The ledger. [volume] (Gaffney City, S.C.) 1896-1907, July 02, 1896, Image 10
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THE LEDGER: GAFFNEY,*6. C., JULY 2, 1896.
r ' TOUCH ME.
Wfccro art than Rone, my svroctf
I call thw, Had and slow.
Why 1h tho time ixiudo long for as to moatt
Warning I go.
Tov.h me, and I shall know.
I ask tho leaves, tho flowers,
Whence their new grace and glee;
Who tendoth them against tho wind, the show
ers,
Gnidcth the bee;
Touch me, and I shall see.
• *»••••
Touch me, and I shall know
That sea and land and air
Bring ever my lost love to me, and so,
Live like a prayer,
Certain thou wilt bo there.
—E. J. Mills in New York Tribune.
AN ODD EXPEDIENCE.
If there are those inclined to doubt
tho probability of tho following story,
told to me aa ,the trmh by ay eminent
and trustworthy gentleman of San Fran
cisco, they have yet to learn and com
prehend some of tho most vital things of
life. Ho said to me:
“A few summers ago my family left
town to spend some weeks in the coun
try. I gave the servants a vacation and
arranged to stay alone at my house. For
a change I had a bod placed in the draw
ing room, which was in tho front of tho
bouse on the lower floor. On ono side of
this room was tho vestibule, into which
the outer door opened, and on the other
an exterior passage, which opened upon
the street through a gate, and which ran
back alongside tiie house in tho rear of
the premises. It was paved with boards,
some of which had worn slightly loose.
The gate was closed with an ordinary
lift latch.
“We had lived in tho house a number
of years, but I had never slept in that
room before. The front of tho room was
taken up by a bay window, which was
furnished on the inside with ordinary
slat blinds. My bed was placed at the
opposite end of the room against the
sliding doors. <. r !
“I had arranged to take my meals
down town. On the first evening of my
solitary occupancy I returned to the
honse shortly after dinner and read in
my improvised bedroom until 10 o'clock.
Then I pulled down ono of the uj per
sashes of tho window, closed tho blinds
and went to bed.
“Ordinarily I would fall quickly
asleep on retiring, but the novelty of my
position and perhaps some business anx
ieties kept me awake for an hour or
two. This worried me and made mo
licrvons. Thestilluess of the night came
on, but still I remained awake. It was
while I was lying in this state that I
heard tho latch cjf the'pate opening into
tho side passage cffutionsly raised, then
some one step cautiously within, leaving
the gate open, and then footfalls pro
ceeding stealthily toward the rear of the
house, causing a loose board here and
there to squeak. ,
“I listened with the most eagbr .aid
strained alertness, for my immediate
conclusion was that a burglar, perhaps
^having observed the departure of the
lily and assumed that tho house had
"been temporarily deserted, had come to
plunder tho place. I heard him try and
then abandon the securely barred door
opening from the rear porch upon tho
passage.
“A lattice extended from the lower
r«r porch to the ujipcr. Without mov
ing, I heard the intruder slowly but
nimbly scalo the lattice and step upon
tho floor of tho upper porch. A hall door
and a bedchamber window both opened
upon this porch, and I was curious to
»oto which the burglar w’ould attack and
began to wonder if they had been locked.
. “He chose the window. I heard the
sash' lock snap nuder tho pressure of his
odld fcbiKcl. After a pause he stepped dn-
to the room and. proceeded to ransack it.
It'was my wife’s Toom, and although I
knew that she had provided elsewhere
for the safe core of her furs and other
more valuable clothes, I reflected that
there must have been loft n number of
things which a burglar might think
worthy of attention. I heard him strip a
blanket from the bed, spread it upon the
floor and proceed to pile upon it the
plunder which he found in trunks, chif
foniers, closets and (lie like. Then ho
stepped to tho open door into the pas
sage and stood listening for a moment.
