The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, December 27, 1913, Image 2
FRAN
IHN
BRECKKNbJDCS
Dottrations by
O. Irwin Kyert
I
T 1 . ^-U.fmll'o.?
Hercules siowiy rose, stretched hiru
s?4f, then marched to his box. Ho
looked from Frac to the immovable
Bam son waiting upon the table, then
mounted to his place, and seemed to
fail ssleep.
And now, st last, Fran looked at the
spectators. Stepping lightly to the
bars, she threw kisses this way and
that, smiling rsdlsntly. "Oh!" she
cried, w?'h vibrating earnestness,
**you peofte out there?-you can't think
bow I lore you I You're saved my life.
You sre perfect heroee. Now make all
the noise you pi <ase."
"May we move?" called a cautious
voice from a few feet away. It was
Abbott Aehton, with eyes like stars.
Fran looked st him, wondering st
bis thoughts. She answered by aa up
ward movement of her hand.
As though by a carefully rehearsed
Csagernent, the audience rose to its
X bend boys snd all. Such a shout!
Buch waving of bate and handker?
chiefs! Such unabashed sobs! Such
lnaitlcnlateness?such grasplngs of
eeijhbortng bands! The epectators
gone mad with joyful relief.
Pran leaped upon the table, and
mated Samson.
"Now, I'm a rough rider!" she
shouted, burying her hsnds In the
?sens, snd lying sloog the lion's back
la trus cowboy fashion. She plunged,
she shouted loudly, but Samson only j
closed his eyes and seemed to sleep.
After that, making the Hons return
to their cramped side cages was a
ssere detail. The show was ended.
Fran, remaining In the empty enge,
stood at the front, projecting kef hand
through tho bars to receive the greet?
ings of the crowd. Almost every one
wanted to shske hands with her.
"Look, look!" Simon Jefferson sud
denly grasped Robert Clinton's hand, |
and pointed towsrd the tent-roof.
"There they ere!"
Something very strange had hap?
pened up there, but it was lost to
Clinton's keen Jealous gase?one of
those happenings In the soul, which,
however mom^nton? no?<A? ????h. i
served in l\*x i^ldst of the thron*
't jt an (irate
Gre?r?r. " fPs taust teil? v\. >: (U\
tho verv lssi *? n Mi 'li-.
0 I And i feggfeua U ?v.,
pointing us out Ws can't go down .
that way?"
"Ws!" Gregory hsrshly echoel.
"We! I hsve nothing to do with yoj.
Oracs Noir. Go to him, if you will.'
Graes turned ashen pale. "What to
you mean?" she stammered. "You tell
me to go to Mr. Clinton?"
"I tell you to go where you pleas ?
That girl yonder Is my daughter, do
you understand? Don't hold me back!
1 shall go to her snd proclaim her ss I
my child to the world. Do you bear
me? That's my Fran!"
Graee shrsnk back in the suspicion 1
teat Hsmilton Gregory hsd gone mad
like the rest of the crowd. "Do you
mean thst you never want to see me ,
again? Do you mean that you want
me to marry Mr. Clinton?"
"I do not care what you do," h?
said, still mors roughly.
"Yt'i do not care?" she stammered,
bewlld?red. "Whet has happened?
You do not cere?for me?"
She looked deep into his eyes, but
found uo incense buroli g there. Th"
shrlns aas cold.
"Mr. Gregory! And after all tha'
has passed between uh? Afttff I hu\
given you my- myself?"
Orvgory seised her arm. a* if to hold
her off. His eyes were burning dim
gerously: "I saw murdei in ygejf h a
while you were watching Fran." 1
whispered fiercely. "That's my daugh
ter. do you understand? I know you
now, I know you now . . Ho
stumbled down the steps, pushing ou
of his wsy those who opposed bin
progress.
Orsce stared after him with blood
less cheeks snd into derlng eye?.
Clesrly, she decided, the sight of
Fran's fearful danger had unbalanced
his mind. But how could he care ?3
much shout thst Fran? And how
could he leave her, knowing that Hot -
ert Clinton was beginning to climb
upward with eyes fssteuud upon hor
face?
