The Manning times. (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, July 25, 1888, Image 1
LIMANNING, CARNDN COUNTY, S. C., WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 1888.
A Brother's Keeper.
1OII'S O OFYE ID DUTL
3 1 3 EAITWL, CLTEEBWOOD,
4oJoR 0? "CLQUE O' Doox," "SnuEEN
Gumats," "THE LoNE Max's
0AmoW," AND OoEa STORIRI.
In the listening attitude which twenty
-our hours had confirmed to a haibit, Phoebe
sat in the school-house and waited for
Thorney. All the seats were empty, but
ridges of dust around the bottom of the
desks and clay tracks on the floor showed
where young, restless feet had been. A
sum in fractions remained upon the black
board. The Are was dyig in the gray and
elderiy stove, which seemed to deny having
ever indulged in red-hot fits of roaring
when wind and snow beatoutside. Abarky
odor came from the wood-box, and from it
also crept out a mouse to smell at crumbs
dropped at noon. Perhaps Phoebe's moving
a hand, perhaps the appalling dreariness of
the school-house interior, terrified the
mouse, and it Hashed back in a gray streak.
Somebody's cow in the woods, reminded by
associations of sad experience in her life,
uttered a mellow, plaintiye lowing. Feet
shuffled and bumped upon the step; then
Thorney White broughtthem in and straight
to the wood-box, where he stood digging
the mud off by scraping his heels across the
box's edge, as if this were the object of his
ertrance. Phebe came down the aisle and
took hold of his arm. Theunshuttered win
dows threw plenty of light around them; it
was not yet five o'clock.
Thorney gave a pettishjerk and continued
digging with his heels. She stood patiently
aside. Search as she might, she could never
fnd comfort or support in his face, yet she
could not bring herself to guide and control
him with more firmness than tenderness.
In the secret folds of her heart she owned
he was a mortification and a pain; but be
ing her brother he ought to have an average
struck between them and be endowed with
half of her abilities.
"You aren't cross to-night, are you,
Thorney!" said Phobe.
Thorney responded that he didn't see no
sense in leaving his workto run at her beck
and call.
"Ididn't want you to leave your work. I
would have waited till your work was
done."
Thorney.growled that his work was never
done. He didn't have folks taking him to
parties; he couldn't drive around big and
proud and keep his brother a-hooping it.
"Oh," said Phoebe, withan accent of quiet
despair. "Thane's been with you, hasn't
hap
"Yes, he has," growled Thorney. "And
he took my tin whistle from me."
"Thorney, he didn't get your money!"
"He did, too. He made me bring out all
my wages. And he took my tin whistle,"
sqlked Thorney, grieving for the instrument
with which he imitated birds in the woods.
Many an hour when Thorney should have
been chopping, he sat upon a stake-and
zidered fence or the hih limb cf a felled
-reia, and pipedafter his- han as heartily
asPan.
"Thae don't know how to work it,"
snifed Thorney, "but he made me give it
up to him."
PhIbbe looked as him, collapsing on his
own muscles in abject helplessness; and at
.heself.
"Do you think we shall ever -get away
Iroin it, Thorney!'
"bet away from what?"
F "From al 4tit. Thane is so much stouter
and older than we are. And he knows how
to mak us do things we hate to do. We
aught to have some chance."
"You've got chance enough," frowned
Thoirney. "I wish Icould set around and
draw big wages. And go to parties. Why
don't they iyite as to their parties?" de
msded Tho , in sheepish sullenness,
haing his-ead at the wood-box.
"Yes, why don't they!" said a voice be
mesmos of thewindow-she, which be
.5'ntog. up with many a shuddering re
montrance aud'jr of glass. The man who
hadmet Phbe in the woods propped the
sash with astielt and weaned on his arms so
ato bring head- and shoulders within the
room, opposite Thorzey. "And me, too.
But my lady there has a way of putting her
self above you snd me, Thorney. She
wdauid like to shake as altogether. Only
sho can't."
"No," said Phrebe, all the repellant
forces in her body reused by the sight of
him.."We never canberidof him, Thorney.
Lookast his hair getting gray; sad he has
robbed us of more hopes than he has hairs
inbls head. He has carried our names into
pr-isons; he has tried to drag us into wick
edness. Ilam scarcely more than a little
-girl, but! feel old and life-worn when Ilook
at you, Thane White."
"And he went and took my tin whistle,"
aid Thorney, adding hisclimax.
"See here," said Thane, his facial spasms
In fuliplay. Before proceeding he took Out
a pie of tobseco and worried it fiercely.
"Idropped along to have an understanding.
Last night you wouldn't give me a stake,
any lady, bad as! needed it."
>So you robbed Thor'ney," said Phosbe,
with scorn
'"Took what was my own by rights," cot'
rected Thane, giving his tobacco a final
wrench, after which he put it In his pocket.
"You treated me mean. But I'll pass over
all hat if you'll divide up after-while. You
.always were smart, and Ican see what you
are8 up to now. If you will, I'm mum; if
you won't I ain't takin' any such pains to
.help you on."
