The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, April 10, 1902, Image 6
' [COPTMOHT, BOBXBT BO
CHAPTER I.
AT TIKE ISLAND.
i The Banjo slid over the beach water
and up to the pier-steps, the young
" * ? *Ua'? 111-A
man at the prow Drmgiug u? IU 1IUV I
aome 6onsate thing that knew her |
duty. A few idlers down from the
botel stood by, awaiting the arrival of
the afternoon steamer bringing the
mail and such guests as fate might
end. These turned to watch the disem-'
barking of the sailing party, anything
being idly interesting upon such an
*quisite day, with the sapphire sky
and the amber and green and gold of
the ocean.
"By George!" murmured Harry Dillingham
to his companion, removing
bis cigar from his lips in surprised .admiration.
"I say, old boy, who is that
magnificent woman in tne gray uuui- j
Ing-suit, with the gold anchor on her !
sleeve and the pennon around her i
cap? Th?w! You have a beauty here, j
Bensgnhurst!"
His companion shrugged his snoul- I
ders significantly, knocking the ashes j
from his cigar against the pier-railing.
"Your ignorance proclaims your so/jouin
In the wilderness, Dillingham,"
was the lazy rejoinder. "Every one
who is any one or has been any- j
where this season knows Mrs. Gra- !
bam. She carries a fortune in her
finger-rings and a nabob's ransom in j
ber necklace. None of your milk-and- j
water beauties, either. There is a
power of wisdom in that little dark j
head, let me tell you. You are bound j
to be at your best in her society. Her |
husband adores her."
"She has a husband, then? Is he I
here:"
"Of course. One of the lavish sort, |
you know. Spends cash like water. |
Their house on the avenue is maguiti- !
cent. No shoddy; blue blood straight j
through. Surely, you have hearu 01
the great house of Graham? They
must hate been abroad, he and liir
wtfe. They just returned this summer.
and have spent the months at
this island. But that's enough for
now. She's coming up."
He turned toward the woman in.
question, as she was assisted to the
pier, a tall, high-bred gentleman standing
before her bareheaded, his cigar
consigned to Neptune, as he added,
smiling:
"No need to ask if you have onjoyed
the sail, Mrs. Graham. Your
face tells its story."
She smiled dazzllngly. Her lifted
eyes, even in that clear light, were
x tne even coior 01 vioieuj. out' uuugled
a bunch of sea-weed iu one hand,
careful that the water should not drip
upon her dress. The sunset struck
gold through the brown of her hair,
under the pretty cap.
"We have had such a delightful
sail," 6he said, "that iny face would
be a craven not to show it, Mr. Bensonhurst.
The Baujo is well named.
It is the music of motion."
"Priestly handles the ropes as deftly
as the literal banjo strings." added
Bensonhurst. "May I have the pleasure
of making my friend known to
you? Mr. Harry Dillingham, Mrs.
Graham. Dillingham's been tramping
through the forests of Maine this
summer, and only now comes to Fire
Island, so he says, from pure friendship
for me, which?I doubt. To
descend from the killing of deer to
the killing of dolphin for some other
fellow's sake Isn't the nineteenth cea
vury eoae. uere comes tne steamer.
The Zingara, by Jove! Wonder what's
happened to the other? Are you expecting
any one out, Mrs. Graham?"
"Xo one," said Mrs. Graham, with
supreme conviction. "Most of my
friends are at Mount Desert or the
Thousand Islands or?Europe. My
husband and I came here to watch
the sailing of ships, instead of spending
the summer where dress is tet by
Fashion's decree. One needs rest after
the winter, not fashion. So the surf
here and the light-house?and the
coastguard?and sands?"
The brilliant smile that came arfti
went instantaneously, but was like
sunlight upon her face, finished the
sentence eloquently.
"And sailing!" added Bensonhurst,
with his significant uplifting of the
eye-brows. "Especially the arrival of
the Zingara, with her passengers, Mrs.
^Graham!"
"Yes," replied Mrs. Graham, absently.
her eyes on the approaching steam
cr, slowly swinging the sea-weed to
and fro, yet never splashing her gown.
"Everything here Is very restful and
charming, Mr. BeDsonhurst!"
The party irom the sail-boat were
gathered about them, having alighted,
and were also awaiting the arrival of
the Fire Island steamer. Mrs. Graham
*vas eonspir-jous among them for her
lieaut.v and grace.
"Unless I am mistaken," Ninette
Bradley said, turning to Mrs. Graham,
'your husband .'s on the steamer,
'Alecia. Theij io scarcely ever any
mistaking him, is there? He is such
m. magnificent m n!"