Dut it wss not the sight of Fran's
danger that had for ever alienated
Gregory from Grace Nolr. In an In
Stsnt, she hsd atood rev* aha] to him
ss sn unlovely monster His sensitive
nature, always .bnnrm.iliy allvs In out
wsrd impressions, had thi II d I
aponalvely to Mm lUltal sU>
dlence. He hud endu 'I the n| ? of
suspense, he had ihared Iba QUlverigjl
enthuslssm. If. in a sease, ) ras a
series of moods, each th<' r< salt of
blind Impulse, It so huppeuod that
Orsoe's hiss?"it's the hand of God."
turned his love to aversion; she was
appealing an a Justification of person?
al ha'r. d. to the God th-y wars both
betraying.
QfQge began to tr? mlde as she
WStch- d Heblrl Clinton ' name up,
snd Hamilton OvefBty descending,
8hn had trusted foolishly to a bfOl I
seeeV Dut At v,ra8 DOt Utn m?" to
aerve tho good u* me si g? n
Mboat '.v ?esiaif.ii. 1 Uv i'uruu<'wj?w?t
in Which . ash resolves are forged, waa
cooled. Gregory had deaerted Kran 1
mother; ho was false to Mrs. Gregory;
he would perhaps have betrayed Grace
In the end; but Clinton was at haul,
and h4j adoration would endure.
In tho meantime, the vo ce of Fran
was to be heard abovo taat of the
happy crowd: "I lovo you all. You
helped mo do it. T should certainly
have been mangled but for you pei>
feet heroes. Yes, thank you. . . .
Ye9, I feel fine. . . . And, oh, me a
and women, I could lust feel your
spirits holding mine tip till I was SO
high?1 was in tho cloidd. That's what
subdued Samson. lit knew I wasn't
afraid. He knew it! And I wanted t?
win out for your sake a as well as mr
own?yes I dldl Thank you met..
. . . Thank you, women. . . ?
Well, if hers aren't ths children, too?
bless your brave hearts! . . . An 3
Is that your baby? My goodness, ani
what a baby It 1st . . . No, Tin not
a bit tired?"
She stopped suddenly, on feeling a
crushing grip. She ooked down, n
frown forming on her brow, but tho
sun shone clear when she saw Abbott
Ashton. She gave him a swift look, a *
If to peneratn his inmost thoughts.
Ho met her eyes unfalteringly. "It'll
already nine; o'clock," hi said with sin?
gular composure. "Don't forget nine
thirty."
Then he disappeared In the crowd.
Fran saw the rankR thinning before
her. Sho was glad, for suddenly t-bo
found herself very tired. What would
Abbott think? Would he, henceforth,
see nothing but the show girl of tinsel
and trainer's whip, for ever showing
through the clear glass of her real
self? At nine-thirty, what would Ab?
bott say to her? and low should she
reply? The thought cf him obscured
her vision of admiring faces. Her man?
ner lost its spontaneity.
Then, to her amaseix.ent, she beheld
Hamilton Gregory stunbling toward
her, looking neither to right nor left,
seeing none but her?Hamilton Greg?
ory at a show! Hamilton Gregory
here, of all places, his eyes wide, his
head thrown back as If to bare his
face to her startled gt.ze.
Ti'ran!" cried Gregory, thrusting
forth his arms to tako her bauds.
"Fran! Even now, the bars divide ub.
l'.ut oh, I am so glac, so glad?and
God answered my pn yer and saved
you, Fran?my daughttr!"
CHAPTER XXIV.
Nesr the 8ky.
It was half-past nine when Abbott
met Fran, according to appointment,
before the Snake Den. From her hands
she had removed the color of Italy,
and from her body, the glittering rai?
ment of La Gonisettl.
Fran came up to the young man
from out the crowded street, all quiy
l?c pulsiDf i:fo
that ?x ...\si**+iy,
Aboott Grasped Bill's Hsnd, and In?
quired About Business.
changed her face, as from reflections
of dancing light-points, his composure
ilit'Y.ed almost grotesquo.
