Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Part? ? ? Bg ? ? ? A '^f JOSEPH C 41 LINCOLN, II HU ?I -Ceew kvr Otyrlgbt. IM (Continued.) They wet? rtry curious to know why bid com? home to unexpeet % and w%?n they learned that at left tat Thomas Doant and not thai bat that Iba captain also fmtX tbOy asked out qntttlon after Bradley simply said that the bad other plant and that he lei waat they were yet tiey adjoarned to the Bradley waa uneaar times glanced, at the clocl:. a wife Tie "taTH 'that, fr the** it salad, be should like to go out BW aa bout or to. Of course, the su> tmrt said, tbey "didn't mind," and bt Bo* ttv%lt bot tad wont Imwj t shrewd gooes wasn't Bradley passed out of the goto only to open the one of tb? adjesnlng. Hit knock at tbi door apparently started a cenln* tttoe, for there wat a tremeu horkmg and grew Hug Inside, ami oM Bra. Baker answered tb? lbs beads of Toeeday sod Win tmjOa, the only survivors of Oos* troop +M goto, yiasiodtd from either tide of mm ekfct Both dogs and old lady and glad to see the U Bradley Nlenorsonr exclaim Baker. "How do yon do? rtgvt to, wont you r No, Gusty to Jost now. Ire prayer meet ^ C and the thought she'd go. Iti eorry yon wont stop in and labert attended the Baptist and thither walked Bradley, BaB bands hi Mo pockets and bit head Bms of list wrecking scheme. at woo noarty ? o'clock, and the to front of the little church woo I tod by o row of Or ham young watting for the meet BtB count to on end. BbBdM' lotooi tbo fence brigade and OBOO hell ad by half o doooo acquatnt I tsmtry old tcnoolfeilowe, Ho an Bat newt and a lot more that If it ever hap Bommond wat down last ' so Bart Bears Informed him. I boot dudes! Soy, Bnupny. ojmVt bt* a mlm-eooierr n obotjd amUt If bo wa'nt" replied Black. "Oold watch-and il Too) never saw euch clothes! working for tht Metropolitan mpany, and ho must ho rieb. And be bos a good time Bow Tora. ?Member (hose yams tbo girls, Bortr liaghod and winked knowing ft a great feller for girls," be "He wat chaaln' 'em down I tell you. Qua Baker was the be chased most, but Quo can keep m'. He tint tbo only one been runnln' after her?hey. tf Thou tbo whole row laughed somehow didn't enjoy the of i be ?ton vertat loo In the first be didn't relish tht Idea, so and bruught home to him. that "fel wete running after Qua, and par be didn't care to have 8am id among the runnera Us had oaee or twice In New York. m\ bag cht p bo was, handsome and well |o s rather loud fashion and a boastful knowledge of life about Bisdley wat not t prig, but St? aat after theater suppers bad lit attraction for him. even If bit tal f bod been Isrgs enough to pay the He bad wondered Idly how Bam allurd the "fun" he wat always Bong. Tbo metodeon In the vestry struck 09 "God Bo With Too Till We Meet Again," tad tbs loungers on tht fence to move over toward the door, went with them, standing a little back from the entrance. The final of tbo hymn died twty In deaf PI per* t tremulous falsetto. Then wtt a huso as the benediction pronounced, the door swung open, wltli giggles and a r?ttle of con irloo. the worshipers began to B?ndlet looked for Qua and at last Bf oawibr. She wat talking to Mr. s^ssmgwu#By, and tbs light from the Brocket lamp In the entry shone upon Bor face. Again he decided. Just tt Bo bad t hen he left her before going to sea, fiat the was pretty, bot now Bo res I Mid that hart waa not a doll but that there wat char bor dark eyes and the ex jf her month, coite out and atood on the ttep, Bulbsolog her glove. Two of the young faultwa stepped out of the line toward Bor. Sue spoke to both of them and bvsghed Then the caught tight of Bradley, who also had moved Into the ?stoplight, and. brushing past ths rival pair of volunteer escorts, the held out sterbend. -Why. Bradr the txelaimed. "Where mm earth lid you come from7 I'm ever oe glad to? tee you. How do you do?" Bradley thook bands and said, "How Bo you da f* There wts no earthly ren? ewal why he should bt embarrassed, wits. Just t little. Ht atammsr I tnd then asked If he might htvt at pleasure of "teeing her home." "Why. of course you may!" the said. it's you came here fur. lsu't 1 hopt- so, at any rate." Bradley laughed tnd admitted that Bo guestud thtt wst about it Got Book bat arm, and they moved down the path tnd down the rough stone to the sidewalk. Ska earns out and flood on the ?Up. "Why, I haven't seen you for an ager aakl One, "And youhaven't written for nearly three wees* Why did yo?i come home now? You didn't expect to come home so soon, did your Bradley explained why be had come home. Captain Tltcomb had left the Thomas Doene, he said, and he had left with him. He didn't tell the real reason for the tearing, but hinted at dissatisfaction