The Horry herald. (Conway, S.C.) 1886-1923, January 10, 1907, Image 4
< ~ " ? 3E5 i
THE NE'ERDO-WELL
By Anita Clay Munoz
I OopyriKht, 100f?, by Chaiira 1J. Ethorlngton
s^^T^HE Van Iloustons were an arisJ
tocratlc family?people of the
) JL world?and as happy as most
\ but for the fact that a family
(Skeleton lodged in their hearts lu the
Smemory of an older brother ? Peter
SVan Houston?who had been cxpellod
(from college and nfter running wild
(for n tlmo had suddenly ended it all
sby forging his father's name to a
(chock for $.r>,000, collecting the money
sand departing for the west.
( At that time his father, Hubert Van
' Houston, was one of the rich men of
Wall street. Years beforo ho hud
burled his lirst wife, who left him this
/troublesome son, and had married
again, a fashionable widow, who duly
presented him with a daughter. * This
lady comforted him when his boy went
away, cared for him through his last
Illness, wept gently when he died and
after a time nettled down to enjoy the
money her husband had left exclusively
to her and their daughter Elizabeth.
Blnoe then time had brought its customary
gifts?white hair to Mrs. Van
Houston and a husband and children
to her daughter, now Mrs. Mnrmnduke
Odell.
One afternoon at about this time
their legal adviser, Mr. Clarendon, sat
In his othce at his desk when the door
opened to admit a man of about fifty
years of age, who said, "Are you James
Clarendon?" "Yes, sir." "Legal adB'iser
for Mrs. Van Houston?" "1 um,
ptr. Hut what Is your business with
me?" "I should like to make my will,"
the man replied. "It's a long story.
Have you time to listen?" "Go on."
IThe newcomer leaned forward. "Don't
you know me, Mr. Clarendon?" "I do
not." He laughed a low, bitter laugh.
"Forgotten by every one, I suppose.
Tlie ne'er-do-well, the black sheep 1"
Mr. Clarendon looked at him keenly.
|"You are not"? "I ain?Peter .Van
j I ~ illaih
; i f- ? I
"l SHOULD liTKE TO MAKE MY WILL."
Houston!" Ti?? lawyer fell back In
surprise and dismay. "Well," be said,
"and what do you wont?" "I desiro
J to make my will. I'll not keep you
Slong," his visitor said dryly. "They
<say that the way of the transgressor Is
Shard, but I have reason to doubt tho
(truth of that statement, for the stolen
)money brought mo luck from the mo(meat
I went to tho far west. Tho great
Sbusiness out there was lassoing wild
lhor?f>H T Iwrnimn nr? nrnni<f nt 41,1a nn/l
) 1. - ?^ v*rw"' ,,fc ?-"*?*
thought and Bold until I had accumulated
a good sum of money."
) "Abo you married?"
i"No. Women have no attraction for
me. A little black trunk that I keep
under my bed and that holds all my
securities Is my only love. People call
me n iniser, and I ratlier enjoy the
name. It means so much," he cried,
"and su<ii a sure moans of revenge!"
"Revenge. Ah!" Tho lawyer grew
attentive.
"Mr. Clarendon, I acknowledge I did
wrong, and T have suffered. An outcast
for thirty years, hidden, unknown!
And my sister Elizabeth?she is rich
and sensitive to disgrace! She would
not receive me, for Instance?"
"Of course," the lawyer said, "I cannot
answer for my clients. As you
eay, they are proud, but money Is often
a strong influence."
"Get your papers out, Mr. Clarendon."
The man's voice was husky.
"Draw up a Mill for mo. Walt." He
grew white, put nis uauu over bis
>heart and gasped. "An attack of tho
\henrt! Hie doctors say I can not live
?a year. Draw up the papers, lawyer.
<|I warn revenge!"
"^ou -wjil leave the bulk of your fori|tune
away from your famijy?" tlie lawyer
queried. Mr. Van Houston appeared
to be waiting for strength to
Scontinue. 'Tomorrow I shall go to my
(sister's house. i want them to think
Si am poorl 1 want to find out If fhoy
J are cruel enough to live in luxury
)knowing that the rightful lielr Is starv
sing In their neighborhood. You a Ion..
