The Bamberg herald. (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, December 18, 1919, SECOND SECTION PAGES 9 TO 12, Page 12, Image 12
(Christmas j S
"Sarglanj" ; |
i )
By SAIDEE ESTF.M.E BALCOM < >
I f
(Copyright.)
?HE nlght-watchn^aD at
Plympton. possessed of
a due sense of his importance.
was called
"Sergeant" Moore. Ha
had become aware
that the distinctive
title was one In gen-,
era I vogue with metro____i
politan police systema
(' ancl he was proud of
gC/ the designation.
The day preceding
^ Christmaa was always
one looked forward to by the
doughty sergeant, for It was upon that
occasion that his conscience allowed
him to accept little marks of
nnrnhntinn
"Hey, there, sergeant r generally
prefaced the bestowal of something la
the shape o* a gift.
"It's duty I have to attend to all
Bight long," he told his wife. "They
*
say there's a regular band of burgl&rs
on the move."
Now two problems of fate were to
work out a strange series of circumstances,
In the Christmas eve events
appertaining to the redoubtable sergeant
The first was that the little
town jail bad burned down the week
1 previous. The second was that a new j
family had moved to town early In De- j
cember. comprising the Waynes?fath- !
er, mother, a charming daughter of j
seventeen and three young children. !
" ? ->?/.? KA RAtAil !
AS MUOrv p;i5?cu luctr ^iav.c uc uvicu
that it was all dark, the family prob- j
ably absent at some local entertain- !
ment and he caught the echo of a
sound resembling the tipping over of
a piece of furniture. Then from an
open window a form protruded. j
"Burglars P muttered the sergeant,
and made a dash for the presumable
destyiler.
"Hold on!" spoke the latter excitedly.
"It's all right." '
"Oh. Is it?" purred Moore derisively.
"What's that?" and he made a grab
at the protruding pocket of the young
man.
"If you'll allow me to explain," be- 1
gan the latter. "I know the people
who live here."
"Oh, yes. very particular friends!
Coidially invited you to break into, the
house at any hour of the night! And
this?a new muffler and a pair of
gloves. Say, you come with me." and
the sergeant marched his captive from
v the spot
"If you'll only let me explain,"
pleaded the young man, but Moore waa
deaf, blind to all but duty. Fifteen ,
i
minutes later the captive found himaelf
locked Into a stone cellar, and the
sergeant handed its key to his wife,
saying:
"You might pass In a Jug of water
C and a plate of bread to my catch
through the window; It's got no sash
to it. I'll drop around again soon."
The young man in retirement was
pacing about in the dark and anathematizing
his officious captor when Mrs. (
Moore timidly approached the window.
"Here's some water and a little
food," she said, "so you won't suffer,"
and just as she passed the things in
she uttered a shriek and crouched
t ? down trembling. Two men had suddenly
appeared, real burglars this
time.
/4Oh, sir I" whispered the woman
through the cellar window, "they may !
kill the children! And then there's all j
Tim's half yearly pay in the bureau! ;
Please help me. Here's the key to the
cellar door," and something tinkled on
the floor. Something else then transpired.
The released captive located
and knocked down and tied hand and
foot the prowler within the house, j
Then coming unawares upon the armed j
bandit outside he toppled him over,
rendered him helpless, and seemed to
enjoy the excitement of it aiL
"I am Roscoe Walden and I am engaged
to Ethel Wayne." he explained
an hour later to the bewildered ser* j
geant, after the latter had transferred j
the two criminals to limbo. "This la'
the first time I have visited their new j
home, and I got in surreptitiously to
ninpp n nresent on the Christmas tree
f - - 4T as
a surprise to my lady love. I don't'
want the Waynes to know 1 am In
Plympton until after she finds it."
Thore was a rare spice of adventurous
excitement for pretty Ethel in her j
devoted lover's unique experience when ;
he recited the same the next morning.
And meantime Sergeant Moore
was gaining popularity and the community's
good will. by detailing his
heroic act which had signalized Christmas
eve In the apprehension of two
despe.*stc- criminals who, but for him,
might have had the entire town at j
their mercy. ' 1
Jfwel of worth and constancy. Both
my wife and myself realize what we
owe to this poor waif who has endeared
herself to us as though shfe
were our own daughter."
Doctor Merritt proved his expressed
sentiments by very often visiting the
Bruce home after that. The children
loved him and he would drop in for an
hour or two and play with them and
talk with Rhoda and listen to her singing
at the piano, for music with Rhoda
was her one great passion. There
never was a visit on his part that
Rhoda did not greet him with a beautiful,
tender flush upon her fair, expressive
face, and one night her kindly
benefactors indulged in playful badinage
when she accompanied Doctor
Merritt to the door.
