Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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m Special Notice V to all Bicycle Riders and those who have Ricycles to repair. I am now moved up town in the old barbel stand; next door to Beer Saloon, and am prepared to do all kinds of Bicycle re pairing.and building to order; so come, • boys, and bring your old wheels and have them repaired and made good as new. Don't let your old Bicycles lie around in the house in the way; bring them to K H. Durham and have them fixed so you can ride to dinner and enjoy yourself with a long ride through the season of 1904. If you don’t want them repaired, bring them to me and I will buy them at a reasonable price. I keep all kinds of Bicycle Supplies at low prices, I also re pair Sewing Machines and do a general repair business. Don’t forget the place- next door to Beer Saloon. Lome ^anri give me a trial. THE RACKET CYCLE SHOP, E. H. DURHAM, Prop. Now for the New Year! Start it right by com ing to us for your :: Staple and Fancy Groceries, Canned Goods,ICigarsJobacco,Fruits, and Confectioneries. Our lines are still complete and contain nothing but the fresh est and the’best. HA/VILIN & RADFORD.^ C. C. Humphries having en gaged in other business, which throws the entire work of carrying on the business of the Acme Fur niture Co. upon the present mana ger, w ho, on account of his present state of health, does not feel able to perform it, it was decided at a recent meeting of the stockholders to make prices that will sell the ^stock as rapidly as possible. This includes everything now in stock and goods bought to arrive. If you need FURNITURE, STOVES, CROCKERY, GLASSWARE, LAMPS, TRUNKS, SEWING MACHINES, or anything in our line, can you make your cash count. Yours truly, The Acme Furniture Co. r Advertising is some an art. If it be an art it is the ait of telling a story simply and convincingly. Nobody knows more about the strong qualities of an establishment than the proprietor who oversees it. Other things being equal, nobody should be able to write more convinc ingly of the articles he of fers for sale. In a store where the employer sells goods side by side with his clerks It is rare that the employer will not be the best salesman. The reason is simple. He knows the goods from A to Z. He probably has pur chased them. He knows his aims. His arguments carry weight because they are convincing. The same arguments pre sented in the same way, with the same enthusiastic spirit, the same knowledge of detail, would attract new customers if presented through the advertising col umns of this paper. If you have not triad it, why not begin? If you have tried it and are not aatia- fied, let us know about it I N the old days when a father did not wish his daughter to marry the man of her choice he locked her up in the turret chamber of the castle and kept-her on a diet of t>read and water until she was too weak to oppose paternal command. The method Is unusual now in this part of the world, and therefore the luck of Stuart Hollingsworth may be called ex ceptionally hard. Hollingsworth was engaged Ruth Warren without her father’s consent. Hollingsworth had a great reputation as a wit and had said one or two very clever but not unkindly things abo. f Albertus Warren. Otherwise Hollingsworth was unex ceptionable. He was not so rich as Warren, but he was in a good way of business and striding on toward great uiecess. A brisk, bright, cheery fellow le was despite the melancholy cast of ils countenance and the sad, sweet mice which lent itself 00 well to the purposes of his unfailing Jests. Warren was different from everybody else In the world, but most particularly from his daughter, who possessed a very amiable disposition. She was plump and pretty, exceptionally cheer ful in a gentle way and unite destitute of any trait that could be called an ec centricity. It could be seen with half an eye that she was saturated with love for Hollingsworth in the way of a piece of cake dipped in wine. Her father had done his best to make an old maid of her. She was already twenty-four. Many a suitor had been frightened away from the great, square house, with Its antique iron fence and Its strips of dusty lawn. But nobody could frighten Hollingsworth. He was not a tall man, and he was slenderly built, hut he was armed always with the mighty weapon of invincible good humor. Not even Albertus Warren could quarrel with him, and perhaps that is why the old sinner resorted to desperate measures. Whatever the explanation may be. this is the situation: Hollingsworth knew that the young lady was in her father’s house. He had faith to believe that she still loved him, but he could neither see her nor get one word from her. The truth dawned upon him slow ly. He was informed at the house two or three times that Miss Warren was not at home. He expected a note from her by mail, and it did not come. A very earnest communication from him self brought no response from her. Then he called at Mr. Warren’s office and was