Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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~0 mm m si ? 1 $ Partners of ...by... .mt r? * ? the Tide ii-Cn'tiir Copyright. 1003. by A. 5. Barnee ^ Co. is tfzf A* the boy ate be looked about the taoiu. It was s big room, wltli a low sailing, ipotleaely whitewashed. The tlot? oq the floor was partially cov rlth braided rag mats with car? pet centers. On the window shades si ass wonderful tinted pictures of cas? tles and mountains. The table was black walnut, and there wore five ruth asatad chairs, each In Its place against tmm wsll snd looking sa if it were glued The sixth of the set be occu Tben there wss the chintz cov ared rocker snd soother rocker painted gas 11, with s worn picture of s ship at Sam on the back. There was another faVp over the face of the tall wooden dock In the corner. This craft was awtdently the Flying Dutchman, for time the clock ticket! it rolled ivtly behind a fence of tin waves, didn't advance an Inch. On the walla ware several works of art. In? cluding a spattsr work motto, s wreath Stade of ssashells under a glass snd mm engraving a bowing a boat filled wlta men, women snd children rowed my s solemn Individual In hit shirt sasevss. moving over s placid sheet of grater toward sa unseen port, ?tap n Tltcomb,** remarked Bradley, baabfulneet was wearing off, ovsr in the coach with me to tafcht" The effect of tbit announcement wst ible. Miss. Prissy looked st ? ? BrxuUey e/ioo* ins extended hand: Tetnpy, and the lattir returned 'tas toon. Strange to ssy, both colored. "Osp'n Tltcomb?" falb;red Miss Masy. "Cap'u Ears Titcon.hr' 9 "Tea, ma'am. He talked to me 'most all the wsy. I liked him fust rate." "Way-why, I do declare! I didn't the cap'n wss expected, did you, r "No, I'm eure I didn't!" exclaimed the flustered younger sister "Did he? attd be tell you why he vat com in', awadleyr "No, ma'am, but I heard him tell the thst drove the coach that he had lenvs for a week 'cause hit r waa laid up for repairs. lie he knew you, though, and that be com in' round to ace me tomorrer." This remark caused quite as muck ssanerraasment and agitation as that ?asKsruIng the captaln'a presence in Qas conch The two ladles again glane ad hurriedly st each other. "Goodness gracious!" exclaimed Mist l?iten,i. "And the tettln' room not ft snd the windows not washed! have to get up early tomorrer In'. I'm eo glad 1 fixed that ruf i on my gjp ? i," she added in sn ab sMxulnded soliloquy. ??And I must finish that tidy for the said Miss Tempy nervously. "Tve ouly got a Uttle more to do on it. aaank goodness! Prissy, I'm goln' to part an iron on. I want lo press my aaaer collar. Did?did the cap'n say thing more nbdut me?us, I mean?" ke added, looking at the stove. "No, ms'sm, be didn't." replied the sy. "He Jest naked about me and atortes and talked." Tempy seemed a little disap? pointed and made no comment. Her t< ?. waa silent. Presently dley ynwued. til tried to hide It. Miss Prissy, coming out of her saw him. Ij sake*," the exclaimed, "what vrm thlnktn* of. kecpln' you up this wrsy ? lt't after 9 o'clock. Let me get tmm lamp. Tempy. you lo up that sjoapstone for Ida feet?' Bradley waa up early the next morn teg, snd hla dressing was a sort of jig, for it was freezing cold. When be went downstairs It was evident that things had beeu going on. Mlas Prissy same out of the sitting room, bearing a #jro>m and with her 'alpaca'' gown entered with ton apron. Miss Tempy. bar curls done up in paper*, was busy with the "tidy" for the sofa. Kach of the slaters waa nervous and excited. Miss Prissy aald a stiff little grace at the breakfaat table. Mlas TsSSp] had a large cup of "pepper tea" for heraelf and urged Bradley to partake, hut the atder sister came to the rescue and gave him hot milk and water Instead. After the meal was over and the dish SB washed Mlat Prissy went out to feed the hens, snd Hradley went with bar. The house, seen by dsy, wst s big. square building, badly In need of paint The roof wst four tided snd ttoward to a cupola, lo the can? ter. From Its closely ahut front door anow covered box hedges In parallel lines defined the path to the front gate, alto locked and fattened and, like the front door, only uted on occasions. There was s large tumbledown barn, with an empty pigpen back of