Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

Sfc Stowaway By LOUS TRACY. Anther ei the 'TOW si Light," The Vings of the Heruiag" Miel "The Ca ?tarn ef the Ksnses." Cessvight. IW. by Uwses J. Oese CHAPTER HX WltHtn TBS AFfDROMXDA NT. A RS Till wm> or nn votaok. ??W^IYK hells, miss! It'll soon be Mi daylight. If yoo wants to see I the cross, now's roar time!" Ilia had been called from dree oiteas sleep by a thundering rat tat oo her cabin door. In reply to ber half awaked cry of ?AI rigbtr the hoarse Totce of s sailor told her that the Southern Cross had Just risen a bo T? the borlson. She resolutely screwed her knuckles into ber eyes and began to dress. In s few mlnutee ehe was on deck. A long coat, a tarn o'-shunter and s pair of list slippers will go far In the way of coetume at night la the tropica, and the Androm? eda's serenteentb Asy at sea had brought the equator rery near. At on the previous evening?In of the owner's niece fashionable boors were observed for meala?Mr. Watte mentioned by chance that tbe CToaw had been rery distinct during Um middle wstch, or. in other words, bet a see midnight and 4 a. m. Iris et ones si pressed s wish to see It. end Captain Ooke offered a suggestion. "Mr. Hosier takes tbe middle wstcb tonight." said be. "We can ax '1m to eeod s men to pound on your door as soon ee It rteia Then you must run up to the bridge, an' 'a 11 tell you all about It " If Iris was i ouse loos of a slight feel? ing of surprise sbe did not show it Hitherto the burly skipper of tbe An dromeds had made It so clearly under? stood that none of tbe ship's compsny save himself wss to snjoy tbe society ef aftee iris Yorks that abe had ex? changed rery few words with tbe One msn whose manners and education ob Tiously entitled him to meet ber on an equal plane. Even at meals be was often absent So Coke s complacency came now quite unexpectedly, but Iris was learning to school her tongue. ?Thank you rery much." she aald. "When aball I eee him7' "Ob. you needn't bother. I'll tell lm meself" Sbe wee somewhat dlssppo'nted at this. Hosier would be free for an hour , before be turned in. and tbe? mlgbt have enjoyed a nice cbat while he emoked on the poop. In ber heart of hearts sbe wss beginning to acknowl? edge that a voyags through summer eeaa or a cargo teasel, with no other society than that of unimaginative eallormen. savored of tedium. Indeed almost of deedly monotony. Her rare meetings with Hosier msrked bright spots in s dull round of hours. During their small Intercourse sbe bsd discov? ered that he was well Informed. They had hit upon a few kindred tastes In books and music. They even differed sharply In their appreciation of favor He authors. And what could be more esmduehe to complete understanding Sean the sttack and defense of tbe shrine of some tin god of literature'/ While, therefore, it was strange that Captain Coke should actually propose e visit to the bridge st an unusual time?at a time, too, when Hosier would be on duty?It struck ber as fsr more curious tbat be should endeavor to prevent sn earlier meeting. "I shall be delighted to come at any time. 1 bare often reed about the Southern Cross, yet three short weeks ego I little thought" "Ton reely didn't tblnk about It at all." broke Ih Coke. "If you 'sd you'd ?eve known you couldn't cross tbe line without eeeln' it " Here wss snotber perplexing ele? ment in the skipper's conduct. Tbat Iris wss a stowswsy wss forgotten. She was treeted with tbe attention ?ad ceremony due to tbe owner's Sftsce. Coke never lost sn opportunity of dinning Into tbe ears of Wstts or Hosier <>r tfef *f??WMnl eg any BjSjSJ hers e| 1st erew who were listening that Miss Yorks'* presence In tbelr midst ??? i preordained circumstance. ? thing fully dlneussed and Agreed on me between ber onels and himself, hut carried out In nn Irregular manner owing to some glrllnh freak on ber part. The portmanteau, with its change sf raiment, brought convincing testimony, and Iris* own words when discovered in tbe laza rette supplied further proof, if thst wero needed. A keen. Invigorating breeze swept tbe last mirage of sleep from the girl's brain as she flitted ellently slong the deck. A wondrous galaxy of stars biased In tbe heavens. In that pellucid air the sky was s vivid ultramarin?