denied. At the end of a week Hollingsworth had a confidential talk with his friend, John Breck, who was a lawyer. Breck treated the subject with levity. He had recently been the victim of a very good Joke which Hollingsworth 'had “put up,” and he expressed a mean spirited gratification that fate should have avenged him. Coming to a more serious view at last, he said: “There are various things that you can do. The young lady is of age. She can claim her liberty.” “That’s the way I look at it," re sponded Hollingsworth. Breck shook ins head. “The old man will get tired of it,” he said. “He won’t imprison her long.” Two or three days elapsed without bringing any new developments, and then Breck called at Hollingsworth's apartments. He looked worried. “I’ve seen Albertus,” he said, “and I’m afraid that the matter is more se rious than I had supposed. The old ▼iilain has got something up his sleeve. What it is I don’t know, but he evident ly believes it to be a winner. If he didn’t, Stuart, my boy, I could fix this whole matter for you. This in confi dence to you: I’ve got a very strong hold on old Albertus Warren, and 1 wouldn’t scruple to use It In a case of this kind. If he were merely holding out obstinately against you, with no definite plan in view, I could swing him. But he’s trying to accomplish ■omething. I’m sure of it, though I don’t see what it can be unless he In tends to make her marry somebody else. She is the sort of girl to mind her fa ther.” “It is her only fault,” replied Hol lingsworth. “But, see here, Jack. There’s one thing obvious—she is being tricked. Nobody can convince me that ihe doesn’t suppose that she has sent word to me. She has trusted her letter to some rascally servant”— "Is there anybody In the household whom you know particularly well?” asked the lawyer. And Hollingsworth replied that he had occasionally held amicable conversations with the house keeper, who seemed to be friendly dls posed toward him. “But,” he added, “I’ve written to her already and have got no reply.” “Write again,” said his friend, “and I’ll try to deliver the note and get an answer. Ask her If she can suggest any way by which you can get into the house without Mr. Warren knowing it That’s the point. You must have an interview with Miss Ruth If it’s In any way possible. This case is desper ate. It will come to a runaway mar riage before you get through with It. and If you take my advice you’ll ar range for one at the earliest possible moment provided that you get a chance to talk to the young lady.” Hollingsworth wrote the note, and Breck hurried away with it. He did not return In the course of the ovcr.lng but several other fellows dropped in The rumor that the course of true love • * 1, : naming smooth seemed to I ve ( irnh ted widely, and Hollings- v< rtli received the sort of sympathy which one ordinarily gets in such case. lie telephoned to Breck’s office half a dozen times next day, but could not find the lawyer in. About noon, how ever, he appeared at Hollingsworth's rooms. "I’ve struck n desperate situation,” he said. “I’ve given the housekeeper your note. She’s a great creature and willing to act in your interest as far ns she dares, but by the devil’s own luck she’s out of favor with Miss Ruth. The girl doesn’t trust her; won’t give her any message or sny a word to her on the subject. So there you are. The housekeeper doesn’t know what’s up. but she knows that it’s something se rious and that old Albertus Warren re gards the game as already won.” Hollingsworth’s jaw dropped. He stared at Breck blankly. "What in blazes am I going to do?” he demanded. “I’ve been all over this subject,” said the lawyer, “from a legal and every “don’t drop him on the stairs.” other aspect, and there’s only one pos sible course of action. You must have a personal interview with Miss War ren; you must see her without her fa ther’s knowledge, and you must do it right away. Therefore it is absolutely essential that you get into that house.” “But I can’t break in!” exclaimed Hollingsworth. “I can’t do anything public and make a guy of the woman I love. ‘Extra! Extra!’ Holy Moses, I can seem to hear it!” “Ruth Warren is to be spirited away,” said Rreck. "The housekeeper doesn’t know where nor how. But if it hap pens it will be fatal. The poor girl will suppose that you know where she’s gone; she fancies that she’s writing to you ever}- day. If you don’t follow her —and you couldn’t because you would not know where she’s gone.” Hollingsworth struck his dripping forehead. "I’ve got to get into that house,” he said, “even if I crawl in through the gas pipe.” “Precisely,” said Breck, "and for that reason I’ve put up a Job. It’s queer, but the thing’s been done dozens of times in New York—in fact I’ve man aged it myself for one of my clients when there was a question of serving some papers. And you remember the case of Mrs. Wilmington, who kid naped her own daughter.” “Took her away in a trunk, didn’t she?” said Hollingsworth. “But there’s no trunk in the world that will hold me. You