Sare to know the truth I My fortune
(amounts to $1,000,000. Tn a black Iron
Sbox In my room are my papers ol
rvalue. I have decided to dispose of m.\
fortune In this manner-$100,000 ti
you, Mr. Clarendon, and the bulk t<
my sister Elizabeth?but with thiH stlp
illation: If she or any of them slight
me then I leave my fortune to char
fty."
When Van Houston had gone Mi
Clarendon paced up and down thought
fully. "It I do not act at once it wn,
lie too late," he observed.
Thut evening when Mrs. Van Houston
and her daughter, Mrs. Odell. returned
from the opera they found Mr.
Clarendon In the reception room.
"I hope this visit Is not to tell us
that our funds are low," laughed Mrs
Odell.
"I have not come to scold, dear
madam, but to tell you a bit of news.
I have business of a pcivnte nature to
communicate to you, Mrs. Odell. Peter
Van Houston was In my ofllco toduy."
Both women uttered sharp exclamations;
the younger shivered. "I hoped
ho was dead," she said.
"Will lie sue for his share in his father's
estate?" cried Mrs. Van Houston.
"Oh, what a blow! Elizabeth, we
will not receive him!"
"I always expected IV'" Mrs. Odell
Bald. "And now this awful news is
brought to us! I shall refuse to see
him!"
The lawyer, Instructing the ladles to
secrecy, tokl thein of Mr. Van Houston's
will and the conditions Imposed
and later took his departure.
"Peter evidently Inherited his father's
t.alont for money getting," Mrs.
Van Houston observed. "Thank fortune,
he can live but a year longer.
Poter as a young man was extremely
tiresome."
"Never mind, mother," Mrs. Odell
cried. "I am golug to get that money.
Ah, the front door! Mnrmaduke," she
called out, "news!" Her husband, a
fastidious looking man, entered the
room.
The next day Peter Van Houston
presented himself at his sister's house.
Mrs. Van Houston and her daughter
received him.
"Wo are bo surprised!" said the older
woman, extending her hand cordially.
"Only the bad penny turning up
again," her stepson answered. "I've
had a hard life, mother. For years,
rather than return to my family penniless,
I have lived by doing odd Jobs
hero and there, but at last ill health
n_nd poverty drove me home."
They asked him to remain to dinner,
and he accepted the Invitation.
Later In the evening, as Mr. Odell
wan showing him to the door. Mr. Van
Houston surprised him by asking for
the loan of $50.
"I am a poor man, Marinadnke," he
said as he took It. "I do not know
when I can return It."
"Do not let Hint worry you, my good
fellow," Mr. Odell replied. "Any time
will suit me." lie shut the door.
"How the man tries to catch us!" ho
exclaimed.
A night a week later Mr. and Mrs.
Odell were receiving their friends.
The house was ablaze with the glare
of many lights. Women In handsome
toilets and men immaculate in evening
clothes moved about exchanging greetings.
All the pleasure of anticipation of
tliis evening's enjoyment had been
spoiled for tho hostess by the uncertainty
in her mind whether to invite
her brother or not. After much talking
she decided to run tho risk of ids
accidental coming and resolved that if
she got over this night safely to venture
on no more public entertainments
until Mr. Van Houston's heart trouble
had relieved them of his presenco. But
now she could not keep her eyes from
glancing apprehensively toward the
doorway. Half past 10 and he had not
arrived! She was certain now that he
would not come and begun to talk
brightly until suddenly she felt the unwelcome
touch of a cold, clammy hand
on her bare arm. Peter was at her
side, saying slowly: "Good evening,
Elizabeth. Having a party? 1 am
Just in time!"
"Why, Peter! 1 am glad to see you."
Mrs. Odell smiled, but her voice trembled.