"Haft I am." she punted, shooting a
QttilSical glance at bil faro, "are vou
ready for mo? Coma on, toon, and
I'll show you the very pin er? for us."
Abbotl Inquired serenely; "Down
Uta re iti lbs. i > -n f*
Fran scrutinised hi in anew, always
wondertn, boa be had taken the lions.
What ah" saw dul not alarm her.
"No," sho returned, "not in the Den.
You're no Daniel, if I am a Charmer.
No dens for us."
"Nor lion cages?" inquired Abbott,
still inscrutable; "never again?"
"Never again," came her response:
it *as a promist*.
As they miido their way through till
noisy "city square" sho kepi on won?
dering. Since his face revealed uoth
ing, his disapproval, at any rate, waa
not so great an to be beyond control
Did that signify that he did not feel
enough for her really to care? Better
for him to be angry about tho show,
than not to care.
Fran stopped before tho Forrln
Wh< .1.
"Let's tako ? ride,*1 she said, ? little
tremulously. "Won't Deed ticket:'. Hill,
slop tho wh. el. I want to go right up.
This is a Mend Of mine Mr. Ashton.
And Abbott, thll Ii an older friend
than you -Mr. Bill Smcoklns."
Mr. Hill Kmookins was ail exceed?
ingly hard featured man, of no rocog
nUabln ago. Externally, he was bluo
overalls and greasy tar.
Abbott grasped Hill's band, and In?
quired about business.
'Awfttl pore, sense Fran Inf the
show." was tho answer accompanied
b| a grin that threat* tied to cut the
weataer-beatei face wide open.
Kran h Bined, "Mr. Stnookins knew
my motu, r ?lulu't you, BUlf Ho waa
uti'ui food to ur wUou 1 wus a kid
??- ... - ? I I tp
Mr. Smooklns was a Hunan Nympli in
those days, and he smoked and talked,
he did, right down under the water?
remember, BUI? That was sure-enough
water?oh, he's a sure-enough Bill, let
me tell you!"
Bill intimated, as he slowed down
the engine, that the rheumatism ho
had acquired under the water, was
sure-enough rheumatism?hence his
change of occupation. "I wan strong
enough to be a Human Nymph," ho
explained, "but not endurable. Nobody
can't la*t many years as a Human
Nymph."
Abbott indicated his companion?
"Here's one that'll last my time."
The wheel stopped. He and Fran
were barred into a seat.
"And now," Fran exclaimed, "it's all
ups and downs, just like a moving pic-!
turo of life. Why don't you say some?
thing, Mr. Ashton? But no, iou can
j keep still?I'm excited to death, and
wouldn't hear you anyway. I want to
1 do all the talking?I always do, after
I've been in the cage. My brain is
filled, with air?so this is the time to
be soaring up into the sky, isn't it!
What is your brain filled with??but
never mind. We'll be just two bal?
loons?my! aren't you glad we haven't
any strings on us?suppose some peo
pie had hold!?I, for one, would be
willing never to go down again. Where j
' are the clouds??Wish we could meet
j a few. See how I'm trembling?al-1
ways do, after the Hons. Now, Abbott,
I'll leave a small opening for just one
word?"
"I'll steady you," said Abbott, brief
I ly, and he took her hand. She did not
appear conscious of his protecting
clasp. I
"I never see the moon so big," she
went on, breathlessly, "without think
' lng of that night when it rolled along
the pasture as if it wanted to knock
1 us off the foot bridge for being where
j we oughtn't. I never could understand
why you should stay on that bridge '
' with a perfect stranger, when your
I duty was to be usher at the camp-meet
! ingl You weren't ushering me, you
I know, you were holding my hand?i
mean, I was holding your hand, as
Miss Sapphira says I shouldn't. What
a poor helpless man?as I'm holding
you now, I presume! But I laughed in
meeting. People ought to go outdoors
to smile, and keep their religion in a
house, I guess. I'm going to tell you
why I laughed, for you've never
guessed, and you've always been
afraid to ask?"
"Afraid of you, Fran?"
"Awfully, I'm going to show you?
let go, so I can show you. No, I'm In
earnest?you can have me, afterwards.