might bring my legs along In a dress suit case, but”— “This is serious,” interrupted Breck. “I’ve already arranged for the trunk. It will be here in a few minutes. It’s the same one that I used in the case I mentioned just now, and my clerk lived in it for five hours without much Incon venience. By good luck, as I’ve learned from the housekeeper, that trunk Is an exact mate for one that Miss Warren has in storage. It won’t seem unusual If we have It delivered at the Warren house today. Come, Stuart Have you got the sand?” “Have I ?” cried Hollingsworth. “Watch me. This is really the very best thing that we could do. It will settle the whole matter. And I’ll remember you, Breck. You shall have $1,000 if I live through this and $5,000 if I don’t. My grati tude will be the same In either case, but If I’m dead I can afford to be more liberal. Fix up my will. What’s that?” A sound of shuffling feet came from the hall, followed by a quick ring of the bell. Breck opened the door, and four men entered with the trunk. It was a monstrous affair and had al ready been stripped of its trays and provided with ventilating holes, suffi clent and not too obvious. “I can live In it for a week,” said Hollingsworth, "if they set it on the right end.” The two men padded the Inside with blankets and made experiments In the matter of the most comfortable position and the limits of movement when the lid had been closed upon the occupant. Then they went out and had luncheon, for the trunk was not to be delivered at the Warren residence before 5 In the afternoon. Hollingsworth suggested that It would be awkward If the real one should get there first, but BrecI replied that he had sent a bogus mes sage to the warehouse countermanding the order. Promptly at 5 o'clock the expressmen whom Breck had engaged arrived a Hollingsworth’s rooms. They wen well bribed and carefully Instructed Hollingsworth got into the trunk, am Breck closed, locked and strapped it. “Now, for heaven’s sake,” he said h a low tone to the men. “don’t drop him on the stairs." i "What’s the matter with the elevat or?” come in anxious but muffled tones from the Interior of the trunk. “It’s all right in this building,” re sponded Breck, “hut in the Warren house there are two flights, and they are pretty had, the housekeeper says. Of course you’ll go up the back stairs.” The descent to the street was easy, but the ride to the Warren house was long. The longer the ride the longer Hollings worth's h-gs seemed to he. and before It was finished ho would have paid any rea sonable sum for the privilege of straight ening them out. "This Is a singular paradox,” he said to himself. "My legs are getting longer ev ery minute and still I want to stretch f _ ___ » f em. One of the expressmen, who was sitting beside the trunk, informed him of his ar rival at his destination and then climbed out of the wagon. There was a long wait. Then Hollingsworth felt a swaying of the vehicle, and immediately a voice spoke cautl ^usly. "There’s a hitch somewhere,” It said. “Don’t speak loud. Old Warren is stand ing by the gate.” “What's the trouble?” “He says It's the wrong trunk. He swears that this one Is full of furs. They’re hunting for the key, but the housekeeper’s all right. Don't you worry. Whatever happens, you’re safe. The old man won’t get you. Hush!” Another long wait, and then the voice again: “We’ll have to take you back. You’ve been positively Identified. You’re a lot of sealskin and stuff that belonged to Mrs. Warren when she was alive. S-s-s-sh!” Presently the wagon swayed violently and then started. Hollingsworth felt the expressman settling himself down beside the trunk. Then came a very soft, hardly audible whisper: “Don’t speak. Don’t make any noise. We’ll get yeu out of this yet.” The wagon Jolted along. It seemed to travel a thousand miles, and there were a thousand new pains for every mile. Fi nally the wagon stopped. The trunk was lifted out. Hollingsworth heard a con fused murmur of voices. Then he felt the motion of an elevator. There followed a great bumping ard dragging, followed by a stillness and a peculiar chill, gradually but surely increasing. It seemed as if drafts of icy air were blowing through the holes in the trunk. Hollingsworth stood It as long as he could, and then In a sud den paroxysm he pounded and kicked up on the roof of his prison and yelled like a wounded elephant. It was a marvelous relief. While he was enjoying It he heard a clanking sound, and then a strange, loud, scared voice cried: “Who’s here?” “I am. hang it!” yelled Hollingsworth. “How could I be anywhere else? Holy Moses, do you think I can crawl out through one of these holes?" “Cpesar’s ghost!” exclaimed the voice. “How did you come to be In here?” “Where am I?" “This Is the Columbia warehouse. You’re in the cold storage room. We al ways keep our furs”— “Blast your furs! Who are you?” “I’m the watchman. Everybody else has gone home.” “Well,” said Hollingsworth in a voice of smoldering rage, "I want to go home too. Open this trunk.” “I ain’t got