Mrs. Van Houston Instinctively crossed
over to her daughter's side and extended
her hand to her stepson with
well feigned cordiality. "Would you
A
z:
**WTIY, PETE It1 I'M OLiAT> TO SEE YOU."
like to ,1oln Marmaduke In the smoking
room or -would you prefer to meet some
of our frlondst" she Inquired. With
cruel and deliberate slowness he said,
"Elizabeth's and your friends are my
fi ends, mother, so 1 would ho glad to
know them." His stepmother slipped
her hand through his arm, saying, with
, a nervous laugh, "Ah, here Is Mr. Clar{
lendon," as the lawyer crossed over the
> threshold. "You must meet the fainr
lly adviser, rotor. Mr. Clarendon, this
la r<5t*r Van Houston."
"Olac to see you back, sir," Mr. Clarendon
?av\ genially.
s The next ?\Uy Mrs. Odoll was ill In
bod. Peter's way of claiming every
one's attention, Mth lamentations over
r bis poverty, was maddening to his
? I mother and sister, ana the fe*r that
/* -
%
oe wotna resent tne Riigni or no* Having
boon Invited added to their discomfort.
It was Just before I,ent when Mr.
Van Houston came home. All through
this season the family lived quietly.
As he saw more of his newly fouitd
family Mr. "Vsu Houston appeared to
get on with them better. Ho would
sit for hours nt a time with his brotherin-law,
smoking one after another of
bis best cigars, and no matter how
stringent the money market was or
what bills were pressing Peter did not
scruplo to ask Mr. Odell for loans of
money. Through the summer he visited
them at their country place, turning up
at odd times, usually when most Inconvenient,
frightened them with frequent
attacks of weakness of the heart
and In the autumn when the leaves
were falling ho died.
This is how It happened:,.
One morning he sent fMr. Clarendon,
stating he was ill.
The lawyer made haste to reach Mr.
Van Houston's bedside. Away at the
THK MAN THEN CEASED TO BREATHE.
top of the house In u small hall bedroom
Mr. Clarendon found Van Houston
stretched on a pallet In the corner,
weak, gasping, dying.
The lawyer's quick eye caught a
glimpse of the black iron box under the
bed.
The sick man smiled sarcastically.
"Well, I guess I'm done for," ho
whispered. "The folks can take?a little
?comfort? now."
Clarendon took his hand. "My dear
friend," he said sadly. "Any parting
messages to your family?"
Peter had to struggle for strength to
say, "No fortune."
The startled lawyer lowered his head
to catch the whispered words.
"A scheme?for?revenge." The man
then ceased to breathe.
With something cold clutching at his
heart, Mr. Clarendon hastily lifted out
the hi nelr Imv ni>H nilun/l tlm li.i ii?
discovered some soiled collars, .n few
wornout neckties and a new pair of
shoes. In the small, bare room there
was nothing else that could hold or
conceal anything. The lawyer, stunned
and dazed, walked down the stalrcaso
and out of the house without a
backward glance.
Outside the fall day had grown grayer.
The wind had risen, raw and
bleak. Mr. Clarendon felt cold and
proceeded on his way shlverlngly.
The news of the death of Mr. Van
Houston had preceded him, so later
when he presented himself at the residence
of the deceased ntan's family he
found them all assembled In the drawing
room. Lurking under looks of docorous
mourn fulness, the lawyer could
detect expressions on their countenances
of relief and exultant Joy. Mr.
Clarendon had put off the telling of
these unpleasant tidings as long as he
could, and now that the disagreeable
duty was fully upon him he hardly
knew how to proceed.
"I am the bearer of very, very bad
news," ho began solemnly.
Mr. Odcll approached him.
"Of course, Clarendon, you Immediately
secured possession of the bla^k
Iron box? And vou have the will?"
"I am not good at breaking bad news
gently,"?the lawyer paced up and
down the rooms nervously?"or prolonging
suspense. The truth is that I
did not secure the black iron box because
It contained nothing but trash,
and the will is not worth the paper
upon which it Is written. Your brother,
Mrs. Odell, died absolutely penniless."
They turned blanched, startled faces
toward him, and no one spoke. Then
their son Hubert broke the silence with
a sharp laugh.
"A cool hand, by thunder! Fooled
the lot of us, Including the lawyer!"