' "I know what you mean," said Phoebe,
she face suddenly covered with pallor as
with g mask of strange features. "But
udrtand at once that an honorable man
een oger nothing but pitying kindness to
"regot a strong purchase on you, and
yo kziow it," said foe convict, smiling m a
succedsion of faclal spasms; "whatever you
intend to do. I want you to get married.
Tho-ney ad mnedsrich brother-m-lw.
If you won't get married PU have to take
Thorney with me."
"Oh, no, yon'd ser do that," said
Phcabe, lowering her voliedetiantly.
"Oh; yes,!I would. I'd do just that. My
hair is turnini'. I oughtto havea young
biand in training for my old age. You've
dragged him around at your apron string
too long, anyhow. Now, see bere, Thorney,"
Thane chewed rapidly at his tobaceo, jerned
his head as low as the window-sil andizm
shtuy reappeared with one cheek distewd
.d; "here stands your sister and her due
notions about honor and honesty that she's
always preached at you. But has she done
any thingfor you?"
"She never took my tin wistle," mut
tered Thorney.
"Blast your tin whistlei I only took it to
make you follow me 'round. You listen to
me and you'll get your tin whistle back and
the cash to buy plenty more. Don't you
have to work hard for very little moneyP"
Thorney doggedly acknowledged his an
-e
"oaway," burst out Phobe, "and let
the boy alone. You are only trying to tor
met matronsrh him. You ha't harm
"You see it's herself always, and you and me
counted out, Thorney. When you're as old
as I am she'll want to drop you altogether
like she does me. Her programme's work
for you and easy times for my lady. 1'1l
make your fortune for you."
"Now you're gittin' it down to a fine
point," remarked Thorney, with a cunning
grin.
"Why doesn't he make his own fortune,"
demanded Phoebe, "instead of constantly
stripping us!"
Thorney's expression changed to blank
and open-mouthed doubt. He could grasp
but one idea at a time, and his feeble
hold on that kept his head moving like a
ball betwixt these two more powerful nat
ures.
"You ought to be enjoying life," contin
ued Thane, "instead of chopping and dig
ging for a living. You ought to know
where gold watches and full pocket-books
grow, and you've wit enough to get at them
if somebody gave you a few hints."
"He gets it down to a fine point," said
Thorney, challenging Phoebe.
"Look into my eyes, Thorney," she said.
He attempted to do so, but his gaze sank
before her blazing earnestness. "Did he
ever do any thing for us but get us into
trouble! Have we not learned what we
know, in spite of him! Haven't we always
been happiest and safest when he was in
prison! Is it likely that he will ever be dif
ferent?"
Thorney now challenged Thane with a
wag of the head.
"She's gittin' down to a fine point," he re
marked.
"You and I must stand by each other.
-What have I in the world but you, Thorney!
I have enough to bear without your desert
ing me."
"I ain't a desertin' you," said Thorney,
dropping his head with a distressed pucker
of the mouth.
"Hang to the apron string, sonny," ex
horted his other mentor at the window.
Thorney menaced him with a slowly
clenched fist. "You ain't give up my tin
whistle yet, any way."
"I'll blow on it when I want you," said
Thane, removing his elbows from the win
dow sill. "I'm staying round the neighbor
hood, and I'll see you both again. Keep an
ear open for that whistle, Thorney."
The window-glass again shuddered and
clinked as he drew down the sash. He
paused a moment and laughed through the
patched pane at them, a puttied crack con
tributing to the distortion of his face.
After he disappeared Phoebe cowered
down in a seat with her head bowed.
"What ails you!" inquired Thorney, star
ing suspiciously. "You ain't afraid o'
Thane, are you?"
Phoebe shook her head without lifting it.
"I ain't," said Thorney, stretching out his
arm to feel the muscle. "He ain't no man
beside of me. I won't let him hit you like
he used to. And blame if he ain't got to
give that tin whistle up; I won't stand it.
He took my tin whistle, Thane did," an
nounced Thorney, in a way calculated to
impress his sister by the startling news.
She took her wrap from its nail near the
water-bucket and stopped to look at her
liquid reflection.
"You no account wretch," said Phoebe to
the face thus meeting her from some lower
world, "you can't do any thing but stare
up from the pit.you are in."
"That whistle-cost me a quarter of a dol
lar," ruminated Thorney, bitterly.
"Be comfortedtabout it, Thorney," said
his sister, laying her head against his arm.
"We will surely get our whistles back yet."
"Thane never took none from you."
"He has not left me even a penny whistle,
Thorney, to amuse myself with since you
and I were little children."
The spring days succeeded one another in
monotony. There was change going on in
the earth, and the buds swelled large upon
the trees, though scarcely a flush of green,
even in the awakening lichens, showed it
self through the woods.
Phoebe felt another change growing
around her. She was at first so alert for
Thane's expected footstep that the meaning
of whispers in her school, hints from Randy
Thompson, and the silences of Mrs. Holmes,
quits escaped her. He did not appear. Her
breath by degrees grew freer, and she
turned again to the simple pleasures of ex
istence to find they were taken from her.