with the owners. To head off further questions oh this tic? klish subject he asked Qua what the had been doing that winter. "Well." ehe said, "I graduated from high school, for one thing, and I'm keeping house for grandma. I gueee thafe about all" "What's been going on in town? Any dances T* "Yes; a few. I went to the Wash? ington's birthday ball, but it wasn't much fun. Most of the floor commit? tee were old, married people and about erery other dance was Hull's Victory' or a quadrille. Round dances, you know, are wicked, especielry if yon don't I now now to dance them." "You wrote me you went to tbat. 8am Hammond's been home, hasn't her "Oh. yea. 1 went to the ball with him. He's a lorely dancer, and we waitaed whenever they played a weite tune, no matter whether the rest were* busy with a quadrille or not But why don't you tell me what you are going to do now that you're given up your poeltlonr Bradley told her of Captain Tltcomb'tt Idea concerning the purchase of the Llssie and the offer of partnership In the wrecking business. As he talked hie growing Internet In the plan be? came more evident, and he spoke of i\ ae something already nearly decided upon. "What do yon think of ltr* he asked In conclusion. "Why. I don't know," replied Qus. "If It all works out ae the cap'u hopes It will be a fine thing. But Isn't It rather risky? It means stay lug ni home here lu Or ham. where people's Ideas get Into a rut. It seems to me. The cities seem so big and to have such chances for a man! You kuow yourself, Brad, that you've improved n lot since you went away." "I haven't got a gold watch yet or any fine clothes, and my dancing wouldn't draw a crowd. I guess." "Don't bo silly. 8am Is a good waltz er, and he has Improved lu his manners and In other ways. 1 shouldn't want yon to settle down luto nothing but a 'longshoreman. 1 guess I'm like Mlsn Tempy. I hoped you'd be captain of an ocean liner some of these days." "Well, 1 don't mean to cramp myself to 'longshoreman size Just because 1 stay In the village. It looks to me like e chance?a good chance?to be my own boss and make something of my? self. 1 hoped you'd see It that way." "Perhaps 1 shall when I get more used to It Tell me more, please." They had reached the little house, end, leaning ou the gate under the big silver leaf tree. Bradley again went over the details of the new plan. Ous was Interested and asked many ques? tions, but to both of them the Inter? view wes not entirely satisfactory. The old, boy and girl, whole hearted exchange of confidences seemed to be lacking. To Bradley in particular as I he turned away after saying "Good I night" the consciousness of a dlffer I eure In hie relation with his old time "chum" was keen. She was Interested In him and In his hopes and plans, hut she hi d plaus end hopes of her own. end perhaps he was not so much the central figure as he used to be. Nazi day Bradley called on the cop tain. The latter had seen Caleb Bur? gess, and the Llzcle could be bought ror a very reasonable sum. tnp^ln Tltcomb was also preparing a long table of figures showing the cost of what was needed to fit her up. They talked for over an hour, but Bradley was not yet ready to decide. He would take his full week, he said. But by the end of the week his mind was made up. He was ready to take the chance that the captain offered. He told Oos so, and she agreed that perhaps he was doing right. He told, the old maids and so knocked Miss Tempy's air cestlee Into smithereens In one tremendous crash. The partnership articles were signed, Bradley drew his money from the sav Ingii bank, nnd the Lizzie changed hands. The next month was a very busy one, for they were at work on the schooner every day refitting nnd rigging. One noon of the fourth week the captain came down to the wharf I with a Boston paper in his hand. Bradley took the paper and saw ou the page Indicated the words: "Wreck on the Long Island Band Bars. The Schooner Thomas Doane Lost. All Hands Saved." He glanced over the article, which briefly stated that the three masted schooner Thomas Doane, Burke master, had struck on the shoals off Long Island and would be a total loss. The crew, after trying in vain to save the vessel, had taken to the boats and reached shore in safety. "I didn't believe they'd dare do it!" exclaimed Bradley. "Wo know, and they know we know." "Who'll telir asked the captain, shortly. "Not me, for I was in it as bad as the rest. Not you, for they know you end me were thlcker'n flies on a molasses stopper. No; 'twas 'Goodby, Susan Jane,' so far as the old Doane was concerned, and I've been expectln' It Well, I wasn't at the funeral, so let's forglt It" And apparently Captain Tltcomb did forget it A good many months were