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THE SUNNY SOUTH, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, DECEMBER 3 1892.
D GEORGE ANDJACK
An Ill-Starred Ride on Horseback.
By Henry Clay Fairman.
Copyrighted.
I *
WHAT HASTENS TO TOM IN YOBS BIVEtt
SWAMP.
‘•"Wile, T don’t see liow I can leave home
now. Something will go wrong with the
planting' if I leave. Vi fiat’s the reason
Torn esn’i go? remarked Mr. Shelby at
the break Ik s! tabic.
It was Sunday, but Tom, and George
ani Jack were very bu&y. Tom ami George
with fried sugar-cared ham, and rice, and
brown gravy,Jand fried .eggs to make the
combi cation perfect. Jat ir was sitting on
the bank of a email lake—of raol&ssts;—
old-'ashloned, genuine sugar house drips,
which seems to Lave departed this life—
and waa eagerly sopping great chunks of
fritter in it, net withstanding his mother
had ^repeatedly assured him that be bad
plenty of time, and that the batter was
&buadh?it. The boys all rested from their
agrccubio labors and looked at t&eir fa
ther, and Torn asked with marked inter
est:
'*Go where Papa?”
“Dowutojour uncle John’s at York*
vllle. He writes me that* it I can send for
it ho will give n\6 a peck of tfcat Cue Bnr-
toa corn ns nas beeu raising for two er
three yeari. II 1’nj going to get it 3 must
do it right away. It ought to be in llie j
ground now “
when the big red cock in the china tree
near the window aroused Tom from his
(dumber*, and he sprang ont of bed with a
feeling of gratification at the thought
that the nigl t had been very short, lie
hurried out to the kitchen and found aunt
Hannah, the cook, standing by the broad
fireplace where heaps of hot coals were
glowing. As he put his head in the door
she said:
“I dts sont Ned to fetch ole Gray Honey,
fiet down to dis table. Yo’ ccffey an’ bis
cuits is ready.” And w hile the boyap*
; plied bimseif to the breakfast, the old wo
man wrapped up a good luncheon.
The horse was ready and Ned stood
leaning against the saddle as Tom went
oat to the gate.
‘‘I wish’t I could go wid yon, Mos
Tom,” said the negro boy as the white one
climbed up cn the saddle.
“So do I Ned,” answered Tom, “for I
expect it ’ll he pretty lonesome. Good
bye and he tapped old Gray lightly with
his switch and rede briskly away down the
rccKy slope.
There were two routes to Yorkville.
he contihuouoly sprang forward with all
his power—now s.nking down until only
his head and half his uetk could be seen—
now shooting up nntil hisahouideis would
pear—wlihe Ids frigba ned rider, swept
and shaken from the saddle, swung first
on one side and then on the other, still
clutching the mane and the bridle with
death-like grip.
Meantime the only witness of this alar
ming spectacle expected momently tho
drowning of both horse and horseman. He;
ran excitediy up and down the bank'
shouting: “Turn the bridle loose! tarn
the bridle loose! Yon’ll drown the horse 1”
for he Lad perceived vrhat it was that pre
vented Gray from swimming. But Tom
had lest alt presence of mind and was
forcing the hcrao to drift down stream
where the water grew deeper. Seeing this,
the man on the Lauk grew wild with ap
prehension,and hastily tearing off hi* shoes
and outer ciothing, he plunged into the
creek and swam toward the floundering
animal, calling out at every stroke of hid
practiced arms:
“Lst the reins locse boy I The horse
esn’t swim!" Tom suddenly saw the man
in the water, and waked up to what those
shrill cries meant that be had been hear
ing but nut heeding, and he at ouce re
leased the bridle. Gray had become ex
hausted, and bad been, with tho boy ,
once entirely under water, when he felt
his head free, and sprang with renewed ,
energy to the surface and began swim- j
ming confusedly in circles. But by this
time the man had come up, aud seizing
one cf the reins, gently turned the berau
up stream, aud with tho aid of this friend
Jy guidance
hug up the
and stood dripping and trembling and
blowing.
Tom slid hastily to the ground and looked
speechlessly at his preserver who
m HASTY P60HISB.
