The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, December 24, 1914, Page SIX, Image 6

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BOYD'S SPLENDID IDEA ! ? ' By MARGARET MIDDLETON. : | (Copyright, 1914, by W. G. Chapman.) ; "I wouldn't dream of accepting your ihalf-price offer," said Mrs.- Marvin, with all the liberal ingenuousness of \ 'a new and happy bride. ' "I need work so sorely," explained Roslyn Boyd, "that I am willing to take anything I can get." Wo uaa a gentleman. she saw that. His face showed cultured intelligence. "You seem to be very anxious," she suggested, in a sympathetic, womtonly way, and more than anxious was the reply. "We are hard pressed, my sick wife and two little children. About all I know is photography. Until recently I had quite a lucrative position, photographing scenery for a railroad company. My work for them was completed some time ago and 1 have had to pick up what business I can in this way." "Very well, you can take a photo,graph of the house?yes, and another of the garden and print up half a dozen of each." Two days later, when Boyd delivered his order, he departed from his generous almoner well paid ahd with :the promise of more work. Within jthe week Mrs. Marvin sent him to half a dozen wealthy friends. Then ehe called at the humble home of nhntn^raDher in her limousine. brought dainties for his invalid wife, 'provided for the children and scattered sunshine generally in the Boyd [household. | Of course, Boyd was deeply gratejful. Whenever he met Mrs.NMarvin jihe had a pleasant, encouraging word ui Suppose That You Wish to Sell Me These Photographs?" for him. Her friends helped her to end work to Boyd. He found himself hopeful, prosperous, happy. One morning as he chanced to pass the elegant home of the Marvins, he "viewed a scene that at once troubled him. Mr. Marvin was Just leaving the house. He came down the steps with an angry face, evidently greatly disturbed. He was a handsome man, but his features seemed to show traces of dissipation. Pretty Mrs. "Marvin stood within the vestibule, one hand extended as if appealing to him ,to return. Then as her husband swung away she crouched back, covering her face with her hands as if in dire distress. "Trouble? Oh, I hope not, though it seems so," reflected Boyd, sorely disturbed on account of his gocd, kind friend. Then his thoughts were abruptly disturbed as a friendly hand toached his shoulder. "Hello, Boyd, what you doing in this aristocratic quarter?" hailed his challenger, whom he recognized as an old-time friend. "I am having a good deal of work In the neighborhood," explained Boyd. "Know the Marvins?" "Oh, yes, Mrs. Marvin has taken a special interest in influencing commissions for me in her society circle." "A sweet little lady, that," commented his friend. "Wasn't that her husband who just walked away? A fine fellow, but spoiled. Money, social standing, a charming wife, but fast on the downward path, I fear." "I had not heard of that," murmured Boyd, very greatly troubled. "She don't know the worst and he don't realize it," went on the other. "So far his weakness is onl? getting with a liveiy crowd of old college chums and drinking champagne. You can infer what that will lead to in time. He has a bout, say once a week, is brought home jolly but boisterous, is all savage and disgruntled the next morning. It's breaking that poor little woman's heart." All this was a revelation to loyal Roslyn Boyd and he was deeply grieved. Mrs. Marvin called him in a day or two later to see about enlarging some family pictures. He fancied he could trace a repressed sorrow in her manner, the lines of care about her finely-chiseled lips. However, he dared not broach the ubject resting weightily on his mind, nor proffer the earnest, helpful sympathy that stirred his honest soul. * . "Poor woman! If I could only assist her/' was the constant burden of Ms thoughts. He saw the friend who bad advised him of the situation and L told him of his gratitude towards Mrs. Marvin, his anxiety to be of service to her. "You can't break into a family row. you know," he was advised. "You'd get no thanks if you did. It's just this way: if Marvin could be made to know and see the ridiculous figure he makes when he gets full of champagne, he would probably be shocked into behaving himself." "I've got an idea!" mused Boyd slowly and hopefully, and he proceeded to carry it out. He was an expert photographer, as has been said. There came