to pass before Bradley was again to hear his friend mention that subject. CHAPTER IX. BTP was a May morning off Se 11 tucklt Point The Point Itself gl was in the middle distance, X) with the lighthouse top shin? ing black against the sky and the little cluster of Ashing shanties showing brown amid the white sand dunes and green beach grass. The life saving sta? tion was perched on the highest of the dunce, and its cupola was almost as conspicuous as the lighthouse. The thick cloud, apparently of mosquitoes, hovering over the point was in reality the flock of mackerel gulls that are al? ways hunting for sand eels on the flat. Low dowu across the horizon miles be? yond waa smeared the blue and yellow streak that marked the mainland of the cape. To the right only half a mile away, but through the darker water that in? dicated the Bh'p channel, a four mast? ed schooner was moving swiftly, the sunshine flashing sparks from her cab In windows and marking high lights and shadows on her swelling ca^kas. Ahead of her, against the sky line, was the lightship that marked the turning point in the course. Behind, not quite so far away, was the other lightship that she had Just passed. More schoon? ers were following her, strung out in a long line, and others, bound In the op? posite direction, were standing Inshore or heeding out to eea as they beat up In tho face of the brisk wind. An oc? casional steamer or an ocean tug with a tow flaunted a dingy streamer of ?moke here and there amid the grace? ful schooners. Along the edge of the channel and sprinkled amid the bine were patches of light green water where the waves ran higher and broke occasionally. There were the shoals?the "Rasov back," the "Boneyard" and the rest. If It were possible and fashionable to erect tombstones for lives lost et sea these hidden sand bars would bristle with them. Not a winter month that passes but vessels are driven ashore here, and the wicked tides and winds scatter their timbers far and wide. The Setucklt life saving crew have few restful hours from October to May. On the edge of one of these shoals, : Just over In deep water, a little schooner lay at anchor, rocking and plunging Incessantly. Her sails were down, and only one man was aboard, naif a mile away, Just where the tail of the shoal ins de out Into the chan? nel, two dories were moving slowly In parallel courses, trailing a rope be? tween them. The schooner was the Lizzie; the man aboard her was Bar? ney Small, once a stage driver, but now, forced out of business by the new railroad, back Qgaln at his old trade? wroeking. Captain Ezra Tltcomb was rowing one dory and Bradley Nicker son His other. They were draggln~." The two dories moved sbwly down the edge of the shoal, separated by a distance of perhaps a hundred yards. The line between them, weighted with a lead sinker at each end, was drag? ging along the bottom. They were dragging for an anchor lost by the coasting schooner Mary D. a month before. She had been caught by the tide, and the chain had been let go with a run. One of the hands aboard?Eldredge by name?was an Orham man, and he had had the pres? ence of mind to take the "ranges," which information he had sold to Cap? tain Tltcomb for a five dollar bill. Bradley and the captain began row? ing once more. They had gone but a little way when, slowly but surely, the dories began to draw nearer to each other. Bradley, looking over the side, saw that the "drag line" no longer hung straight down, but. tightly stretched by whatever was holding it on the bottom, led off diagonally astern. They kept on rowing easily, and In a few minutes the pressure on the line had brought the dories side by side. Then Bradley passed his end of the rope to his partner, who began haul? ing In with care. By this operation the skipper's dory was soon brought directly over the spot where lay the hidden object. Bradley rowed his own boat alongside. "Now, then," said Captain Tltcomb, "let's see if she's got the right com? plexion." He leaned over the side and, taking oue eud of the line In each hand, pulled them tight and sawed vigorous? ly back and forth, thus drawing a sec? tion of the rope aguln aud again under the treasure trove below. Then he paid out oue end of tlie line and hauled in the other uutll thi* section came to the surface. It was marked with a dull red stain?Iron rust. I The smaller eud of the "way line1" a ?t?nt rope tapering from one Inch to three Inches In thickness, was spliced to the "dreg line" and drawn down and under the supposed anchor until the latter was looped by it. Then the "messenger," an iron shackle or collar fastened by a bolt or pin, was clamped about the upper parts of the loop. To thli "messenger" was also attached