Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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SLSOPer Yea of thm ? 1IT>T Sagg&Saakf ypuNc MISTLEY HmAry , Srtow t Mmrriman. CHAPTER XXIV. 16 Continued. v "I cannot understand It at all. If I had a secret like that upon my mind I should be miserable. I should not be able to think of or take an Interest in anything else, whereas you and ? Winyard ? were as innooent as lambs. Tou took an Interest in the theatricals, in the trivial details, of everyday existence. It makes one v feel like a child to whom the nurse talks upon topics likely to amuse, and never thinks of what she is say ing." Before Colonel Wright had time to reply, the door was thrown open by the square-shouldered butler, and Laurance Lowe entered the room, closely followed by Charles Mlstley. "We met on the doorstep," said the younger man; while his compan "? ton silently shook hand* with Colonel and Mrs. Wright, and kissed Lena. "Early visit," added Laurance j Lowe, by way of apology. "I am glad you have come," said the colonel, genially. "I have heard from Winyard at last." * Then he rose and handed the letter to Charlie. The young sailor took the paper and walked to the window. Ife "Excuso me," he said, with a grave smile toward Mrs. Wright before he unfolded it. Leaning against the ? woodwork of the window, ho read the r letter through slowly and deliberate ly. Then he came forward and gave it back to the colonel, with a word of "**? thanks. Before handing it to Laurance Lowe, the old soldier unfolded tho paper and examined it critically; then, looking up suddenly at Charlie, ho said : "It is such men as this who leave their mark upon the generation." Charlie smiled in his laty, grave way. "Yes," ho replied; "the energetic ones." Laurance Lowe was holding out his hand for the letter, patiently and without any show of curiosity. As previously hinted, he was essentially an unemotional being, never display ing curiosity or surprise. < "Colonel," said Charlie. "I have brought you the new sheet-map I promised to procure you. It is a large affair, so I gave it to Jarvls to take Into your study." "Thanks ? many thanks!" "And," continued the young sailer, "and ? I have come to say good-bye." Laurance Lowe slowly raised his I ?yes. They rested on Charles Mist ley long enough to notice that the young fellow carefully avoided meet ing Lena's quick glance, and instant ly turned away again. "Good-bye?" echoed Lena. "Sure ly you aro not going away now?" "Yes," replied Charlie, quietly. "I have been appointed to the Curlew, on the Mediterranean station." Mrs. Wright had risen, and was standing at the window with her back toward them. She turned her head. "I shall be very sorry to lose you, Charlie," she said, softly. Lena said nothing. ? She was en ij gaged in administering small pieces of toast to Adonis. Seh could not bo expected to express surprise, as Charles Mlstley had foreseen this ap pointment, and had spoken of it fre-. quently. Presently the gentlemen adjourned to the study to smoke cigarettes and Inspect the new map. When it was spread out on tho table, the colonel took a pen and made a little cross over the word "Moscow," writing un ? derneath it the date of Winyard Mist ley's letter. With dotted lines he followed the track of the railway to" Nljnl Novgorod; and then, turning south, traced the broad flow of the Volga. Carefully ho portioned off each day with a line drawn horizon tally. As the mariner traces his courso upon the chart, so Colonel Wright continued, in the months that fol lowed, to make this imaginary track across Russia. Down the Volga to y Astrakhan, by road from Astrakhan to Petrovsk, and from thence across the Caspian Sea to Krasnovodsk. a Each day's journey was portioned off scientifically, each day the little dotted line advanced further into the unknown East. The old traveler never spoke much to his wife or daughter concerning this map, doubtless considering it a detail of his profession necessarily of small Interest to ladles. He was not aware that day by day a fair young face was bent over tho gray paper, and a dainty finger followed with absorbing Interest the growth of the black line. CHAPTER XXV. A Strange Message. Early in September Mrs. Wright ^ received a letter from Gibraltar, of which the address was In an un known handwriting. Charles Ml?t ley's letters bad of late borne the Gibraltar postmark, but this could not be from him. Before sho had read the first page, she exclaimed: "Charlie is coming home!" : **Hurrati!" said toe coionei. 