. . . Remember that evangelist ?
J There he stood, waving his hands?as
I'm doing now?moving his arms with
i his eyes fastened upon the congrega?
tion?this way?look, Abbott."
"Fran! As if I were not already !
> "LeoW- JUSt SO; mit Styl )g ^ word? ?
oily-waving this way and that . .??
! And It at ? -i..'1. U.mv -in b;-pur<
I User- the maa that waves people iuto \
\ our biggest tent?he seems to pick 'em .
! up bodily and carry them in his arms. '
? Well! And if the people are to be
waved into a church, it won't take
much of a breeze to blow them out..
II don't believe in soul-waving. But-1
that doesn't mean that I don't believe
la the church?does it??do you
think?"
"You believe in convictions, Fran.
And since you've come into the church,
you don't have to say that you believe
in it."
"Yes?there's nothing on the out?
side, and oh, sometimes there's so
little, so little under the roof?what
do you think of me, Abbott?"
"Fran, I think yeu aro the most?"
' "But do you!" she Interposed, still
i unsteadily. "In the superlative? I
don't see how you can, after that exhi?
bition behind tho bars. Anyway, I
wsnt you to talk about yourself. What \
trade you go away from town? But
tout's not the worst; what made you
stay swsy? And what were you doing
off there wherever it was, while poor
little girls wcro wondering themselves
lick about you? But wait!?the
wheel's going down?down?down.
. . . Good thing I have you to hold
to?pcor Miss Sapphira, she can't
come now! Lhten at all the street
criers, getting closer, and the whistle
sounds?\ wish we had whistles, the
squawky kind. See my element, Ab?
bott, the nlr I've breathed all my life?
the carnival. Here we are, Just above |
the clouds of confetti. . . . Now
we're riding through . . . pretty
damp, these clouds are, don't you
think! Thoso ribbons of electric
lights have been the real world to me. ,
Abbott.?they were home. . . . No,
Bill, we don't want to get out. We In
tend to ride until you take this wheel
to piece:: And oh, by the way, Bill?
Just stop this wheel, every once *n a
while, will you??when we're up i?t tho
; ver> Uptop. All right?good-by."
And Abbott called gaily, "Good-by,
Mr. Hmookins!"
"I'm glad you did that. Abbott. You
think you're somebody, when some?
body else thinks so, too Now we're
riHing in the world." Fran was so ex?
cited that sho could not keep her body
from quivering. In spite of this, she
fast? la d her eyes upon Abbott to
ask. suddenly: " 'Most*?what?"
"Must adorable," Abbott answered,
as if he had been waiting for the
prompting, "Most precious. Most be
wltehlngly sweet. Most unanswerably
and eternally?Fran!"
"And you?" she whispered.
"And I," he told her, "am nothing
but most wanting-to-be-loved."
"It's so queer," Frsn suhl, plaintive?
ly "You know, Abbott, bow long
you've foup.hi against me. You know
It, und I don't blame you, not In tho
le?^t. There's nothing about me to
make people, . . . But even now,
how can you think you understand mo,
when l don't Understand myself?"
1 "i ?oa't." ho bald, promptly. "I've
given up trying to understand you.
Sinoe- then, I've just loved. That's
easy."
"What will people think of a super?
intendent of public schools caring for
a show-girl, even if she is Fran Non?
pareil. How would it affect your car
reer?"
"But you have promised never again
to engage in a show, so you are not a
show-girl."
"What about my mother who lived
and died as a lion-tamer? What will
yoti do about my life-history? I'd nev?
er speak to a man who could feel
ashamed of my mother. What about1
my father who has never publicly
acknowledged me? I'd not want to
have anything to do with a man who
?who could be proud of him."
"As to the past, Fran, I have only 1
this to say: Whatever hardships it
"Up, Samson, Upl"
contained, whatever wrongs or wretch?
edness?it evolved you, you, the Fran
of today?the Fran of this living
hour. And it's the Fran of this living
hour that I want to marry?"
Fran covered her face with her
hands. For a while there was silence,
then she said:
"Father was there, tonight.*
"At the lion-show? Impossible! Mr.