the house snd s henhouse and yard in the rear of the barn. Next door to the left?on the right was a vacant field?was a small story and a half cottage, separated from the Alleu household by a board fence. One of the boards in this fence had fallen down, and at Bradley, wading in Miss Prltsy's wake, patted this opening he saw a girl, apparently aboi f bit own age open the back door of the house next door and look out* at him. He wanted to ask who the was, but didn't feel well enough acquainted with hit guide to do so Just yet Just ss the dosen hent and lonesome looking rooster were fed?Miss Prissy Informed him that by and by looking alter the poultry would be one of his duties- Miss Tempy't voice was heard calling)excitedly from the kitchen door. "Prissy," she screamed?"Prlaay, come In the house quick! He's comln'! The csp'n's coinln'!" "My land!" exclaimed the elder sis? ter wildly, and, her dignity forgotten, she almost ran to the house, followed by Bradley, who didn't understand the cause of the excitement. "Oh, my takes," ejaculated Mist Tempy ss they entered the kitchen, "what made him come to early? You'll have to see him first, Prissy. I've got to fix my hair." Mum Prissy rushed Into the sitting room, wheeled s chair into place, set a tidy straight, laid the photograph al? bum exactly in the center of the table instead of two Inches from the edge and patted her own hair with her hands, dodging in front of the big gilt framed mirror as she did so. Then, ss s smart knock sounded on the dining room door, she assumed her "company" smile and marched sedate? ly to receive the visitor. It was Captain Tltcomb who had knocked, snd after cleaning the snow from his boots on the "scraper" he en? tered the house, bearing two packages wrapped in brown paper. ?'Well, Prissy,? said the captain, lay? ing down the packages to shake hands, "how d'you do? Didn't expect to see me In this port Jest now, did you?" "No, Indeed, Cap'n Tltcomb/ was the reply. "But we're real glad to see you all the same. .-Come right In. Take your things off. Bradley said he rode down with you In the coach last night. Dreadful storm we had, wasn't It? How's your health nowadays? Walk right Into the slttln' room. You must excuse the looks of things. I've been sweepln'." Ther p wss a good deal more, but when Miss Prissy stopped for breath the captain, who had thrown bis cap snd overcoat on a chair, replied that the storm was bad, that his health was good and that the room looked "first rate," so far ns he could see. Then he held out his band to the boy, v.ho bad seated himself ou a chair close to the I door, and said cheerily: "Mornln', Brad. Well, how are you i after your shake up last olghtl Wau't seasick after I got out, was you?" Bradley grinned bashfully and stam- ? mered that he was "all right.** "Good! We bad n ragged trip co; over, Prissy. The old coach rolled so I felt like goln' ou deck and shorten!n* tall. Your new boy here't goln* to make u good sailor, I cuu see that. Where's Tempy?" "Oh. she's upstairs for a minute She'll be right down," answered Miss Prissy carelessly. "Tell me what brought you borne so unexpected." "3pruu? a leak and bad to lay the old hooker up for repairs. That's a specialty of uiy owners ? repairs. They'd rather patch up for a hundred years than build new vessels. I?I? Brad, fetch me them bundles out of the dlnln' room." Bradley obediently brought the brown paper parcels, and the captain handed one of them to Miss Prissy, saying: 1 Here's a little sometbln' 1 picked ur? over to New York, Prissy. I though, you might like lt. I ain't got much use for such things my'elf." The lady took tbo package and began to untie fbe string in a nervous man? ner, blushing a little as she did so. ' "I know It's soniethin' nice, Cap'n Ezra. You do buy the nicest things. It'a real kind of you to remember mo this way. Oh, ain't that pretty!" The package contained u Japaneso silk fan, with Ivory sticks and a red tassel. Miss Prissy opened it and spread It out lu her lap, er.clulminc; over Its beauty, her face the color of the tassel. ( "Oh, It ain't tiotbln'," said the captain. . "I did a favor for a friend of mine that's skipper of a barkentlne Jest home from Hongkong, ami he gave it to me. He had some stuff he'd brought for his daughter, and the duty on It wotdd have been pretty