Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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My Lady of the North TJs LOVK STORY tf" A GRAY JACKET By Randall Parrish ty4.it ho r mf ]%% Urn" IUI ?THATIONS BY Ait Tit JK H WILLIAMSON l?Mkk %r A. C McCIi??? ? Cm. ft h*u. ' t I "Have the enemy kept you busy?" "Der vo* some shooting, und I lud ley be got hurt bad. but der fellers is all gone." "Hrtng your men fit for duty out here In the hall, and have them Join my party. How many have you?" Der is l inr, captain." Ha drew back, and as he disap? peared some one came hastily toward us along the hallway from the rear. "What la lt. Caton?" I asked anx? iously, aa I recognlied him. They are forming to rush me, I tank." he answered. "I need a few en If I can get them." 'They are preparing to assault front rear at the same time," I an? swered "They are massing now, and la my Judgment Firennan will have to face the brunt of It. The front of this house la greatly exposed, and will prove extremely difficult to defend if they come against It with any force. How many men do you absolutely re? quire to bold your position? Remem? ber, the women are all in the front part of the bouse, and we must pro? tect tbem at all hatards; come with mo. There are times when a higher law than that of military despotism ehoi-.d control our actions. I am go ?sg there, orders or no orders. Ebers can command your detachment and ac? complish all the service you possibly could. Your rightful place is between ruffians and the woman you How many additional mer will be required to make the back of the house secure?" "I feel use a new man. Wayne." he aald thankfully, "and I know you are right four more would b* ' ildee the one 1 "Oes*!' Kbers. ! s. ?d. h? id; portlf trgeant tgaiu vffi*< ged from out the ea, take four four men back to the kStclfte? sad assume ?u***uiand. The guerillas are preparing to make a rush there, snd you mus drive them back by a rapid fire. Ho-ry along The little group bad bare!/ van 1shed beyond the stow of the light1 when from without our ears were sud? denly assailed by a wild, exulting yell that bespoke the charge "There they ere!" I cried. "Now, lada. come with me!" The dull. gray, chilling dawn re? vealed a room in utmost disorder, the windows shattered, the blinds cut and splintered, the walla scarred with bul? lets and disfigured with stains of blood, the furniture overturned and oroken. A dead 'dler in gray uni? form lay la the canter of the floor, his life blood a dark stain upon the rich carpet; a man with coat off. and blue shirt ripped wide open, was leanlrg agsJnst the further wall vainly endeav? oring to staunch a wound In his chest. Brennen wss upon one knee nesr the central window, a smoking gun in his I band, a red welt showing ghastly serosa his cheek. All thla I saw In a single glance, snd then, with the leap of a panther I was beside him, gazing out Into the morning mist, and firing as fast as I could handle my gun. Through the shifting smoke clouds we could see them advancing on a run?en ugly, motley Hue. part blue, part gray, part everything?yelling* aa Iber swept forward like a pack of Infuriated wolvea. their fierce faces scowling savagely behind the rifles. It was hslf war. half riot?the reckless onslaught of outcasts bent on plunder. Inspired by lust, yet guided by rudo discipline. I knew little of detail; faces were blurred, unrecognizable, all I seemed to note clearly was that solid, brutai heartless, blasphemous line of desper? ate men sweeping towa'? u?; with a re? lentless fury our puny bullets could not che? k Reckless feroclt" wa> <a that mad ruah; they preaeed on mote llko demons than human beings. I saw men tlH : T saw the living stumble aver the dead. I heard cries of agony, shouts, curses, hut there was no pause. "I Was Standing There Apparently Alona, but for We Dead." I could mark their faces now, cruel, angry, revengeful; the hands that grasped the veranda railings; tho leap* lng bodies; the rifle butts uplifted to batter down our frail defenses. As trapped tigers we fought, hurling them back from the windows, slushing, clubbing, striking with fist and ste< 1 , Two lay dead across the sill berore me, cloven to the very chin, but their bleeding bodies were hurled remorse? lessly aside, while others clambered forward, mad from lust of blood, crazed with liquor. With clubbed, guna we cleared It ajgaln and again, battering mercilessly at every head that fronted us. Then a great giant of a fellow?dead or alive, I