T WAS EVENING.
From where the sun had
set rose a red glow melt'
log soft’y into the cold
blue gray sky. The sky
tint, but colder, bluer,
harder in tone, was re
peated in the lino of
mountains stretching
a w a y to the soGtb.
Among tho shifting
heaps of fallen leaves
shone gleams cf color,
but the moss was turned
to brown, and in tho cold, windy evening
the lately denuded tress seemed to
shiver.
A woman oamo out of a pasture with a
pail of milk in her hand. A slight, wisp
of a creature, her cotton gown hnng limply
about her thin form. Sim cowered as the
wind struck her, and couched painfully,
yet she lingered. She was too much a
child of nature to explain how the autumn
days made her feel both forlorn and ex
poctant, and yet she was
“No.”
Couldn’t yer suit yerself out lu Califor-
ny?”
“The girl T wanted didn’t want me.” .
“I see. Well, yet digit ha’ taken a
wifewi’yer. 'Taint ter Tate. We’ve somo
metty right galls here. ( V.t t’ds poiur,
Nancy, v ho had gone fr-r a can of cherries,
reentored the room ) Yer recklet Silly
Peters? Uiter spark her, didn't yer?
Wall, she’s got two galls as purt *s their
maw. It-ckon one on ’em ood suit ytr.”
& Chris loo ksJ up, caught Nancy’s eyes,
aud frowned slightly. His own feeling
responded to the look lu her face. What
to a real stranger might have been amus
ing, jarred upon him.
After supper they sat round the fire
talking cf oi-d times. Chris learned with a
strange feeling of being under a spell that
all the b:*ya ho remembered of uis o wn
ago were either fiend or had becom* grand
fathers, yet he had nn thought of grow
ing oid. Pretty soju Uazlo Briiy ro.w aud
said:
“I reckon me an’ my wife’ll go ter bid.
Nancy’ll keep yer company,” and he re-
died to tho room loyond.
Chris sat lookiig in the fi-o. Nancy
drew a chair near him. Ho was scarcely
aware of her presence, his thoughts being,
far avay. At last she spoke: ^
“I have waited long iur y« r, Chris.”
ilg'fltarted.
Hid you believe I would ccrne?” ho
, perhaps, the j *
more affected by the moods cf the Great «.y ’ „
Mother not attempting to translate them .. t ,
into human needs. Tho cl otter of hoofs*- *- 1,v - e recal.ed to :nom«*n. w»
5 when &
jiiio cuiusn necus. irn cianer oi cuojs i - -- -----
made her turn slowly. One glance, and her i iiri ffood-oy to a rosy-
m heart gave a leap, sending the warm color g *
to fcer cheek. Bv the time the horasmriR
®. bfttik Oil tll0 \OkkyiiUj B*U€ 9 j hflr thA was cpaiia.
Billy
river road, and the other by the valley or j *P ee «“ u » BBi y « “ ls pre5eivor wa3
hill road. The last named took its name j c . lj i m hing out of the stream on his own
from York river, which lay seme fifteen j 8Mle *
miles east of Tom’s home. This thorough- j “How do you f iel my lad?” said the
fare ran down the vailey, following in a farmer drawing on his drv coat.
general way the mettndericcs of the . .
The hill road was parallel—»»>■ i - A 1 *? 01 cold, and scared nearly
stream.
parently—with tho vailey road. It lay ten dealh,*’ answered the boy
or twelve miles west cf the ‘ “ * ’
lowed ns nearly as was
giiims.it cf the Lids.
Tom’s lather had directed
j first for the vaiity road
to
And then be
had reached her the cofrr was gone
“Good evening. Docs Undo
Grimes live here?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Ho you suppose be would be willing to
pat me op to-tight ; ?’»
“I reckon. ’Light an’ I’ll tako your
nag."
The gentleman hesitated as if bis gal
lantry would not permit him to allow a
woman to put up his horse, but, seeming
to think (lie batter of It, thankt.d her and.