expensive, so I fixed?but never mind that I thought maybe you'd like It to carry to church In the summer time or some thin'. Why. hello. Tetnpy! How d'you do?" The younger sister entered the room, her poplin rustling and every curl In place. She gushingly shook the cap? taln'a hand and said she was so glad to tee him. "Oh, Tsmpy," cried Mitt Prltsy, "Jest look st this lovely fan Can/a TUestn? brought nie! Did you ever see any? thing so pretty?" Miss Tempy exclaimed over the fan, but somehow her enthusiasm seemed a little forced. It may be the captain noticed this; at any rate, he picked up the second parcel and handed It to her. saying: "Here's a little Bomethln* I brought for you, Tempy. I don't know's you'll like It. buf Miss Tempy's present also was a fan precisely like the other except that the tassel was pink. Miss Prlssy's Interest In her sister's gift was Intense, but when It was discovered that In no im? portant point were the fans dissimilar and that neither was better than Its mate both of the ladies appeared to be a trifle disappointed, although they tried not to show It "We're so glad you've come, cap'n," said Miss Prissy, after the fans were laid on the table. "We've got so many things to talk to you about, and we want to ask your advice. Bradley, don't you think you'd like to go out Into the dlnln' room a little while?" Xlie boy, acting upon this decided hint, went Into the dining room, and Miss Prissy shut the door after him. "Now, Cap'n Titcomb," she began, "I s'pose you were awfully surprised to hear we'd took a boy to bring up? Well, you ain't any more surprised than we are to think we should do such a thing. But it seemed as If we jest had to or else give up beln' Christians altogether. I'll tell you how It was." And she did tell him, beginning with the exact relationship between Brad ley's mother and the Aliens, expatiat? ing upon the shlftlessness of the boy's father and how he "never saved a cent," nor even took out an insurance policy to provide for his son in case of his owu death. "But mercy me," she exclaimed, lift? ing her hands, "what on earth we'll do with a boy is more'n I know. What shall we* do?" "Bring him up In the way he ought to go. I guess," replied the captain calmly. "Send him to school first thing. How is he off for clothes?" "Hasn't got any tvat are fit for any? thing but the rag bag," replied Miss Prissy with decision. "And that's an I "llerc'8 a little somcthin' I brought for you, Tempy.'* \ other thing. Who's goin' to buy 'em for him7 I'm sure I don't know what a boy needs to wear any more than a cat" , "I'll boy his tit out, if you want me to," said the captain. "Take him down to Weeks' store right uow, if you say the word." "Oh, I wish you would. You pay Mr. Weeks, and I'll pay you." They pressed the captain to stay for dinner, or at least to return for that meal, hut he decliued, promising, how? ever, to dine with them before he went back to his vessel. '?Come on, Brad," he said, entering the dining room; "you and me's goin' on a cruise downtown." Bradley put on the shabby overcoat ;u. 1 cap for the last tfDM and walked down to the back gate and along the sidewalk with the captalu. , Meanwhile Miss Tempy, seated In the rocker by the window and holding a fau l?i each hand, was examining them with the greatest care. i "Prissy," she said at last i:i a solemn tone, "tL\\v': e jest exactly alike." "Yes," said her sister, with a stifled sigh, "they're Jest alike." CHAPTER III. N "Weeks' store" was to be found an assortment of wares ranging from potatoes and razors to molasses and ladles' dress goods. Somewhere within this exteusive range was a limited supply of what Mr. Weeks' advertisement in the Item called "Youths', Men's and Children's Clothing In Latest Styles at Moderate Prices." The styles were "late" ? about a year late ? and the prices were moderate when the lengthy period of credit given to cus? tomers Is taken into consideration. Captain Titcomb, exchanging greet? ings with the half dozen loungers by the stove, whose business there, was. as Mr. Weeks himself said, "to swap had tobacco smoke for heat," passed to the rear of the store, followed by Brad? ley. There he proceeded to select an entire outtlt for the boy calculated to clothe him In successive layers from the skin outward. When the pile of garment