know not?waa burled head-long through the i opening, an inert, limp weight, that; bore the two soldiers beside me to the floor beneath hta body. With wide sveep of my gun I struck him, shat? tering the stock Into fragments, and awung hack to meet the others, the hot barrel falling? to right and left like a flail. They were through and on me! Wild as any sea rover of the j north I fought, crazed with blood, un? conscious of injury, animated solely j by desire to strike and slay! Back I bad to go; back?I trod on dead i bodies, on wounded shrieking In pain, i yet no man who came within aweep of j that iron bar lived. I loved to hear j the thud of it, and I fronted those ' glaring eyes, my blood afire, my arms like steel. Through the red mist I be held Caton for an Instant as twenty brutal hands uplifted, and then hurled him into the ruck beneath their feet. Whether 1 fought alone I knew not, cared not. Then some one pressed next to roe, facing as I did, wielding a sword like a madman. We had our backe against the piano, our shoul dera touched; before ua that mob swayed, checked for the moment, held fast by sudden overpowering dread. I glanced aside. My companion was Brennen, hatleas, his deep-set eyes aflame, his coat torn off, his shirt ripped open to the waist, his bare ' breast red with blood. "No shootln', damn ye!" shouted a voice, hoarsely. "No shootln'; I want that Reb alive!" Through the swirling ! a*> ognized the malicious ft 3d Lowrie as he pushed hi ie front. To me it waa ill ai challenge to combat. "Rush them!" I muttei li? nen's ear. "Hurl them b id dodge under into the ne I never wslted to as be bear* me. With one fl I < their stunned 1: ay i bar swept a clear It era shed remorselessly if he ant Lowrle and m 11?fc'^ ~:^ne and frontln IT, A wild cat enraged by ! as he did when he leaped ie.! Hate, deadly, relentless. ils eyes, and with a yell of he awung up his long rifl ck savagely at my head w sk. .1 c tught it partially o el, breaking Its full force, a It descended upon my. she ed tho muzsle hard into hi. ce. With a snarl of pain h. Hi gun and grappled wltb as his Angara closed aboi at, something swirled dowr he maze, and the maddenc ig gcred back, his arms up ed beard cloven in twain. "Now for It, Wayne!" shouted Rren nan. "Rack with you!" With a dive I went under the piano. I heard the sliding doors shut behind ua, and almost with the sound was again upon my feet. "To the atairs!" I panted. "Rren nan, take the women to the stairs; those fellows sre not in the hallway, yet, and we can hold them there a while." In our terrible need for haste, and amid the thick, awlrllng smoke fill lng that Inner room almoat to suffo-, cation, I grasped the woman chnnclng to be nearest get, without knowing at tfcat moment who ah? was. Al ready the rifle-butts were splintering the light wood behind ua Into staves, and 1 hastily dragged my dazed com panion forward. The others were in advance, and we fc.oped our way like blind persons out into the hall. By rare good fortune It was yet unoc? cupied, and as we took the few hur-i ried steps toward the foot of the stairs I found my arm was encircling Oelta Minor. The depth of despair within her dark eyes and the speech less anguish of her white face, swept for an Instant the fierce rage of battle from my brain. At that, moment the mob, discover lng our direction of escape. Jammed both doorways and surged forth howl lng into the hall. "T'p!" I cried, forcing her forward. "I'd with yon; quick!" I paused a scant second to pluck n saber from beside a dead soldier on thrt floor, and then with a spring up the Intervening steps, faced about al Rrennan's side on ths first landing. "We ought to leave our mark on those Incarnate devils here." he said grimly, wiping his red blade on tho carpet. "1'nless Ibey reach the second story from without, and take us In (he rear." I answered, "we ought to bold hack the whole cowardly crew, so long as they refuse to fire " II was s scene to abide long with a man a horrible nightmare, never to be forgOtte?. Above US, protected IQsnsWhal by ihe abrc.pt curve of the wide staircase, crouched the women Two were sobbing, their beads burled Ig their hands hut Maria and Mrs Bfennan s;?t white o,' face ami dry ? reel. I caught one q tick glance tit the fair face i loved my sweet lady of the North thinking Indeed, It might prove Ibe I aal on earth, and knew her eyes were upon me Then, Stronger of heart than ever for the 1 1 coming struggle, I fronted that scene below. Through the