Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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y, \ You Can Always be Dressed as Well as the President if You Wear s I Strouse Bros. High Art Clothing's Looks RIGHT When You Buy it, and STAYS Right When You Wear it. Hats If it’s a new Block—if it’s a new shade—we have it. All the latest Spring styles in Straws and Derbys. Neckwear In all the best shapes and handsomest colors. Also long 50-inch Four-in-Hands, Strings and Tecks every wonted style. ECvei-ytl^iingr tEie I^eadiests* ISeed in Weeirdngj; Ajpjpent'el. New lot of Ladies’ Oxfords just arrived. See them before you purchase. Few pieces of Jap and China Matting left that we are selling at way down prices. We want your business. y x ii k e o m i* a. x t sxork. ' establish a precedents—I have al ways thought It wise to keep one’s 1 burdens within his own bosom, es- (Original.) pecially when it is a conglomeration Mr. Charles Blackburn was born in () f ] ove an ,i disappointment.” "In matters of that kind I have al ways found it a great relief to my mind to have a special friend in whom I could confide,” I broke in. “Well, then,” said he, “since you insist I will for once go contrary to An American After Ail. a suburb town of a great city of London. In his early life he visited America and there met and fell in love with his future wife. They were married after an acquaintance of ‘welve months and the union proved be a happy one,*with only one ex- m y better judgment. Perhaps your option. Air. Blac!:burn’s father died pi an i 3 best, anyway. At least I don’t shortly after their marriage. He sep bow it could make my condition -ciAg sole heir and his mother old an y worse. However, if the narrative and feeble made it doubly necessary prove uninteresting to you and you fr them to reside in England- 0° become wearied you have no one to the other hand, Mrs. Blackburn was j blame but yourself. anx'ous to remain in America. To leave her dear old home and friends and sail for a far away land, to live among strangers, seemed more than she could bear. Yet she refrained from apprising her husband of the fact lest he abandon bis intentions, whi h would necessitate so much in convenience to him that he could not be contented, and there was one thing elea.- to her mind, if he were not happy she could not be. So to England she decided to go, and to England they wen . "I was born in Ixmdon, but while I was yet a child my parents returned to their old home in Glassgow, Scot land. At seven years of age I was left an orphan, heir to a vast estate, which was to remain in the hands of trustees until I became twenty-one years of age. "My cousin, Carl Bruce, accompa nied his father on a business trip to Glassgow. Carl and myself soon be came close friends and my uncle de cided to let me return with them to London. I was over-joyed at the M,s. Blackburn tried very hard to thought of being permitted to be with addict herself to the new circumstances | my cousin all the time. So Carl and and by puting into practice the old J myself entered school together. We adage, “When in Rome do as Rome | were playmates, classmates, and we does.” she succeeded to a great cx- both learned —to love sisters, tent in banishing from her mind her ‘it is perfectly natural that I longings for the land of her childhood, thought my ideal the most beautiful Two daughters were their only and the sweetest girl that ever lived, children. Leola, the eldest child, was i soon decided in my youthful mind her father’s favorite, and Marion, the and heart that I would never marry picture of her mother, was also her if 1 could not win her for my bride, mother’s joy. I do not mean to insin- j There was a sweetness in her smiles uate that they were extremely partial, that thrilled my very soul and when but rather would 1 emphasize the. fact they were intended for others than that they were very kind and attent- myself it made my young heart bleed, ive to each of their children; yet the “When I studied my lessons I im- preference was plainly visible, and as Marion grew more and more beautiful, her mother’s American patriotism fancied myself a great hero, accom- agined she was in some way connected with them. When 1 read history I swelled accordingly. She vowed that Marion should never wed other than an American gentleman. * * * * * Richard Hanson, a lawyer of great ability, by his friendly manners and strict adherence to duty, won for him self many friends, among whom 1 had piisbing wonderful feats and gaining tiie plaudits of all Great Britain and the whole world. Then to return and clasp her in