> /
4 _______________
fTHROFS DEFEAT,
21 Norcl.
KATE LUDLUfl. '
iXXU'l 8o>^ 1883. J <
Alecia Graham snoou iier Load and
turned her face with one of those
swift, transfiguring smiles, upou her ,
friend. She appreciated praise of her
husband.
"You are not mistafeu, Xinette. j
Harold is upon the steamer. He went
10 me city iuis morning on uusuifss. ,
l)o you think that*I would have gone j
without him?even in the Eanjo?this ]
afternoon, had he been here?"
Ninette laughed. She moved a trifle
away from Alecia's swinging seaweed.
She abhorred a soiled toilet or f
a speck upon her gown.
The Zingara. making more fuss and ; i
splatter than an ocean steamer, was |
dashing and splashing through the J
amber and green and blue water- j
lights, fringing her bow with foam and ; j
leaving a wide wake of seething bub- j
hies as she neared the pier where the :
hotel guests were standing. Those j
who recognized friends on the little t
steamer fluttered handkerchiefs in
welcome, or waved white hands in the
sunset glow, laughing and chatting, ,
waiting for t'ueiu to come.
The blue eyes of Mrs. Graham were
penetrating, and they were steadily }
regarding the noisy Zingara as she ,
plowed the golden water-lights. She
rocogdizcd her husband among those
on deck just forward of the cabin, ,
but, lier eyes being Keen wuu iu?c, j
she also recognized that he was uu- j
usually excited and pale.
The man whom this woman was ,
watching saw her as quickly as she
saw him. He never failed to single
out this out* woman in any crowd
where she might be. lie lifted his hat 1
as they came nearer, and he perceived
that she saw him. There was not a i 1
trace of color in his face, and his i '
hlnck eyes burned like coals from its ; !
pallor, restlessly, as though he were j
haunted by some dread.
Alecia, stepped a little back from her
friends. She was at one side of the | 1
gang-plank where the steamer stopped,
and waited for her husband to come J 1
to her. The color came and went in
.her face; her eyes, too. wore burning ; '
with nervous excitement.
Mr. Graham sprang lightly on the j
pier, ere the plank was thrown out,
and again lifting his hat courteously
to her and her companions, greeting
them with a word or smile, here and
there, turned with her up the pier to- :
ward the hotel. I
"Was it warm in the city, Harold?" J
"Very warm, Alecia?suffocating. It
is like champagne to breathe this air
from the ocean. Let us go down to
the beach, if you are not fatigued."
"I am not fatigued, Harold. Shall
we go to the pavilion or along the
sands "
"Oh. along the sands," he said, rest- !
lessly, keepiug his eyes resolutely from
meeting hers. "A long distance on
the sands, Alccia, where I can have 1
you to myself. Then?ah!?" he broke 1
off suddenly. "How can T tell you, '
Alecia?" 1
. "If there is anything that you should i
^eli me, Harold," she said, steadily and 4
sweetly, "you need not fear. Nothing
ean hurt me?much?while I have 1
you.'" ]
That wonderful smile of nors was
on her face as she lifted it to his as
they passed along the covered walk,
aropnd the hotel piazza and out on the
other side toward ihe beach. There
were groups here and there on the ! .
piazza, reading or talking or Idly |
watching the light of the fading sun- !
set upon the water and the glimmer j f
of sails in the. distance against the ! j
heavens. xuese me two uiusi gieci ^
or exchange with them light words of i
compliment. '
"There have so many ships passed j
to-day," she said, mechanically, not to 1
allow silence to fall upon them. "So f
many ships, Harold?but they all go
by; they never stop or stay." j
"Yes," he said bitterly, commanding ;
his voice by a powerful effort. "Everything
passes, Alecia, like the ships." ,
"Not everything, Harold. Love nev- ,
er drifts by when once it finds harbor. *
The winds and the currents cannot j
move it! Its anchor sinks so deeply
in the heart, Harold, that only a dead ~
heart yields It up."
He turned upon her in sudden fierceness.
His burning eyes flamed into
hers, but she would not falter.
"You have never been tried," b'*
said, hoarsely. *
?TW rw? ? oh? enM
xij uiv f oug CUIUI
But he made no answer, and she t
could not speak further with the j
growing fear in her heart; and so in -i
silence they descended the steps of t
the pavilion and struck out upon the t
sands, where the surf hissed and j
seethed with the lifting and falling of j
the breakers.
