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I AT SAPPHIRE INN r>. By ELIZABETH YORK MILLER. Mr. Jabez Pinner, the proprietor of Sapphire inn. listened with interest to a vigorous opinion from the gentleman in blue jeans. There was a real or fancied wrong involved, and he of the blue jeans talked much and freely. His audience included not only Mr. Pinner, but the whole porchful of white-clad, rocking-chair ladies and their at tendant swains, l>esides three newly arrived and prosperous-looking guests, who democratically shared a seat on the steps with Mr. Pinner. The situation which had provoked the discussion was this: Sapphire inn, nestling in the heart of the North Carolina mountains, had all but been appropriated bv a conservative colony from New Orleans. After a decade of patronage, during which time he should have fully learned the likes and dislikes of the colony, Mr. Pinner was supposed to be trustworthy in the matter of admitting new and welcome guests, or in excluding those who were palpably undesirable. But New Orleans, with more aristocracy than dollars, had reckoned foolishly without New York and & Pittsburgh and the lure of lucre as t applied to Mr. Pinner. In a moment of recklessness, for which he rould not at present account, the innkeeper invested in two tally-ho's, believing fondly that his guests would rent them; but the season came and went, leaving the vehicles as Dead sea fruit on his hands. It was then that Mr. Pinner, facincr a had in vestment. CTew deSDerate ? ? 7 0 X and advertised the attractions of his resort in the New York papers, and it waa this advertisement which fetched the despised taT^-ho crowd. After all, thev had rented but one tally-ho. The other still stood in the barn under its canvas hood, solitarily ostracized. After he had studied the skies for a sufficient interval to make the lack of conversation embarrassing, one of the strangers ventured a question. "These people/' he said tersely ?"who are they? Where do they come from?" "They are some folks from New York," Josh explained. "And you'd think they owned the earth?with their di'monds and their airs. Alius up to something. You never know I what to expect next." "Where are they now ?" continued the stranger, pursuing the subject. "Shortsville?to the races." "How far is it to Shortsville?is there more than one road ?" Mr. Pinner immediately scented further patronage of his liver}', and woke up to something resembling animation. "Well, it's a matter of ten?twelve miles," he said briskly. That's the only road there. It goes clean off to Shortsville after the bend." "I don't suppose you have another tally-ho tv rent?" interposed one of the other men languidly. "Why, yes, I have." Mr. Pinner brought himself smartly from a lolling position to his feet "I've got a right nice one?horns and all. It ain't never been used. I bought the darn things last season, and nobody ever hired them. They're yaller and black, a bit too loud for my "folks, but the tally-ho people think they're real elegant I do, myself. Want to see the one that's here?" !"Sure! assented the strangers in e breath, exchanging amused glances nth one another. Mr. Pinner lost no time in getting to the stables, and in half an hour jfche second tally-ho, drawn by the Innkeeper s liveliest colts, dashed out of the barn. On the box sat the shortest of the three new guests, handling the ribbons like a veteran. The turnout swung briskly into the road for Shortsville, with laughing defiance of the averted faces on the yeranda and much tooting of horns. The sun was sliding down behind SFhiteface mounta'-, and Josh Watkins observed that it was high time he was getting home. Xo one inclined to dispute him, and he rose stiffly to his feet Mr. Pinner resumed his characteristic pose on the steps and watched the departing tally-ho. Suddenly there came tise faint blare of an answering horn. Xearer and nearer came the triumphant blare of the advancing horn; its every toot was an insult *B!est if they ain't stopping" growled Josh. <?Them fellers must have knowed the tally-ho people, j Whsit d'ye s'pose?hey? . . . Well, J that beats all!" He leaned forward, 1 and the ladies on the porch, momeD- j ! tarilv forgetting their dignity in the J spectacle of this new wantonness, j ; leaned forward, too. The silly maneuvers of the occupants of the two coaches wore rather ; strikingly reminiscent of the days j when stage coaches went through j the mountain passes and sometimes ! came to grief at the hands of road I agents. But shrieks of laughter on the BigeJow tallv-ho changed to cleverly acted shrieks of dismay. With a comic gesture that sent Mr. Pinner off in an inward convulsion, Mr. i . * Bigclow, threw up his hands at the ! command of the men on the other c-oach; when it seemed that Percy I Kirkpatnck did not respond quickly enough to suit the pseudo-robbers, a revolver flashed a warning to him, and the highwaymen, by way of showing the people on the hotel veranda that it was all a merry game, ! tooted the horn again. The fun grew fast and furious, f The ladies on the besieged coach waved their hands in mock desperation at Mr. Pinner, who entered into the spirit of the thing and promptly waved back to show them that he quite approved, and that the best of feelings were preserved between them. Emboldened by Mr. Pinner's pleased interest, Miss Landis gave an excellent imitation of a faint, and this Drovoked another blast from " XT the horns. As a fitting climax?one that in rhe estimation of the porch-rocker ladies seemed quite in eccordance with her natural vulgarity?Mrs. Bigelow was seen to strip her jeweled collar from her throat and hand it over to the man on the box, who promptly passed it to one of his fellows for