my arms! Oh! how ab surd. how foolish! “I continued to erect glowing air castles only at last to be swept away by a whirlwind of pain and disappoint the pleasure of being a member. In i ment. Time and again 1 made up my fact, I was his only confidential friend mind to propose, hut she always and even I was unable to learn much of his life prior to his coming to Amer ica. He invariably avoided all topics that touched upon his younger days. He was honest, tender and affection ate by nature and yet he seemed to shun all association with the fair sex. Sometimes lively and humorous, hut more often engaged in a painful rev erie. A peculiar character. Indeed, and I was determined to learn the cause of his unhappiness, if it lay in my power to do so. seemed so light-hearted and merry, so foreign to my state of rfiind that I found myself too timid to approach her upon the subject. “At twenty-one years of age it was necessary for me to return to Glass gow, and on the eve of my departure 1 was determined to know my fate— to learn from my love’s sweet lips whether I was to live in joy and hap piness or to remain in a state of misery till my dying day. Oh! that night as she sat there gazing out up As we were taking a down-town on the star-lit sky; she seemed to in stroll one iteautiful Saturday afternoon j terpret the language of the stillness I broke a long and painful silence.! of the atmosphere and to fathom the “Richard," I said, “pardon my. rude ness, but I would like to learn the source of your heavy-mindedness. Such reveries are sure signs of despon dency.” My friend seemed somewhat’nettled by my words and I hastened the ex planation that nothing was further from my intentions than to wound his feelings .and furthermore, If he would only unravel the secret 1 would do all within my feeble power to soothe his sorrow. We had now reached a street car mysteries of the heavens—the silent messages of the twinkling stars. I was happy thus, but the thought of the morrow made and indescribable feeling pass over me. I felt the time was fast approaching when 1 would see her face no more and yet I tried to hope against hope. ’■Trembling with fear I knelt at her feet and taking her soft white hands in mine I poured out my heart to her. At the close of which I said, ‘My love. I am unworthy to look into your sweet face, and yet 1 implore thee not to station and, deciding to make a trip turn me away. Will you be mv wife to South Lake, hoarded a car and j or must 1 leave tonight with a broken were soon at our destination. heart? Please tell me you care It was mid-summer, and many pleas-. I" 01 ’ ni0 > that there is some hope.” tire-seekers were already assembled at J “Forgetting conventionalities In my this wonderful place of amusement j excitement, and without thinking of and recreation. Some were coasting | the fact that I had no right to do so. upon the lake and others were seated 1 clasped her in my arms and fearfully in the grove, merrily chatting away! awaited an answer, the time. . i “At last she looked up and with After viewing the different places of. tears la her eyes she said, ‘Richard, interest my friend and I seated our-11 never knew you cared so much for selves in a pleasant position with a j me. I have always loved you from a splendid view of our surroundings, but!child, hut as to my marrying you I my friend returned to his painful rev- am sorry to say that can never lx-, erle and seemed to be en irely obllvi-land ’ ous to everything that was taking place. 1 feared to press the subject too i 'I released her and staggered back. Was it possible that my worst fears _ , _ bad been realized; that she had been far lest he become offended and there-j flirting with me only at last to break by result in the loss of his friendship, consequently for some time silence reigned supreme. In the meantime, I noticed a well- dressed gentleman accompanied by two beautiful ladies embark from a boat and seat themselves directly opposite us. The gentleman and the senior lady were engaged In a pleasant con versation. The other lady was so pleasant, yet so tender and pathetic. my heart? She made several attempts to say something more. I know not what; I fancied she was weeping through pity’s sake, and as I reached tin* door I turned and said: " 'I will wander in foreign lands. As life’s billows o'er me roll; And when face to face with death l stand, 'Twill not be yours to know! "And without further remarks I 1 admired her and yet there was that ; departed, leaving her sobbing like a In her sweet brown eyes that appealed child. to my pity. Finally my friend broke the silence. “Old