The sand was heavy, and they t
moved slowly along, she with the a
dangling sea-weed, he with his i
clenched hands, the soft lights upon j
them, the ocean and the ships just
beyond. They turne'd the bend in the ^
beach and were alone, so far as curl- t
ous eyes could see or curious. ears
;atch any word not meant for them,
riien Harold Graham stopped and
need his wife. lie placed some marvelous
restraint upon himself?for he
was a passionate man?and when he
lisengaged the seaweed from her finders,
letting it fall unheeded upon the
.nude, his touch was very gentle. Both
ujr hands he held In his, and drawing
ter to him so, he laid them upon his
jreast, his eyes upon hers.
"Alec-la!"
"Hnrald!"
"My darling, you believe that I love
rouV"
"Perfectly."
"You told me back there to try you.
[ shall try you infinitely."
Terror was growiug upon her. Her
dartled eyes would not retain the
brave spirit she sought, to hold. Her
lips would tremble, do as she would,
is she answered, softly:
"Yes, Harold."
"Alecia!" he cried, letting her hands
fall and turning despairingly from her
toward the one or two sails down on
I he horizon. "Alecia! You cannot
ilrearn what >t is! How can I tell
rouV"
He was frightening her more than
ie realized. But she crowded down
aer fear and responded:
"Harold, my dearest, you may safey
trust in inc. What have you to
.ell V"
lie looked down upon her as slic
l-luiig to liiin, and smiled with a bit;erness
deeper than words. She did
:ot know what it was she said. Some
men might affirm that the blow fallen
upon liirn was not so oad after all
with this exquisite face and steady
?yes and musical voice his own. Some
men! To him it was intinitely worse
jecause the blow must also fall upon
ier. Nevertheless it was sweet to
liave her clinging to him and assuring
Jim that he could trust her?very
sweet.
"Alecla," he said; his voice was perfectly
steady now, for his manhood demanded
that he should be brave and
strong and true to her, "You have been
:lie sweetest of women always. You
ire brave, too; and you love me. So
far, in our married life, I have given
rou everything you could desire that
money could buy. "Now?I cannot. 1
liave not one penny iu all the world
is luiiic.
She sighed. The tense lines of her
'ace relaxed; her hands upon his a/ai
tverc quite steady. She had feared
something so different, that this was
i relief.
"Is that all, Harold?"
He fell bacK from her, letting her
liands fall from his arm. Amazement
ivas upon every feature of his face.
Then he recovered himself, believing
that she did not understand.
"All. Alecla? Is it not quite enough?
Do you comprehend that I say that we
tiave not one penny in the world to
live upon?or die upon; not one penny!
Is that not enough? Beggars?cast
jpon the world with nothing but cred
itors clamoring about me?ana you:
is this all?"
"But my money, Harold? How calm
she was! Surely she did not realize
what it meant to be penniless. "Can
rrc not manage upon that until better
times are for us? You will retrieve
yourself; you could not stay
rushed. Your brave heart would
never admit that, dearest."
He groaned again turning his face
"roin her eyes.
"Your money, Alecia? Your money
was in with mine, and has gone, too.
[ believed It perfectly safe, this last
uvestment, and put every penny Into
t?every one! The house closed tolay,
thougn no one outside is aware
>f it; and as I shall give up everyhing,
I cannot meet the demand. I
shall be welshed to the earth with liabilities.
I shall drag you down as
ivell. But, of it all, the bitterest is
hat your money is gone through me.
flie house is y >urs, Alecia. It was
bought aud ma le over to you when j
here was no l.lut of failure. And
rour jewels arc yours. Were you not
iccustomed to the luxuries of our
lome you might call this a fortune;
levertheless it is not half equal to the
fortune I lost for you."
She smi.ed very softly, taking his
tand in both of hers aud leaning her
:heek against it.
"I love beautiful things," she said.
offni.
ttliai WULljaii UUCS UUl . uui, aiivt
til. I can be happy without them, Har>ld.
Having each other and our
lealth and brave hearts, should we
tot feel that we ore blest? Whatever
rou did with my money you did for
he best, I am assured. The one thing
hat I regret Is that every demand
rannot be met. Of course we will
five up the house; that will surely
ealize a good deal and may heip you.
["lie jewels I will keep because?you
jave them to me, and because?"how
iteadily she spoke?"because there is
10 reason why I should give them up.
fou think that I do not comprehend
his, Harold. I may not know all that
his means, but I am certain that I
J ? T KA
lave you, auu uave no ieu. l tau uc
lappy in but one room a* a time. Our
lome is beautiful, but I felt always
hat I could be myself just as well in
t less luxurious place. You must
lot despair. I shall not let you despair."