examination. Evidently its quality was satisfacton-, for the man slipped it into his pocket with a profound bow, and the third man, whose inventiveness ^seemed confined to horn blowing, tooted his horn again. The short man held out a persuaA f RktoIAVT txrVtn of DIVC IltliiU IAJ illl. tt , nuv ui this stage of the game deemed it a novelty to resist, so the highwayman, finding moral suasion ineffective, leaned from the box and with a well-delivered blow sent Mr. Bigelow toppling into the dust. He came down off the coach like a bag of meal. The ladies squealed hysterically, the horns tooted, but the short man continued to play his part. He jumped blithely to the ground and pioeeeded to rifle bis victim's pockets. ; The men had remounted their ; tally-ho and, with a farewell blast, ; had disappeared round the bend be- ; fore tne spectators could realize or appreciate the meaning of this new 1 development. ! A feeling of uncertainty ran like ; an electric current through the group ; on the veranda; the ladies in linen j and the youths in flannel looked at i one another in breathless interroga- ( tion. I f NTo, it couldn't be. It was just a j prank. But why did Mr. Bigelow \ gather himself into a dazed heap and j crawl?vee, crawl on all-fours? j toward the hotel? And why did ; Miss Land is continue to faint, and j the Gardiners to embrace each other ; wildly? The innkeeper rose awk- ? wardlv to his feet as Mr. Bigelow, 3 scratched and dust-stained, reared ! the veranda. Reproach, deep and { unforgiving, was writ plainly on his j /at face. "What the devil'g the matter with you ?" he squeaked. "What d'ye 1 mean?sitting there like a lot of fools and letting us be robbed ?" "Robbed?" exclaimed the ladies, surprised into speech in spite of themselves. "Robbed!" echoed Mr. Pinner, in a tone of fearsome awe. He passed his hand over his forehead and said feebly: UI don't understand?what? what?" "Don't understand!" roared Mr. Bigelow, finding his true voice at last. "And you sat here and watched it?watched it!" He broke off, choking with anger. Mr. Pinner was gradually beginning to understand at last, and the principal thing that he realized was that he himself was out four colta and a tally-ho. ! "By gracious!" he thundered. "You?you monkeys, with your fool capers! You airPt the only ones 1 that's robbed. I'm blest if I ain't , done for good with tally-hos and the fools and knaves that drive 'em!" Even at such a bitter crisis Mr. Pinner's edict was hailed with a sob : of joy from the ladies in linen cm ' the hotel veranda. The Scott Di is this week showin of Pipes, ranging fro: to a fine Meerschaurr Cigars, Tobacco an ' Chocolates and C ! Norris' fresh all the ' Cold |Drinks from most improved and s; tains. I Thef Scott Drug Have Your Eyes Examined ar I have taken a thorough course in 1 glasses and am now prepared to fit up eyes, so that the finest print may be j If your eyes bother you come in and of charge. If you break your lenses, them immediately. I also carry the finest line of JEWELRY, SILVERWARE j ovw clir?wn in TCincrstree. I Fine Watches and Clocl Watches, Clocks and Jewelry Repair T. E. BAG< Jeweler and Op Kingstree, k I . y THE WAR E BUT J. L STU< HAS BO' Horses and For Sale or Ex< I J. [L. STU' Livery, Feed and Sal 1 Lake City, - So For the Purest i Groce UU HJ W. J. REI Nexsen Building, KINGSTREE, Goods Way Up in Quality but V IT PAYS TO ADVERTISE II Let Us Print You some C rug Co. { g a full line m a Corn Cob I id Cigarettes, j -fmm i diiu.it;o iivm the time. i one of the anitary founi Company I id Glasses Fitted. ;esting eyes and fitting glasses to the weakest read with perfect ease. [ have them tested free see me. I can replace indCHlNAWARE (s a Specialty, ed Same Oay Received ' jETT, tician, S.C. ; on us] CKEYi rH |1 Mules I change. ' 1 creyI e Stable : c >uth Carolina 1 and Best ries KICK'S Main St. - s. c. hy Down in Price. nHE RECORD!.' F ? if Iffice Stationery |c JSi * i \ ..... I X? no. Scott* P Merchandise 1 $ DEALERS I I Rice, Grits, Flour, M | gar, Coffee, Lard,1 I Hay, Grain, Stock and 8 2$ Our office is in the old Wee S and we invite you to call and \ jg buying. IaBG?e?B&B?8S8BK W. C. HEMINGWAY, President Bank of Hei Capital $15,( Hemingway The earlier you start trie good BANK, the sooner y many resulting benefits. Open a checking accounl get that money of yours out temptation to spend it. L Bank Check and cultivate fi the BANK OF HEM1NGWA of [( ONE?O?E ASK CENTRAL J THE PURE FOC We carry a complete line of FANCY GRC Our stock of Canned Goods can' and inspect our "White Rose" or ' Vegetables and Fruits 'Phone Us Yoi I BRITTON & I ? Hi| IIJifilNlp > I W to. Six-Sixty-Six e? rhia ia a prescription prepared especially r MALARIA or CHILLS A FEVER. Qener ive or six dotes will break any case, and ^e]ifc taken then at a tonic the Fever will not an(j jj turn. It acts on the liver better than ^ aiomcl and does not (ripe or ticken. 25c Builds . ' * ' ' * I ' C1 V ' ' ''I- t .. ' W ''< ' *? ' ' ' * ' ' - ; 8s8J8*8*8?8?8J8'8^| i Brother | Brokers 1 | N ?1 ' eal. Meat. Su- i Cheese, Etc. I Poultry Foods j j| Nee Bank Building ^et our prices before 0.6. HU66INS, Cashier miniruiQU s imngnuj 900 ,s. c. ggg indly relations at a ou can enjoy the t with us today and of danger of loss or fse the convenient i* riendly relations at f v- r r: LIGHT. 1 FOR 108 )D STORE =? r ICERIESt be equaled. Come in 'White Cap" brands. i of All Kinds. ir Order. iUTSON^jj^ Kf^^jmffjffTaBT^^BiKwiMH^^K ever You Need a General Tonic Take Grove's Old Standard Grove's Tasteless Tonic is equally valuable as a al Tonic because it contains the nown tonic properties of QUININE . SON. It acts on the Liver, Drives / falaria. Enriches the Blood and f i up the Whole System. 50 cents.