If she coaxed Toddles to rock on her lap
Mrs. Holmes had an errand with him out of
the roomn. Her host looked at her with a
puzzled expression and stinted his usual
cordiality. She met Adam and Mose Guy
once or tweoe, and their curious insolence
brought fire into her eyes.
There were such silences at table that
her food choked her. It was no longer
andy's pleasure to wait on the pretty
creature whom she considered such a child,
and to sit in Phcebe's room when every
body else was in bed, telling neighborhood
traditions. No one wanted her to do any
thing for him. An invisible circle of sep
aration was drawn around her. Twice she
walked to the farm-house where Thornoy
was hired, to make sure that no har, had
beallen him, and enjoy his unthinking
companionship. Mrs. Holmes spe'nt an aft
ernoon with Miss Fawcett, and brought not
thslightest mnessage from one girl to the
other. "And Iliked her so," thought Phoebe.
"And she was so kind to me." Gurley
caled, and Mrs. Holmes gently devoted her
self to his entertainment. Also, whatever
latent solicitude she felt for her distant
cousin, Milton McArdle, now became active.
His readings with Phoebe were ini some way
overruled. She stayed much in her own
room. When she came out she carried
herself with helpless defiance.
" I will go to Mr. Barker," she resolved,
lying awake at night crushed under her in
visible load, "and tell him all about Ths.
He may have mercy on me; I'm not wanted
here."
" There's talk goin' round the neighbor
hood," Randy reluctantly volunteered, once
when the girl's face touched her. Talk had
never gone around the neighborhood about
herself, and this enabled her to state the
act severely.
" Yes, I suppose there is," said Phecbe.
" Don't you caret" demanded Randy.
" Would my caring stop it!"
" It might stop some things."
"I don't think it would,' said Phebe.
Bandy fixed her eye in dismay upon so case
hardened a person.
"FPolks don't like the looks," she further
revealed. "Mrs. Barker, she seen him,
too','
" Mrs. Barker is not talking about me'!"
" Every body is' How can they help it!"
" They can't help it," replied Phcobe,
bearing her head erect andundisturbed inte
pivacy. There shg y;1 it under her bed
clothes, kneeling by tns bed and clenching
the mattress with her teeth while she
stormed and sobbed alone.
That day, however, she prepared her note
for Mr-. Barker, saying:
"You knew when you got me this school,
Mr. Barker, thatlIwas agirl without friends,
and you youched for my character. There
is a sore truth in my mind, and I know great
tales are going around the neighborhood.
As far back as Thorney and I can remember,
Thane White, our elder brother, has been a
criminaL. Many people have been kind to
ge, or I could never have got on and kept
Thrney ont of his hands. We lived any way
we could and in many places. Ouice I was
nurse to some children in a nice family, and
ab. layanheime almost like a daughter
until Thane, as usual, shadowed me, and
drove me off by attempting to make a thief of
Thorney. Thorney was at work near me.
The boy is not as bright as some boys, but
he is all my family, and he likes me. I could
not have him turned wicked, anzd Thane's
deeds are more horrible than I can tell. At
first I pitied Thane, and tried to help him.
He always took our earnings; he wants
them yet. I don't feel kin to him; 1 could
let all my blood run out if that would free
me from the relationship.
"Thane has followed us here. It doesn't
seem any use to run from him, and he has
all the advantage when I turn on him.
There is nothing ahead of me, young as I
am, because he can reach out and spoil
whatever I do. I have thought over these
things until they break me down. May I
come to your house and ask advice of Mrs.
Barker and you? Though there is talk in
the neighborhood I can not help feeling you
are both friendly toward inc. He was in
the woods the evening I took supper with
you. If you can send some word to the
school-house I shall be-as I have been this
year past-yours grateful for many kind
nesses. PGaBE WHITE."
This message was intrusted to the hands
of a boy who could not read script, and who,
as a reward for his services, was delivered
from school an hour before dismissal. He
lived near Mr. Barker's house, and was
charged not to lay the paper out of his hands
until Mrs. Barker should receive it from
him at her door; and his delighted heels
at first spurned the dead leaves with true
zeal. But he saw Painter tramping along
the edge of the hollow, and being a boy he
could not help feeling the leaf-mold for a
chip, stick or stone, and having found a
shrunken walnut, whizzed it after the her
mit. Painter turned; so the boy was
obliged to dodge behind a tree and skulk
from one tree to another in following up his
game, for he was not the boy to turn his
back in the midst of sport. Other shrunken
walnuts thumped the ground about Painter
or pelted him right heartily. He concluded
to come after his assailant; so just as the
boy laid the note down to break a promising
clod into handy chunks, the shaggy man
towered directly over him. He was away
like a darting hornet. The note, out of
hand, was out of mind, until Barker's cabin
appealed to both memory and invention;
and the boy spent the rest of his homeward
journey building a plausible tale about the
document's fate.