a small cord. * The "way line" was drawn tight, and the heavy "messenger" plunged out of sight beneath the water. It slid down to the end of the "way line," thus hold? ing with a tenacious grip the sub? merged object They tested with the "messenger," pulling it up with the cord and letting it drop again. It struck solidly and with the tingle of metal against metal. Bradley pulled down the Lizzie. Bar? ney and he hoisted canvas enough to give them steerage way, and the little vessel ran alongside of the captain's dory. Then the ? ropes were rigged through the block in the, fore rigging, and Bradley and Barney fitted in the brakes of the clumsy hand windlass, while Captain Tltcomb stood by the bulwark. "H'ist away!" commanded the skip? per. The windlass creaked, the cable tight? ened and the blocks groaned as a heavy weight was lifted from the bot? tom. A minute or two more and the captain signaled to ease up. "Look at that" said Captain Ezra, pointing. "What do you say to a bell buoy frame?" "Why, sure!" Brad ley's tone was a disgusted one. "Well, we've had our work for nothing. That framework Isn't worth anything." "Tain't the stockin? that counts al? ways; It's what Santa Claus puts in? side of lt. I have a notion this feller may be a s'prise package. H'ist away I" More of the wet rope came aboard. Captain Ezra chuckled. "I guessed pretty nigh that time," he muttered. "Now, Brad, come here." The iron frame, green with seaweed and trimmed with kelp and shells, hung half out of the water. At Its base, Just above the battered and crushed cone that had been the buoy, a big bronze bell glistened and drip? ped. "And I can git S25 for that bell." crowed the captain, "which In the pres? set out of the channel, Winflcld." ent state of this corporation's finances mustn't be considered a widow's mite. Well, this ain't whet I was after, but it's none the less welcome, as .the cat said when It found the mouse swim? min' in the milk pail. Swing her In, Barney! Now we'll go buck and have another try for the Mary D.'s anchor." They had some long talks together concerning their new venture, which up to date, although they had made some money, had not given them the opportunity for a "big Job" that they hoped for. "Brad," observed the captain as they were walking up from the wharf one evening, "are you gittin'. discouraged?" "No, not yet. I didn't expect any? thing different this first summer." "What do the old maids say?" "Oh, they believe I'm going to get rich, of course." "Of course. Well, maybe they ain't any further out in their reck'nln* one way than Simmons and the rest are the other. What does that little Baker girl have to say about it?" "Oh, well, she didn't quite like It at first, but the more we talk about it to? gether the better the plan seems to her." "I presume likely you and she talk about ft a good deal?*" There wasn't the slightest flavor of sarcasm appar? ent In this question, so Bradley admit? ted that he and Gus did have a good many talks on the subject. And this statement wasn't an exag? geration. It had become a regular thing for the junior partner In the anchor dragging concern to drop in at the Baker homestead of an evening after supper was over and discuss hap? penings and plans with Gus. The feel? ing that the girl was not so wholly at one with him In his hopes and am? bitions as she used to be had galled Bradley. He resented her criticisms of the new venture on the evening when he first told her of it. Five years before, he knew, she would have thought It "splendid" simply because he thought so. He had come home ex? pecting to find her unchanged, forget? ting how much he had changed himself, and now he determined that he would compel her to believe in him and his work. Dancing was one of the subjects on which they didn't agree. Bradley considered dancing nonsensical and a waste of time. Gus, on the other hand, was very foud of It "I'd rather saw wood myself," de? clared the former one evening. "There'd be about as much work in It and considerably more fun." "But. Brad, I do like dancing, and there are dances here once In awhile, such as they are, and?well, I wish yon danced." "I suppose I could manage to cnvl gato through a quadrille without wrecking more than half the set, but a waltz would have me out of sound fogs in no time." '?Will you try to learn If I teach you?" "Think 'twill pay for the wear and tear on your nerves?and the furni? ture?" "I'll risk the nerves, and we need some new furniture anyway. Come, we'll begin now. I'll hum the tune, and you can imagine that Bennle D.'s three piece orchestra Is playing 'Annie Rooney,' with their own variations, and that you're waltzing?well, with Georgiana Bailey." "Great Scott! Let's Imagine some? thing