*. Tbe ship's track wss marked by s trail of phosphorescent tire. Ka< h inv? olution of the propelhT drew from the ocean treasure house opuknt globes of goUlt?n light that daneed and sparkled In the mini.ling waters. It waa a night that pulsated with the rnmanee end ibemSoe of the south, a night when the heart might throb with un ?ttersblc longings and the blood tingle to the v??lns un.hr tin? stress of >??? ?motion at on v passionate and mystic Iris, spumil on t>v no stronger lm pulse than that of the sightseer, though Dot wholly unaware of an element of advetituroua shyness In her eipe I tlon of I t?-N- 11 lets with \ good look log yning innn of bef own status, ?rilmbed to the bridge so ipasdlly end ajoteeleasly that I/ozler did not know of her presence until he heard her dl< may?*d cry: ??Is fhnt the Southern Cross?" n*? turned ijulckly. ^'ou. Vt*a Yorke?" he exclaimed, snd not even her wonder nt the Insig? nificance of the stellar display of "Tor, mas yorkx?" us xxclaimtxd. | which she had heard so much could cloak the fact that Hosier was unpre pared for her appearance. "Of course it is L Who else?" she asked. "Did not Captain Coke toll you to expect me?" "No." "How odd! That is what he ar? ranged. A man came and rapped at my door." "Pardon me one moment." He leaned over the bridge and hailel the watch. The same hoarse voice thst had roused Iris answered his ques- | tlons, and in the faint light that came ? from the binnacle she caught a flicker of amusement on his face. "Our excellent skipper's Intentions hare been defeated." he said. "He told one of the men to call him at seven bells, hot not to wake you until the cross was visible. His orders have been obeyed quite literally. He will be summoned In another hour, and you have been dragged from bed to gase at the false cross, which every foremast hand persists in regarding as the real article. The true cross, of which Alpha Creels is the southern pole star, comes up over the horizon an hour after the false one." "But Captain Coke said be would see you and warn you of my visit." "I csn only assure you that he did not. Perhaps he thought it unneces? sary, meaning to be on deck himself." "Must I wait here a whole hour thenr Hosier laughed. It was amusing to find how Coke's marked effort to keep the girt and him apart had been de? feated by a sailor's blunder. "I hope the waiting will not weary you." he said. "It Is a beautiful night." "1 am glad of the accident that brought me on deck somewhat earlier than was necessary." she said. "You and I have not said much to each oth? er since you routed me out of the laxarette. Mr. Hosier." "Our friends at table are somewhat difficult. If only you knew bow I re? gretted"? "Oh. what of that? When I became a stowaway I fully expected to be treated as one. I suppose, though, that you have often asked yourself why I was guilty of such a mad trick." "Not exactly mad. Miss Yorke, but needless, since Captain Coke partly ex? pected to hsve your company." "That is absurd. He had not the remotest notion"? "Forgive me, but there you nre wrong. He says that your uncle and he discussed the matter on the Sun? day before we left Liverpool. His the? ory Is rather borne out by the present state of the ship's larder. I assure you that few tramp steamers spread a table like the Andromeda's mess dur? ing this voyage." Iris laughed with a spontaneous mer? riment that was rather astonishing in her own esrs. "Being the owner's niece, 1 am well catered for?" she cried. "Something of the sort. It is only natural." "But 1 think 1 have read in the newspapers thnt when some unhappy creature Is condemned to death by the law he Is supplied with luxuries thai would certainly be denied to any ordi? nary crttnln ill" "Snrh doubtful clemency can hardly apply to v : Miss Yorke." "It migh: apply to the ship or to that hutmn part of her that thinks ind remembers and Is capable of?of |Hrtag evldv jce." She posesxL fearing lest, perhaps, she uilght have spoken too plainly. Coke's couuter stroke in ulludlng to her dread of the proposed marriage was hidden from her ken. Hosier, of course, was thinking of nothing else. For the moment, then, they were at cross purposes. "Things nre not so had as that," he said gently. "1 hope 1 am not tret passing on for bidden ground, but It In only fair to tell you that the skipper was quits explicit op to u point Hs said yon were being forced Into sonn matrimonial arrangement that was distasteful" ? "And, to escape from an undesirable suitor. I ran away?" "Well, the story sounded all right." "iiai do stlf on my ancle's ship when I wished to avoid tnuming the man of his choice?" ?ojtor was not oogloctlnf his work. but he did then take his eyes off