rising haze of smoke I looked down Into angry faces, un? kempt beards, and branisher1 weapons The baffled rascals poured out upon us from both doors, crowding Into the narrow space, cursing, threatening, thirsting for revenge. Yet they were seemingly leaderless, and the boldest among them paused at the foot of the stairs. They had already felt our arms, had tested our steel, and knew well that grim death awaited their advance. Rut they could not pause there long ?the ever increasing rush of those behind pressed the earlier arrivals steadily forward. Grim necessity fur? nished a courage naturally lacking, and suddenly, giving vent to a fierce shout, they were hurled upward, seek? ing to crush us at whatever sacrifice, by sheer force of numbers. We met them with the point, In the good old Roman way, thrusting home remorse? lessly, fighting with silent contempt for them which must have been mad? dening. I even heard Brennan laugh, aa he pierced a huge ruffian through the shoulder and hurled him back? ward; but at that moment I saw Craig knock aside a levelled gun and press his way to the front of the seething! mass to assume control, ills face was inflamed, his eyes bloodshot; drink had changed him into a very demon. "Damn ye, Rod told you not to Are!" he yelled. "Come on, you dogs! You could eat 'era up if ye wasn't eich blamed cowards. There's only two, and we'll hang them yet." He leaped straight up the broad steps, his long cavalry sabre in hand, while a dozen of the boldest followed him. Rrennan swung his sword high over head, grasping it with both hands for a death-blow, even as I thrust directly at the fellow's throat The uplifted blade struck the chain of the hanging lamp, snapped at tho hilt, and losing his balance the Major plunged headlong into the ruck be-1 neath. The downward fall of his body swept the stairs. As I stood there, panting and breath? less, a woman rushed downward. Be? lieving she would throw herself Into 'hit tangled mass below. I instantly caught her to me. "Don't," I cried anxiously. "You cannot help him. For God's sake go back where you were." "It is not that" she exclaimed, her voice thrilling with excitement. "Oh, i Captain Wayne, do you not hear the bugles?" As by magic those hateful faces van? ished, disappearing by means of ev? ery opening leading out from the hall, and when the cheering blue-coats surged In through the broken door, I1 was yet standing there, appearently alone but for the dead, leaning weak and breathless against the wall, my arm about Edith Brennan. CHAPTER XXXIII. After the Struggle A young officer, whoso red ?'ace wan rendered extremely conspicuous by the blue of his uniform, led the rush of his soldlera as they came tumbling gallantly into the hall. "Up there, men!" he cried, catch? ing sight of me, and pointing. "Get1 that Johnny with the girl." As they sprang eagerly forward over the dead bodies littering the floor at the foot of the stairs, Brennan scram? bled unsteadily to his feet, and halted them with imperious gesture. "Leave him alone!" he command? ed. "That io the commander of tho Confederate detachment who came to our aid. The guerillas have fled down the hallway, and aro most of them outside by now. Way:?e," he turned and glanced up at Uo, his face instant? ly darkening at the tableau, "kindly assist the ladies to descend; we must get them out of this shambles." He lifted them one by one and with ceremonies politeness across the ghastly pilo of dead and wounded men. "Escort them to the library," he suggested, a: I hesitated. "That room i will probably be found clear." 1 was somewhat surprised that Bren? nan should not have come personally to the aid of his wife, but as he ig? nored her presence utterly, I at once ' offered her my arm, and silently led the way to the room designated, the others following as best they might. The apartment was unoccupied, exhib? iting no signs of the late struggle, and I found comfortable resting places for all. MM Minor was yet sobbing soft? ly, her face hidden upon her moth? er's shoulder, and I felt constrained to speak with her. "I shall go at once," I said kindly, "to ascertain all I can regarding Lieu? tenant Caton. and will bring you word." She thanked me with a glance of her dark eyes clouded with tears, but as 1 turned hastily away to execute this errand, Mrs. Brennan laid re? straining hand upon my arm. "Captain Wayne." she said with much seriousness, "you are very un se'fish, but you must not go until j your own wounds have been attended to; they may be far more serious than you apprehend " As I gated It her, surprised by the anxiety she so openly displayed* I chanced to behold myself reflected within a largo mirror directly across the room One glance was sufficient to convince me her words were fully Justified My remains of uniform llt '?rally clung to mo in tags, my bare shoulder looked a contused mass of battered flesh, my hslr was matted, and my face blackened by powder ?tains and streaked with blood. "I certainly do appear disreputable enough." 