"Doctor Merr;it nns Decome quite a
bean?eh, Rhoda?" intimated Mr.
Bruce.
"Three tiroes in a week," spoke Mrs.
Bruce. "Rhoda dear, he is a loyal j
chevalier."
"Please don't," pleaded Rhoda, looking
serious, shy and embarrassed. "He
is only a great good friend to all of us,
and he has so encouraged my singing;
that it has made me more anxious than
ever to please him."
Early in November Mrs. Bruce, the
children and Rhoda went to the!
Florida winter home where the family
spent four months of the year. There
were anticipated happy days in the
pretty bungalow when Mr. Bruce
should join them later on. It was just
two weeks before Christmas when Mrs. j
Bruce decided to take a trip North and i
remain with her husband until the
holidays, when he would be ready to;
accompany her to Fair Villa. It was j
a few days after her coming that her i
husband said to her: "Laura, Doctor.
Merritt has fairly haunted the house
evenings since you went away. I met j
him today and told him of our plans,
and he was especially pressing in his
inquiries about Rhoda. I presume he
will be here this evening to ask you
about Rhoda," but the young physician
did not materialize as expected, and
the next day the Braces understood
that he had left the city.
It was two days before Christmas
when the dreadful news came of the
disaster in the South. Fair Villa had
been practically swept off the map;
their winter home had been carried
away by the raging waters. Telegrams
contained vague and distracting details.
They had no reason to hope
that their loved ones had escaped th?
general fate of those who were missing
among the former residents of the
little inland town. They were now
ready to go South and seek a trace of
their two little children and of Rhoda,
in whom they had so trustingly* left
jthem in charge.
"It must be the taxi," spoke Mr.
Bruce, arousing with a sigh from his
painful reverie as the doorbell rang,
but he crossed the outer threshold to
come face to face with Doctor Merritt
The manner and words of the latter
were jarring to the bruised sensibilities
of the bereaved father, for the
young physician was radiant of face.
His eyes suggested a fervent exhilaration
as he greeted Mr. Bruce with riotous
embrace and waved his hamd gayly
to Mrs. Bruce, who had followed her
husband into the hallway.
"A glad and merry Christmas to
both of you!" hailed Doctor Merritt
jubilantly.
Ton haven't heard?" spoke Mr.
Bruce in a low, reproachful tone.
"Why, what do you mean?" questioned
Doctor Merritt
"The disaster at Fair Villa?the children."
Waco TTon i'? falriv shnnted
If LA J | UltOO J VIA ? ?
the doctor?"they are right here!"
Harold Bruce wavered against the
wall for support Mrs. Bruce uttered
a wild scream. Across the threshold
from the porch there rushed little
Etta and her brother. Joy, delight,
ecstasy mitigated the shock of what at
first stunned the frantic parents as an
appearance from the dead.
"And last but not least, she whose
mission in life seems ever to be to
bring healing and happiness, and love,
To the Distant Fri
Added E
Dress your thoughts
stationery. We have this
styles and sizes. We'll be p
at any time and help you in
BAMBI
and peace to all those who are dear to
her!" in a gently reverent tone continued
Doctor Merritt, and with supreme
satisfaction the young physician
viewed the five reunited ones in a
maze of embraces, kisses and tears.
Khoda. clinging to Mrs. Bruce, hid her
face in modest confusion, as Doctor
Merritt recited her brave battle
against the elements in a great storm
upon a battered raft until she had
b- ught the children to safety.
"But you, Doctor Merritt?" propounded
Mrs. Bruce wonderingly?
"how came you to be at Fair Villa?"
"I arrived there after the disaster,"
was the reply. "I had gone there on a
specific mission, later executed, to ask
our peerless Ehoda, queen of all worn
W "i?^
He Covered It With Kisses.
ankind, to become my wife," and af
Rhoda extended her hand he covered
it with kisses and pressed it to hi!
happy, happy heart.
"If there was a mistletoe here ]
would march you two promptly undei
it!" threatened Mrs. Bruce, immersed
in thrilling joy and gratitude.