"The devil!" exclaimed Marmaduke
Odell, fairly shaking from shock and
chagrin. "It can't be true! Why, man,"
approaching Mr. Clarendon desperately,
"think of my cigars and the money
1 loaned him! Am 1 to have nothing in
roturn ?"
"It Is all terrible, of course," Mr.
iviiii fiHiuii ?B?wiiLtsu grnvtMy. "\oiill
what atlds to tho misfortune is that
you, being the next of kin, avi 11 lmvo to
defray the expenses of burial."
Mr. Odell shook his head und groaned
aloud.
"We have been deceived, tricked and
cheated 1" his wife shrieked. "I shall
go mad thinking of it! Such fools as
we have been!" She wrung her hands
In an agony of suffering.
Equally distressed, Mrs. Van Houston
rose from her chair und, throwing
out hor arm tragically, exclaimed In
angry tones, "Peter Van Houston was
always a no'cr-do-well, a black sheep,
a disgrace! And be died one!"
And while his family alternately
stormed, raged and wept, the dead
' man lay rigid on his pallet in liis little
1 room, a smile of peaceful satisfaction
I adorning his *?hlte, set features.
XX. . . . , .v, .
MAKING A CUP OP TEA
THE WAY TO GET THE THEINE AND
AVOID THE TANNIN.
Dark Liquid Does Not Mean Excellence,
and the Darker the Liquid
la the More Evil Are Ita Effects.
Chinese Tea Is Said to Re the llest.
Perbups 1 tuny be allowed to make
some comments on a subject that Is of
Interest to all homes?namely, u cup
of tea and the making of It. The first
proposition is that the dark color of
teu does not menu excellence, the second
that the darker the liquid Is the
more evil are Its effects and the third
that the beet tea Is Chinese. These
are the opinions of an Importer. It Is
worth noting, I think, that they are
also the scientific opinions and, further,
that tills Is a case where doctors
agree. What must properly be described
as the pharmacology of tea is
simple and well understood, and as it
concerns every one It may be briefly
discussod here.
For practical purposes tea consists
f two tblDgs, the first being tannic
acid, also known as tannin, and the
second being thcine, also known as
caffeine. Lot us consider each of
these. The tannin, or tannic acid, occurs
in the tea leaf, as in so many
other plants. It is less readily soluble
tliau the thelne and is much
less readily obtained from the Chinese
leaf thun from tlio Indian, the latter,
together with the Cingalese, containing
much more of this substance.
Tannic acid has no attractions for
the palate except In the case of people
who like a little bitterness, and it has
no action on the nervous system, none
of it, indeed, being absorbed by tlio
body. Its action upon the tissues with
which It comes Into Immediate contact
Is wholly deleterious. I do not suy that
It Is noeessarlly serious, but what action
there is Is wholly bad. Notably
does it Interfere with the digestibility
of foodstuffs. Plainly, therefore, a chief
concern In the production of the best
beverage from ten should be reduction
of the tannic acid to a minimum. This
Is to he accomplished, llrst, by using
the leaf which contains least of It, and,
secondly, by sharply limiting the length
of the infusion. It has been clearly
proved that practically all the thelne
that can be obtained from the leaf Is
ootainea in the first three minutes,
whereas the amount of tannin Increases
markedly even between the
twentieth and fortieth minutes.
In the opinion of not a few, the said
tannin Is largely responsible for the deleterious
effects frequently attributed
to the theine. This last Is an Invaluable
ingredient of ten; It is the same
substance as that which gives Its value
to coffee, but Is present in less abundance
In the ten leaf than in the coffee
bean; It Is a nervous stimulant of the
purest kind and bolongs to an entirely
different class from the pseudostimulants,
such as alcohol. In some
ways this Is one of the most remarkable
of all known drugs. It
appears to be unique in that
It stimulates the functions of the
cerebrum, the highest portion of the
brain, without inducing any subsequent
reaction that can be detected.