Phobe sat still after the last pupil was
gone, dreading to go home. Perhaps she
hoped Mr. Barker might come to her di
rectly on the receipt of her message; and
when the school-house door opened, it was
this momentary expectation which lit her
eyes, and left them as suddenly as life dies
from a spark. McArdle tiptoed in.
His pale skin had taken an eager-glow
from t.he exercise of. walking up hill. He
gave bier a propitiating smile, and came for
ward, removing his gloves.
"I came here instead of seeing you at the
house," said McArdle, "because I have
something very particular to say."
"Sit down," responded Phoebe, patiently.
"Thank you, I prefer to stand," said Mc
Ardle, leaning one arm on her desk and
"I PREFER TO sTAND," HE sAID.
resting his right foot upon the platform.
"You are looking rather used up."
Phnbe sat back in her chair. She had
never before noticed how personally un
pleasant Milton McArdle could'be. She did
not like his condescending kindness, and
objected to his long neck and exaggerated
lower lip. And it amused her that she in
her position could afford to be so fastidious.
"I apprehend, Miss Phocbe," said Mo
Ardle, "that Gurley has been saying some
thing to you about me."
Phoebe's smile became positive, and he
hastened to confess with virtuous precision:
"I do not deny that I may have remarked
something of the sort."
"You have been remarking, too, have
you" said Phoebe, her face settling back
Into quiet pallor.
"But it was because," explained McArdle,
intent on his own object, "I apprehended it
would be better for the present for us to
to conceal."
"What have we to conceal?" said Phcebe.
"Under the circumstances," he continued,
growing red as if just gr-ated, "We are
both alone in the world, as it were. And
there are people who would say it is un
suitable, but I can not agree with them.
Therefore," said -McArdle, with a tlourish
of his hand, "I apprehended I had better as
sume that our dfriendship was but a slight
one."
"I don't know what you are talking
about," said Phebe. "If you have heard
things against me, it would be kinder to
stay away I"
" I haire hear-d things, Miss Phonbe," ac
knowledged McArdle, magnaninmouslyv. He
placed his hat on the desk and steadied him
self in his position. "From what this-this
brother Thorney of yours has let drop, and
various circumstances, it appears there are
matters which will need explanation betwixt
you and me. But before those matters are
explained," he hastened, silencing her, "I
want to express my views and plans. In
spite of the fact that the church will requite
me to make a very circumspect selection,
and also in spite of the fact that I know my
cousin Mrs. Holmes will oppose it, I am de
termined. I apprehend that you under
stad ?"
"No," said Phcebe, lifting her eyes from 8
carved slit in her desk, which some unruly
boy, while sitting there in durance, had
turned into an ink canal. "I don't know
what you mean."
The muscles of McArdle's face expressed
vexation.
"Then I will explain. I hoped to be more
cordially met by you, Miss Phoebe. You
surely feel unhappy and unprotected."
"I can't remember ever feeling other
wvise."
"But more so now than at some previous
date. I offer you my protection. We can
be of mutual assistance. You could still
teach or find some other conigenial occupa
tion, and I could :-assist-: ah-in cultivat
ing your mind, It would be best for you to
go away fronm here, no doubt. I should be
at theological school, and for the present we
would keep the matter quiet."
"What matter quiet?" inquired Phorbe.
"Our-marriage," replied McArdle, wip
ing his heated face with a handkerchief he
had bought with money borrowed from her.
"Aeyon asking me to miarry yout".
"I apprehended it would scarcely be
necessary to explain that," he responded,
with asperity.
"But I don't want to marry you."
"Consider what you are saying," im
pressed McArdle. "I know it may seen a
strange proposition to you just now."
"It does,". said Phoebe.
"But I mean it, and will take the risks.
Only prudence seems to dictate," said Me
Ardle, going over his ground again, "that
for the present we keep our own counsel."
"I wish you'd go away," said Phobe,
upon which McArdle stared at her with
startled eyes.
He waited in various 'uncomfortrble atti
tudes while she put on her shawl and pre
pared to fasten the door. Then, stepping
out, he picked his way along by her side,
looking at her occasionally with increasing
chagrin and indignation.
"I would like to know what I am to appre
hend from the last remark you made."
"I don't want you to ti so to me."
"But under the circumstances, surely,
Miss Phobe"
"Under any circumstances."
"You mean to convey a refusal."
As McArdle tried to ponder the fact his
countenance hardened.
"You'll regret it."
"I regret almost every thing which ever
happened to me," said Phoebe. "It would
be a new experience if I didn't regret this."
"It's very foolish of you," said MeArdle,
pityingly. "Besides, you are treating me
with great cruelty. You have engaged
my feelings."
'But under the circumstances, you ap
prehend, it would be better to conceal that
matter," flashed out Phobe.
MeArdle let his lower lip hang pendulous,
while his sense of injury grew.
"I won't go any farther with you," he
said, pausing. "I won't go up to the house
to-night."
"Good-bye, then," said Phobe.
"You utterly refuse!" meditated Mo
Ardie. "Who else, do you suppose, wili
come out as I have done, waiting for expia
nations to be made afterwards "
"You seem to admire your conduct very
much," she said.
He keenly glanced at her.