the starlit sea for a few amazed sec ond -. There k SS no mistaking the scornful ring in the girl's words. lie could see the deep color that flooded her cheeks. The glance that met his sparkled with an intensity of feeling thnt thrilled while It perplexed. "i'lease pardon me if the question hurts, bttt If thnt 1? not your motive and there never whs any real notlou of your coming on this trip why are you here?" he said. "Because 1 am a foolish girl, I sop pose?because I thought that my pres? ence might interpose a serious o! stacle between a criminal and ths crime he hnd planned to commit, if one wants to avoid hateful people a change of climate is a most effectual means, and 1 had not the money for ordinary travel. Believe me. Mr. Ho? sier, 1 am not on board the Androm? eda without good reason. I have ofteu wished to have a talk with you. 1 think you are a man who would not betray a confidence. If you agree to help me, something may yet be done. At first I was sure that Captain Coke would abandon his wicked project as soon as he discovered that I knew what was in his mind. But now I am beginning to doubt. Each day brings us nearer South America, and? and" She was breathless with excitement. She drew nearer to the silent and im? passive man at her side, dropping ber voice almost to a whisper. She caught his arm with an appealing hand. "I am afraid that my presence will offer no hindrance to his scheme," she murmured. "1 am terriiied to say snch a thing, but I am certain, quite cer? tain, that the ship will be lost within the next few days." Hozier, though Incredulous, could not but realize that the girl waa saying that which she honestly thought to be true. "Lost! Do you mean that she will be purposely thrown away?" he asked, and his own voice was not wholly un? der control, for he was called on to repress a sudden temptation to kiss away the tears that glistened in her brown eyes. , "Yes, that Is what he said?on the j rocks this side of Montevideo." "He said-who?" "The?the captain." "To whom did he say it?" "Oh, Mr. Hozier, do not ask that, but believe me and help me." ??How?" "I do not know. I am half distract? ed with thinking. What can we do? Captain Coke simply swept aside my first attempt to speak plainly to him. But?make no mistake?he knows that I heard his very words, and there is something in his manner, a curious sort of quiet confidence, that frightens me." After that neither spoke during many minutes. ?That is a very serious thing you have told me, Miss Yorke." muttered Hozier at last, not without a backward glance at the sailor in the wheelhouse to assure himself that the man could not by any chance overhear their conversation. "But it is true ?d r e adf ully true," said Iris, clasping her hands together and resting them on the hlgu railing of the bridge. "It is all the "but it is true? more serious, breadfut.lt true." inasmuch as ,AID lRl8> we are helpless," he went on. "Don't you see how impossible it is even to hint at it in any discussion with the man principally concerned? I want to say this, though?you are in no dan? ger. There is no ship so safe as one that is picked out for willful destruc? tion. Men will not sacrifice their own lives even to make good an insurance policy, and I suppose that is what is intended. So you can sleep sound of nights?at any rate until we near the coast of Brazil. I can only promise you if any watchfulness on my part can stop this piece of villainy? Hello, there! What's up? Why is the ship falling away from her course?" The sudden change in his voice star? tled the girl so greatly that she uttered a slight shriek. It took her an appre? ciable time to understand that he was speaking to the mun at the wheel. But the sailor knew what he meant. "Something's gone wrong with the wheel, sir." he bawled. "I wasn't cer? tain at first, so I tried to put her over a bit to s'uth'ard. Then she jammed for sure." Hozier leaped to the telegraph and signaled "slow" to the engine room. Already the golden pathway behind the Andromeda had changed from a wavering yet generally straight line to a well defined curve. There was a hiss and snort of escaping steam as tho sailor inside the charthouse en? deavored to force the machinery Into action. "Steady, there!" bellowed Hosier. "Walt until we have examined the gear boxes! There may be a kink In a chain!" A loud order brought tho wotch scur? rying along the deck. Some of the men ran to examine the bearings of the huge fan shaped casting that gOV erned the