1 admitted; "but I can as ?ure you It Is nothing sufficiently se? rious to requln Immediate attention" As 1 stepped without ami closed the door behind me, I was at once start? led by the rapid firing of shot from the rear of the house, and the next moment I encountered the young, red faced officer hurrying along the hall? way at the head a squad of Federal cavalrymen. Recognizing me in the gloom of the passage he paused sud? denly. "I owe you a belated apology, Cap? tain," he exclaimed cordially, "for hav? ing mistaken you for one of those mis? creants, but really your appearance was not flattering." "Having viewed myself since within a mirror," I replied, "I am prepared to acknowledge the mistake a most nat? ural one. However, I am grateful to be out of the scrape, and can scarcely find fault with my rescuers. Five min? utes more would have witnessed the end." "We rode hard," he said, "and were in saddle within fifteen minutes after the arrival of your courier. You evi dently made a hard fight of it; the ouso bears testimony to a terrible struggle. We are rejoiced to learn that Lieutenant Caton was merely stunned; we believed him dead at first, and he is far too fine a fellow to go in that way." "He is truly livinr. then?" I ex? claimed, greatly relieved. "Miss Mi? nor, to whom he is engaged, is sor? rowing over his possible fato in the li? brary yonder. Could not two of your men assiet him to her? She would do more to hasten his recovery than any one." "Certainly," was the instant re? sponse. "Haines, you and McDonald get the officer out of-the front room: earn' him in there where the ladiea are, and then rejoin us." I left, remembering then my own need. By using the back stairway I avoided unpleasant contact with the traces of conflict yet visible at the front of the house, and finally discov? ered a bathroom which afforded facili? ties for cleansing my flesh wounds and making my general appearance more presentable. I found I could do little to improve the condition of my clothing, but after making auch A Gentle Hand Was Stroking Back the Hair From Off My Temples. changes for the better as were pos? sible, soaking the clotted blood from out my hair, and washing the powder stains from my face, 1 felt 1 should no longer prove an object of aversion eveu to the critical eyes of the women, who would fully realize the cause for my torn and begrimed uniform. (TO BK CONTINUED.) The Rest Medicine in the World. "My little girl had bloody dysentery very bad. 1 thought she would die. Chamberlain's Colic, Cholera and Diarrhoea Remedy cured her and 1 can truthfully say that I think it is the best medicine In the world," writes Mrs. William Orvis, Clare, Mich. For Bale by all dealers.?Advt. GREAT MASSFS OF PROOF. Reports Of 80,000 Cases of Kidney Trouble, .Some of Them ttamter Cases. Fach of some (i.ooo newspapers of the United States in publishing from week to week, names of people in its particular neighborhood, who have used ami recommended Doan'a Kid? ney Fills for kidney backache, weak kidneys, bladder troubles ami urinary disorders. This mass of proof In? cludes over 30,000 testimonials. Sum ter is no exception. Here is one of the Sumter cases: William Ycadon, 27 Haynsworth Street, Sumter, S. <v, says: "1 am confident thai Doan'a Kidney lulls act just as represented and are worthy ?>f endorsement. 1 have taken them f<?r dull backache ami trouble with the kidney secretion, getting my supply at China'.1- Drug Store. 1 have always bad prompt relief." "When Your Back is Lame Re? member the Same." Don't simply ask for a kidnt y remedy?-ask distinctly for Doan's Kidney Fills, the same thai Mr. Ycadon had?the remedy back? ^ d by home testimony. 