“These occurrences had a surprising
effect upon my nerves. Tho door be
tween my temporary bedroom r*ud tho
vestibule was open for "entilation, and
I realized that I was almost in physical
touch with tho man who would not
hesitate to kill mo should that prove nec
essary to his safety. I knew that sooner
or later he would descend the stuirp, at
the foot of which was tho open door of
my loom. It would not have been difll-
cult for mo to waylay him and make an
effort to cripplo or kill him in the dark
ness with one of a dozeu of tho conven
ient articles which I remembered were in
tho room, including a heavy poker, some
bronze statuettes, chairs, stools and the
like. Ordinarily, as you are aware, I am
not a timid man, but I tell you now
that an unaccountable foar assailed mo
•ml held me prisoner. It requires a good
deal of candor to make that admission,
but it is necessary to a complete under
standing of this remarkable experience.
“After standing in a listening atti
tude a moment tho burglar slowly and
cautiously descended the stairs, and, as
1 expected, left my room alone and pro
ceeded to the dining room. I knew that
tho solid silverware hud been scut away
for safe keeping, and so I was not snr-
prised when tho burglar, after handling
the plated ware which ho found aud
making it tinkle softly and gently, loft
it, made an unprofitable search of ether
rooms qud returned to the foot of the
stairs. This brought him again to my
door. Ho paused on the threshold, lis
tened in silence a moment and Then
started up stairs. In that moment I suf
ferud such a reasonless agony of terror
os cannot bo i explained uu .ordinary
grounds. I held my breath until I was
nearly su" 1 oca ted, and when tho man
.turned to i'iqvei wysculd ty the marrow.
“He rcimrcinh^l the stains, tied up his
bundle, passed through the window and
closed it, dropped the parcel over the
rail, clambered down the lattice and
went away as ho hud come, shutting the
gate behind him.
“I felt intensely relieved when he
bad gone, and a reaction set in that
composed my nerves for slumber.
Drowsiness was already approaching
when I was startled by the soft click
ing of tho gate latch. It was very un
likely that tho same burglar had return
ed and would have been extraordinary
if another had dome. And yet try as
hard ns I might to reason out some oth
er possibility there came the stealthy
footsteps of a thief on the boards of tho
outer passage. I studied this step so in
tently aud analytically that I was cer
tain the intruder was not the same as
the first. Then I began to wonder what
he would do.
“I was not surprised to hear him try
tho door of tho lower porch and find it
strongly barred within, nor greatly to
hear him climb tho lattice as the other
had done. I was curious to know wheth
er he would attack the door or tho win
dow after he lauded on the porch. I5y a
singular coincidence ho chose tho win
dow. I heard him try it and imagined
that he started upon discovering that
the Jatch had been broken. It was evi
dent that upon entering the room ho
was surprised aud confused to see its
disorder. But he drew a sheet from the
bod, spread it ou the floor and proceed
ed to ransack tho room. Evidently his
bewilderment increased, and he must
have been discouraged to find eo little
worth taking.
“He was not long in completing tho
looting of the room, and thou he went
to tho door and stood a moment in tho
passage, listening intently. After that
he began carefully to descend the stairs.
His conduct thenceforward was exactly
a repetition of his predecessor’s. Ho
passed my door, tinkled the plated sil
verware in the dining room, left it
alone, returned to tho vestibule, stood a
moment listening at my open door, cau
tiously retraced his steps up stairs,
passed through the window, closed it,
dropped his parcel to tho ground, clam
bered down the lattice and passed out,
closing tho gate behind him.
“It may be supposed that tho coin
cidences amazed me beyond measure.
This, more than anything else, seemed
to unnerve me all the more. All this
time I realized I bad been acting the
part of a coward. Merely to have light
ed the gas in my room would have clear
ed tho house of the second burglar, but
I had not the courage to do that.
“My alarm and nervousness became
so great that I arose from bed and was
just about to strike n match with which
to light tho gas in tho chandelier when.
I heard the gate latch click for thp third
time. My match romaiuciJjwrSitruck, and
I listened with a fascinated iutontuess
to this last invasion. In all particulars
it was identical with the second, down
to point when the burglar descended
the stairs aud passed my open door ou
his way to the dining room. To light
tho gas then would have been to place
the man in a corner and compel him to
fight. I realized not only that it is tak
ing one’s life in one’s hands to cut off a
burglar’s retreat before attacking him
(as a knowledge of a chance of escape
diverts his attention from the necessity
for self defense and rouders him easier
to overcome), but that I was now in a
condition in which I lacked both the
courago aud the strength to make the at-
tempt.