"You are attached to somebody else. 1
feel it. But it can be nobody but Gurley."
"I said good-bye," said Phobe, stauding
taller. There was a thrill of anger in her
voice.
"But one moment," insisted McArdle. He
took out his linakerchief and wiped one
eye after the other, holding a fold of it over
his finger point. "When you discard me
you are injuring yourself. Poor child! It
will never profit you any to cherish these
other feelings."
"Why did I never dispise you before!"
exclaimed Phobe, seeming to expand and
blaze. "How could I feel a protecting
kindness for you and take pleasure in doing
you what little services I could!"
"I apprehend," he said, stiffly, "that you
allude to the trifling sums I have been
forced by an ungenial fate to borrow from
you."
-No," said Phoebe, relenting. "I never
thought of them. I am a miserable girl, but
princess enough in my feelings to make you'
welcome to what you have had. Only don't
speak another word to me to-night." She
turned her back on him and ran toward the
lawn gate.
(To BE OONTINUED)
THE SPARTANBURG ENCAMPMENT.
the Official Programme Issued by the
Association
President McCravy of the Spartanburg
Encampment Association has issued for
publication the official programme of the
Farmers' Encampment as follows:
MONDAY, AUGUST 6TH.
General preparation day, placing
machinery, arranging exhibits, etc.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 7TH.
Morning session, 10 o'clock
Addresses of welcome by Hon. S. T.
EIcCravy, chairman of local board of
irectors, and by Hon. W. E. Burnett
Lf behalf of the city of Spartanburg.
Responses-Hon. W. K. Thompson,
aster of state grange of South Carolina;
Eon. Johnson Hagood, president of
Parmers' Institute; Hon. J. B. Humbert
president of State agricultural and me
shanical society.
Addresses-The manufacture of sor
thum into syrup and sugar, Hon. Nor
nan J. Coleman, United States commis
iioner of agriculture.
Afternoon session, 3 o'clock
Address, The condition of affairs now
is compared with 1876, Senator Wade
Hampton.
The Tariff, Senator M~. C. Butler.
Evening session, 9:30 o'clock
Addresses and discnssions on T rrae
ing.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8TH.
Morning session, 10 o'clock
Meeting oi State Agricultural and Me
shanical Society.
Essay, Test of the Purity and Vitality
>f Seed, Pro. H. H. Loughridge, of
South Carolina University.
Essay, Diversified Industries as Pro
motive of Agricultural Prosperity, Hon.
Samuel Dibble, M. C.
Essay, The Nature and Treatment of
Dotagious Diseases Among Stock, Dr.
B. Mclnnes, V. S.
Afternoon session, 3 o'clock
Essay, The Ideal Farm, by Hon. John
B. Verner.
Essay, Viticulture (to be assigned).
Essay, The Southern D)airy (to be
assigned).
Evening session, 8:30 o'clock
Address, Drainage, by W. G Hinson.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 9TH.
Morning session, 10 o'clock
Meeting of Farmers' institute.
Essay, Agricultural Experimentation,
he Dr. J. M. McBryde, South Carolina
University.
Afternoon session, 3 o'clock
Essay, Part Played by Bacteria in Ag
riculture, by Prof. B. M. Bolton.
Evening session, 8:30 o'clock
Address, Agricultural Education in
South Carolina, Hon. D. K. Norris.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 10TH.
Morning session, 10 o,clock
Essay, Lines Along Which Lie the
Development of Southern Agriculture,
Dr. Daniel Lee, of Nashville Tenn.
Essay, How to Make Forage Pay in
South Carolina, by E. S. Rivers. Esq.,
of James Island, S. C.
Afternoon session, 3 o'clock
Fruit Growing for Market in South
Carolina, be R. B. Watson, Ridge
Spring, S. C.
Evening session, 8:30 o'clock
Address, Agricultural Organization in
the South. (To be assigned.) Closing
address by Hon. John W. Wofford, pres
ident of the board of commissioners of
the Inter-State Farmers' Encampment.
A method is wanted by which family
seleonsn can be kept in their ceis.
TilE FIRST CAMPAIGN MEETING.
RICHARDSON, MAULDIN AND TILL
MAN SPEAK TO THE GATHERING.
No Opponents Appear to the Present Gov
eruor or Lieutenant Gov. ruor--Captain
Tillman Takes Part in the Speech
Making.
(From the News and Courier.)
The first of the meetings appointed
by the Democratic State Executive Com
mittee was held at Hodges, Abbeville
county, on Friday, the 20th inst. There
were about seven hundred persons pres
ent.
Capt. James N. Cochran, of Hodges,
presided, and introduced. -Governor
Richardson, who spoke as follows:
Governor Richardson's Speech.
The Governor said that he was here by
direction of the Dtmocratic party, in
accordance with the expression from the
recent State Convention, and to address
the people as had been arranged by the
State Executive Committee. Before he
touched on other matters he desired to
answer certain vague and irresponsible
charges which had been made in regard
to the conduct of the State Government.