"There shall be one before Christ
mas morning arrives!" cried Doctoi
Merritt in tones that rang out like i
cheer. "Come, Bruce, you and I on e
hunt for Santa Claus and the choitssi
gifts he can bestow, Oh! nowhere li
the world, and never co any others
has there come a happier, merriei
Christmas than the one we shall cele
brate!" '
Sleigh
bells
peal with
merry jingle;
church bells set
the air a-tingle, while
with these the door
bells mingle in a syncopated
score There's die sound of happy
greeting as acquaintances
are meeting; there's the knell
of Christmas fleeting as the dodts
strike o'er and o'er; Johnnie's trumpet's
dtriektng shrilly, Philip's drum and
fife's not still; he makes attempt to drown
but illy sounds of guns that outside roar.
There's the squeak of Mollie's dolly, and the
* ^ ? ?c i i
iquawK or voute apouy, ana me screams a
laughter jolly from this happy little
four. But above all Christmas noises
made by little girls and boys is one that
better than all toys is; more good
cheer it holds
in
store.
Tis
the
sound
of mother pitchin' things
about out in the kitchen
*3 she calls (she knows
we're itchin') "Come to
dinner!1' through the door.
)I?ocSEVE ;
W
end?Letters Bring
njoyment
well by writing on correct
popular line in the newest
leased to show you samples
your selection.
!RG, 3. C.
1 MAXTONE?The guaranteed tonic
for chills, fever and malaria. 25c
and 50c bottle.
JD* JLa* 1 !
1 complete EleiSric Ligfc* ^nd
Power PlACit
Faulkner Electric Service Co., Dealers,
Bamberg, S. C.
NOTICE OF DISCHARGE.
Notice is hereby given to all persons
interested that the undersigned
administratrix of the estate of W. B.
Kennedy, deceased, will file her final
accounting with the Judge of Pro'
bate for Bamberg county on the 5th
day of December, 1919, and will at
same time ask for letters dismissory
, as such administratrix.
I MRS. S. M. KENNEDY,
12-4. Administratrix.
MAXTONE?The guaranteed tonic
for chills, fever and malaria. 25c
and 50c bottle.
t I !
J*
I !
Oil Kufi
| / j^ Came Isareaoldevet
/ Hi I where in scientifica.
J 'Jjl sealed packages of.
I HH cigarettes or ten pac
I jjll ages (200 cigaretti
I /III in a glassine-papt
I j.fj covered cartrn. V
I ha strongly recomme
this carton for t<
\ \wjl home or office supp
\ W or when you travt
R. J. Reynolds Tobacco (
\ \ Winston-Salem, N. C.
WE ARE HERE TO SERVE THE PUBLIC
And Invite Yon to Become One of Gar Regular Customers
Why not make this bank your
bank? Make use of our Bank Account
Plan; take advantage of our
facilities and equipment for the better
protection of your income and
creating a reserve fund for future
use.
Entemrise Bank
JL
BAMBERG, S. C.
| H. M. GRAHAM, DR. ROBT. BLACK, W. D. COLEMAN,
President Vice President Cashier
>r Parlor, Bed-room, and Bath
"Wherever, whenever, heat is particularly
desirable a portable Per
fection Oil Heater provides 11 in- s,
stantly in just the amount wanted I
\ The Perfection is clean, safe, odor- I
f on a gallon of kerosene, without I
soot or ashes. Easily filled and re- i II v
wicked. In use in over 3,000,000 II
Aladdin Security Oil gives best re- I
suits. At your dealer's. ' II
STANDARD OIL COMPANY I
| Norfolk, Va. Charleaton, W. Va. j 9
Richmond, Va, Charleaton, S. C.
OJJ. Hewers 1
MBMjBMjflBMBMMWBBB?UB|S.'*|y '61-U wwi,|DTrr'**<a^
-? r==^^ ? i
CAMELS are the most refreshing, satisfying cigarette you
ever smoked! Put all your cigarette desires in a bunch,
Uy then buy some Camels, give them every taste-test and know
20 for your own satisfaction that in quality, flavor, smoothk'
body and in many other delightful ways Camels are in a
class by themselves!
Camels are an expert blend of choice Turkish and choice
Domestic tobaccos. Youll not only prefer this blend to either
)iy kind of tobacco smoked straight, but youH appreciate the
^1 remarkable full-bodied-mildness and smooth, refreshing
^ flavor it provides! Camels are a cigarette revelation!
Camels win you in so many new ways! They not only
permit you to smoke liberally without tiring yout
taste but leave no unpleasant cigaretty aftertaste or unpleasant
cigaretty odor!
Compare Camels with any cigarette
in the world at any price! You'll
prefer Camel quality to premiums,
coupons or gifts! k
' . > '