“The position which I now occupied
in tho room woe half way between the
bed and the window. As I was so much
nearer the window than before, I could
hear sounds from without with much
more distinctness. While I stood there
listening fb the third burglar tinkle the
plated ware I was startled to hear the
gate latch click again and the footfall of
a fourth' burglar on- the board paved
passage. As he was climbing the lattice
a fifth burglar entered the gate, then a
sixth, then others, until burglars in on
endless procession were entering my
premises aud rifling my house on one
common and unvarying plan.
“It is useless to say that an intelli
gent man should not have entertained
such un idea for a moment. We know
that I might have reasoned that perhaps
there had been only one, or, at most,
two, burglars after all, and that the
fright which they gave me caused me to
conjure up the others from a fear de
ranged imagination. It might be profit
able to indulge in a great many other
speculations on this subject, but the
truth remains that I could not reason at
all
“In simple desperation,perhaps moved
by a sort of fascination, I crept to the
window in order to observe with idle
curiosity the procession of burglars en
tering the gate. I turned the slats of a
lower blind and looked out. Not a soul
visible, and yet burglars were still pour
ing through the gate I
“The explanation came like a shock
ing revelation. The wind was playing
with some loose blind slats immediately
above my head as I stood there, and out
of that slight and varying sound my
imagination had constructed the phan
tasy from beginning to end. No burglar
at all had invaded my house. 1 amused
and teased myself for some time after
ward by compelling my attention to
leave the rattling slats at intervals and
fill my house with burglars.”—Ban
Francisco Call.
Th« Moral Lost.
“You know,” said tho lady who with
sincere ardor desires only the best for
tho human race, “that a dog will not
touch whisky?”
Colonel Kyahter passed his hand over
his brow in a troubled way, and said:
“Madam, do yon mean to tell me
that anybody was evah guilty of such
outrageous extravagance as to oflah
whisky to a dog?”—Washington Star.
A Blfn.
“I am sure I do not feel a day older
then I did when I came out,” said Misa
Sevcuseasous, “and I didn't think I
looked any older. But of lute I have no
ticed that the young men who are hav
ing trouble with tbotr sweethearts all
seem to drift to me to tell their eor-
lows.”—Cincinnati Knqnlxer.
WHITE f... . -.
Agnlnrt tho world I rlosr my hrnrt,
And half In pride nnd half in fear
I say to lovo nnd lust: “liepartl
None on tom here."
A jtypsy witch hnn glided in.
Hhe takeH her scat lienido my Are.
Her eyes are innocent at sin,
Mine of desire.
She holds mo with an unknown spoil;
Hho foIdH mo in her heart's embrace
If thin be lovo, I cannot tell.
1 watch her face.
,'rr nomber eyes aro happier
Than r-v joy that o’er had voice.
Blnco 1 Sfl happiness to her,
I, to<i rejoi e.
And I hnvo closed tho door again.
Aguiu.'t tho world I close my heart.
1 hold her with my spell; in vain
Would she depart.
I hold her with a surer spell.
Beyond her magic and above.
If hers Ire love. I cannot tell,
But mine is lovo.
—Arthur Symons.
FIDDLING JIMMY.
He was long, lank and lean, light
Inircd, with pale blue eyes, the product
of tho Missouri bottoms, where things
sprout up with such amazing quickness
nnd then mature with so much delibera
tion.
When he dropped from a train at
Dodge City, ho had an old fashioned
curpctsuck in one hand and under bis
other arm was a fiddle in a faded brown
bag. Ho looked about him somewhat in
wonderment at the river aud the rol
ling, treeless country merging into the
sky far away to the south aud then
again at the long, crowded street on
the other side. He looked but for a mo
ment, however, and then proceeded
straight to the office of thaSouthwest
cm Stage company. His inquiry there
was short aud to tho point.
“Have ye got airy job a feller kin
do?”
This was years ago, when Dodge was
tho end of the overland cattle drive and
fully entitled to its reputation of a wild
aud woolly town. To tho south for a
few miles was a sprinkle of settlers and
beyond that all was lonesomo and in
hospitable.