It had been stated by some newspapers
and politicians that the burden of taxa
tior was to-day as heavy on the people
as it was under Radical rule. This as
sertion was not true and he would pro
ceed to prove it. He quoted from a
tabulated statement issued by the Demo
cratic State Committee in 1882 and
showed the taxes exacted each year of
Radical rule. One example here suffices
for the contrast.
In the fiscal year 1873-74 the total
State tax-was 12 mills, yielding $2,085,
000, and the aggregate county taxes were
$1,037,000, making a total taxation of
$3,122,000. On the other hand the total
State tax under Democratic rule in 1886
87 was but $882,000 and the county taxes
were proportionately less.
The Governor's full tlgures will be
given hereafter. He quoted from the
records to show that the actual and con
tingent liabilities by the State under
Radical rule reached the enormous total
of nearly $29,000,000. While tha pres
ent figures were only one-fifth as large.
Then the Governor, to use the lan
guage of Mr. W. C. Benet, dealt with
the figures of the State's finances at the
present time "with the felicity and power
of a Gladstone." He took up the Till
man comparison of taxation in 1878-79
and 1886 .87, and canvassed item by item
the points of increase and diminution in
the expenditures. His table will be here
after published in full. It is sufficient
now to show that the most important
differences were as follows: Excess in
appropriations 1878-79 over 1886-87:
South Carolina University $2,100, South
Carolina College and Mechanical Insti
tute $7,500, penal and charitable institu
tions $9,000, civilcontingentfundS5,000,
State Agricultural and Mechanical Soci
ety $1,500, Court of Claims$8,000, Bond
Court $2,000, claims passed $5,000, defi
ciencies $12,800; total excess $45,832.
Excess 188:-87 over 1878-79: Legisla
tive expenses $7,000, tax department
$1,200, University and Citadel $33,800,
repairs Governor's Mansion $2,700, pub
lic printivg$4,000, artificial limbs $2,000,
railroad commission $7,850, (paid by
railroads) supervisorsregistration $3,500,
transportation of convicts (cost charged
from counties to State) $5,000, comple
tion State House $16,109, Charleston
Medical College $500, interest on public
debt $2,130, militia $13,000, experi
mental stations $10,000; total excess
$38,000; net difference in favor ofi 1878
79 33,476. Deducting the payments of
interest'on the public debt with the new
appropriations for the State House, the
educational institutions and the militia,
left hardly the appearance of an in
crease.
The Governor not only referred to,
but discussed, ever-y item of increased
expenditure, showing the reason for its
existence and putting the question
whether the public would forego the ad
vantage derived from the outlay. The
Governor did all that was possible to re
leve the monotony of his ranks of fig
ures, and made them infinitely more ef
fective than they might have appeared
when marshalled in dull array.
He presented a bright picture of the
present condition of the State as com
pared with what it was ten years ago.
The progress was great for a poor people
in so short a period in the life of a
State.
It had been said, declared the Gov
ernor, that he was a straddler on the
question of the Clemson agricultural
college. He was here as a loyal son of
the State, greatly honored by her, to an
swer her inquiry as to his position. With
all regard for his friend, the editor of
the Abbeville Medium, who was present,
and who yesterday in his paper said that
he (Governor Richardson) had refused
to answer questions as to this college, he
asserted that he never had proposed, and
did not now propose, to answer his in
terrogatories. His official duties did not
allow him time to reply to such questions
propounded to him. But he was now
here at the time and place appointed by
the Democracy to speak his convictions.
That was right, was it not? Then why
put him in the position of a straddler or
dodger? In a letter to the News and
Courier before his nomination in 1886
he had expressed his opinion as to the
agrieultural college question. It was a
matter for the people, who would bear
the burden, to decide. He then said,
and now reaffirmed, that he was now, as
ever, for any school which would aid in
the educating of this grand old State.
He made a comparison between thc edu
cational status of New England and
South Carolina, and asked how he could
oppose any educational advantage for
his people. If the Clemson college was
accepted the State should support it lib
erally. One question for the Legislature
was: "Will the will hold?"
There was no reason why it should
not, but it would be unwise for the State
to accept the bequest and proceed to
carry it out without being sure of its le
gality. He was for all institutions of
learning, the free schools and agricultu
ral college, the South Carolina Univer
sity and the Citadel. It would be a good
thing to offer the youth of the State a
variety and choice of education suited to
their differing genius.
South Carolina should go always on
...rd in the matter of education until
this most favored of the sisterhood of
States should be the greatest and grand
est.
The Governor's speech lasted for
nearly two hours. At its close he was
freely applauded and presented with a
beautiful bouquet.
Capt. Cochran introduced Lieutenant
Governor:Mauldin, who, although suffer
ing from an attack of inflammatory rheu
matism, was able to make a forcible
speech of half an hour's duration.
The Lieutenant Go. ernor's Speech.
In it he referred to the responsibility
of the position he occupied and the duty
which rested upon him to act, not for
any one section, but for the best inter
ests of the whole State. The chief in
terest of the taxpayers was to have the
Government administered with regard
both to public necessities and the ability
of the State to bear the expense. He
had always held that the Government
should be administered in the same man
ner as a prudent man's private affairs.