Gregory go to a?a?to?a?"
"Yes, it is possible for him even to i
go to a show. But to do him justice,
he waE forced under the tent, he had
no intention of doing anything so {
wicked as that, he only meant to do
some little thing like running away?
But no, I can't speak of him with bit?
terness, now. Abuott, he seems all
changed."
Abbott murmured, as if stupefied:
.??,. '.i re gory si s .
"Yes, uid & lion show, When tt was
o\ei ceuio ;.- me?ho was to ex-,
y was I" spoke u the other?
ir?vUei ?
"You didn't show it. I thought
maybe you wouldn't care if r had been
eaten up. . . . No, no, listen. Ho
wanted to claim me?he called me,
daughter' right there before the peo?
ple, but they thought it was just a sort
of?of church name. But he was wen- j
derfully moved. I left the tent with
him, and we had a long talk?I camei
from him to you. I never saw any?
body so changed."
"Hut why?"
"You see, he thought I was going to >
be killed right there before his eyes,'
and seeing it with his very own eyes
made him feel responsible. He told 1
me, afterwards, that when he found
out who it was in the cage, he thought
of mother in a different way?he saw j
how his desertion had driven her to
earning her living with showmen, so I
could b- supported. All In all, he is a
changed man."
"Then will he acknowledge yon??
but no, no . . ."
"You see? Ho can't, on account of i
Mrs. Gregory. There's no futuro for
him, or tor her, except to go on living
as man and wife?without the secre?
tary. He imagines it would be a sort'
of reparation to present me to the
world as his daughter, he thinks it
would give him happiness?but it can't
be. Grace Noir has found it all out?"1
"Then she will tell!" Abbott ex-,
claimed, in dismay.
"She would have told but for one
thing. She dbesn't dare, and it's on
her own account?of course. She has
been terribly?well, indiscreet. You
can't think of what lengths she was
willing to go?not from coldly making 1
up her mind, but because she lost grip t
on herself, from always thinkiug she
couldn't. So she went away with Bob
Clinton?shell marry him, and they'll
go to Chicago, out of Llttleburg his?
tory?poor Bob! Remember the night
he was trying to get religion? I'm
afraid he'll conclude that religion
isn't what he thought it was, living so
close to it from now on."
"All this interests me greatly, dear,
because it interests you. Still, it
doesn't bear upon tho main question."
"Abbott, you don't know why I wont
to that show to act. You thought I
was caring for a sick friend. What do
you think of such deceptions?"
' I think I understand. Simon Jef?
ferson told me of a girl falling from a
trapeze; it was possibly La (iouizettl's
daughter. Mrs. Jefferson told me that
Mrs. Gregory Is nursing some one.
The same one, I imagine. And La (Jon
izettl was a friend of youra, and you
took her place, to the mother could
stay with the Injured daughter."
"You're a wonder, yourself!" Frnn
declared, dropping her hands to stare
at him. ' Yes, that's it. All these
show-people are friends of mine.
When tho mayor was trying to decide
what carnival company they'd have
for the Street fair, 1 told hint about
t
tbl? show, an J that's why it's" here.,
Poor La Gonizettl nee<ls "the mc
dreadfully?for ihoy sp?nd it as
as it's paid in. The little darling will
have to go to a hospital, and there's
nothing laid by. The toys all threw
in, but they didn't have much, them?
selves. Nobody has. Everybody's poor
In this old world?except you and me.
I've taken La Gonizetti's place in the
cage all day to keep her from losing
out; and if this wasn't the last day,
I don't know whether I'd have prom?
ised you or not. . . . Samson was
pretty good, but that mask annoyed j
him. So you see?but honestly, Ab?
bott, doesn't all this make you feel just
a wee bit different about me?"
"It makes me want to kiss you,
Fran."
"It makes you"?she gasped?"watt
to do?that? Why, Abbott! Nothing
can save you."
"I'm afraid not," he agreed.
The car was swinging at the highest
reach of the wheel. The engine
stopped.