'Oh, I am so glad!" said Lena, with more (error than the occasion wouh) appear to demand. But Mrs. Wright looked grave. "He haa broken his arm," she said, and then she suddenly laughed. The letter was from an officer ot Charles Mlstley's ship, was a very humorous production, purporting to be written at Charlie's dictation, but interlarded here and there with oh* serrations from the writer's own fer tile brain. Although the news was bad, it was so cheerfully Imparted CEal the bright side oT If was' alone presented. "At any rate," said Lena, when the letter had been read aloud, "he is coming." "Yes, he Is coming," replied her mother, thoughtfully, almost anx iously. Charles Mistley had been the only member of the little circle who had *refused, persistently and continually, to acknowledge any feeling of anx lety at his brother's silence. His letters, written in the Mediterranean, seemed to have caught tho sunshine and joyo.usness of that favored sea. No thought of anxiety, no suspicion of doubt, was allowed to find place In the closely written pages. More than a year had elapsed since Win yard's departure, and the silence was yet unbroken. War hud at timet appeared imminent, and then from mere lack of interest had lapsed Into peace again. Great storms had passed over the world ? revolutions, murders and bloodshed ? but Charles Mlstley's faith had never wavered. The black line on Colonel Wright's map had turned back; it had even regained civilization, and yet no word was forthcoming. Despite this, Charlie laughed at anxiety. Worst of all, Wlnyard's name had gradually been dropped from conversation at the house In Seymour street. Th? topic was tacitly avoided as we avoid the mention of those dear names which gain no answer now. It was to this that Charles Mistley was coming home. A few days after the arrival of the letter he presented himself In Sey mour street. Although he had given .no notice of his coming, he was for* tunate enough to find every one at home. There was, however, another visitor in the room when he arrived. This was a brother officer of Colonel Wright's, who had stopped his cab in passing through Seymour street to call and leave two brace of part ridges. At last the old sportsman took his leave, and the colonel accompanied him to the door. When the latter returned, the fact had apparently slipped his memory that he had Bhaken hands with Charlie before, for he went through the ceremony again, taking Charlio's left In his right somewhat aw kwardly. "How is the arm?" he asked, glanc ing at the sling, which the young sailor somehow managed to wear so that It failed to attract attention. "The arm is getting on splendidly, thank you," he replied in rather a constrained tone. The colonel had left the door open, and now the young Bailor crossed tho room to close it. He Btooped in order to see that the bolt had acted properly, and then he turned and faced Colonel Wright. "1 have news," he said, Quietly, "of Winyard." "Ah!" exclaimed the old soldier, rising from tho seat he had Just re sumed. "Tell mo all about It! Newi at last! Thank God!" "It is a long story," began th? other, in his slow manner. "Then bo quick with it," Inter rupted Mrs. Wright, with an impa> tlent laugh. A little "catching" sigh of relief came from Lena's corner of the room. "Let us hear all about It," said the colonel, pointing to a chair. But Charlie appeared to prefer standing. He took his station at the corner of tho mantel piece, and while he was speaking he fidgeted with thg ornaments thore, taking them \ip and setting them down again one after tho other. He told his story with characteristic simplicity and short ness. 