Sometimes, however, projects failed of
effect because of a mistaken idea of econ
omy. Differences always existed between
representatives of the people as to the
best economy for the Commonwealth.
The compromises to which these vari
rnces led were, perhaps, after all, the
most advantageous measure for the State.
He denied the charge that he was an
enemy of education, lower or higher.
He had supported the proposition to
charge a tuition fee in the University,
and was glad to know from friends of
that institution that the requirement of
such a fee had not injured it. No one
should place a stone in the way of any
institution of learning in the State.
While an economist, he would not con
I ider himself pledged to support every
measure whose originator fancied it
would be one of true economy. He
would vote after hearing debate as his
judgment dictated for the best interests
of the State. He did not oppose the
Clemson college, and wished the Uni
versity made par excellence the college
of the State, drawing its students from,
but not competing as an equal with, the
lesser colleges. An agricultural college,
with a school of technology, would be a
valuable addition to our educational sys
tem. If the Clemson legacy turned out
as represented, it should be accepted and
vitalized by the State.
Captain Tillman's Speech.
Capt. B. R. Tillman was introduced
by Dr. Jones and was enthusiastically
received by the crowd, who listened to
him with absorbed interest.
He was armed, he said, with plenty
of ammunition, but had not time to tire
it all off. He was glad to give his fel
low citizens an opportunity to look him
in the eye and judge whether he was the
demagogue and crank he was alleged to
be. He was present by invitation of the
Abbeville Democracy and the Abbeville
farmers neither as an open nor secret
candidate for the office of Governor or
Lieutenant Governor. He felt his dis
advantage in following their able and
silver-tongued Governor, whose glowing
words in praising South Carolina had
stirred his heart as much as any one's.
"I," said Capt. Tillman, "am nothing
but a barnyard rooster." Laughter.]
A voice: "No, an dgefield game
chicken!" [Applause.]
"I don't want to fight eagles nor buz
zards either. It seems that some buzzard
has escaped from the Market House in
Charleston and gone into the News and
Courier office, where it is spewing its
slime all over me, but such a creature is
unworthy of the notice of a gentleman."
[Applause and laughter.]
After this graceful remark Capt. Till
man said that he was not here to discuss
differences between Democratic and
Republican government, but between
Democrats and Democrats. He con
gratulated his audience on the fact that
the time had passed when men could be
shut up by the whisper, "Hush, or you'll
pitthe Democratic party." The ne
groes had been pitched overboard, and
the only question was as to the white
men who should govern the State,
whether the people or a clique should
do it. He denied that he had accused
the State Government of corruption, but
of extravagance. The Government was
not the State officers, but these officers,
the Legislature and the judiciary. The
Legislature had been the moat extava
gant of the three branches. This Gov
ernment was supposed to be Democratic
but South Carolina was purely aristo
cratic from centre to circumference. It
had been so for a hundred years and
would be so for another one hundred
until you people rise in your might as
free Anglo-Saxons, and demand the
right of self-government. Before the
war the aristocratic element controlling
the Legislature held that the people
were not fit to elect their Governor and
arrogated that power to themselves. The
same element controls the State Conven
tion, which practically elects the Gov
ernor by its nomination, and, exercisinag
usurped power, says to the people, "you
can'tbe trusted." He hoped the tune
was near when the people wvould de
mand the right of voting in a State
primary for every officer they wished.
Until they got that right they might
grumble as much as they pleased, but
their bosses would be in Charleston and
Columbia. He styled the farmers'
movement "a queer kind of critter,"
and said that he didn't understand it
himself, as "it was not the child he gave
birth to." [Laughter.] It must have,
however, the germ of statesmanship in
it or it could not have grown so greatly.
He believed it to be the beginning of a
revolution. It would be as great a
revolution as that of 1876 to secure the
right of voting in a State primary for
the State officers. He hoped they would
enjoy this right two years from to-day..
Capt. Tillman criticised severely the
provision for a preliminary canvass un
der which he was now speaking, char
aterizsng it as "a bone to a dog." In
half a dozen counties, before the first
speech of the canvass had been made,
delegates had been selected to the State
Convention devoted to the interests of
certain candidates. Let any change of
sentiment occur between now and the
State Convention, and these dele
gates would snap their fingers in the
faces of the people and say. "Ah, boys,
we were too smart for you."
The speaker's next jeu d'esprit was,
"We've got to make the candidates toe
the mirrk like little men, like some of
them are doing to-day." [Laughter.]
Then he declared that he was chock full
of rocks and wanted to chunk 'em into
the crowd. He next said: "When I
started to work for the college I made a
mistake. I admit it. The roof would
have been on the college now and the
boys in it if I hadn't criticised the
glorious State Government, but that
ruined me. See what heaps of politi
cians jumped on the agricultural wagon
till they broke it down. He then - pro
ceeded to give in detail his version of
the failure of the farmers' movement in
'86, when it controlled the House of
Representatives, because of the opposi
tion of office-holders and lawyers. The
story has often been told, but the crowd
seemed to think it fresh. - He had a
grave charge to make here, and it was
this: That the trustees of the South
Carolina College since '79 had been 'en
gaged in a conspiracy against the agri
cultural interests of the State. 'This is a
grave charge because the trustees are
among-the most honored ofouraiian.