no key,” said the man, "nor no tools. This Is a mighty strong trunk. How’d you pet into it?” “Never mind that. Kick the lid off It.” "Bless your soul," said the watchman, "I can't do that. It’s bound with Iron. But when the day watchman comes in the morning”— He was immediately Interrupted by a vi olent straining and groaning Inside the trunk. “I say," he continued, “It’s pretty thun derin' cold in here. I can drag you into a warmer room. There’s one where I can light a lot of gas. and I guess you’ll be comfortable.” Without waiting for a reply the man seized the trunk and dragged it along the floor with Incredible speed. Hollingsworth seemed to feel a change In the tempera ture, and he saw lights through the holes in the trunk. ‘Til lift you up on to this shelf.” said the man. “It'll be warmer there than on the floor.” Hollingsworth felt the trunk lifted and set upon some sort of support. He had Just sense enough left to wonder at the strength of the man who lifted It. Surely such an Individual could find some means of releasing him. While this thought was in his mind there was a scratching sound, and then suddenly the lid of the trunk flew back. Hollingsworth, staring upward, beheld a dazzllngly brilliant and very or nate chandelier. A babel of voices broke out around him. “I’m crazy.” he thought. “Well, it’s no wonder.” And with that he painfully scrambled to his feet. He was standing in the middle of a bountifully laden banquet table sur- T °c Y Rmci^M Patronize Honie ,^,lllStry, “MB. STUART HOLLINGSWORTH.” rounded by at least forty men In evening dress, and directly in front of him stood John Breck. “Gentlemen,” said the lawyer, pounding on the table, "I take great pleasure In In troducing Mr. Stuart Hollingsworth. You will remember him well because there Is not onewjf you upon whom he has not per petrated some sort of joke In his day. Mr. Hollingsworth recently consulted me In an fiffair of the heart, and I was able to assist him materially. You will all be pleased to hear that the stern parent has yielded and that our friend's marriage will shortly he celebrated. Having served him In this way, I could not resist the temptation to square aicounts with him by means of this merry jest from which you have Just seen him escape with bis life. As this is his bachelor dinner he will doubtless oblige the company with''— "Speech, speech!” yelled all the men at once, pounding on tho table with their fists. Hollingsworth glanced around the circle Then he slowly subsided Into tho trunk and closed the lid. [Original.] “Great Sfott! Who would harp thought it? Helen Young au author! Well, I am In a pickle!” • So spoke Leslie Reid, tossing a note ou his desk and leaning back disconso lately In his revolving chair. This was the letter: My Dear Mr. Reid—You will be sur prised to learn that I am the author o! the story "The Veil Lifted,” which you have dismissed with such a contemptuous notice in your paper. Wishing to get your unbiased opinion of my work, I said | nothing to you about it, confident that your ignorance of the name under which It is published would insure an honest criticism. Far be it from me to find fault with you for that criticism. We who lay traps to learn the truth as to what our friends say of us and our works must not grumble at our success. Sincerely, HELEN YOUNG. "One who knows nothing about th# inconsistencies of the sex,” mused Reid, “would suppose this merely a woman’s thanks for an ingenuous criticism. I know better. No woman is going to spend mouths or perhaps years on a cherished labor and have it knocked in the head with impunity, and if I know J Helen Young this is the feather that breaks the camel’s back. 1 have had uphill work against Bartlett anyway, and this episode will tip the scale In his favor.” Reid was right in his interpretation of the letter he had received. In pro portion to her predisposition to him and her respect for his literary opinion was her wrath at his criticism. She deceived herself by the illusion that after all she preferred his rival and did not admit to herself that she would have a delicious revenge upon Reid when she permitted Bartlett to an nounce his engagement with her. This permission, given in an equivocal way, was taken advantage of immediately and the announcement came to Reid's ears. “They say,” Reid muttered. “ ‘O that mine enemy would write a book!’ Bet ter write the book yourself and have your enemy criticise it.” This sudden engagement so soon aft er the fatal criticism somewhat altei id Mr. Reid's opinion of the best way to handle the matter. He had some doubts as to the engagement being bona fide, and it led him to act upon the adage, "All’s fair in love and in war.” He did not follow tip his note to Miss Young by calling upon her and did not see her for several weeks. He then met her at the house of a friend. He bowed to her, assuming indiffer ence. She smiled upon him—well, one cannot say graciously. Her smile was rather one of triumph. “Oh, Mr. Reid,” she said, “I’m so glad to meet you! Come, let us have a talk.” And she led him away from the others. “Now, I want you to tell me why my book was so bad.” “I criticised your book,” he replied, with dignity, “not you. I have no fault to find with you. Let us turn to a more pleasant subject.” “Not at all. I am entitled aa an old friend to the benefit of your counsel and advice. They will aid me In my future work.” “Very well. Since you insist upon it I must say that your style is faulty and gives the Impression that the work was done under different moods.” There was a flash In the girl’s eye, a mounting of color to her cheek. “Then you handled your love parts badly and disappointed your readers by making your hero marry a popinjay when the rival was, though common place, a fairly good fellow.” “Thank you,” said Miss Young, biting her lips. “Your man Mackinsoa”— “Mackinson! Who’s Mackinson? What are you talking about?” “Your hero. You havo made his feats as Impossible as himself. Then youi Lucy Tanglefleld’s career is as tangled as her name. So far an’’— “Will you please tell me who all these people are? I never heard of them.” “Your characters. As I was say ing”— “Will you stop? My characters are not Mackinson and Lucy Tanglewood or any such people.” “Are not they the characters of ‘The Veil Lifted?”’ “They are not.” “Then,” said Reid, “I must have been laboring under a mistake and got your book mixed with another. You see, we have so many to read that it often leads to serious mistakes. Mention some Incident, some name. In your sto ry by which I may recognize it” “The hero’s name is Adair, the hero- Ine’s”— “Claudia Grammont! Do you mean to tell me you wrote that book? The style Is perfect, the plot remarkable. In parts there is evidence of positive genius.” Miss Young’s eyes were lighted. Her cheeks were glowing with a different motive from that of a moment ago. She was quite sure she had not made a mistake, after all, and that Reid was her choice. The meeting was inter rupted by the hostess, and the two sep arated without further explanations, which were not necessary. Miss Young sent for Mr. Bartlett and rated him soundly for bis premature announce ment, and a few evenings later she ac- j cepted her critic, whom ahe admired all the more for hla Independence. A dozen years had pasted (Mrs. Reid was kept too busy with her five chil dren to think of dabbling in literature) before her husband confessed that he had deliberately pretended to mix her novel with another. To hia confession •he replied carelessly: “I certainly provad a better author than you a critic.” Held winced. “The Veil Lifted” war am rtf the most successful books of its ima V. A. MITCHEL 1 Turning over your laundry to basket going out of the city you find a lot of incon venience, as it will be de livered by hand and ex posed to the weather. Why not have our wagon call lor your work? Satis faction guaranteed and ar ticles delivered promptly. PtarlSteamlamiln. SAVE MONEY by buying goods from I. M. Peeler. I carry Shoes, Dry Goods, Hats, Groceries, Notions, and Hardware, such as Axes, Plows, Nails, Hames, Chains, Backhands, Singletrees, devices, Heel Bolts, Pocket Knives, Knives and Forks, Razors, Scissors, etc. I also carry Tinware, Glassware, Crockery, Lamps, Clocks, and many other items, all cheap for cash. Call and see my prices. Yours to please, 1. M. PEELER. Dr. S. H. Griffith, " PHYSICAN - SURGEON*.- OCULIST. Former pupil of the celebra ted Oculist, Dr. Julian J. Chisolm, ot Baltimore. Has also taken special post-grad uate course in the Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital of Baltimore. Glasses Fitted Accurately and Scientifically.Jt BfiyOffice in Cherokee Drug Co., B’ldg. BUILDERS’ SUPPLIES LUMBER, SHINGLES, LATHS, DOORS, SASH, BLINDS, FLOORING, SIDING, CEILING, MOULDING. ALSO A FINE LINE OF Paints and Oils 50c to f 1.30 per gal. £012 L. BAKER We believe thoroughly in advertising. To prove it we are going to use thi» space for our own pur poses. We have advertis ing space to sell, and we know it will pay a good return upon the price we charge for it if it is prop erly used. Our paper goes into the best homes in this community. It has been going week after week and year after year until each issue is welcomed as an old friend of the family. The news it brings is news of neighbors, of per sonal affairs in which all have more or less of a com mon interest. If one of our readers called upon you, a merchant, you would do the best you could to con vince him that what you had for sale was the best he could buy. You would show him the new things you had got in recently. You would tell him why he should have them and why they were better than hecould procure elsewhere. You probably would make a sale. Your effort, however, would be 00a- fined to one person. You could tell the same story just as effectively to every reader of this paper in each issue. You do not believe it would have the same ef fect? If you told the story in the same way it would. We are ready to do our part to prove it. Do yoe care to try it? i ♦ ♦♦»♦»♦♦♦ 0-0-