer
curial poisons.
WE THOROUGHLY
RECOMM END
"A. D. S " BLOOD
MIXTURE TO
OUR PATRONS.
This -remedy was chosen out of
1,092. formulas as the best blood
remedy to be sold by first rate drug
stores to their trade.
IF YOU NEED A
BLOOD MEDICINE
we certaialy ask you to give this a
thorough, trial. It is not a patent
medicine but an "open formula" of
which we approve.
A dollar in itself isn't so big.
but wisely invested, will bring lurge
returns. Therefore get this remedy.
J. 6. Wansaniaker
Mfg. Co.
ORAXGEBURG, S. C.
"Your Drug Store."
A PIANO OF MERIT
Beautiful case,
Splendid Tone,
Honestly made,
Fully guaranteed.
Price $250.00.
TERMS:
$10.00 cash,
$7.00 monthly.
THEMarchant Music Co
53 East Russell street,
Orangeburg, S. C.
INSURE YOUR
COTTON and
against Hail in the
Carolina Hail Insurance Co.
of Marion, S. C.
Don't Wait Until Your Crops
are wij>ed off the face of the
earth by hail. Do it now.
John F. Newborn
Agent.
Orangeburg, S. C.
Money to Loan.
I have arranged to negotiate loans
on improved farms at eight per cent
interest, with no charge except for
papers.
Payable in easy installments. I
Monday, May
lOfh.
a
THE SLt~T?
GREAT' MONDAY SPECIAL*
All our customers arc enthusfaa-1
tic abesnt the vsCues we offer at this'
great savings event, created for your
benefit.
THIS TIME WE
WILL OFFER:
200 pretty White* Washable Belts,
made of repp, linen lawn, mercerized
livien, hemstitched linen. Four dis
tinct styles-. Pretty buckles, with
adjustable buckle also. WortKr 25c,
Monday sale price
10 cent*. '
1,-000 yards of Superb'round thxead
Irisfi' Linene, good for white skirts,
coat suits, children's suits and
blou3es, men's1 coats, etc: Laund'ries
perfectly
Soft' for 20c- a yard.
On sate at 10 J?c.
Evrry offer we make- is stricriy
reliable.
THEODORE KOHN
ORANGEBURG, SL C.
It Will Soon
BE THEE TO SAT?
"SPAHITS FOR
WEDD5NG PRESENTS."
We lia-ve raadt- extra efforts to> be .
prepared for your patroaage for the j
months- of weddings?Miy and June. |
It is necessary that j'ou tell us
of youzr wants now. Write to us if
you li'ce at a distan.ee. We can
send you illustrations, if necessary.
This h;is been a grea'a part of our
out of town service.
EV OUR IJfNE
WE MENTION
GOKHAM SILVER?You- know
what that isJ
"QUAKER CITY" CUTGLASS -
ALVIN SILVER?Very excellent.
GILT CLOCKS of every design?
A very nice present.
$1.50
to
.$20.00
OUR WATCH REPAIRING
IS EXCELLENT.
H. SPAHR & SON.
ORANGERURG'S
LEADING JEWELERS.
Qeo. S. Hacker & Son.
Charleston, S. C.
MANUFACTURERS
DOORS, SASH AND BLINDS.
BALUSTERS, COLUMNS AND ETC.
WINDOW AND DOOR SCREENS.
No Land So Rich That Fertilizer
Cannot Make It Better
You use fertilizers for the profit you get out of them?and the
better the land the more profitably a good fertilizer can be used on it.
Do not imagine because land will produce a fair crop without
Virginia-Carolina
Fertilizers
that these fertilizers cannot be profitably used on it, or that they were
made only for land too poor to produce without them. If poor land
will show a normal increase when fertilizer is used, good land will
3how at least double the increase. Use Virginia-Carolina Fertilizers
to increase the quality, as well as the quantity of the crop?and you
will in:reasc the profits from your land.
"I have been using your fertilizers for a number of years" says
Mr. William Fraiser, of Glasburg, La..,ltandfud that it not only pays
to fertilize, but to do plenty of it, and use the best fertilizers to be
had, such as your brands. I have used a number of them and found
them to be as recommended and to give better results than any other
fertilizers that I have ever used."
Every planter and farmer should have a copy of the new 1909
Virginia-Carolina Farmers' Year-Book. Get a free copy from your
fertilizer dealer, or write our nearest sales office.
Virginia-Carolina Chemical Co.
Sales Offices
Richmond, Va.
Norfolk, Va.
Columbia, S. C.
Atlanta, Ga.
Savannah, Ga.
Memphis, Tenn.
Sales OffUes
Durham, N. C.
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hi
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Helmet of Navarre, The Runkle
Her Mountain Lover Garland
Honour of Savelli, The Yeats
In the Bishop's Carriage
Michelson
The Lightning Conductor
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A Little Traitor of the South'
Brady
Tre Princess Maritza Brebner
Hearts and Masks MacGrath
Rose of Old St. Louis, The
Dillon
Grey Cloak, The Crawford
Nedra McCutcheon
Proisoner of Zenda, The Hope
To Have and To Hold Johnson
Affair at the Inn, The Wiggin
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When Knighthood Was in ?
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ORANSEBURG. S. O.
"A Bank For All The People."
CAPITAL STOCK.$30,000.00
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LITY. . 30,000.00
PROTECTION
POS1TORS. .
TO DE
. $80,000.00
D. O. Herbert..President
B. F. Rluckenfuss. . . .Vice-President
H. C. Wannantakcr.Cashier
W. M. Richardson.. ..Asst. Cashier
DIRECTORS.
W. C. Crum A. M. Sallej
Abial Lathrop W. L. Glaze
G. L. Sulky Robt. E. Copes
D. O. Herbert B. F. Muckenfus?
H. C. Wannamaker.
Interest paid in Savings Department.
*
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*
BETTER THAN NITRATE OF SODA
A BARGAIN IN PLANT FOOD
WE ARE MAKING AND SELLING THE
BEST FARMFKS IN SOUTH CAROLINA
A PERUVIAN TOPDRESSER
The Bulk of which is Screened Peruvian Guano, supple
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For Prices, Terms and Analysis See
R. FULTON DUKES, AGENT.
Peruvian Guano Corporation,
CHARLyESTON, S. C.