He would give them credit for not--in
tending it, but he would prove that they
were conspiratori. He then outlined,
as at various times in his published let
ters, the course adopted for the revival
of the South Carolina College and the
disposition of the agricultural scrip fund
moneys. The conspiracy he referred to
appeared to be the establishment of the
so-called agricultural annex instead of
an agricultural college. He highly
praised the South Carolina University
and said he would like to see it grander
than ever, but these proceedings of the
trustees "had.made the blood to broil
in his bosom." He then made the usual
attack on the annex. The South Caro
lina College had inch by inch fought the
farmers' movement. He said that, in
his opinion, President J. M. McBryde
is the man who stood more in his (Till
man's) path than any other. He might
do Mr. McBryde injustice, and some
other man might be the "head devil" of
the opposition, but he believed him to
be the man. He read with ridicule a
student's essay on the South Carolina
collegian, in which it was stated that
the students, after having their boots
blacked by colored jamtors, rose 'to
their breakfast at 8 o'clock, and con
trasted it with the achievements of the
students of the Mississippi College, who
made eight cents an hour for extra labor
on the farm, A boy raised on the South
Carolina College plan was sure to re
turn home either a theorist or feeling
himself above his people. This
oligarchy, this little gang of opponents
of his, would have trundled Fort Hill
down to Columbia if it had not been for
Mr. Clemson's provisions giving control
of the bequest to the farmersthemselves.
Capt. Tillman was very severe on the
"How de-do" political cowards in the
Legislature, and accused a majority of
the Edgefield delegation of breaking
their pledges to support the college. He
attributed their defection and that of
others to the seduction of the Columbia
Club. At this point he proceeded to
explain why he had, after the last State
Convention, become a guest of the club
himself. It was just after he had told
the truth, and Col. Haskell had denied
it, that that gentleman urged him-so
strenuously to visit the club; that he al
lowed' himself to be grabbed by the arm
and taken there rather than appear per
sonally spiteful. He drank there a glass
of lemonade only. It was a "monstro's
uice place," and no wonder the corn
bread and bacon fellows liked it. Some
of the legislative deserters from the
farmers' movement had been rewarded.
for their action. One Senator had re
eived an $800 po.ition. He pre
dicted that at the very opening
of the next session Gideon Lee
would serve notice of suit to con
est the Clemson will, and that this
would be made the excuse for a failure
by the State to accept the bequest. If
the farmers did not make the coming
Legislature act at once, they would not
ikely ever get the college. He had
never seen any good in the agricultural
department. Six or eight thousand dol:
ars should suffice for its maintenance,
The other $25,000 of the privileg tax
should go to the college with the Htch
fund and land script fund, and it was
only by pledging Legislative candidates
to push this explicit plan that the farm
er could hope to attain their ends: they
must swear by the holy gods to have a
school of their own.
Taking various official reports and se
lecting figures from them Capt. Tillman
undertook to demonstrate that his state
ment at the State Convention as to the
increase and expenditures over 1878-79
was correct. His figures would be given,
but they were not made intelligible to
his hearers on the stand. He announced
that Comptroller General Verner, whom,
however, he considered an honorable
can, had misstated the facts and played
the partisan in his de'claration asto the
~omparative expenses of the periods
nder discussion.
Governor Richardson having made a
~orrection of one .of Capt. TJ.illman's
statements, the Moses of the farmers
remarked to him, "I give you credit for
being ajsquare old gamecock."
He characterized the railroad commis
sion in language the brief equivalent of
which is that that body constitutes a fos
silized aristocratic excrescence upon the
body politic. He compared the salaries
>f State officials and Judges in Georgia
with those in South Carolina. He was
not, however, in favor of cheap Judges
for South Carolina, nor .drunken ones
either. This agitation had gone too far,
the speaker said, for him to give up now.
'he people were laboring unddr burden
some Radical laws which should be re
pealed, and the aristocrats should be
ouled from the public teat. But for the
Edgeield devil" in the speaker he
rould long since have given up this
ell-nigh hopeless fight. He was incur
ing heavy pecuniary loss by making
his canvass, but if he had said anything
; make his audiences think over their
rongs and arouse themselves he was'
atisfied.
Concluding Capt. Tillman said, "I'll
itick to you, so help me God, tdI we win
;his fight."
The speaking closed at 2.41) P. M.,
aving lasted four hours and ten minutes.
Of a bank check it may be truly said,
'ts face is its fortuzne."
An Englishmanl has written a pamphlet
o prove'the pedigree of the devil. IHe
lates the old chap back eleven thousand
ears, and gives him far more credit than
loes the average minister.
Jones (to his wife)-Why is a husband
ike dough? [He was going to tell her it
ws because a woann needs him; but she
epie. "Beaume he is harrd to et off her