She opened her eyes very wide. "I'd
think you'd be afraid of such a world
famous lion-trainer," she declared,
drawing back. "Some have been, I
assure you."
"I'm not afraid," Abbott declared,
drawing her toward him. He would j
have kissed her, but she covered her !
face with her hands and bent her head
instinctively.
"Up!" cried Abbott "Up, Sameoa,
up!"
Fran laughed hilariously, and lifted
her head. Sho looked at him through
her fingers. Her face wsjj a garden of j
blush-roses. She pretended to roar !
but the result was not terrifying; then 1
she obediently held up her mouth.
"After all," said Fran, speaking
somewhat Indistinctly, "you haven't j
told why you ran away to leave poor
Fran guessing where you'd gone. Do
you know how I love you, Abbott?"
"I think I know."
"I'm glad?for I could never tell you.
Real love Is like real religion?you
can't talk about it. Makes you want
to joke, even if you can't think of
anything funny to say?makes you
chatter about anything else, or jus"
keep still. Seems to be something
down here?this is my heart, isn't it? j
?hope I have the right place, I left
school so early?seems even when I re?
fer to It I ought to?well, as I said,
make a sort of joke. . . ."
"Rut this is no joke," said Abbott,
kissing her again.
"Yes," said Fran, happily, "we can
talk about it in that way. Isn't Bill j
Smookins a dear to keep us up here so I
long?"
It was a good while later that Ab
bott said: "As to why I left Little-i
burg: Bob knew of a private school
that has just been incorporated as a
college. A teacher's needed, one with
ideas of the new education?the edu
ention thnt fpaehe? im bow to mnke?
?books?the education i?:tt teacher
ha] ' ? ? as b trot is nvM ?g-,
urea* Juat tho kind taatyou d'.du't find :
old chum of the man wno owns tne
property so he recommended me, and
I went. It's a great chance, a magnifi-.
cent opening. The man was so pleased
with the way I talked?he's new to the
business, so that must be his excuse
?that I am to be the president."
Fran's voice came rather faintly?- j
"Hurrah! But you are to be far, far
above my reach, just as I prophesied.
Don't you remember what I said to
you during our drive through Sure
Enough Country?"
"And that isn't all," said Abbott, ,
looking straight before him, and pre?
tending that he had not heard. "In
that town?Tahlelah, Okla.,?I disco v- |
ered, out in the suburbs, a cottage?
the dearest little thing?as dear as ?
... as Mr. Smookins; just big
enough for a girl like Fran. I rented
It at once?of course, it oughn't to be
standing there idle?there's such a
fragrant flower garden?I spent some
time arranging the grounds as I think
you'll like them. I didn't furnish tho
cottage, though. Women always like
to select their own carpets and things,
and?"
Fran's face was a dimpled sea of
pink and crimson waves, with starry
lights In her black eyes for tbjnal
lights. "Oh, you king of hearts!" she
exclaimed. "And shall we have a
church wedding, and just kill 'em?"
Abbott laughed boyishly. "No?you
must remember that your connection
with show-life is at an end."
??BUt?and then?and so," cried
Fran rapturously. "I'm to have a home
after all, with flower gardens and
carpets and things?a sure-enough
home?Abbott, a home with you! j
Don't you know, it's been the dream of
my life to?to?"
Abbott was Inexpressibly touched.
"Yes, I was just thinking of what I
heard you say, once?to belong to
somebody."
Fran slipped her arms about his
neck. "And what a somebody! To be?
long to you. And to know that my
Home is our home. . . ."
Abbott, with a sober sense of his
unworthlnes8, embraced her silently.
From far below came a sadden
sound, making its way through the
continuity of tho street-uproar. It was
the chugging of the engine.
The wheel began to revolve.
Down they came?down?down?
Fran looked up at the moon. "Good
by," she called, gaily. "The world is
good enough for me!"
(THE END.)
$.100.000 FIRE IX LOl 1SVI1XE.
Plumbing supply House Sustaine
Heavy Loss.
Louisville, Dec. 2ft.?-The Laib
Plumbing ami Mill Supply plant was
damaged to the extend of $106,000
h\ Urs this morning
News and View*.