'The day beforo yesterday," ho said, "I was at the club at Plymouth, reading a paper or something, when a fellow camo and said, 'Commander Mistley,' in a casual sort of way, and held out his hand. I shook it, and let him have it back, and then he ?aid 'I am Henry Akryl.' I was none the wiser, so I said 'Yes' in a vague way." "I know exactly how you said it,-' interrupted Lena, with a little laugh. "Well, It ultimately transpired that he dined with us one day in the Per sian Gulf. He Is an Eastern author ity ? writes books, or reads Inscrip tions, or something. Then he told u* his story. In January he was at Kldl Arvat. One da> he was in tho bazaar, and, of course, was being pes tered by the scum of the place, who wanted him to buy rubbish of every description. He is the rcrt of man who never buys curiosities, and he tuny got rid of thorn all ?mpt on follow, who follow** him moot por> ?hUatlr, ms pot of tho hi? r. Ho ttimi Iowa o narrow street whwo tho grata mernhsals have tMr stalls: but this (allow still followed him. and kopt thrastlag his waros for ward. His particular llao of business was old Jewelry, Moscow crow as, cheap bangles from KMt, and that sort of thing. Ho whlnod ont a prayer for charity in tho most aggra vating manner, aad onoe or twice Akryl struck his hand aside. Sud denly, however, he eeased whining, and said in perfect English: 'Don't look round; don't atop; but listen to what I tell you.' Akryl seems to be a sharp fellow, for he walked on with out showing any surprise. Then .the Jewelry merchant went on: 'When you get back, go or write to Colonel William Forster Wright, 19 Seymour street, London. Remember the ad dress. Tou had better write it down when you get back to the caravan sary. Don't look round. Tell him you met an Englishman in Central Asia to-day ? that is all.' Akrgl said, 'Are you MistleyT' and the "lellow replied, 'Shut upP X&ryl Thought a cross ? - ? " Charlie stopped speaklag. His thumb was hooked into his waistcoat pocket, as if making sure that some thing was there. His eyes were fixed on the hearth rug ? a tiger skin, the stripes of which he was following with the toe of his boot. Suddenly he raised his lazy eyes, direct and with a certain deliberation, from the floor to Lena's face. He caught her eye fixed wistfully on his hand. Then he moved slightly, and addressed Col onel Wright: "It sounds like Win, does it not?" "Yes," replied the old traveler, slowly pulling at his mustache. "Yes, that was Win." 'Akryl saw nothing but his hand/' continued the sailor. "A small, brown hand, he said it was ? almost the hand of a Tartar, but somewhat stouter, with compact fingers and light colored nails. I asked him for further details, but that was all that he could tell me. He had landed in England two days before 1 saw him, and was on the point of starting off to join the Fez expedition, and was just going to sit down and write to you, when he caught sight of me, and remembered that I was Win's broth er." "It is not much," said Colonel Wright, slowly, "but it explains a good deal. He ought to have been across the Klzll Arvat desert before January. No doubt he has had dif ficulties to contend with which we did not quite foresee." The old soldier was no adept at dis simulation. His manner implied dis appointment, and In each heart there , was a vague conviction that this newt was not satisfactory. It was no ex planation of the subsequent silence. CHAPTER XXVL Bokhara. With the advent of October' came a succession of fogs. The atmosphere of London was such as only London ers can breathe ? yellow, noisome and choking. Tho Wrights had talked of leaving town, and nad even discussed the question of going abroad, but they were still in Seymour street. The colonel was busy, and seemed singularly averse to leaving town; he was now getting seriously anxious about Winyard Mistley. Instead of getting better, things grew worse. Vague reports, originat ing sometimes in Berlin, sometimes in St. Petersburg, appeared from time to time in the newspapers. These rumors spoke of trouble on the Afghan and Persian frontiers, of tri bal disturbances and religious dif ferences, of boundaries overstepped and agreements broken. Added to all this, Colenel Wright received a blow from a nearer source, which ag* gravated matters greatly, and ren dered Winyard Mlstley's silence al most unbearable. One morning, late in October, he was sitting at his study table. Before him lay the large sheet map which Charles Mistley had brought mors than a year ago. A fresh route had been worked out across It with dotted lines of red, commencing at Klzil Ar vat on the day mentioned by the trav eler, Henry Akryl. The colonel had Just completed the doted lino as far as Bokhara, and was looking, In an absentedly methodical manner, at a calendar. Tho date written above the word Bokhara was terribly far back into the spring, more than stx months ago. The study door opened softly, and although the old soldier heard it, he did not move or turn. Two warm hands were laid upon his shoulders with that marvellous touch of a woman's loving Angers. They