boy," he began, “I will relate as briefly and as best I can the cause of my sorrow, but In so doing I will “I went to Glassgow and arranged my business affairs so that, as life no longer seemed precious to me, I could drown my sorrow In travel and adventure. But the more 1 thought the matter over, the more I was con vinced that I had acted too hastily, and I could not resist the temptation to visit London before I sailed for the New World. So one dark and stormy night, the cannonade of the heavens being in operation and its : blasts soundingg and resounding in ; the elements, I crept up to the home j of my ideal and. to my surprise, found a carriage standing in the grove. I stepped upon the balcony and placing my ear against the window, there be ing a lull in the storm, I fancied I heard voices within. In my anxiety to see my lost love once more I thought not of the rules of propriety, I peered through the blinds, and tow ering like a lion there stood before her a vicious brute in the shape of a j human, at the point of a revolver, ! threatening her with death if she re- i fused to flee with him. He fairly I hissed through his teeth, ‘I’ve killed I men for their money, now you must j follow me or die.’ “Taking a peculiar knife from my pocket and unfastening the blinds, I stepped inside. I snatched a pistol from my pocket and fired one shot. As the brute fell to the Hour 1 stepped out into the darkness. At this point in my friend’s nar rative I noticed the younger of the two ladies in the group above referred to had fainted. Owing to the fact that they were strangers to me, and as assistance was plentiful, I did not call my friend’s attention to the inci dent but let him go on with his story. “Have you never returned to Eng land to investigate the matter, to learn whether or not you killed that rascal and to find out the girl’s rea son for refusing you?" I ventured to ask. "No, I haven’t,” he said, “and I have several reasons for not doing so, 1 never in my life was blood thirsty and I always felt that if I thirsty and 1 always felt that if I ever shrould take the life of a fellowman it somehow upon this occasion I wasn’t my real self, noway. I did not realize what I had done till he fell over, and then like a flash came the awful feel ing that no one can know except those who have taken the life of a human being. I don’t know for certain that I killed him, but I was satisfied that I did, and as my attentions were op posed by the girl’s parents I felt that should I stand my ground they would use all in their power to make it ap pear as a case of self-willed murder, and as my love affair seemed to be a hopeless case I shook the dust of England from my feet and sailed for America. “The misery I have suffered since that night can never be explained. No news has ever reached me concern ing the matter and I have tossed upon my pillow for many hours thinking of the result of that last night’s episode. “Love is supposed to be a symbol of joy and happiness, but to me It has been only misery. Hate could not have accomplished over my life what love has done. It has dulled my in tellect to a certain extent and, as you say. I am becoming despondent, | while if I had never loved and "lost It I is very likely that I would now be a I distinguished citizen of Great Britain and even a member of Parliament. | And yet, 1 would forfeit all these am- I bltions, were It in my power, to obtain themh, for one kiss; yes, for one'smile from those ruby lips of my first and only love. But whether love brings joy and happiness or sorrow and mis ery tin* older I grow the more I am convinced that: j‘A love of Intrinsic value lies In the hearts of the true and brave; A love so noble that it never dies. While a spark of life remains.’ ’’ At the conclusion of my friend’s narrative we returned to the eitv and. i* In ng somewhat late, ordered sup per at a leading cafe, after which he repaired to his room to retire for the night. As I passed up street two geii- t!en:en were walking in my rear and 1 overheard tiie following conversa tion: "That was a nice young lady who fainted this afternoon. What do you suppose was the matter with her?” The other replied, "It Is very likely that she came from the north and the unusual summer heat might have had 1 this effect upon her.” 1 am of an imaginative nature and under some circumstances manufact ure very peculiar ideas. Without any further particulars I learned from those gentlemen the lady’s address and. being very well acquainted with the physician in charge, I gainer! ad mittance and proceeded to investi gate. The young lady occupied