“Will vou wait for me Nancy?” he had
said “J’ll come back aud marry v. u sotto
day. Idle words, cont&iciug* more of a
feeling than a r* solve. He had long for
gotten till the firelight reflected open her
lace flashed into a dark corner of Lis
brain, and it bad all come back to him.
He could say nothing aral she began to
tell him of the long, weary years E’ui- had
waited. She had no misgiving*; among
her own people she was accounted a sim
ple creature. She knew nothing of the
gulf separating her from her old eweet-
“Bat arent you afraid to send the child so j down the river to his piece
far by himself on horseback?” said Mrs. j At sunrise he was two miles from home,
Shelby anxiously. “I’d be uneasy a b«.-ut j and by 21 o’clock was r’“— J -
liim. You knew it’s thirty miles, and Tom i valleys, and through d
doesn’t know the roads and hss had no ex- I forests that reminded hi
perieucc going about by bimseif.” j had beset him the
“Well,’ replied her husband.''he’ll never ! cheerful sunlight
learn any jounger. He’s getting b:g ‘ mag c all thote feelings
cnoiigTi to Ini-in to ltarn to rely on himself, could not biir<g hi mat
but I won't force him to go;’’ and he lock- danger of any kind iutkt
ed quizzitigiy at jTcm, and concluded, “1 and gloomy swamps. And he met w:
don't see how l can possibly get away.” no adventure until late in the afternoon
“Oh, papa,” cried ifce boy referred to, He had approached within eight msleb o
‘•please l-jtinegm I’m net airial. I can | the village of YoikviiU*, when as he was
him
, you
n£”An f I car. ride behind you,” said Jack, j “Yss sir.”
holding go his fork a chunk of dripping “Ain’t nobody told yon that you cant’i
fritter. Bui, ibis was cut if the qnvUiou. ! cress Chun fey creek? ’ ■
“We’ll see about it,” said Mr. Shelby,* “No. Wfcy7*
rlsiag from the table and reaching to the “It's all balked op by Ycrkriver. There’s
.... « “**’ *” big rise in tho York,and Ghnnky’s back-
maalle for hia lung stemmed pipe. “VYe’ii
see about it. If you go yon must be iff
bright and early tvaiuttow morning. I’ii
give you uircclions about the route. 1
Han't see way you ain’t able to do It.”
Tom was ait eagemess for the long tide,
and hi$ mather yielded to hi< persistent
begging, lleiuulethe cook promise to
Lavu him very i3iiy breakfast, and after
easing that Ida saddle and Indie wire in
good order, and putting his father’s sad
dle bags and other articles he was to Like
along in a place together, so as to get them
« u tna morrow without delay, Le went to
bad; hut sleep was slow to come to him
owing to Lis ow n hiify thoughts, and the
talk of George aud Jack, cf which tho fal
lowing is a a sample:
“Tour, s'itos n you wus to get lost ?” said
George from his bed ou the oppvsite side
oi the room.' “An* s’pos’n you wks to get
’way off in the wooes in Yoik river swamp.
An’ a’poVn you cou.'du’t get out before
dark. Wbas’d you do 1 wonder ”
“Au' s’poa’u” cbinuii in Jeck, who
slept with Tom, “s’pia’u v iu u it ccrne
right dark, an’ you couldn’t see your way,
s’pcs'c you wus to Lear a pauter,—one
o’them awful panu-n thst hollers this like
* woman to make people corse so they cm
oat Vu: 1 * Jack’s voice was tremulous to
ward the end, and lie suddenly ducked bis
head under the cover, and suoggivd close i (h
up t:» hie big brother's back. T-.
Tom Lau efteu noticed that his night
coar,:go was not os reliable eakisuay
courage, and tho talk about swamps anu
pintktr-a in t he darktiesa of the bed roi in
made him hastily reconsider the wisdom
o! the great j ?uraey among strange
aafi loneiy scenes. But, to counterbalance
this, there was the visit to Lis relatives,
and the delights of a rido at will on olu
Gray, woo ,va3 an excellent flit-foot step-
n*4r«—tliH sort oX Lorsc for ft long trip.
it.trc.ilC letting on that ho felt any fear
he answered snappishly:
“You. feUcrs just shut up, an’ lot me go
to sleep. Yaii think I hsv’n’t cot-souse
enongli t j stay in the road ?”