Tho Southwestern company always
had vacancies. Along the many routes
were certain relay stations, some of
which were sure to be in need of keep
ers. There was one line in particular,
running down to Tnscosa, on the South
Canadian, in Texas, a stretcJwyt'^oO
miles, and jojt.*-litile dver^half way
was. srsfaiion, No. 18, where a man
'Was needed at once. The pay was $40 a
month. The duties were simply to watch
half a dozen mnles and have a team
ready for the weekly bnckboard that
performed all tho transportation, tho
freight being usually two of Uncle
Sam’s mail sacks. The company sup
plied a gnu and ammunition, flour, cof
fee, salt and groceries. Truly it seemed
a bonanza to onr knight of the violin.
There was no haggling over terms,
and Jim Cnseuberry, fiddle and carpet
bag were duly dispatched the very next
morning to the field of his new labors.
And Jim was duly dubbed Fiddling
Jimmy by clerk, driver aud all who
came in contact with him.
Jimmy had been Auly informed that
ho would find things “sorter” lonesome
out at No. 18, but had responded that he
didn’t “keer a darn” for being by him
self. TJ)e fiddle was plenty pf company
so his grpb came regular.
Now, there pertain things about
No. )$ (bat hat) beep discreetly over
looked iq the tolling. was 35 miles
from the stations pq either side and
consisted of a square hole dug qt the top
of a steep bank overlooking a water
hole iu one of those p)aips preeks where
such holes occur at long intervals, the
remainder being simply a grass grown
depression. The hole was roofed with
cottonwood poles, upon which dirt had
been thrown—a dngont pore end sim
ple. There were a rude fireplace aud 4
hole for a chimney. This was Jimmy’s
residence. There was a stockade up on
the flat for tho mnles, and with this you
have tho station complete.
No man who knew the country could
ho induced to take No. 13 for love or
money, so tho company had to depend
upon the ignorant and the transient.
The country was full of rustlers and
cow thieves. Occasional gangs of In
dians from the nation used to slip along
there, bent on any deviltry that came
handy. When No. 13 was occupied, it
was a shining mark for sach gentry.
The lust occupant had been found, not
a fortnight before, lying ont ou the fiat
with u bullet in the back of his head.
The man before him had bad a 30 mile
rido for life and a month iu bed from a
leg broken by a winchester bnllet. Ou
each occasion No. 13 Had been gntted
and tho mnles run off.
Bat in blirafol ignorance Jimmy
took possession of his new home. The
bnckboard rattled away, the driver
looking back, sympathetic bnt noncom
mittal.
For some weeks all was qniet and
peaceful. It was the pleasant season of
the early autumn. Jimmy pnt a line in
tho water hole and had fish whenever
bo wanted. Twioehe shot antelope com
ing down to drink and reveled in fresh
meat. He shot everything of any size
that had wings and feathers, aud being
unversed as to what was good or bad to
eat cooked and tasted all Some he ate,
aud some ho threw away. The buck-
boards came by with prompt regularity,
dumping off a sack of flour or meal, and
the report came weekly to headquarters
that the “feller with'the fiddle out on
Lost creek hadn’t been pestered yet. ”
Tho “feller” put iu his days watching
bis stock, fishing, hunting, cooking and
eating, aud when the chill of the even
ing came after supper ho would throw a
little wood ou his fire, draw op a soap
box seat and play ou the fiddle until he
was sleepy enough to roll up iu his
blankets ou the clay floor aud sleep the
sleep of the man perfect iu health aud
conscience.
But one evening when the shadows
had falleu ou all tite valleys and tho
upland, when there was but • lighter
shade over the west to show where tho
sun had bidden its daily farewell, there
came slinking np Lost creek Crawling
Wolf and seven of his dirty, ill smelling
brethren, foul birds of the night, ready
for anything, from petty larceny up to
mnrder, provided tho situation allowed
crime without danger to the criminal.
They had a herd of stolen ponies cor
ralled some miles below aud were com
ing up to see what No. 13 might afford
in the way of diversion. In single file
they flitted along noiselessly as shadows,
now and then stopping, heads up, to
listen, as is tho wont of beasts of prey.
Suddenly Wolf stopped shorter and
more suddenly than usual, giving vent
to a startled grunt. All stopped, rigid
as statues, to listen. A faint wind rus
tled for a moment, died down, and then
from afar came an unwonted sound in
tho wilderness. It was tho sound of
Jimmy’s fiddle.
Cautiously the Indians crept closer
and closer, stopping now and thru to
listen, until they reached tho foot of the
bank at the water hole. Just above them
shone the light from the dngout en
trance. Tho noise of tho tortured fiddle
was loud and clear, and at times Jim
my’s voice was uplifted iu old hymns
and camp meeting songs reminiscent of
other days hack in Missouri. Quiet, but
swift as crawling snakes, tho intruders
swept up the incline of tho clay bank.
A moment later they swarmed iu ou the
musician. Jimmy was sitting at tho
side of his fireplace, and his winchester
was near tho door. Thus he was cut off
from his only weapon.
When thoso Indians came in, filling
up the little dngout, I doubt if iu all the
world there was a more surprised aud
frightened being than the keeper of No.
13. The music stepped. The hand that
wielded the bow dropped as if para
lyzed. Jimmy stared at the appari
tions, while old Wolf smiled hypocritic
ally and grunted “How 1” Somewhat
reassured by this apparent sociability,
Jimmy managed to gasp oot, “Howdy
do?”
Tho sons of the desert deliberately sat
down on tho bare floor, and old Wolf
onco more grunted out:
“Flay fiddle more. Wo like.”
Jimmy played something at once,
and of courso after awhile wound up
with a flourish, as all performers do, aud
stopped.
Tho somber audience gave no sign of
approval or dislike. They sat jyirXewVVy
still, except tjwrt "ttetr'iittlo eyes glit-
Uji^dramTsTiono in the firelight like dia
monds. But when Jimmy stopped Wolf
grunted again:
“More. ”
Jimmy played more and kept on in
response to tho request after each cessa
tion. Finally he lowered tho bow and
protested:
“I’d liko to bo obliging, but I’m get
ting too tired. ”
Wolf simply loosened a winchester
from tho fold.; of a dirty blanket, cock
ed it aud presented it at the protestor’s
body, grnnting again:
“Play more. Much heap. Damn
quick. ”
There was an immediate revival of
musical activity.
Aud so they kept the frightened fid
dler to bis work. Ho played his whole
repertory over and over again, the audi
ence never caring for the repetition.
The night wore on. Far over tho flats
came the answering howls of the melan
choly coyotes, quavering aud dying
away iu a long drawn uoto of utter loue-
3oineuess, but the sound of tbe fiddle
never ceased. A late moon rose aud
plowly climbed toward tbe zenith. Tho
jjig dipper iu the northern sky dropped
flown and around the polar star as
though time were not the essenco of
tho performance. Still the sound of tho
constant fiddlo vibrated in the chill air.
At last over in tho cast came a faint
streak of light, and then all creation
grew dim and gray. And with the first
jight Crawling Wolf stood up and shook
jiimsclf. His brethren did likewise.
T)my took Jimmy’s rifle and everything
portable ou tho promises, never allow
ing him to oease for a moment, then
quietly filed ont and disappeared in the
morning mists.
About 10 o'clock next morning the
keeper of station No. 13, over cn tho
Beaver, happening to look up, saw
something coming very rapidly over the
bills from tho southwest. Tho some
thing soon resolved itself into a man on
tho back of seme creature. As it came
closer it was apparent*that tho creature
was a mule running for dear life, while
tho man was using both hands and feet
with great energy. Tho mule stopped,
all blown and wet, in front of tho sta
tion, and tho man fell off iu a dead
faint. He had a broken fiddle how in
ono baud and in tbe other a ruined fid
dle, tho body part beaten to a frazzle
and the strings flying all about in a
perfect maze of tangles.
Aud tho very next driver to arrive at
Dodge City announced to the powers at
tho stage office:
“Fiddlin Jimmy’s done quit.
Philadelphia Times.
A Ilnaaian Artel.
An artel is an association of persons
who agree to throw in their lot together
aud stand by each other for better or
for worse. If tbe artel is “productive,”
the members work together and divide
equally what money they earn; if it is
“consumptive,” they share equally in j
the expense incurred. Tbe most marked
characteristic of these associations is tho
perfect equality which prevails among
their members. No matter what may be
a man’s personal gifts or deficiencies,
from the moment be outers an artel ho
is simply on a par with his comrades.
He must bear the same burdens as they
do, aud ho receives the same rewards.
In his turn he will bo the artelman, or
chief of bis artel; iu his turn, too, he
will l»e its hewer of wood and drawer
of water. As the former he will be
neither richer nor poorer than us the lat
ter, for tlr.. only emolument attached to
the office of urtehuau is shoe money—
that is, a small sum granted as a com
pensation for tbe shoes worn oat while
tramping about transacting ufllciul busi
ness.—Chambers’ Journal.
A Golden Opportunity.
Grasped by a Young Married Woman of Shelbyvillc, 111.,
t. ’ &
Just in the Nick of Time.
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MRS. V/AICEFIELD,
Women, like men, are &{vided Into two classes; one that is prompt tQ
act nnd the other dilatory The former clasa carries off the trophies In bus*
Incss, love and, JJ r nr j YTmlo tho latter bears tho burden of disappointment
alwpys; The good woman whose portrait appears aboye had arrived fit a
condition physically, where prompt action was ncceasary. The drafts upon
her reserve force had been too great end physical bankruptcy was imminent.
It was impogsiblo for her to sleep, and if women cannot sleep they have
reached the beginning of the end. 1'irs, Wakefield had growq worse under
tho doctor’s care and hope was fast departing, wheu she was recommended
to try Dr, Miles’ Restorative Nervine. She acted* promptly on tho recom
mendation and received the reward of her prompt action, iq renewed health.
^ Womcq frequently suffer for XnOIi -iiri and cvcq years without complain
ing or making their sufferings known, jind the result is liable to be a sudden
collapse. As soon as the first evidence of weak rervea is felt Dr. Miles’
Nervine Is indicated and may bo relied upon to give quick and lasting relief.
One bottle taken in time often effects a euro and tho first bottle is guaran
teed to benefit or money will Iw refunded, by the druggist of whom it was
bought. “New and Startling Fact-V aa Important health phanfphlct,
mailed free on application. Dead lira. Wakefield s statement; ‘
Shelbyvillc, III., March 23,1G35.
“I was In very poor health and my rymptoms gradually developed Into
nervous prostration. I suffered greatly from nervous headaches, mid at times
was unable to attend to the slightest household duty. Bleep at night was im
possible, as 1 had epells of nervousness whoa I bad to get up ami walk the
lloor. The least noise would startle me, in fart my nerves were in a ter
rible condition. I was recommended to try Dr. Miles’ Restorative Nervine
and purchased six bottles of the remedy. Tho first bot'ic did me so much
good that I took the second, and I can safely say it is a 1 is recommended
to be. My appetite is much better; t he nervousness has uisappeared; I can
enjoy a good night’s rest and I have g deed health to such an extent that
I would consider it folly to look for a better remedy.
T have also used Dr. Miles’ Pain Pills, and they have given me much
relief. 1 found them a ^wre cure for sick headache.” Mrs. S. Wakefield.
Sold by all Druggists. Book on H«art and Nerves, Free by Dr. Miles Medical Co.,Elkhart,Ind.
Dr. Miles’ Nervine Re l5h.
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Sny ihe main thing’lo do is to keep the s'-emneh, liver a^.d bowels in
Ibrder if yon want to live- long ;.nd keep well. Good physicians say
the same thing, tco. The icniedy cMlcd
RIPANS TABDLES
a simple
digestive
while not mysterious or miraculous in its euiaiivc realities, ij
formul.i prescribed by the best physicians for i!i-outers of the
ans. Just little tablets, easy to t;.ho, t:isy to I uv ci d quick to net. If
ir trouble is Dyspepsia, Biliousness. I 'iz/.intjts, ! I« adai hr, Constipation,
auburn, and the like, no need of calling a physician, Kipans Tubules
organs,
your
Heartburn.
contain exactly what he would tell you to take.
ONE TABlilf GIVES RELIEF.
PEKMAXENT CURE FOIXOW9 A FUJI TRIAL. XO UNCERTAINTY ABOUT IT.
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The