movements of the rudder, while others began to tap the wooden Shields which protected the steering rods and chains. In the Bildet of the hammering and excitement Captain Coke swung himself tip to the bridge. "Well. I'm hlowod! You here?" he said, looking at Iris. "Wot Is It now?" he asked, turning sharply to Hosier. "Wheel stuck again?" "Yes, sir. Has it happened before?" "Well or not this trip. But It 'as '?opened. Just for n mlnnlt i was mixln1 H up with the night you nearly run down that bloomln' hooker oit the Irish coast. Ah, there she goes! Ev? erything 0. K. now. Won daylight comes we'll overhaul the flxln's. Nice thing if the wheel jammed Just as we was crooain1 the Recife!" ITorJer tried to ascertain from the watch if they had found the cause o** the disturbance, but the men could only guess that a chnnce blow with an adz had straightened a kink in one of the casings. Coke treated the In? cident with nonchalance. "Thought you was to be called w'en the cross hove in sight, Miss Yorke?" he said abruptly. "I am sorry to have to Inform you that some people on board cannot dis? tinguish between falsity and truth," she answered. "But please don't be angry with any of the men on my ac? count. Mr. Hozler tells me they often confuse the false cross * th the real one. and the mistake has been enjoy? able." "A reg'lar 'umbug, the Southern Cros9." grunted Coke. "It ain't a patch on the bear." Coke grinned at his own pleasantry. To one of his hearers at least it seem? ed to be passing strange that he was bo ready to forget such a vital defect in the steering gear as had manifested Its existence a few minutes earlier. CHAPTER IV. SHELLED DY A MYSTERIOUS FOE OS SnORE COKE remained on the bridge un til long after Iris had seen and admired the cluster of stars which old time navigators used to regard with t we. When shafts of white light began to taper peunon-like in the eastern sky the girl went back to I her cabin. Contrary to Hozler's expec-1 tat Ion. Coke did not attempt to draw from him any account of their conver? sation prior to the inexplicable mishap to the wheel. He examined a couple of charts, made a slight alteration in the courie and at 4 o'clock took charge of the bridge. "Just 'ave a look around now while things is quiet," he stid, nodding to Hozler confidentially. TU tell you wot I fancy. A rat dragged ? bit of bone into a gear-box If the plankin' is badly worn anywhere, yet the car? penter to see to it. I do 'ate to 'ave a feelin* that the wheel can let you down. S'oose we was makin' Bahia on the homeward run an' that 'appen ed! It 'ud be the end of the pore oie I ship, an' oo'd credit it? Not a soul. ! They'd all say. Mimmle threw 'er away!'" Hozler found a gnawed piece of ham bone lying In the exact position antici? pated by Coke. The carpenter busied himself with sawing and hammering during the whole of the next two days, for the Andromeda revealed many gaps in her woodwork, but the escapade of an er? rant ham bone was utterly eclipsed by a new sensation. At daybreak one rsormng /every drop of water in the vessel's tanks suddenly assumed a rich blood red tint. This unnerving discovery was made by the cook, who was horrified to see a ruby stream pouring into the earliest kettle. Think? ing that an iron pipe had become oxi? dized with startling rapidity, he tried another tap. Finally there could be no blinking the fact that by some un? canny means the whole of the fresh water on board had acquired the color if not the taste of a thin burgundy. Coke was summoned hastily. No? blesse oblige, being captain, fcc val? iantly essayed the task of sampling this strange beverage. "It ain't p'lson." he announced, gaz? ing suspiciously at the little group of anxious faced men who awaited his verdict. "It sartlnly ain't p'lson. but it's wuss nor any teetotal brew I've tackled In all me born days. 