an adja cent room to the one to which I was ailmitted. The nurse In charge stated that her patient was getting on very nicely with the exception that she seemed slightly hysterical and acted in such a manner as to indicat^ that she had indulged to excess in the read ing of novels. But. someone was ready with the ex planation that she had never read sensational novel and that the most feasible conjecture, as to the cause of her present condition was that upon one occasion she was nearly frighten ed to death by a brute in the shape of a human trying to compel her to flee with him and marry him against her will. Someone fired from the outside and wounded the villian and therefore he was unsuccessful in the attempt. They stated further that this was the first manifestation that the incident had affected her mind in the least after she recovered from the shock. That being the case, I reasoned within my mind, there must have been some unusual provocation to have caused this sudden outbreak, which was one more link in the chain of my investigation. But I suddenly romem- ered that my friend for some reason or other failed to give the name of his sweetheart. However, there was one way to settle the question. I sent him a message that 1 desired to see film on special business. In a short time he arrived and, as he said, was at my command. As he turned to address the assembly in general, and no one in particular, he recognized a familiar face, for he sprang forward and was met with equal eagerness, each exclaiming, “Cousin, is it possi ble-” When Carl had sufficiently recov ered his wits, he turned to Richard and in a joking way said, ‘ Mr. Han som, 1 will make you acquainted with my wife, Mrs. Leola Bruce, Air. Han som,” « Then my friend was led into the ad joining room and the scene that fol lowed can better be imagined than described. * * * * 4 Something was said in regard to the history of Leola and Marion Black burn at the beginning of my story and there remains but little yet to be told. Suffice it to say that the courtshin of Carl Bruce and Leola Blackburn was not as full of sensation as that of Richard and Marion. They were now on their w’dldlng tour and after much persuasion had prevailed upon Mar ion to accompany them; and it will always be a thing of pleasure for her to look hack through the coming years and think of the joy the hapoi- visit to this country, for her next let- vis itto this country, for her next let ter to her mother far across the deep blue sea contained the following In telligence: “Dear mama, with your consent, I am to wed an American, after all.” Ben Hoover. yL Go-Carts Go-Carts Our second lot just re ceived. They are really beauties, and the price is right. Subscribe for The Ledger, $1.00 a year. Promptness Guaranteed. Picture Framing, Sign Writing, Paper Hanging, House and Carriage Painting. Li Hi Gaines & BrOi ’phone no. 47. ..For Fresli Meats.. Call on W. J. MANLSS. I have got what you want and I have a nice little box to keep all I Meat in that will keep it from spoiling. I give you the best Meats and j Groceries at the best prices. W. J. MANESS It will cost you more than $100.00 to build another room to your house, but one of our Handsome Folding Beds will save you that expense. Come to see our Ranges. They make cooking really a pleasure during the hot summer days. Shuford ®» LeMaster, Furniture, Stoves and Undertaking Fincken’s New Store Selling more goods than ever before. WHY •? Because his prices are in accordance with the times. IT. F'llNICKKlN: Two Doors from Post Office. always contains all the latest local and foreign news. Subscribe now $1.00 & Y e fci THE MEAT MAN. The Builders Supply Co. . Successors to L. Baker, Will furnish your Building Material of the best that the markets afford and at the lowest living prices. No. 1 heart pine Shingles and Laths, Guar anteed Pure White Lead and Zinc, and Pure Linseed Oil. Nothing bettor to paint your house with and costs less than mixed paints. When in need of anything In the building lino, call and see us; we’ll treat you cour teously and make your estimates for nothing. L. fttilcerv MANAGER. ) ; M y Always Within Reach ist he money to your credit in the Gaffney Savings Rank, But remember that it is vour reach only that it is within; your written order is neeeasary to. obtain it. Burglars and thieves have no chance to get it. ‘The Gaffney Savings Bank would like to open an account with ycu. One dollar will do for a start, your own pride will nake it grow. We pay four per cent, inter- est on all deposits. The Gaffney Savings Bank. Office in The National Bank of Gaffney.