Twilight was setting over the water,
["he dinner hour was almost at hand
ind they must return to the hotel and
I to tlieir friends, to the light chit-chat
! and laughter und songs and careless
j hearts and bright eye3. and hide this
blow for the one night at least
j "You must not despair, Harold,
J dearest.'* added Aleeia presently, they j
two standing alone upon the sands j
with the purple and lilac and pink of :
twilight falling around them and the
hoarse murmur of the sea at their
feet; afar off, against the lifting rose '
of moonrise, a white sail glimmered. 1
Her face, lifted steadfastly to his, was I
touched with some Indescribable softness
of light and shadow from the ,
world around them. The golden anchor I
on her sleeve caught reflection from j
the moonrise and glowed against the I
soft gray of her gown like an emblem i
of hope. "We will face the futu^ I
and?conquer It. Harold!"
It was a question as well as a com- j
foiling assurance, for she knew how ,
much this fashionable world was to j
him, and how he demanded luxury |
where 6he would force herself to be !
happy without it.
"We will agree to be true to each
other, dearest," he made answer,very
gravely.
They turned back toward the hotel,:
| feeling that were beginning a new life
; ?an unknown life?from that time.
I Alecia, pausing a moment in the pavilion,
her hand resting lightly upon j
her husband's arm, gazed across the j
purple black of the ocean, along the j
J line of silver heralding moonrise, to
where the distant ships seemed sta-'
tiouarv so far away against the light- !
ing heaven.
"And are they laden with hopes,
too." she thought, wistfully, "and sailing
away?"
(To bo continued.)
Frost General in 5outh.
Atlanta, Special.?Frosts were general
Wednesday night in Tennessee,
' portions of Mississippi, Alabama,
Georgia and the Carolinas. The frost
was heavy at Nashville, Charlotte
and Wilmington, and severe at Knorj
ville. Reports from Macon, Savannah,
Augusta, Charleston, Memphis and
| Meridian are to the effect that the
frost was light. The damage to the
fruit crop in Georgia, if any, was
slight, as a strong wind prevailed j
throughout the night.1
Killed 23 Natives.
Manila, By Cable.?At the session I
n* fv,hif /--vurt-mortinl nf \fainr I
\JL LUV Wi iUl Kf J v?ui v ?>? w. ?-?y ? .
Waller, of the Marine Corps, on the
i charge of killing natives of the island
; of Samar without trial, Private McGhee,
of the Marine Corps, testified
that 12 men were shot one day, and 11
the next day. When called upon to clear
i up certain points of his testimony McG'nee
refused to answer, on the ground
; that it might incriminate himself. The
court will await the arrival here of t
General Jacob H. Smith, in command [
i on the island of Samar, before hearing
I aav more witnesses.
Atlanta Day at Charleston,
Charleston. S. C., Special.?The celei
bration of Atlanta Day at the exposi- i
! tlon was participated in by about 1,500
visitors from the Gato City: who ari
rived here on three special trains, last
; night. Georgia's capital is represented
' by Mayor Mim3, Mayor Pro Tern.
1 Johnson, Chief Joiner, of the fire department;
Chief Ball, of the police department,
and many other prominent
city officials and representative lmsi- ;
ncss men.
Defends Baker University.
The Kansas City Journal indignant;
ly refutes a charge "that religious 1
I and metaphysical studies have alto|
gether displaced utilitarian branches ;
j at Baker University, in Kansas. It !
I points out that the leading literary
! society of the institution debated the j
1 nthr>r Hnv tho following immrtnnt !
proposition: "Resolved, That a half-j
grown, Langshang rooster can roost <
better on a smooth pine roost than on j
a square rough roost."
Russian 'i roops Qo to Port Arthur, 1
Pekin, By Cable.?The Manchurian
convention, the main conditions which
were recently agreed upon by Paul
Lesser, Russia's minister to China,
and Prince Ching. president of the
Chinese Foreign Office, permits China
to maintain whatever forces he thinks
necessary ir. Manchuria after thv
evacuation of that territory. Official
reports received here from Niu
Chwang say the Russians are displaying
great military activity there.
Ten thousand troops have been rem
Aimrl f a Dnrt A rt^nr nnrl now
tcu"J lliU.VU U. ~n.nu. uuu uC~ ,
drafts are arriving. An extensive and ;
permanent telegraph system is being
constructed.
Four Killed in Collision.
Youngstown, 0., Special.- -In a
head-on collision between freight i
trains on the Pittsburg, Youngstown ft
Ashtabula division of the Pittsburg,
Fort Wayne & Chicago road. Monday
four men were killed and three injured.
The f'.ead are: Norman Graham, fireman,
lived near New Castle, Pa.;
James Thomas, fireman, Ashtabula. O.;
a brakeman, fiame not known; Cbas.
