The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, October 01, 1914, Page SIX, Image 6
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.