to him an inspiration to use his art to produce a salutary impression upon the reckless Marvin. After that for nearly two weeks Marvin had a shadow without suspecting it. Secretly but diligently Boyd followed him through two of his reckless "bouts with the boys." It was thp morninc aftpr thp last of these escapades that Boyd appeared in his private office. "Mr. Marvin," he said, as they were alone, "I have called to show you some photographs." Marvin had met him several times and was civil enough, but evidently bored. The effects of his previous night's debauch had unnerved him. He was unhinged, probably ashamed, possibly repentant. "The pictures comprise a series," went on Boyd. "They cover the doings of a man I deeply esteem, but who has fallen upon evil ways. I hope you will be patient while I exhibit them, and then tell you how and why they were taken." Marvin regarded his visitor with slight suspicion. He gave a violent start and flushed deeply as he glanced n # iVi a fl ??f>f a# Vx a ni a 111 r an T~) Vl o ? ; at luc uin ui mo piciuico uuj u uauued him. Then he forgot rancor and resentment at this overt invasion of his strictly personal affairs. He was the center of all the photographs shown. In the first he was depicted standing at a bar. drinking with men, some of whom he would not even have recognized in his sober senses. The second showed him leaning from an automobile, a senselessly silly expression on his face, throwing coins to a hideous, jeering mob following the machine. In a third he was being held up by two others while he made a speech to a grinning crovd at a street corner. Another showed him clinging to a lamppost, helpless. So down the line, a truthful delineation of a tippler's progress. "I suppose," he observed, looking up finally in a chagrined, shamefaced way, "that you wish to sell me these photographs to get them out of the way?" plainly intimating a suspicion of blackmail. For reply Boyd seized the package, tore the cards to fragments and threw them into a waste basket. "No, Mr, Marvin," ne said, "i oniy wished to bring home to you what the dear, loyal wife who loves you so truly might feel, if 6he ever saw you as you have been. Oh! sir?" "You need not go on!" cried Marvin poignantly, springing to his feet. He had. seized the hand of his visitor fervently. His eyes were filled with tears. , "Never again!" he said. "First shame, remorse, then confession. I am going home to tell my wife that she need sit up no more fearing the unsteady step that has terrified her in the past. Heaven bless you for a true, honest friend!" It was a happy-faced Mrs. Marvin who called at the Boyd home the next day, a hopeful-hearted, fervently grateful woman. Tearfully she told Mrs. Boyd of what her husband had done. Then, facing the noble, embarrassed fellow, she threw her arm3 around his neck and kissed him?as might a dear, dear sister. Making Artificial Furs. Away up in the frozen regions of the North, where some of the finest furs are found, the work of manufacturing artificial furs is carried on as well as in more southern places to which the natural skins are shipped. The skins with the fur are frozen, shaved off and thawed and immediately put through the neceaeary tanning process to make leather. The frozen furd are thawed slightly, permitting the points of the fur shaved from the skin to protrude from the ice. A solution of rubber is then applied, and when it is thoroughly set it is so well held together that it is pronounced even better than the real skins, as they are stronger and are immune from moth. The process enables some kinds of fur to be sold at a lower price than if the skin was tanned with the fur. Breaks Only the Best. They were preparing to move ana the mistress herself was packing the china. She had reached a eet of bread and butter plates in which she particularly delighted?a simple white and gold pattern- of exquisite fineness ?and one was missing. She hunted through the kitchen and half empty pantry, and as a last resort unpacked a neatly closed box she had just finished. She thought of asking Delphine, the faithful old deaf maid, but the effort required to make her hear seemed too great. Delphine, however, whose keen eyes missed nothing, when she saw her mistress on the point of losing her patience came over to her and explained: "I'll have to tell you now. I broke one of them things t'other day. I don't break anything very often, but when I do it's something of some consequence." TTj