Pisgah. L?ec. 2.\?It look| an if we
will have a dull Christmas.- Alout
all the noise if the drunken yelis of
negroes made so on blind tiger whia
key procured from outside the State.
The express companies are a sight
to be seen as thy tring in full lotus
of the needful.
Mr. T. If. BradUy has been quite
sick for some time.
Mrs. A. I. Allen, of Columbia, s
voting her daughters here.
Miss Madge Rogers is visiting her
sinter, Mrs. Stuckey at Stateburg.
Klisha Bennett, colored, who waa
paroled by the governor recently, died
I riday from consumption contracted
>ii Ulf hosiery mill. He was tbo one
wuu in trying to shoot his wife, acci?
dentally killed his child, not many
years ago.
Rev. S. B. Hatfleld will more to
Shepherd, above Camden the first of
the year so as to be near his work.
I notice that the papers in criti?
cising the governor for the pardons
and paroles he issues, never criticise
ihe signers to the numerous and long
petitions sent the governor praying
for pardon and signed by judges,
solicitors, jurymen and prom?
inent citizens and whose prayers
he largely heeds in the ex?
ercise of clemency. Do these peo?
ple so lightly sign their names to
petitions as not to be regarded se?
riously, but just sign to please If
they mean what they say, as much
as they do when they sign a note, or
mortgage, and their prayer is an In?
jun' to the State, why not turn the
batteries of criticism upon them too?
The public would be surprised in
reading the book of pardons to see the
names of those asking for clemency
and they are not of the trash kind
either. The press preaches consist?
ency, but rarely practices it. How
abojt the governors of Texas, Ten?
nessee and Massachusetts and other
States, who p.t times pardon by the
wholesale. Do they seriously injure
their Statej. The man who signs a
petition for clemency should mean
just what he says or hands off. If he
is a man he means it, and will main?
tain what he does. If he signs to
plcE.se he is trifling with something
that no man should. Making a faroe
of his name.
(Our Pisgah correspondent either,
does not read the newspapers care?
fully or deliberately does not tahe
note of what he does not wish to r-ee,
- w? ?ffte?T'ld eet v?p?tiiv assert that
firov. ?-?.?>? >n pilces 1? the p
? < - scan lal? tl?e sle^am >i pettth s
: -v f. ? et eee ritictit 1 by i s
newspapers PlSg?h'S ftV.g at t *
with displaying an unthinking ad?
miration of Blease and his evil works,
he imitates him by sousing the news?
papers. Blease and his apologists r
hard put to it to find excuse for h?
debauching of the office he holds
when they must need r**nrt to sub?
terfuges as Pisgah uses. The pardon
scandal is rotten in every particular?
the attorneys *vho work up the peti?
tions, the men who sign them and the
governor who turns criminals loss
on the State by the wholesale. But
the rottenest of all is scandalous
abuse of power by the governor.)
DECAYED CHICKEN ON HAND.
Armour A Co., Finder ggog foe ttU
Pounds Unfit for Use.
New York, Dec. 22.?For having In
their possession 825 pounds of de?
cayed chicken, unfit for human con?
sumption, Armour & Co., were today
fined $300. The company pleaded
guilty. Hearings on three other
charges of violation of the sanitary
law were postponed.
The street force has been at work
recently cleaning up the streets of
leaves. In this way preventing future
stopping of the storm sewers with
them. Weather has been good most
of the time up to the present bsJ
spell and the work has been pretty
well completed.
The Gypsies who have been staying
in the edge of town for several days
seem to be undesirable as they have
ttecn made to move twice and no one
seems to want to have them camping
anywhere on his land.
The City of Sumter remembered its
efficient police force at this happy
Christmas Reason, giving each mem?
ber a nice fat turkey for Christmas
din ner.
The Philippine bureau of forestry
uses a launch for service between
islands. The V. S. forest service em?
ploys several, both on inland bikes
and in salt water, in Alaska and Flor?
ida
While there are five hemlocks in
the United States, only two are of
any commercial importance, com?
mon hemlock and western hemlock.
Of these two western hemloek mokes
?he hettei lumber