'Ere, Watts, you know the tang of every kind o* likker?'ave a sup." "Not me!" said Watts. "I don't like the look of It. First time I've ever ?een red Ink on tap. For the rest of this trip I stick to bottled beer or something with a label." "It smells like an infusion of per? manganate of potash," volunteered Ho? zler. "Does it?" growled Coke, v.ho seem? ed to be greatly annoyed. "WTot a pity It ain't an Infusion of whisky an' pot? ash!" and he glared vindictively at. Watts. "Some IJJit 'as bin playln' a trick on us. that's wot it Is?some blank soaker 'oo don't give a hooraw in hades for tea an' coffee an' cocoa, but wants a tonic. Stooard!" "Yes, sir." said the mess room attend? ant (To Be Continued.) IIAS NARROW ESCAPE. Et J. Finch, it. F. n. Carrier, Pain? fully Hurt When Car Wrecks Ills Buggy Near Inmait. Inman, Jan. 17.?In an accident ofl the Southern railroad here yesterday morning about 7. ir> o'clock, ES. T Finch, R .F. D. carrier, was painfully hurt. His buggy is a complete wreck, it seems a miracle that he should have escaped, especially since the vehicle In which he was riding was specially prepared for this kind of business, being small places ?n each side for entrance and - xlt. < me of these openings saved his life, but no one knows how. His buggy was struck by sonic cars from above the crossing that had 4>een se t in motion by the momentum of one ear Which had been "punch- d in" in shifting. The theory of his escape la that the horse noted as a pivot and threw him from the track when the buggy was struck. He was thrown about feet The hose escaped illjUTV. Mr. Finch is a ve ry qulel man, but prominent In church work. Ralph Rlley, the young negro who ?hot Norman Whlttenberg near Qaff ney some days ago, has been placed In Jail. Whlttenberg has died from the effects of the wound. BLEASE'S INAUGURAL SPEE6H. "GREATEST POLITICAL VICTORY IN Till: HISTORY OF THE STATE," SAYs BLEASE. - Address Typical of Man Who I? N( w Governor of The stau-?Denoiinuea Newspapers?Platform Outline*?!. Special to The Daily Item. Columbia, Jan. 17.?Declaring that "independence of thought, freedom of Action, an abiding trust in and de? voted love for God won for me the greatest political victory that has yet 1 been recorded in the history of South Carolina," Governor Coleman Living? ston Blease of Newberry. Tuesday af- | ternoon delivered the most notable in? augural address that has ever been I heard in the State. Nearly one-half j of his address was taken up in a de- I nunication of the South Carolina press, the other part being devoted to a discussion of issues, all of which were discussed in the campaign last summer. As Governor Blease was too ill to render the speech himself, j it was read for him by Mr. S. M. Sim kins of Batesburg, the reading clerk ! of the house of representatives. In the introductory of his speech Gov. Bleaoe said: "Aligned against me were a united daily press and an al moot solid weekly and semi-weekly press, pouring forth all kinds of false? hoods, vituperation and abuse, re? ceiving the assistance of a number of men who called themselves min? isters of the gospel?God save the mark!?who stood behind their pul? pits and gave vent to envy and malice and slanders of the most virile and malicious nature against me* * ? all Of these, combined with others, mak? ing a set of political character thieves, the meanest and most con? temptible people known to man." Governor Blease singled out the Columbia State from among the oth? er papers for his choicest epithets, al? though he did not fail to pa/ his re? spects to The Daily Record, Charles? ton News and Courier and all other papers which opposed his election as governor. Over two and one-halt columns of his six and one-half col? umns are devoted to the newspapers. He quoted freely from a number of them and included all in his general denunciation. After concluding his discussion of the newspapers and taking up his recommendations to the general as? sembly, South Carolina's new gover? nor closed his address with an apos? trophe to the Diety, to whose good? ness he ascribed in large measure his remakable victory at the polls. In his address Mr. Blease merely repeated parts of his platform, as announced at the beginning of the campaign last summer. His principal recommendations are: Honest administration of all laws and enforcement of all laws. Obedience to the constitution of the State and the United Str.tes. Keeping separate and distinct the legislative, judicial and executive de partments of government. Trial by jury for all persons accus? ed of crime. He considers "govern? ment by injunction vicious and de? grading." Biennial sessions of the legislature. Liberal appropriations for Confed? erate veterans and State institutions of learning, but thinks the legislature has been too extravagant In its appro? priations to educational Institutions. Opposes the use of white peoples taxes to educate negroes. Recommends marriage license law or registration of marriage. Favors having mileage pulled on trains, as the present "system of tick? et collection is abominable." He calls attention to the cocaine evil, would