It has no second stage of action comparable
to that of alcohol and opium,
and In cases of emergency it Is capable
of postponing sleep for hours, and,
more than thnt, of maintaining the
mental activity as In the daytime. I
may oonfess that In past years I have
systematically used eaffolne for weeks
on end for this purpose without any
delefrorlouH results; but thl3 is quoted
for illustration, not imitation.
Now, It is plain that, so far as the
remote consequences of a cup of tea
are considered, It Is the theine or caf
iviliw iuui wo uesire, ana rne tannin
that w? do not desire. The relative
solubility of the two substances exactly
suits our convenience. If it were
necessary to extract all the tannin in
order to get any theine there might be
some excuse for the lady who likes her
tea to have a little "body" to it, or for
the servant girl who keeps her teapot
on the hob all day. But the fact is
that it Is possible to obtain all the
theine desired, while reducing the
amount of tannin to a minimum. At
present the public taste is thoroughly
vitiated. No one who has given the
mattor a fair consideration, or who
cares to permit any palatal delicacy nt
all, will question that the fine aroma
of a cup of properly made Chinese tea
Is In a different category altogether
from the sensations aroused by the
concentrated solution of tannin, which
Is usually offered under the pseudonym
Ma cup of tea," which things are written
without prejudice.
In ordor to make reasonably complete
this brief account of the cup that
cheers, I must add that it contains a
small proportion of a volatile oil, which
U of small physiological Importance,
but which contributes largely to the
gustatory character of tea. The chief
public delusion In this connection !
that the sense of taste may be im
* - -
yiiciiiy trusted. You think you nre not
getting your money'n worth unless your
souses nro violently assailed. It is as
if you judged the power of music in
terms of the amplitude of the sound
waves. The master's pianissimo chord
has more potency than the sforzando of
medloorlty.?Pall Mall Gazette.
A Little Vague.
A. Boston lady seeking summer board
on a farm saw an advertisement giving
a description of about such a place as
she wanted and scut a letter of Inquiry.
vShe received the following information
as to terms:
"We charge $3 a week for men, $4.50
for ladles and $4 for children old
enough to eat, all ages and sexes te
Say more If dlffleulfc*?iiippincottfe
[tgazine.
Sir" to the Kin*.
The quoen Is addressed as "ma'am" .
by all the members of the upper'classes,
the term "your majesty" being
rarely used except on formal occa- '
Ions. The klug, the Prince of Wales ,
and all the other English princes are
addressed as "sir." Yet foreign princes [
and princesses bearing the title of serene
highuess must not be addressed
as "sir" or "ma'am," but as prince" 1
or "princess." ^
A letter to the sovereign must begin
thus: "His majesty the king," and below
the single word "sir." The conolu- '
slon of the letter would be worded
somewhat as follows: "I hare the <
honor to submit myself your majesty's 1
most humble and devoted servant," 1
etc. A letter to the Prince of Wales
should begin thus: "To his royal high
ness the Prince of Wales," on a lower
line "sir," and then the letter would be i
proceeded with. i
When the king and queen play bridge
or any other round game money fresh
from the mint must be provided, and
when any member of the reigning
family joins in a game of cards new
money is usually supplied.?London
Ladies' Field.
Nearly every person who Is subject
to attacks from the stomach suffers ,
from a morbid dread of a dietetic
treatment for relief, that Is threefourths
starvation, and one-fourth
toast and milk. On the other hand
you oan eat as you please and digest
the food by the aid of a good dlgestant,
thus giving the tired stomach
equally as much rest. Rat what you
please and take a little Kodol For Indigestion
after your meals. It digests
what you eat. Sold by Oonway Drug
Oo.
Suocess seldom oomes to the man
wno waits for it, and then only in the
case of the oafe employe.
Food don't digest? Beoause the
stomach lacks some one of the essential
digestants or the digestive juicas
are not properly balanced. Then,
too, it Is this undigested food that
causes sourness and painful indigestion.
Kodol For Indigestion should
be used for relief. Kodol is a solution
of vegetable acids. It digests what
you eat, and oorrects the deficiencies
of the digestion. Kodol conforms to
the National Pure Food and Drug
Law. Sold hero by Conway Drug
Co.