i on the counter was complete the captain and Mr. Weeks entered in? to a lengthy argument concerning price. There was a "Sunday hat" In? volved lu the transaction, and about this piece of headgear the battle waged tlercest. "It's too much money, Caleb," said the captain finally. "I guess I'll try the New York store. Tom Emery's always treated me fair enough, and I'll give him a chance. Come on. Brad." "I'll take off a quarter on the suit," conceded the storekeeper, who was loath to see so much osstom go to a rival. "No," was the reply, "that ain't enough to oniouut lo ftuxtlUng. TeU you what I'll do, Caleb. Throw in that Bundmy hat and I'll take the lot and pay you cash for It and run my risk of gittln? the money." So the bargain was concluded on that basis. Bradley retired to the back room and emerged clothed In his new garments and tremendously conscious of the fact. The captain said he look? ed so fresh that you could "smell the paint on him." "Say, Caleb," said "Squealer" Wixon i after Captain Titcomb and his protege had left the premises, "did Ez tell you who that boy was?" "No, he didn't. I hinted two or three times, but he wouldn't say." "Well, I'll tell you. 'Twas the old maids' boy?Ben Nickerson's son. Bar? ney said he brought him over In the coach last night." "You don't mean it!" exclaimed the chopfallen Mr. Weeks. "Well, if that ain't enough to? Ez made me throw In a hat that was wuth a dollar 'n' a ha'f 'cause he said he'd pay cash for everything and take his chance of git tin' bis money back. And Prissy and Tempy always pay cash for everything. Reglar Titcomb trick!" The loafers about the store roared with delight. "Oh, I tell you," remarked "Squealer," "you've got to keep your weather eye peeled when you're dealin' with Cap'n Ez. He'll have you, head and scales, If you ain't careful." "That's all right," grumbled "Bluey" Bacheldor, "but he'll git fetched up all standln' some of these days. You can call him smart if you want to, but it's pretty risky smartness, most folks think. You notice his schooner's al? ways makin' record trips, and he's al? ways bavin' presents give him and all | that. How many presents did you have give to you, Cap'n Jabez, when you was runnln' a coaster?" "Not a one," indignantly replied the person addressed, Captain Jabez Bai? ley. "Not a one. WTnat I got I had to work for." It may be that Captain Jabez over? worked during his sea experiences. Cer? tainly no one In Orham had known him to do a stroke of work since he retired to live on his wife's earnings as a dressmaker. "Well," commented Captain Erl Hedge, who was not a member of the circle, but had dropped in to buy some tobacco, "I like Cap'n Ez. He does love to git the best of a bargain, and he's a 'driver' on a vessel, and perhaps he likes to shave the law pretty close sometimes. Ez is a reg'lar born gam? bler for takln' chances, but I never knew him to do a mean trick." ! "What do you call that game he put up on the old maids?" asked "Squeal? er." "You knew 'bout that, didn't you, Jabez? Seems Prissy and Tempy wanted to sell that little piece of cran b'ry swamp of theirs 'cause it didn't pay them to take care of it and keep it in shape. Prissy told Seth Wlngate about It, and Seth said he didn't want It, but that he'd give them so and so? ' a fair price, consld'rln'. Well, they j was goin' to sell it to Seth, but Ez comes home 'bout that time, hears of the deal and goes to Prissy and buys j It for $50 mor'u Seth offered. And in- I side of three months along comes that i Ostable company and buys all that ' land for their big swamp. They say Titcomb made more'n a hundred dol Miff out of that deal. If you don't think that's a mean trick, Cap'n Erl, 1 you ask Seth Wlngate what he thinks of it" "I know about that," said Captain Erl calmly, "and I think it vras jest another case of Ez's takln' chances, j that's all. Seth's growlin' Is only sour*, grapes. Ez knew the Ostable folks I was talkln* 'bout layln* out a big swamp over here some time or other. He Jest bought the Allen pl?ce and run his risk. You notice Prissy and Tempy ain't flndln* no fault. They think he's the only man In town. Fact is, he Is the only man, outside of the minister, that they'll have any deal In's with. Queer palrin' off that Is? Ez and the minister!" he chuckled. "Oh, women's fools, anyhow," snort? ed Captain Jabez savagely. "Ez Tit? comb always could wind 'em' 'round his fingers. He's been next door to kecpin' comp'uy with more glrls'n a few In this town sence he was old enough to leave school, but he don't go fur enough to git engaged or nothln' like that. Minute there's any talk that he's likely to git married to one of 'em away goes Ez, and that's the end of ] that court In'. And yet, spite of their talk 'bout his l>eln' slick and hints that he's tricky they're always heavin' up to a feller, 'How smart Cap'n Titcomb Is,' and 'Why don't you make money same as Cap'n Ezry?' 