pleasant to begin on. All right, here goes! G<?t out of the channel, Winfield." _ One ex^nlpx t9yfard thc^eruL oX. thje month Gits said to fifrnf "Brad, if you were I would you go to the ball on tlie evening of Decoration day at the town hall? I'\e had two Invitations." "Humph!" The answer was some what hesitating. "I rappus**; 3 >u didn't know. Other? wise, of course"-* ") should here invited my dancing tear her to ro with me. Gus, would you have liked it if I had Invited yo*?" "1 should." "Well, then. Miss Brkei*. may I have the 11,^8sure of eecbitlhg you to the grand fandango to be held In the Or ham Crystal palace, under the super : vision of his royal swelledness, Mr. ! Solomon Bangs ?" "You may, sir. Oh, Brad! Of course 1 I'd rather go with you, because"? "Because what?" I "Because I want to see how my pu : pil looks dancing with somebody else." I e ? , ? .o; e e ; e' e I Gus was prettier than ever the night I of the ball. She was dressed simply in white, but when she came out of the I dressing room at the hall and took his arm Bradley noticed that the eyes of half a dozeu young men followed her ' and that they whispered to each other. Gus' "order" was filled in a few min | Utes after the first number was over; ! there were more applicants than dances. Bradley danced a quadrille ' with Clara Hopkins, who was pretty and Jolly, and he enjoyed It thorough? ly. He labored through a contra dance witt Georgiana Bailey and didn't en Joy it as much, although that effer? vescent young lady purred that she had had a "perfectly lovely time," and ? he was "lookln' so well" and why didn't he call at the house. . Miss Bailey's blue silk gown had an , Imposing and very troublesome train, 1 and she smelt like a perfumer's shop, j Captain Tltcomb came up the stairs, j He had a dripping umbrella in his hand. "Why, hello!" exclaimed Bradley. "I didn't know you vrero coming." "Hello yourself!" retorted the cap? tain. "I didn't know you was comln' either, so we're square on that hitcii. It's blowin' up a reg'lar snorter out? side," he added. "Georgiaua's gayer'n a tin peddler's cart, ain't sue'*' continued Titcomb. "Cap'n .Tabe's the only moultin' pullet In that coop." ne broke off suddenly and was silent for a minute or more. Bradley asked him what the matter was. "Quito a crowd here tonight. Who's the little clipper in th.? white with bine pennants in her fore rlggin'?the one dancln' with Jonadab Wixon's sister's boy 7' "That's Clara Hopkins." "Humph! You don't say! Jim Hop? kins' girl. I wouldn't have known her." And the captain subsided once more. A little while after that, as Bradley was dancing his Virginia reel with Gus, he noticed a disturbance among the crowd of watchers at the d? or. He was in the middle of the line at the time, and "Snuppy" Black stood next to him. "Hello!" exclaimed "Snuppy." "Why, It can't be! By thunder, it is! Sam Hammond's come. I didn't know he was expected." Hammond It was, a ad in all the glo? ry of city clothes and unlimited self confidence. Whorithe reel was over, he came across the floor to where Gus and Bradley were staadlng. "How d'ye do, Gus?" he said, extend I Ing his hand. "I'm down for a few i days. Got a vacation that I wasn't looking for. Came on tonight's train j and thought I'd run up here for a little while, soon as I could get away from I the home folks. Let me see your order. I Hello, Brad! How are you?" He was well dressed, still In the rather conspicuous way, and he had : an easy, masterful air about him that j none of the country fellows hod, though they all envied It And he was goodlooking. That couldn't be denied. The last dance was the landers, but as "Bennle D." arose to "call off' he I annouuced that there would be, by spe? cial request an "extra"?a waltz. Brad? ley had seen Hammond talking with the prompter and with Mr. Bangs, and he knew whose the "special request" was. Under other circumstances he ? "This waltz belongs to Bradley" wouldn't have cared so much for that waltz, but now he wanted it very much Indeed. ^to us o?!fTiaucn\| A "Piece of Learning." Sydney Smith, once asked why a cer? tain college was called a place of learn? ing, replied that, although n great many had been there to get learning, no one had ever taken learning away; hence it was appropriately named. INVESTIGATE THIS : - 15? i -The Daily Item - Read by nearly all the city's entire population (6 days out of every week) is one of the best adver? tising mediums in the State. Place Your Ad and be Convinced. ?THE WATCHMAN AND SOUTHRON? The best Semi-Weekly County newspaper in the State. It reach? es the buying class among the farmers of Sumter, Leeff and Clarendon counties, and [is a "SURE WINNER." Our Ads are Attractive and Bring Results. i*ti?