Blackburn, target tender on the Erie
road.
In these progressive days Fortune no
longer knocks at a mans door. She
sjmply touches the electric button, and
otpecxs him to do the rest.
v ,
SIMMONS OPPOStS AlliLLEN.
Senator flakes a Fight Against
Charlotte Postmaster.
Washington, Special.?Senator Simmons
has placed himself squarely
and emphatically in opposition to the
confirmation of Mr. Mullen a3 postmaster
at Charlotte, N. C., at a meeting
of the postofflce committee. Ke referred
back to the committee the papers
in which the President had renominated
Mr. Mullen In these words:
"I decline to submit the report on this
nomination on my own responsibility.
Personally I shall oppose the confirmation
on the ground that I am unwilling
to advocate the nomination of a man tc
such an important office, when his conduct
was such as I understand his to
have been." Mr. Simmons followed this
declaration with the suggestion that
the secretary of the committee should
be instructed to procure copies of the
report made by the inspector with reference
to the charges against the Charlotte
postmaster, which suggestion was
promptly agreed to. Before leaving the
subject Senator Simmons recited some
of the facts which had led the President
to withdraw the nomination of Mr.
Mullen after the agreement to re-appoint
him. The chairman of the committee,
Senator Mason, of Illinois, directed
the secretary of the committee
to secure the papers in the case without
unnecessary delay.
Spoke for Good Roads.
Charlotteville, Va., Special.?Senator
^ - * *U- TnfArfrtr
hianna, ex-secreiary oi uw iuicuui
Bliss, Assistant Secretary of Agriculture
Erigham, Congressmen Tongue
Davis, LIttlefleld. Prince. Bowersock
and McCreary, together with 30 othei
guests, arrived on a special train trom
Washington, over the Southern Railway,
to attend the Good Roads Convention,
now in session here. A hard rain
kept the attendance down this morning.
Hon. W. L. Dickerson, of Springfield,
Mass., spoke on "Improvement of
Our Highways;" Col. Chas. E. Harrison,
government expert of New Jersey
spoke on "Practical Road Construction;"
Hon. P. H. Hanes, o? North
Carolina, also spoke on road construction.
Many Deaths From Cholera.
Manila, Special.?Up to noon Thurs
day 317 cases of cholera had been re
ported and 72 deaths from the dis
ease had occurred. The health board
since the establishment of the deten g
tion camp, has been having much difll
culty in finding the whereabouts ol
cases of cholera. As soon as the
members of a household find a case
they either send the sick person out
of the house or flee themselves. Majoi
Maus, the insular health commissioner,
has written to the bishop object
ins to the action of the priests in in
forming the people that no cases or
cholera have occurred; that onlt
cases of cholerine have been discov
ered and that the sanitary precautions
are only taken to annoy the people.
New York to Charleston.
New York, Special.?At Friday'fmeeting
of the Merchants' Association
of this city, a letter from Mayor Lew
was read, saying that April 23 had beer
onccnatoH aa \TPW Yorl" Dav at thf
poses. The raiiroaas are sua ueu uy.
No trains will go east o? Jackson on
the Alabama & Vicksburg. southeast
on the Gulf & Ship Island Railroad
or south on the Illinois Central for several
days, as miles of track on these
lines are under water. In all other directions
railroads are again making
schedule time.
1
Charleston Exposition. The mayor sale
he thought It desirable that New York
should take advantage of this suggestion
to show the Southern people the
city's interest in their commercial advancement.
The mayor requested th<
association to take charge of all necessary
arrangements and a resolution
was adopted to this effect.
5uf "*rage Plan Adopted.
Richmond. Special.?The constitutional
convention adopted the suffrage
plan by a loree majority. Then came
up the rescinding resolutions and all
were considered and rejected, except
those relating to change in the holdover
Senate question and the election
of Supreme Court judges by the people.
A resolution to adjourn Fridav afternoon
until May 22 was adopted by a
large majority.
$100,000 for College.
Lexington, Va., Special.?A telegram
received here from President Denny, of
Washington and Lee University, who is
in New York, announces the completion
of the Win. L. Wilson memorial fund
of $100,000 to found the Wilson memorial
of economics at the University.
Former President Grover Cleveland is
chairman of the fund committee.
Jackson Still in Dad Shape.
Jackson, Miss.?Pearl river has begun
to fall slowly. It will be several
weeks before a plow can be run in the
valley. The drinking water situation
and fire protection here is serious, the
temporary pumps rigged up by the
water-works company yesterday failing
to furnish wa'.er for domestic pur