60c all stores. Foster-Mllburn Co., Props., Buffalo, N V. No. 17 Causes of Stomach Troubles, Sedentary habits, lack of out door exercises, Inaufllelenl mastication of food, constipation, a torpid liver, wor? ry and anxiety, overeating, partaking i.f food and drink not suited to your nge ami occupation. Correct your habits ami take Chamberlain's Tab? lets and you will Boon be well again. For bale by all dealers. Advt. UHi siKllvi: Wil l. NOT III-: CALL-! "?? Railroads und Employee* Agree tu Arbitrate Under Neu Act. New York, July :!?;.?The threaten* ed itrike ?l" 80,000 contiuetors and trainmen of forty-live Eui 'em rail? roads for higher waget) tend mproved working conditions will no! be culled. Articles of agreement to arbitrate, un? der the Newlanda Act, the questions at issue, were signed today by the employees' representatives and the conference committee of railroad managers. The agreement was not reached until the managers bad withdrawn the proposal that their own griev ances against the men also should be arbitrated. This claim, the managers announced today, they had relinquish? ed to "protect the public" from a tie lip which, they said the employees intended to force if the railroads per? sisted in pressing their point. Today's peaceful outcome of tho dispute was the result of efforts made by the board of mediation and con? ciliation recently t reated in the hur? riedly passed Newlanda Act to meet the situation. The board, consisting of Judge William Lea Chambers, Judge Martin A. Knopp, and G. W. Hanger, brought about today's agree? ment, after conferences with the dis? putants which continued more than .: week. mm ii;ty AT ST. CHARM*!. St Charles. July If.- i >n Thurs? day evening Mrs. a. K. Weldon en? tertained the young folks of the neigh borhood in honor of her very ettrac live guests. Misses Sara Elizabeth, Anna Dello ami Cotsy Harlot and Miss D'Arcy Duncan. The residence wa appropriately decorated for the oeea8ion and a largo number of guesta i ailed to enjoy Mrs. Weltlon'a hospitality. The evening was very pleasantly spent in ? onveraatlon and those pres? ent found tin* affair most enjoyable. A delightful ice < eurae was served i during the evening. Newberry, July 27.?George Crom er, elder of the two sons of Dr. <I?-orge D. Cromer, died at his homo in this city at 12 o'clock today of lyphold lever after an illness of two or three Weeks. He was 21 years of age and a young man of fine char? acter. Geo.H. Hurst, CNRKRTAKER AND KMRAlJslKR. Prompt; attention to day or night calls. AT OLD I. D. CRAIG STAND, sos N. Main Street, Day Phone ftSt. Night Phone so .. Sumter Railway & Mill Supply Co., SUMTER, S. C. The season is here when you are obliged to have repairs, generally, as quickly as they can be [rotten. We are in your midst, can give you quicker service than our competitors, and we bespeak a part of your business, guaranteeing satisfaction. Our Stock is Complete in the Following Lines: ('or ROOfing! rugSid and Crimped: EWsctrold rubber rootling. 1. 2 and 8 ply. Raltinff' Rubber, 'iandy Delling. and Leather. Injectors: Allk,,ids Packing: &shcet As* HOSe* ^tc>am water. ?X6S* ^c"?y s perfect. Blocks: JJSSd, Uopo aml Chain* Steel loading atul Mil dill i proof tested. Piillouc Steel? Iron and ruiiejb. \Voo<j Sput will lit siiy size shaft. Lace Leader: SS? and Babbitt Metal: ^,ne to Shafting: kU"?* Hangers: Dr?pand p^t. Shaft Couplings, 0aifSg\ plate and ribbed. ValVSS 'enklnaend ateud KtOClv. ard l-41n. to 6in. in iroa Pipe Fittings. 'to4,C all styles. Bar Iron. RoundandfUt Plna Cut an'l Threaded r!U?' from t-ttn to tiin. in? clusive, to sketch. Wir? Rope. Saws pros8 cu*and c'reu* Cant Hooks. Pumps. Blacksmith Toils. In fact everything carried in an up-to-date supply house. When needing anything write, phone, wire, or call. Your wants will have immediate attention. Respectfully, Sumter Railway & Mill Supply Co. Builders' Hardware Is a specialty of ours, and the large and complete stock which we carry enables U6 to do a little better for you than you would believe. Remember when you need anything in hardware it will pay you to sec us first. The DuRant Hardware Co. WE SELL LIME, CEMENT AND PLASTER. Wire Fence We bay direct fro n.?he ?teri mills in car loads for cash with all discounts off, this enaMcs us to sell >ou at the lowest prices, which we guarantee to do. Booth-Harby Live Stock Co. Sumter, ??????????? South Carolina e*eeeeeeeeee*eee< 1913 The Farmers' Bank & Trust Company Capital Stock, Surplus, - Liability of Stockholders Protection to Its Depositors, $1 20,000.00 77,000. oo 120,000.00 $317,000.00 Interest 4 Per Cent on Savings 5 Per Cent on Certificates Courteous Treatment to All. G. G. Rowland. Pres. Guy L. Warren. Cashier, H. L. McCoy. Teller. Col. Thos. Wilson,) Isaac Schwartz. [ Vice Presdts. Geo. D. Shore, )