A New York man while trying to
imitate Caruso dropped dead. A oase
of monkeys perhaps.
When the oold winds dry and oraok
the skin a box of salve oan save muoh
discomfort. In buying salve look for the
name on the box to avoid any
imitations, and be sure you get the
original DaWitt's Witch Hazel Salve.
Sold by Conway Drug Co.
When the government decides to increase
the salaries of its mall carriers
it should not overlook its female employes.
Mothers who give their children
Kennedy's Laxative Cough Syrup invariably
indorse it. Children like it
Kn/tQ 11CA f B A nai-A in n 1
uwauon uuu i aauo in ou piCAMlUbi OUU*
tains Honey and Tar. It Is the
Original Laxative Cough Syrup and
is unrivaled for the relief of oroup.
Drives the oold out through the
bowels. Conforms to the National
Pure Food and Drug Law. Sold by
Oonway Drug Co.
BANK OF
OON W A
CAPITAL STOCK, $20,000.00
TOTAL ASSET!
OFFIC
B. G. COLLINS, President.
C. P. QUATTLEBAUM, V-Pres.
Our Bank, being a local institut
building of Morry County and for the
suing this policy we take pleasure in
aecommodation when consistent with
With gratitude for the liberal ]
cordially solicit your future business.
Respectfu
D.A.SPIVEV
Robt. B. Scarborough, H. I
President. Vice-P
?5AINU OJb
Conwa1
Capital Stock
DIREC
Robt. B. Scarborough,
Hal L. Buck,
George J. Hoi li day,
We will pay you 5 per cent, intei
ish savings banks to those wishing
Try our plan for saving your nickles
these little banks and the interest we
help yon.
^?HE"HU
M
T-criAffA<
m
This brand on a shoe means
Theste or ?/uor money or
j. iz jsn
Clear op the eompta^^Hsl|j&w">H~
the liver and tone the tense
an best do this by a dot^^H p Too
DeWitt's Little Early ' ' *oef
reliable little pills with a a^H' afe,
rhe pills that everyone kq^H ?n.
sommended by Oonway Dr^H
The story of Atlanta's
all meeting read's self Mr,
himself rr'i'hi Y* beer. presA
"They like the taste as 1V
maple sugar" Is what one I n
wrote of Kennedy's Laxatlve I
Srrup. This modern cough d
absolutely free from any oj? v
uarootlo. Contains Honey TaiT
forms to the National Pure Fcv* i.
Drug Law. Sold by Conway Dj i
The~Horry ier ;
CWWAY, S.- ( WEf
Thursday, January 10* I9i : i
Professional Car ft
f J|t
McCord & MclM ?
1 'd>
SURGEON DFXTlft
Hr
Conway, si
H? "* C#
l^"Over Bank of Horry, flj
?ry.Vv5^
Attorney and Counselor al f
N WAY. S. C| ?&w
B. Wofford wJ 1
( ATTORNEY AT 1 t,
Conway, S. I aw
Conway Mai ~r;
Fresh Meats andJSau
sage always on hani w."
Orders are taken an
every day. d .. j
Geo. L. MJ i
Tropretor. V&ll?
H' W- Burrod| ?
Physician and Surgel
Conway, Si
RTiTsCARBRQj
CONWAY, S. ojP ?JGH.
ATTORNEY AT LAW. 1 ,
CON Wit /
vV, S. C I "
SUURPLUS FUND, $| l3fl t
3, $180,000.00. EgnfflgL
" B. A. SPrVEY, Cashier!' :
M. W. COLLINS, Asst.i '
ion, lias always striven fori ] \ ii
> betterment of her citizens. I " . hiki*
extending to our custom! * UP~
sound banking. ?
:atronage received in tbel >very
11 y yours ; ^ ^ w6?
V-mSH
' t '
Buck, Will A. ',*0::
'resident. Casf 11| y I
HORRY, ^ ma*
y.% C.
WiU^*vE[.ew=is,
rest on yearly deposits.
I to open small account? & llr??Mar"
and dimes, and you will . 11 turn.will
pay you on your
OTTATlP
something! If r
Choi ' ' BR: