The ledger. [volume] (Gaffney City, S.C.) 1896-1907, November 28, 1902, Image 6
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LOST MIN’S LANE.
By ANNA KATHARINE GREEN.
(Copyright, 1807, by Anna K. Itohlfa.]
CHAPTER XXXV.
EXPLANATIONS.
The cause of Lucetta’s joy was soon
explained. Mr. Ostrander had not fall
en a victim to Mr. Trohm’s mania, but
was in X. alive and well. That Mr.
Gryce knew this at the time of showing
her the, telegram was apparent to me
and probably suspected by her, but no
words were ever exchanged on the sub
ject, possibly because she was soon
made too happy by her lover’s explana
tion to regret anything which had led
up to this satisfying hour.
He, so it seems, had found it impos
sible to leave Lucetta. Upon issuing
from Lost Man’s lane he had met Mr.
Gryce and learned enough from him of
the doubtful position in which the
Knollys stood to make his stay seem
imperative even at the risk of losing
the position upon which all the hopes
of his future advancement depended.
Ho had therefore staid, but quietly
and to a degree in biding, place having
been found for him by Mr Gryce in a
remote cottage, where his presence at
tracted no attention and awoke no com
ment. That Mr. Gryce had any ulteri
or motive in this, regarding him as a
possible witness whose testimony might
be of value, 1 will not even suggest.
Mr. Gryce never neglects it, but Mr
young couple personally, and then i
told him that if he would forgive Mr.
Ostrander this delay and ullow him to
sail with his young bride by the next
steamer I myself would undertake to
advance whatever sums might have
b3eu endangered by this delay.
I did not know then that Mr. Gryce
had already made this matter good with
this same gentleman.
The next morning we all took a walk
in the lane. (I say nothing about the
night If I did not choose to sleep or il
I had any cause not to feel quite as ele
vated as the young people about me,
there is surely no reason why I should
dwell upon it with you or eve»i apolo
gize for a weakness that is, I hope, but
the exception setting off my customary
strength.)
Now a walk in this lane was an
event. To feel at liberty to stroll among
its shadows without fear, to knew that
the danger had been so located that we
all felt free to inhale the autumn air
and to enjoy the beauties of the place
without a thought of lurking trouble in
its sweetest nooks and most attractive
coverts, gave to tins snort nan uour a
distinctive delight aptly expressed by
Loreeu when she said:
“I never knew the place was so beau
tiful. Why, I think I can bo happy
h<re now.” At which Lucetta grew
pensive, till I roused her by saying:
‘‘So much fora constitutional, girls.
Now we must to work. This house, as
you see it now, has to bo prepared for a
wedding. William, your business will
be to see that these grounds are put in
as good order as can be done in three
days. I will bear the expense, and Lo
reeu”—
V-Nf.v"
A. ' „
‘SIX!” HE ail HI EKED. “SIX!"
Mr. Gryce undeistands his business and
Gryce has a heart, too, and that heart
has a way of working even amid his
most urgent affairs in a manner to bring
light out of darkness as well for the
happiness of those concerned as for the
elucidation of the mystery he has un
dertakeu to clear.
The hour we all spent together late
that night in the old house was unlike
any hour which that place has seen for
years. Mr. Ostrander, Lucetta. Loreeu,
William, Mr. Gryce and myself all
were there, and as an especial gra< o
Saracen was allowed to enter, that there
might not be a cloud upon a single face
there assembled. Though it is a small
matter, I will add that this dog per
sisted in lying down by my side, not
yielding even to the wiles of his master,
whose amusement over this fact kept
him good natured to the last adieu.
There were too few candles in the
house to make it bright, but Lucetta’s
unearthly beauty, the peace in Loreen’s
soft eyes, made us forgot the somberuess
of our surroundings and the meagerness
of the entertainment Hannah attempted
to offer us. It was the promise of com
ing j*y, and when, our two guests de
parted, I bade good night to the girls
in that grim upper hall it was with
feelings which found their best expres
sion in the two letters I hastened to
write as soon as I gained the refuge of
my own apartment. I will admit you
sufficiently into my confidence to lot
you read those letters. The first of them
read thus:
Deak Olive—To make others happy la the
best way to forget ourselves. A sudden wed
ding is to take place in this house. Order at
once for mo from the shops you know me lo
be in the habit of patronizing a wedding gown
of dainty white taffeta fldid this not to re
call too painfully to herself the wedding dress
1 helped her buy and which was, as you may
remember, of cream white satin], with chiffon
trimmings and a wedding veil of tulle. Add
to this a dress suitable for ocean travel and a
half dozen costumes adapted to a southern cli
mate. Let everythin-,'lo suitable- for a delicate
but spirited girl who has seen trouble, but
who is going to be happy now if a little atten
tion and money can make her so. Do not spar*
expense, yet show no extravagance, for she li
a shy bird, easi’y frightened. The measure
ments you will hnd inclosed; also those of an
other young lady, her sister, who must also t*
supplied with a white dress, the material oi
which, however, had better be of crape
All these things must be here by Wednesday
evening, my own best dress included. On Hat-
urday evening you may look for my return. 1
slinll bring the latter young lady with pie. »<i
your present loneliness will be made up to yoi
by an agreeable guest. Faithfully yours,
Amelia Uuttekwokth.
The second letter was a longer and
more important ona It was directed to
the president of the company which had
proposed to send Mr. Ostrander to South
America. In it I related enough of ths
circumstances which had kept Mr.
Ostrander in X. to interest him in tbs
i/at William had a word to say for
hiuLself.
‘‘MissLutterworth, f saidhe, ‘‘you’re
a right good sort of woman, as Saracen
has found out, and we, too, in these last
few plaguy days of our trouble here.
But I'm not such a bad lot either, and
if I do like my own way, which may
not be other people’s way, and if I am
sometimes short with the girls for some
»if their d d nonsense, 1 have a little
decency about me, too, and I say I will
fix these grounds, and out of my own
money too. Now that nine-tenths of our
income does not have to go abroad we’ll
have chink enough to let us go respect
able once more in a place where one
horse, if he’s good enough, will give a
fellow a standing and make him the
envy of even those who for some other
pesky reasons may think themselves
called upon to hoot him. I don’t be
grudge the old place a few dollars, es
pecially as I mean to live and die in it
so look out, you three women folks, and
work lively as you can on the inside of
the old rookery or the slickness of the
outside will put you to open shame,
and that would never please Loreeu,
nor, as 1 take it, Miss Lutterworth
either. ”
It was a challenge we were glad to
accept, especially as from the number
of persons we now saw come flocking
into the lane it was very apparent that
we should experience no further diffi
culty in obtaining any help wo might
need to carry out our undertakings.
Meantime my thoughts were not alto
gether concentrated even upon these (
pleasing plans for Lucetta’s benefit.
There were certain points yet to bo made
clear in the matter whose termination
still lay heavy on my heart, and there
was a confession for mo to make, with
out which I could not face Mr. Gryce
with all that unwavering composure
which our peculiar relations seemed to
demand.
The explanations came first. They
were volunteered by Mr. Gryce, whom
1 met in the coarse of the morning at
Mother Jane’s cottage. She had been
perfectly happy all night, sleeping with
the coin in her hand and waking to
again devour it with her greedy but
loving eyes. As we were looking at her
and Mr. Gryce directing with his hand
the movements of the r.en who had
come to smooth dow r n her garden and
make it presentable again th* dMaetov.)
■poke.
“I suppose yon have been wondering
how this old woman came to have those
mementos of the crimes which took
place up there. Well, we have figured
it out thus: The trinket from the ped
dler’s pack she probably stole from that
pack before it was found by the villagers
and given up to the proper authorities.
The other, the ring, has a different his
tory, anti the finding of it in Mother
Jane’s possession can only be explained
by a scries of causes so bizarre that
they must ever rank as among the most
remarkable that have ever adorned the
annals of our police register. Should I
give it out as a puzzle you could never
answer it. How could a ring which was
on the linger of Mr. five minutes
before he vanished from the light of the
sun forever pass from the mouth of
that old well into Mother Jane’s hand
a half mile away without compromis
ing Mr. Trohm in the eyes of mortal
man. or even Mother Jane, who was as
innocent of wrong in this as we are?
You cannot tell. You might quote Scrip
ture and say, ‘ A bird of the air carried
it.’ But, Miss Lutterworth, you would
never believe the truth of your owu
words, and yet that was the very way
it was done-—a bird of the air carried
it. In those days—it is three months
ago now—Mother Jane kept two tame
pigeons. They slept on her house top,
they ate from her hand and they flew
sometimes as far away as Mr. Trohm’s
gard.-n. One day a young man, equipped
for traveling, paused for a glass of wa
ter at the famous well there while
tbtfSe pigeons were picking up corn
which Mi'- Trohm had scattered for
them, for his tastes are confined to the
cultivation of fruits and flowers, but
extend to dumb animals, to whom he
is uniformly kind. The young man wore
a ring, and being nervous was fiddling
with it as he talked to the pleasant old
gentleman who was lowering tlio bucket
for him. As he fiddled with it the
earth fell from under him, and as the
daylight vanished above him the ring
flew out of his up thrown hand and lay,
the only token of his now blotted out
existt uce, upon the emerald sward he
had but a moment before pressed with
his unsuspicious feet. It burned—this
ruby burned like a drop of blood in
the grass w’heu that demon came again
to his senses, and being a telltale evi
dence of crime to him who had allowed
nothing to ever speak against him of
these matters, he stared at it as at a
deadly thing directed against himself
and to be got rid of at once and by
means W'hich by no possibility could
recoil back upon himself as its author.
‘‘The pigeons stalking near offered to
his abnormally acute understanding the
only solution which would leave him
absolutely devoid of fear. Ho might
have swung open the lid of the well
once more and ftung it after its owner,
but this meant an aftermath of expe
rience from which even he shrank who
delighted in the thought that the vic
tims he saw’ vanish before his eyes were
like something wiped out by a sweep of
the hand. To see or hear them again
would bo to this notion. He preferred
the subtler way and to take advantage
of old Mother Jane’s characteristics, so
he caught one of the pigeons (ho has
always been able to lure birds into his
hands), and tying the ring around the
neck of the bird with a blade of grass
plucked up from the highway he let it
fly and so was rid of the bauble which
to Mother Jane’s eyes, of course, was a
direct gift from the heavens through
Which the bird had flown before light
ing on her doorstep. ”
‘‘Wonderful!” I exclaimed, almost
overwhelmed with humiliation, but
preserving a brave front. “ What inven
tion and what audacity—the audacity
of a man totally irresponsible for his
deeds, was it not?” I asked. “There is
no doubt, is there, about bis being ai
absolute maniac?”
“No, jnadam. ” What a relief I felt
at that word! “Since we entrapped him
yesterday and ho found himself fully
discovered he has lost all grip upon
himself and filled the room we put him
in with the unmistakable ravings of a
madman. It was through these I learned
the facts about the ring and the pigeon. ”
I drew a deep breath. We were staud-
ing in the sight of several men, and
their presence there seemed intolerable.
Unconsciously I began to walk away.
Unconsciously Mr. Gryce followed me.
At the end of several paces we both
stopped. Wo were no longer visible to
the crowd, and I felt I could speak the
words I had been burning to say ever
since I saw the nature of Mr. Trohm ex
posed.
“Mr. Gryce,” said I, flushing scar
let—which I here solemnly declare is
something which has not happened to
me before in years and if I can help it
shall never happen to me again—‘‘I am
interested in this which you say be
cause yesterday, here in the open road,
Mr. Trohm proposed to me, and”—
“You did not accept it?”
“No. What do you think 1 am made
of, Mr. Gryce? I did not accept him,
but—I made the refusal a gentle one,
and—this is not easy work, Mr.
Gryce,” I interrupted myself to say
with suitable grimness—“the same
thing took place between me and Dea
con Spear, and to him I gave a response
such as I thought his presumption war
ranted. The discrimination does not
argue well for my acumen, Mr. Gryce.
You see, I want no credit that I do not
deserve. Perhaps you cannot understand
that, but it is a part of my nature. ”
“Madam, ” said ae, and 1 must own 1
thought his conduct perfect for the
nonce, “had I not been as completely
deceived as yourself I might find words
of criticism for this possibly unprofes
sional partiality. But when an old hand
like myself can listen to the insinua
tions of a maniac and repose, as I must
say I did repose, more or less confidence
in the statements he chose to make me,
and which were true enough as regard
ed plain fact, bat wickedly false and
preposterously wrong as regards their
suggestion, 1 can have no words of
blame for a woman who, whatever her
understanding and whatever her expe
rience, necessarily has seen less of hu
man nature and its incalculable sur
prises. As to the more delicate matter
yon have been good enough to confide to
me, madam, I have bat one remark to
make. With such an example of wom
anhood suddenly brought to their notice
in such a wild as this, how conld yon
exncct them, sane or insane, to do other
wise than they did? 1 know many a
worthy man who would like to follow
their example.” And with a bow that
left me speechless Mr. Gryce laid his
hand on his heart and softly withdrew.
THE END.
Luck In Thirteen.
By sending 13 miles Wm. Spirey
of Walton Furnace, Vt., got a box of
Bucklen’s An ica Salve, that wholly
cured a horrible Fever Sore on his leg.
Nothing else could. Positively cures
Bruises, Felons, Ulcers, Krupt>onn,
Boils. Burns, Corns and Piles. Only
25c. Gueranteed by Cherokee Drug
Co., druggists.
A man’s clothes are shaped tc him ;
a woman is shaped to her clothes.
To the Public.
Allow me to say a few words in
praise of Chamberlain’s Cough Reme
dy. I bad a very severe cough and
cold and feared I would get pneumon
ia, but after taking the second dose
of this medicine I felt better;' three
bottles of it cured my cold and the
pains in my chest disappeared entire
ly. I am most respectfully yours for
health, Ralph S. Meyers, <>1 Thirty-
seventh 8t., Wheeling, W. Va. For
sale by Chi rokee Drug Co.
A man seldom has any trouble in
fiaaiug trouble.
Ilrulu-Kuixl Noiihciikc.
Another ridiculous food faa has
been branded by the most competent
authorities. They have dispelled the
sillv notion that ore kind of food is
needed for brain, another for muscles,
and still another for bones. A cor
rect diet will not only nourish a pur
t'cular part of the bodv, but it will
sustain every other part. Yet, how
ever good your food may be, its nutri
ment is destroyed by indigestion or
dyspepsia. You must prepare for
their appearance or prevent their
coming by taking regular doses of
Green's August Flower, the favorite
medicine of the healthy millions. A
few doses aids digestion, stimulates
the liver to healthy action, purifies
the blood, and makes you feel buoyant
and vigorous. You can get this relia
ble remedy at Cherokee Drug Co.
Get Green's Special Almanac.
One or two things always happens
regarding a habit. You either master
it or it masters you.
One Minute Cough Cure
Is the only harmless cough cure
that gives quick relief. Cures Coughs,
Colds, Bronchitis, Whooping Cough,
Pneumonia, Asthma, LaGrippe and
ail Throat, Chest and Lung troubles.
“I got soaked by rain,” says Ger
trude E. Fenher, Muncie, Ind., “and
contracted a severe cold and cough.
I failed rapidly ; lost 48 pounds. - My
druggist recommended One Minute
Cough Cure. The first bottle brought
relief; several cured me. 1 am back
to my old weight, 1-18 lbs.” One
Minute Cough Cure cuts the phlegm
relieves the cough at once, draws out
inflammation, cures croup. An ideal
remedy for children. Cherokee Drug
Co.
Cleptomania is said to be the most
lucrative form of insanity.
Cured of riled After 40 Yearn.
Mr. C. Haney of Geneva, Ohio, had
the piles for forty years Doctors and
dollars could do him no lasting good
DeWitt’s Witch Hazel Salve cured
him permanently. Invaluable for
cuts, burns, bruises, sprains, larcera-
tious, eczema, tetter, salt rheum and
all other skin diseases. Look for the
name DeWitt on the package—all
others are cheap, worthless counter
feits. Cherokee Drug Co.
Money is king and at the same time
a very interesting subject.
lie Could Hardly Uet Up.
P. H. Duffy of Ashley, 111., writes,
“This is to certify that I have taken
two bottles of Foley’s Kidney Cure
and it has helped me more than any
other medicine. I tried many adver
tised remedies, but none of them gave
me any relief. My druggist recom
mended Foley’s Kidney Cure and it
has cured me. Before commencing
its use 1 was in such a shape that 1
conld hardly get no wh«n once down.”
For sale by Cherokee Drug Co.
A neglected opportunity never calls
again.
Tlie Value Of Expert Treatment.
Everyone who is afflicted with a
chronic disease experience great, diffi
culty in having their case intelli
gently treated by the average physi
cian. These diseases can only be
cured by a specialist who understand
(hem thoroughly. Dr. J. Newton
Hathaway, of AtlantaGa., is acknowl
edged the most skillful and successful
specialist in the United States. Write
him for bis expert opinion of your
case, for which he makes no charge.
Cincinnati has signed Pitcher James
A. Wiggs, who played with the Hele
na, Mont., team last season.
AuxIoum Moment*.
Some iif the most anxious hours of
a mother’s life are those when the
little ones of the household have the
croup. There is do other medicine
so effective in this terrible malady as
Foley's Honey and Tar. It is a house
hold favorite for throat and lung trou
bles. and as it contains no opiates or
i.tin r poisons it can be safely given.
For sale by CherokeS Drug Co.
Cresceus, 2.02£, leads all two-milers
by a big margin.
The great rheumatic remedy not only cures every
form of rheumatism, but makes radical cures of
Contagious Blood Poison,
Scrofula, Sores, Boils, Catarrh,
£ and all diseases arising from impurities in the blood.
? Endorsed by physicians and prominent people every
where after thorough trial.
DOCS NOT INJURE THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS.
„ x ^ . . . Raleigh, N. C.
ixo n tie menI take pleasure In bearing testimony to the curative properties
Of your Uhrdmacide. ’ Two bottles cured my son of a bad case. If this will
be of any benefit to you in advertising your meritorious r« medy, you can use it.
Yours truly, W. H. RAND, Steward State Blind Institution.
i
i
?
9
C
9
?
All Druggists, $i.oo; or prepaid on receipt of price.
Bobbitt Chemical Co., - - Bcitimore, fid.
‘For sjile by the Cherokee Druj^ Company.
Health
FOR A QUARTER l
Permlf w>io b«r-' •orr.id *r.i Ilf-' a miser
able existence, and take purges and drastic drugs^
which gripe and rack the bos 1 , whe- all they nee-i is 1
» te-itle renindsr ?-> tht hv r to do its duty.
a * i r’p* t ’jrTD in r ^
andTONIG PELLETS
.are mild in their action. The p Is s: nulatc t’ a I've- to itej
l\\ !' ro P r '* ri , • 1 * ‘" aets i rigt ate the ystr-a as
VvViolo; .a ehort, -uey UAh ass/ut Natu. a, which is ai. i
medicine should do. Remember that 25 doses for 25
days costs 25c. You can have a free sample
you want it.
\VA
brov/n ;?ra
New York
ami Greene
CO.
ville.
Tenn.
For sale by Cherokee Drug Company.
.— —
V L > v—
V
£ .
WHY USC LARD?
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THE VEGETABLE FAT
SUPERIOR IN QUALITY AMD PURITY
TO ALL OTHERS
^ -r LTTfetvM, > i "
sA A >. XT
—ADDRESS — ))AV‘^-SOUTHERN COTTON OLCO.
pnwnMx.au ne TH£CAROLINAS*™GEORGIA
SAVANNAH,GA.
• as ' v -- .• >
HELLO! HELLO! CENTRAL!
(live me the Racket Grocery Store. “Why?” “Who is
that?" “Why K. H. Durham, the cheapest store on earth.”
Tliat is the place to buy your First-Class Groceries, and
Country Produce. Why? Because he is a quick deliverer.
Also Fresh Oysters every Friday and Saturday.
bicycles and Sundries of all kinds for sale, and bicycles
repaired, and for rent especially. Also, I have bought
out TiDotson & Killian’s grocery store. King up Phone
No. 112and give me a trial order.
T7. H. rourliain.
in Brick Building on Cherokee Avenue opposite new mill.
fkUal
Lax
■igBEture is on ' Very 'xr <>f the gouuioE
native Bronio Qunine Tablet*
remedy that Mures .» •cl*l In •**J'
Tie Gaffnev City Land and Improvement Company
Oi" rs for s ile building Lots in this nourishing town, Gaffney City : Farms ne*
by and In reach of the Schools of Limestone Springs and of this pl». e, in loUpf from
#0 to 100 acres on liberal time rates; also Agricultural Lands to rent tut Farm pur
poses. For full particulars applv to
J* v.
jvFtiejvnmr. ^vuerit-
N. b.—All persons are forbidden to enter on. walk or ride through or over the lands of tills
company, cutting and removing timber, fishing or huuling, under penalty of law.
F. G. Stacy President. j.O. Wakdlaw. Vl<;e-President
THE NATIONAL BANK OF GAFFNEY.
CAPITAL STOCK PAID IN •ftO.OO® OO.
MTOCKHOl-MKKN INDIVIDUAL LIABILITY - AO.VOU.OO.
HCKPLCM AND PROFITS, NKT *0,000.00.
•1*0.000.00.
State. Oounty and City I repository.
Deposits solicited from Farmers, Merchants. Manufacturers and others. Every accom
modation extended to customers that their business and responsibility will warrant.
D. C. !«>«**. C'awhier.
JV1 AY^NAI«I> »MYTH. Ammt. l^asfo.