“But&'pos’u,” George persisted, “s’pos’n
Caro l • always made him zrjeet what was coarse I | aR( .x, P ’ '
relan-i ! *«>> v * , 'g : ' r t ai ‘ d he became suddenly j Soon he di
. j run, fc:s native gentleness and simplicity I that i.
. , I have rcc« 5 .nl]y made*. vM*. to that pro
...'JP migLt’Jy| gre'Sive little city, Shelby, North Caro
u° P , Ut l fey T , | us. It is tho conntv scat of Ciev
On yast-iiOwniLcrenot more’n a nuaitbr . . , . ~ , „ .
uhett o’ you.” J I CCQUt y* fln l ita n ' n5< ' £f ° in Cufc ' j of manner Mood' him instead oi breeding I ~' J T«lZ\' ?
Now nere was a difiloalty that neither md Isaac Shelby, an American officer in and education, disarming criticism t.li, rooni
Tom nor Lis father had tbousbt cf. If he i the Revolutionary wsr, aid a Liro if the! with the quick perception and limitative !, r « il»* ■ a„„!
had fuilowid the hill road he would not! battle of King's Mountain in that county, faculty which wore Lis birthright, he had
have encountered the back-water, lie i Tho town is beautifully located near tho largely repaired »be deficiencies of his
looked ruefully at the farmer fur aftw ! centre of theccuaty. Its main siretts arc‘early training, atqniriug much of tbe
I
dark war to come on you in the swamp,
nii'X & pos n you ciJ isttp in the road, au f
the panter wui to Lido in a beadin' tree
over the road,
Here George’s voice was smothered hy
tjio bianuets, siiu Jack clasped Tom about
the wa?s.t. And George’s last “s’pos’n”
was fo startling in its suggestivenisi that
Tom was a.frasa Isis >outgtr brother would
notuo use quickened throbliag of his
Lean. But hadn't ins father 8soi.il ha must
be self-reliant? And hadn’t Le volun
teered, and urged his parents to let him
undertake tho expedition? If he should
“If you boys den’i quit keepin’ me
awake l il c;ili Papa. You know I must
le*ve here by light in tho morning.”
roundea by hungry' “pantera,” was will
ing enough to drop it. George, however,
heln out only a few minutes longer, and
the boys room soon gave forth no sound
»av* the quiet breathing of tho sleeping
prottiei*.
Pa/ waj just breaking next mnrning
inomint, and asked with LtsUation;
“Can’t I swim it?”
“Bud, ita forty yards widened ’pow’ful
deep. They ain't no current hardly, hut
its quir.ksandy. You better not try it.Lut
go vp to my house an’ spend the night, an’
go out lo Uie hill road iu the niornln’.”
“Haw much further is it to Yorkville by
tho hill road ? *
“About twice’t as far.”
“Will you go with me to the creek?’’
“What—you don’t still think of swim
ming do you? Well, you're gritty. I’li go
down to the ford wild you.but I advise you
not to go in.”
Tom a ligs were very tired and cramped
and Le made liis new acquaintance nde
while he walked down to me entk. The
water was nearly level with the banks,but
it locked almost still.
“How deep is it? • asked the traveler.
1 it’s swimmiu’ from tbe first jump. In
thi middle it’s seven or eight feet.”
m bad often taken Gray in swimming
iu the creek at home and ridden him
across deep places, and he knew that tbe
hoise was a good swimmer. He soineLow
one hundred fret wide, fhaded by m b»eI manner and tone of people oi culture,
oake and beaut i ni ’ t lose. These level j Now be had ci ms baik and was a stranger
streets with thtii refreshing shades,famish i is his own lard.