'Nough to make an honest man sick." Captain Erl made his purchases and went home, but the others continued to dissect Ezra Tltcomb's character, and the general opinion seemed to be that he would "bear watchin'." Meanwhile the captain, unconscious of all this, piloted Bradley to the cor? ner of the road upon which the Allen sisters lived, and there left him with a message to the effect that he (the captain) would call next day. Then he sought his room at the "Traveler's liest," there to read the paper of the day before, while the boy, with his big bundle of old c lothes and new "extras," walked homeward alone. 7ro he c iNTiifTjrat] A Lebson From Nature. "Young gentlemen," lectured the em Incut instructor, "you are old enough now to put away the childish and triv? ial amusements that sufficed for you when you were younger. Learn a les? son from the dumb brutes and even from the reptiles. When they nrrive at maturity they comport themselves with a certain dignity." "It Isn't so with the rattlesnake, pro? fessor," objected the young man with the bad eye. "The older he grows the more rattles he plays with."?Chicago Tribune. LOOK ! At a few samples of linseed oil in our show window and see the different kinds that are used in paint. At the same time examine the sample of strictly pure refined oil made by Sherwin-Williams Co., a id sold by us, even if it does cost us more money. It is bid enough for a property owner to buy good paint and use cheap oil in it, but to buy cheap paint and use bad oil, is poor economy. This is why you see paint coming off of houses in from one to three years. Why buy brands of paint that have sprung up in the last few years just because you can get them for a few cents less per gallon, and run the risk of their standing, when you can buy the old reliable? Sherwin-Williams Which has stood the test for years. We quote herewith copy of gnarantee which is print? ed on every gallon of Sherwin-Williams paint and is backed by one of the largest factories in the world. We guarantee that this Paint, when properly used, will not crack, flake or chalk off, and will cover more surface, work better, wear longer and permanently look better than othtr paints including pure white lead and oil. ? We hereby agree to forfeit the value of the paint, and the cost of applying it, if in any instance it is not found as above mentioned. If you let your painting contract to a painter and let the painter select and furnish material he will naturally buy the cheapest material to be obtained, put it on as rapidly as possible, and the result is your house will need re-paint? ing in a very short time. Specify Sherwin-Williams paints, use strictly pure refined linseed oil, have it applied by an experienced paint? er, and you will find after all this is the cheapest paint to use. ' BEST PAINT VALUE * I Covers Most Looks Best Wears Longest Most Econom? ical Full Measure Always Uniform SOLD BV a Carolina Hardware Company. SUMTER, -:- -:- -: S. C. ?TO ? WASHINGTON. D. C, RETURN. -VIA ATLANTIC COAST LINE. ACCOUNT INAUGURAL CEREMONIES PRESIDENT-ELECT TAFT. TICKETS ()N SALE FEBRUARY 1Mb, MANCH 1st. tod AND 3rd, FINAL LIMIT TO BRACH ORIGINAL STARTING POINT NOT LATER THAN MIDNIGHT MARCH 10th. great military parade. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. RESERVATIONS. ETC.. CALL ON NEAREST TICKET AGENT OR WRITE W. J. CRAIG, Pas. Traf. Mgr. 1.1 WH:TE, Sen. Pas. Agt. Wilmington, N. 0. *m H. STEVENS SONS. CO. MACON, GA. Sewer and R. R. Culvert Pipe, Farm Drain Pipe, Well Curbing, Road Drainage Pipe. Correspondence Solicited on all Lines Clay Goods. N. G. OSTEEN, JR., Dentist. 18 West Liberty Street-Up Stairs. Hours:?8.30 to 1-P. M?2 to 6. Office Phone?No. 30 ? - - House Phone 382