were peculiarly steady hands, as white as Lena's, but firmer and somewhat heavier. "Willy!" "Yes, old woman. ** "Willy," repeated Mrs. Wright, looking out of the window into the hopeless dreariness of tho October morning, "havo you noticed any dif ference ? any change In Lena?" The colonel raised his eyes from the map and contemplated the chim neys of tho opposlto houso for some momenta in silence. "A change ? old woman?" ho said, slowly. ^'Perhaps there is a change ? sho is no longer a child sow." "No, It is not thst. There Is some thing else. ' She never allows it to appear; but? -sho is miserable. She Js wearing ^herself to death. Wo must go away from London." It must be confessed that Colonel Wright had not given very much thought to the subject of his daugh ter's happiness, nor was he clever at divining a motive. (To be contlnatd.) THE S. C. LEGISLATURE ? *? ?icwi Diy'i B? lia. The second day's session of the General Assembly was characterized by earnest, effective work for nearly two hoars on both sides of the house, the dsy witnessing the introduction of s large batch of new bills, some of them of more than oidinary in terest, and some good punching being done on both calendars, whereby these were rid of a number of dead bills coming over from last session. Just before going through the cal endar to rid it of old bills whose au thors wanted tabled, and in order to pass to third reading uncontested second-reading bills, the House adopted a resolution by a two to one vote to have the election next Friday at noon so as to get them out of the way as soon as possible and allow the members to get busy on the work of law-making. This resolution has uot yet reached the Senate, but will likely be adopted by that body. An associate justiee, a circuit judge and two penitentiary directors are to be chosen. There has always been opposition on the part of certain members of the House to the hall of the House being used by the South Carolina Club fair week for the State hall, these being opposed to dancing 'for political or re ligious reasons or both, and these claim they form a majority of the House, and that the other faction (rets its resolution through allowing the club to use the hall by choosing an opportune moment toward the close of the session. So Mr. Lane in troduced a resolution forbidding the hall hereafter to be used for any pur pose necessitating the removal of the furniture or carpet. Of course mem bers objected to its immediate consid eration and it was referred to the public buildings committee, where at tempt will be made to strangle it. First Bill Is to Repeal Lien Law. The first bill to be sent up to the Speaker's desk was one by Mr. John G. Richards to repeal the lien law, and it looks as if the light he has been carrying on against this law for a decade will at last end in a vic tory for him. Several bills were introduced in both houses looking to patching up the contract labor law Judge Brawley in the Federal Court last spring de clared unconstitutional. Some of these make jumping a labor contract prima facie evidence of fraud and the person so jumping liable to prosecu tion. on. the criminal side -of the court. Others make it a misdemeanor to em ploy a laborer under contract. In this connection a resolution was passed calling upon the farmer mem bers of both houses to meet in the hall of the House for a conference as to what is the best course to pur sue to remedy conditions. Shot at Secret Societies. Representatives E. Marion Rucker, of Anderson, introduced a bill aimed at before-day clubs and other negro secret societies, requiring all secret societies to secure licenses from clerks of court and making attend ance upon the meeting of an unlicen sed society a misdemeanor. In the rural districts many people have be* come very suspicious of secret so ciety meetings. Senator Graydon had a bill in the Senate seeking to partially stem the homicidal tide in this State by mak ing it unallowable to plead self-de fense in a case where the defendant was carrying a pistol at the time of (lie difficulty, unless he was on his own premises. - Representative W. W. Dixon intro duced a bill forbidding the setting aside of a verdict or the granting of a new trail, in a civil or criminal case, unless it was shown that a party to the action would otherwise be depriv ed of some constitutional right or there would be a miscarriage of jus tice. Mr. Richards had a bill