disengagsil himself and arose,
saying that ho was tired and would like to
cut with him to his
leaving tiui H(<ed her
lij s lor a kiss. Again Ijj LesiLUeti, aud
stop ping, kitsid her foreinad. lfr* went
to bed, bat not to sleep. The sense of tbe
iiTi-parable wrong Le li*d dooe t;iis §iri
batced into Lia beKrt, tender with iis own
P»in. Wild ihoughrs or self-immolation
i-ccuirod to him, only to be checked br tbe
giving Litiiia water, t
j eisocs have testified to
ities if this water that ml
the nil j .ret would Le supeifiaous
Sinioy has an excellent view oi the Blue
Ridge Mountains amongst whose loot-
tills it cosily nestles. Its natural drain
age is good, the climate healthful, agriear
hie anu invigorating, and the site pictar-
iaqua ai.il charming’ It is about 1.000 feet-
above sea level, and ss an object to _ be
locked at it is one of the most beautiful
stnal! cities in the United States. That it
is thrifty is shewn by Ike fact that tbs
population ba3 grown from S00 iu 1S80 t<>
2,610 in 1892 Brsid* h the Mineral Springs
in town, Shelby toasts of the noted Oleve
laud White Sulphur, and LiShia Springs
could not beiievo that Chunky was dan- in the mar neighborhood.
GV.rniltf. Hnfc htc trv nf b AV drown S n I* rv Ii XTa 4 Atnn /ion luvacf a 1 !.»
gerous. but his mother’s warning words
now arose before bis mind. “Now, Tom
my you know yiur reckless ways. Ho
keep ont of dangerous places while yon
are away.”
But it was only eight miles to Y irkville
by this route, and it waa twice aa far by
tbe other.
“If you’ll show me where to go in, and
where to strike tbe other bank, I believe
I’ll try it,” be at length said.
“But it ain’t safe. You better come up
to my house, and go on in the mornin' the
other way.”
Bat the headstrong boy refused the ad
vice and the man instructed 1dm carefully
about how to enter and leave the stream.
And as ill luck would have it, Tom now
became tbe victim of a serious oversight.
He was riding with martingales, which,
aa ali farm-bred boys, know, have tbe ef
fect of drawing tbe horses head downward.
He should have removed tbeso before en
tering the water, but it did not occur to
him nor to the man until It was too late.
The boy urged Gray down tbe steep,
slippery bank, and the horse slid, rather
than walked into the creek, and with a
great plunge found himself almost imme
diately in seven feet cf water. Tom was
immersed nearly up to his arms, and ail
that he could see of his steed was the head
and neck.
With his right hand the rider clung to
tho mane, and with the other held the
reins tightly, and so prevented old Gray
from strvtciiiog out hfs neck and swim
ming as he was laboring desperately to
do, and thus the poor animal was in
volved by hit thoughtless rider in
a desperate battle for life. Be
ing unable to swim, he began
making great Kangaroo-like leape fefc the
opposite shore* Standing on Us hind legs 1
No town can boast a Libber type of citi
zens, aid that they are people of reflaed
taste ia proved by the liberal support ex
tended fy them to the Sonny Sooth.
Mrs. Taylor & Co., keep one of tho neat-
ejt and most heme-lifee lutie Inn I have
putting them into a iarge iron skillet. The
firelight tbfebtd on Uio tin pau, gave a
ruddy g'ow to her thin face, and turned
her ouii, yellowish hvir to red grid. As
the stranger w atched her, something rose
to his throat.
“Narcy!”
Sbe turned suddenly.
“Chris 1”
“I did not know you at first.”
“I reckon I’ve changed,” she said, sadly
“Not eo much. It was rather dark. It-
takes the firelight to make you look nat
ural- But how came you here?”
* Uncle Billy married my aunt, an’ she
want, d ac mebody ter help her, an’ I had’nt
no home.”
“NA married?”
“No.” She picked up her pan and left
the room.
.. “It cannot ba that she lias waited all
had the pies&ure of visiting on my trip, these years for me,” he thought. “Of
— birds for breakfast; ami course not; such consf
We actually had
her house is situated just across the lawn
from the lovely fountain, whose water^ 1
freely partook of while in Shelby, a gentle
man having told it had cured a most ag
gravated case of indigestion for bimseif.
There are many towns ia North Caroli
na deseiring cf mention, but want of room
forbids. However, I cannot emit Win
ston, the most progressive of all ;ncr Char
lotte, with her rapid growth and good be
tel—the Central lit leg my special favorite.