ROUTED BY INSECT PESTS Surveying Parties From Ur.ited States Ships of War Forced to Take to the Water. Surveying parties from the United States ship Paducah in the West: Indies encounter just one grand round 01 contentions with cockroaches, stinging scorpions and sand ! Hies. So bad at times is it that the surveying parties are driven into the nearby waters to protect themselves from annihilation. Writing from aboard the Paducah at Jamaica, Assistant Surgeon K. E. Woodland, U. S. X., said: "Cockroaches breed on board the ship aud barges and seem almost impossible to exterminate in this re gion. Flies do not bother us, except i those coming from barge No. 1 at certain times. Sand flics, which abound on most of the keys along with mosquitoes, make the lives of the tower and camping parties miserable, being so bad at times as to force the men into water for protection. "The sand fly bite produces an intensely itching papule about one to three days later in addition to the immediate discomfort; the papule lasts about a week, and is often associated with ecchymosis. Oil of citronella and alcohol applied to the face and hands, carefully avoiding the eves, seems to give the best re suits toward prevention of the pests. "Scorpions sting the men gometimes while working on the mainland. but the sting does not amount to much more than that of a wasp." PLENTY AT HOME, THANK YOU Horse Dealer?I can recommend that animal. You'll find her th? most thoroughgoing nag you ever saw. Mr. Henry Peck?A whatl No, I think I'll not taKe her. Good day. EARLY CHINESE TRADE. The rapid growth of our early trade with China i6 shown by the fact that the 37 vessels, carrying, in 1805, nearly five and three-quarters millions' worth of goods to Canton, represented a larger fraction of our total foreign commerce than our trade with the whole of China does today. The silver imported to balance American trade with China averaged more than two and a half millions annually in the 30 years down to 1872, and reached a maxi- , mum of seven and a half millions in 1818.?John Foord, in the Youth's Companion. J THE PROOF. "Ib Smith a man of winning per- 1 sonality ?" ' "You wouldn't ask if you ever . played poker with him." NOT WANTED. Wyn?Why do you talk about your intelligence? It is bad form, man. Ches?I know it is, but it got me relieved from jury duty once. A PUZZLE. "Brides are always dear to their spouses." "Yes, and it's queer, since they are always being given away." PRACTICAL MOTION. "Does sublimated optimism ever move you?" "No'm; we use the reg'lar store iiuusc vauo. 1 NATURALLY. I ? J 'There is one thing I notice about stamp collectors/' "What's that?" "The)* stick to their fad." FROM OUR VIEW. "So no victorv'has been gained at Przemysl." "Well, how could success ther* be pronounced ?" k ?on'! dcsl ;?? Itt ttu effort to tot gSR refrain from vCithdmv BB conomy to build thci .J? tua5 bear that in ?r utA~tg$ ampCatj. Id GhcJ&t I u?ith ^ijcm f I Lfl , | lulled 1 | Byjhe ^ We have ji M Flour?one of } ^ the best plain q A foodstuffs imp? ^ our Flour. You can be sical faculties b M as are pure, wh f4 And you ca M by dealing with of handling onl ^ to sustain. If you are army of custon H trial order with ^ Christmas Grot f4 3 We have 01 complete line < ^ Hams and Bre? | People's 1 H Kingstree, &333BESE If it were not for the politicians, he average man would probably lever know how discontented he is. 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Impure o tir the mind and p st retain your mer iy eating only sui tolesome and digef n best obtain su< i a store that mak< y the best and has not already one lers, we invite y us. Phone an o ;eries. i hand at all time rf Kingan's Pure . 1 -? X ituasi mercantile ( Sout HI?X?X?X*X%H I n Hbbh Lessons Co JF the child has a bij study by. The 'J J saves eye strain. It i its best?clear, mellow j The RAYO does not 1 is easy to light, easy tc j j re wick. The RAYO jj cannot get a better lar I STANDARD 01 jj w ?hinjtoa, D. C. (NEW JE | I , RicW?4. V*? bal / f I 3fabit'i e CAiMHuMftHM J9a> iben time and er inseH tbis ?hu& 8pl 2hri/r. 4^o\Je <v ?^ ??^I? r?x?X'X?x?x?g ghte&sd i 7oods ft rloads of pure H ig and one of ^ r adulterated p hysique. Try ^ ital and phy- ^ ch foodstuffs K >tible. ^2 ch foodstuffs H js a specialty i a reputation of our great M ou to place a Er. raer lor your L*y s a fresh and H . i Leaf Lard, ^ Company, | h Carolina T'T'T?T'T">' ... 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