appropriat ing $48,000 for a new dormitory at Winthrop, and Rev. Mann had one to punish servants of common carriers for "negligently or wilful ly" breaking pieces of baggage or parcels in their charge. New Bills in Senate. Mr. Weston ? A joint resolution au thorizing and directing the comptrol ler general and the State treasurer to ascertain and report the amount of money loaned by Joshua Fanning to the State of South Carolina during the year 1777 and whether the sum so loaned has ever been repaid to the said Fanning, his heirs, executors, ad ministrators or assigns, Mr. Carlisle? To amend section 2*15, code, so as to do away with the 40 days' limit after delivery of execu tions or deeds or instruments requir ed to be recorded in order to consti tute notice to subsequent creditors or purchasers for valuable consideration without notice. Mr. Johnson ? To provide for the appointment of a commission to erect an executive mansion and to appro priate funds therefor. Mr. Laney ? A joint resolution pro viding for the submission to the De mocratic primary election of 1908 foi nn expression of sentiment on the re poal or non-repeal of the "lien law" as now on the statute books. Mr. Talbert ? To prohibit the man ufacture, sale, barter, giving away to iuduce trade, or keeping or furbish ing at public places, or keeping oc l and at places of business, or unlaw l'?il transportation of any alcoholic, spirituous, malt, vinous, or intoxical ing liquors, or intoxicating bitters 01 other liquors or beverages of whatso ever name called, which if drunk tc excess will produce intoxication ex cept the sale of alcohol in certair cases upon certain conditions and ex cept the sale of wine for sacramental purposes; to prescribe penalties ana enforcement of same. Mr. Rodgers? To prohibit t h? granting of temporary injunction* for longer than 10 days, except upoi notice to opposite party. Mr. Crouch ? To amend the civi' code by including a special provisioi as to the compensation of judge ol probate of Saluda county. Mr. Qriffin ? To prohibit appeals upon writs of error from the supreme court of this State to the supreme court of the United States from oper ating as a supersedeas. Mr. Toole ? To further regulate the charges and collection of railroad fares and mileage. Mr. Sullivan ? To require railroad companies to put cinder screens on the windows of passenger coaches. Mr. Sullivan ? To require public ginners and public warehouse com panies to mark bales of cotton ginned oe-stored. Mr. Sullivan ? To declare the law relating to contracts for personal ser vice. Mr. Johnson ? Regulating the sell ing and redemption of tickets sold by common carriers and their agncts. Mr. Bates ? To declare the violation of a lease of lands or tenements and a failure or refusal to enter upon the due performance of a contract foi leasing lands or tenements, ami the violation of any such contract upon the part of any tenant, a misdemean or and to provide a punishment there for. New Bills in House. The following new bills were intro duced in the house : Mr. Gyles ? To amend section code of laws, South Carolina, volume 2, relating to violation of contracts by striking out all of said section af ter the word "any" on the first line thereof and inserting in lieu thereof the following to be known as section 35ft so us to define the offense aim provide a punishment therefor. Mr. Gyles ? A bill to amend section 2165, article 8, volume 1, code of laws, South Carolina, 1902, by adding certain sections to be known as sec tions "A," "B," "C," "IV "K," liY," so as to further regulate the charges and collection of railroad fares and mileage. Mr. J. P. Gibson ? A bill requiring county officers to qualify and assume the duties of their respective offices j on the first Tuesday in December af ter the general election. Mr. Hall ? A joint resolution to ex tend the time for the collection of taxes till the first day of March, 1908, without penalty. The following bills and resolutions, were introduced in the senate and re ferred to the proper commitees: Mr. Bates ? A bill to amend an act relating to violations of labor con tracts. Mr. Raysor ? A bill relating to the formation and organization of new counties. Mr. Appelt ? A bill to further regu late agricultural labor contracts. Mr. Appelt ? A bill to impose a li cense tax upon all liquor drummer* J and persons who solicit orders or of fer for sale liquor or beverages con taining alcohol. 