Excuse my rhapsody for the Oid North
State -my father was a North Carolinian.
Nettie Smith.
Bacteriological Practice.
The only company so far as we know in
the South that have organized to cure ali
chronic diseases upon the only trne and
rational course of treatment to give the
true germicides for tho destruction cf al
geims, bacilli or microbes. We treat sac
cesefully all chrcnio diseases by mail
Where symptoms are given in fall our sne
cess is wonderful. T« rms reasonable
cures guarantied.
Send for our free b ioks containing
full particulars.
BASTEB8 MEDICAi. DISPENSARY,
61-a N. iiroad Si ^ Atlanta, tta.
constincy it not to be
found among women of her sort. How fad-
edsliefri These mountain folks, partic
ularly the women grow old early. Poor
thing! I suppose she has had‘to work
hard, and sue never was very strong.
Why, she can’t be much older than Lois
Ellison.” He shuddered s.t the contrast.
Miss Ellison was Lts partner’s sister. They
were the best cf friends. He bad proposed
to Lor annually for tbe last five y«ats, and
yet they Mill remained friends. She treat
ed him kindly and without coquetry, and
pleaded prior attatchinent. As the other
man was dead, Chris waited and hoped.
Sometimes he had baen tempted to don‘it
her reason for refuging him, but it only
gave him pain, and he had always made
it a rule never to doubt a lady’s word.
Circumstances had now and then
obliged him to l*e false ia this
price.pie, but he lived up to it when he
could, liis romantic fancy waa touched
by the constancy of the fair, cultivated
woman cf the world, but in this mountain
girl such a sentiment seemed painfully in
congruous. He knew too well that the
position of an old maid hero was one
neither of honor nor profit.
Uncle Billy came in and greeted Chris
with warmth, and tluy sat down to top
per.
“So jon’vo come back ter yer old
home,” began Uncle Billy. “Where’s yer
companion? ’
“I haven’* any.”
“Not got none?” 1
knowing
with a chuckle:
“Nancy’* been a waitin’ fur yer a mig'-ity
while, au’ here yer airo *hur nul.”
“J>td shctcil you so?”
“N »; I knowed hit her tailin’ mi.
She ain’t like other folks. Nancy ain't, sac’s
a sort o’ fool body.”
“I don’t thii.k so.”
“Yer don't.”
“She doesn’t seem strong. I’m afraid she
works too hard.”
* Us mounting folks all fcef ter work.
Nancy Hint stout. S ie’s got the consump
tion, an’ the doctor says she can't live tile
winter out.”
Ckrta was going to speak, but the
woman's coid, hard face ch'. eked him.”
“Who is your doctor?” h« said at last.
“N.body, yer know; a young frffiwr—ho
aint like Dr. Crain, he aint.; he’s ge t fram
in’ an* knows what’s the matter wi* her
right off.”
“What is bis name?”
“Jits Banks, he lives in Waileville.”
Chris wrote down the name, and a plan
began to form iu his nrnd.
After breakfast ho took his departure.
As be was starting Nancy came up from
the spring Louie.
“Where airo yer go in’?” sha asked in
some alarm.
| “To Cranberry.”
“Yer’U coiue back?”
“Yes, soma time.’’
Bho looked at him with a patient, trust
ing smile.
“Good-by! God bless you!” he said aud
rode away, wondering why it is that a
stroug and constant affection i j so seldom
mutual.
As he got on the cars at Cranberry a gay
voice greeted him:
“Huiio, Warren! I’m right gl.vi to son
, was » young drummer with
whom Chris waa pretty well acquainted.
Ho, too, had been up iu the mountains,
ai i. ™ °* amusing storier. from
which it soon appeared thst he had been
flirting outrageously with the mouutain
lassies.
“Lock here, my boy,” said Chris, after a
time, “iet me tell you something. You
can outlive all your early habits, yon may
outlive moat of your friends, but you'd
never outlive the promise yoa make a
woman, and if you don't want to • is over
Mme day th it you are an unmitigat: d
scamp, yon d batter make none that you
dou t mean to keep.” Louunts Sxaxure.