prohibit the sale of cig? arettes, would prohibit boys under sixteen years from smoking them, would outlaw toy runs and pistols and prohibit boys under sixteen years having guns in their possessions or owning them. Recommends that each judicial cir? cuit be allowed a representative on ne board of regents of the State hos? pital for the Insane. Would have white convicts worked In different campa Would amend the dlspensarj act so; that a majortt) of the white citizens may have a license system of saloons under strict regulatb is, instead of the dispensary or prohibition. This, he says, is the only true form of De? mocracy. Would make executions for rape and attempts t<? rape public. The governor makes a general rec? ommendation for economy, and says: that he had rather h:i> a p"..r gov? ernment and a rob. p.-..pie than a rich government and a poor people. He closed his address with a prayer for the people of tin State and an Apostrophe t?. the Diety. Mr. Balllnger's own opinion Is Bomewhat open I ? question in vlea of tin pre p. nd< rating percentage of opinion against him just because our beehive committee went to call on her. Cleveland thought she was Kolng to be stung. NEW YORK PACTS DEADLOCK. It Seema to In' Sheetuui Against Field, With Some of Insurgents Very De? termiaed. Albany, X. Y., Jan. 17.?Wrilliam F. Sheehan against the field. This sums the situation tonight after the first day of legislative balloting for United States senator to succeed Chauncty M. Depew, and for the first time since the bitter fight that followed the resignation of Senator Conklin and Platt in 1881 the legislature of New York faces a deadlock on this question. The senate and assemblly balloted separately today, but neither gave any candidate the majority required for a choice. The first joint ballot will be taken at noon tomorrow and if Mr. Sheehan holds all the legislators who voted for him today he will lead the field with 91 votes. Five members were absent today. Of the remaining 105 votes, 79 were Republicans. The other 26 Democrats divided their votes among Edward It Shepard, Alton B. Parker, James W. Gerard, Martin W. Littleton and D. Cady Herrick. Of the 26 Democrats who voted against Mr. Sheehan today 21 have solemnly pledged themselves not to abandon their stand. Three of the remaining five voted for Mr. Shepard today and resolved to be in sympathy with the pledge taken by the 21. Mr. Sheehan's opponents declared today that five of his 91 votes would desert after the first joint ballot tomorrow. The insurgents, as they have been called, are led by Senator Franklin D. Roosevelt, a young millionaire of Duchess county and a distant relative of Former President Roosevelt. Thifc evening they renewed their mutual pledges. Efforts to induce Gov. Dix to de? clare for some candidate continued today, but the governor reiterated his refusal to interfere. Tonight he made this statement, however: "I think the atmosphere will proba? bly clear after the Joint ballot tomor? row." COURT AT MANNING. Heavy Docket Faces General Sessions Court Next Week. Manning, Jan. 17.?The Court ef general sessions for Clarendon county will convene here next Monday, with Judge J. W. Devoe, of the 14th cir? cuit, presiding. This will be Judge Devoe's drst term at this place and he will find himself confronted with a rather heavy docket, including two murder cases, three for assault and battery, seventeen for liquor selling and a number of others charging va? rious offences. The law library and office furniture belonging to the late Joesph F. Rhame, Esq., were sold at auction yesterday, realizing a total of about $2,000. A practically complete set of South Carolina Reports, both old and new series, sold for $933. Xew Orleans and San Francisco are acting as if the Panama Canal is to run down their main streets. The man is made of the r'.ght stuff who will call the bluff of the one who doubts his ability; a man with ability all things can do In the face of every doubting hoodoo. K? a delight to S feast on Nunnally's candies because they are so good and pure and fresh. She knows?all women know?that Nunnally's are the highest grade can? dies made in the South, are shipped us by fast express. They're the freshest, as well as the choicest money can buy. W. W. SI DEBT. Piano Tuning, Mr. Edmund K. Murray offers his nen cea to thoee who need an expert ?nd experienced Piano and Organ tuner and repairer. References fur? nished and work guaranteed. Address. RDMUND R. MURRAY, Samt er, X C.