1 Mr. Blcase ? A bill making it a mis demeanor to" violate any written con- j tract duly entered into and witnessed j by two or more disinterested parties,. | except contracts for money only. Mr. Carlisle ? A joint resolution proposing to amend section 7, article 8, of the constitution relating to mun- ] icipal bonded indebtedness. Mr. Carlisle ? A joint resolution to empower towns and cities of over J 1,000 inhabitants to assess contiguous, property for permanent improve ments. Mr. Toole ? A bill relating to labor contracts. Mr. McGowan ? A bill to exempt from taxation nil bonds issued by school districts for the erection of school buildings, for equipment, for maintaining public schols or for pay ing indebtedness of such school dis tricts. Mr. Graydon ? A hill to limit the rijrht to set tip the plea of self-de fense where a pistol is used. Mr. Raysor ? A hill to repeal tax on incomes. Mr. Christensen ? A hill to fix the. i mount to be paid by persons liable o perform road duty in lieu of work up: on public highways in the county >i' Heaufort. New Bills in House. The following hills and joint resolu ions were introduced in the houso uid referred to appropriate commit 't?-s : Mr. Richards ? A hill to repeal see ion :i0f>9, vol. ], code of laws South 'nroiinn, 1902, relating to the lien ? aw. Mr. Rucker ? A bill to require all ecret orders or societies to apply to iie clerk of court of the county in vhieh they wish to operate for a li ?ensc, providing that the issuing ol *aid licenses shall be discretionary with said clerk of court and making it a misdemeanor for any one to at tend upon any meeting of such order or society which has not such license. Mr. Mann ? A bill to provide for the punishment of all agents and ser vants of railroad and express com panies who break into or injure any package or parcels or baggage while in the custody or under the control of any such company. Mr. McMaster ? A bill to require the registration of trained nurses in this State. Mr. Von Kolnitz ? A bill to author ize and empower electric railway, gas and electric light companies to leaso their property and franchises to other companies. Mr. Richardson ? A bill to provide for the erection of a dormitory build ing at the Winthrop Normal and In dustrial college of South Carolina and to appropriate money for t ho same. Mr. Frost ? A bill to encourgae the maintenance ami erection of armory buildings by the National (iuard of the State. Mr. Dixon ? A bill in relation to contracts between landlords and lab orers and making certain breaches *?*? the same a misdemeanor. Mr. Ruckcr ? A hill to amend sec lion 357 of the criminal code, vol 2, code of laws of South Carolina, 11)02, so as to make violation of labor con tract, after receiving supplies, prima I'm-ie proof ol' an intent to defraud. Employe of Oil Mill Whirled to Death Greenville, S. Special. ? Charles Pollard, aged 20 years, was accident ally killed at Fountain Inn while at tempting to adjust a pulley at the oil mill at that place, llis clothing be came entangled in the machinery and lie was dashed to death by the shaft ing, his body having heen badly mu tilated. Governor Vardaman to Enter Field of Journalism. Jackson, Miss., Special. ? Governoi James K. Vardaman made definite announcement that he would re-entet the Held of journalism when his term as Governor of Mississippi c.v pires. Within the next ten days, th?' Governor declares the first copy ol his paper will appear. It will b? priii ed at Jr. el sou and will sturt ai a Meekly, pcn< ing mo working out r f plans for daily. "Big Offer To All Our Subscriber* The Great AMERICAN FAR.MER Indianapolis, Ind. Thi Leading Agricultural Journal of the Nation, Edited by an Able Corps of Writers. Tb# Amerio%D Farmer is the only Literary Farm Journal pub lished. It filld a position of its own and taken the leading place in the homos of rural people ift every section of the United Htafces. It gives the farmer and his family somethfng to think ubout aside from the humdrum of routine duties. Every Issue Contains an Original Poem by Solon L. Ooode. Within the Next Sixty Days We Offer Two for the Price of One. "THE PEOPLE" The Leading County Paper and the AMERICAN FARMER. BOTH ONE YEAR FOR 81.50 This unparalleled offer is made for all new subecxibers, apd all old ones who pay all arrears and renew within sixty days. 8amp)e copies free. Address W. A. SHROCK, THE PEOPLE, Publisher. Camden, S. C.