Watch*--—
QhrMld*) Bat« 18““
Bat. 18341' Consollda ed with the
lithena Banner, Bat. Mil.
ATHENS. GA.,TUESDAY MORNING. DECEMBER 13.1892.
$1.00 A YEAR
BEAUTY’S METEMPSYCHOSto
That beauty si Clerk 8 a P ****?
Candielnde* #> „ _>-*•*
Wen ordinance too wafffonly malign!
No wit may reconcile so cold a creed
With beauty such os thine.
From wave and star and flower
Some effluence rare
Wee lent tliee. a divine but transient dower;
Thou \riold8t it back from eyes and llpe and
hair
To wave and star and flower.
Shouldst thon tomorrow die.
Thou still slialt be
Found in the rose aud met in all the sky.
And from the ocean's heart shalt sing to me,
Shouldst thou tomorrow die. ’’ •
—William Watson.
MAT’S HUSBAND.
She doubtless had a woman’s reason
for marrying him. That kind of reason
inaj’ not satisfy other people, bntit is in-
vnrinbly sufficient for the feminine rea-
Boner.
Sam Toms was what is called “wnth-
less" by his Texan neighbors. Old Bill
Bunn, his father-in-law, himself not a
very-energetic or useful citizen, used to
sit on the steps at the crossroads store
and publicly bewail his sad lot in having
Sam for a member of his family. Bill
had a dramatic style of delivery that
was very fetching, and invariably im
pressed strangers as being very much in
earnest.
He wonld sit on the steps, silently
chewing nr. enormous mouthful of to
bacco and apparently listening to the
conversation of his coloafers. If Sam’s
name was mentioned he would give vent
to four or live little falsetto sqneaks,
which found egress through his nose:
then ho would draw in a long breath,
puff out his fat cheeks, purse hismouth,
and give a heavy, whistling sigh; this
wonld bo followed by a large quantity
of tobacco juice, carefully aimed at
some object in the vicinity. These pre
liminaries accomplished, Bill wonld rise
to his foot, thrust one fat, dirty hand
into liis shirt front, wave the other in a
sweeping gesture as he lowered his eyes
aid rolled his head sadly from side to
side, and deliver himself profoundly aft
er tho following fashion: ,
“Ah—hum! That Sam Toms is th’
laziest, mos’ sliifless, o'nery, triflin enss
1 ever seed—an yere I’ve done got ’itn
fr a son-'n-lawr. Hm-hm-hiu!” Another
whistling sigh would close this perora
tion. and old Bill wonld resume his seat,
still shaking his head sorrowfully.
And Bill was more than half right.
Nominally Sam was a cowboy, but
most of the time he would tell yon he
was "jes’ lay in off aspell, t’ rest up like.”
lie had always been just so—distin
guished for laziness in an easy going
community— and nobody expected him
ever to be otherwise, and it puzzled peo
ple immensely when energetic, capable
Mattie Bunn accepted him for “reg’lar
comp’nv,” to say nothing of the sensa
tion created by their wedding.
Mat, as lias been suggested, probably
had some reason for marrying Ham, but
it is quite certain that she never told
any ono what that reason was. Sam
was tall and big, nml handsome in his
careless, sloncliy way; he had always
managed, no one knew how, to wear
good clothes too. These facts and his
perennial good nature and friendly
ways were the only points in his favor.
Against him were the points so forcibly
taken by his father-in-law, aud also that
he got drunk whenever li« could possi
bly do so, and was morally so weak that
any one conld easily lead him astray.
How Mat and Sain got along no one
but Mat knew. Once in a great while
Sain wonld do some work and earn a
few dollars. If lie got home with it
without stopping at the saloon, well and
good But oftener than not he wonld
“drap ill jes’ t’ take a nip’r two,” and
that would settle it. At such times he
would stay anti buy drinks for every
body present while his money lasted.
Then lie would come home in a maudlin,
tearful state of intoxication, and invent
some tale to account for his condition
and the disappearance of his money,
winding up with the promise never to
let it happen again.
And Mat wonld pretend that she be
lieved him, and wonld stroke his cnrly
head until he fell asleep. Theu she
would look at the handsome scamp for
a few minutes with love unutterable in
her eyes—the tired eyes back of which
were u world of unshed tears. But she
never complained—not the first word;
the firm set month and weary look
might indicate ever so mnch, but her
lips never expressed it. And Sam grad
ually grew more and more useless and
shiftless, trusting to his wife’s ready wit
and fertility of resource to carry them
both over the bad places.
There were lots of bad places too.
Twice Sam ran into debt several dollars
at the saloon and Mat fonnd some means
to pay the debts—only herself knew
how. But the second time she informed
the saloon man that be must trust Sam
no more. Aud, besides these things, to
1 i ve—how did they do it? Nobody conld
guess. Perhaps even Mat herself conld
not have told, yet live they did-r-or rather
existed—and for the most part kept oat
of debt.
Ham sometimes worked, but never for
very long. He always fonnd some ex
cuse for leaving a place within a few
days. He could almost always find an
other job easily enough, for he was an
excellent “hand” when he chose to be,
but he did not hasten about finding a
new job when he had given one np: not
until they were reduced to the very last
straits could Mat get him to hunting
work again.
One day Sam left home for a ranch
about thirty-five miles distant, where he
had heard they wanted help. Two days
passed—three—four—five—and no word
came from him. Mat was not a little
worried, although Sam had often been
away for two weeks at a time without
sending word to her. Bat this time it
was different; there was no excuse for
his not sending a message, as the stage
come by the ranch he had gone to three
times a week. If he had found work
* ■' * over her head and went down to
ther’s to find if they had heard
r -uyitfing of Sam.
The old fellow was standing in the
d oor way talking to a conple of strangers.
“No,” he was saying, “they hain’t
be’n no person Tong yer las’ few days
but what b’longs yere. Mebbe, though,
he mout V be’n seed over yere t’ Bacon’s.
Ben thar? No? Waal, my boy’s comin
in f’m thar purty soon, an he c’n tell ye.
Come in an feed; Jack’ll be yere right
soon.”
Mat staid to help her mother with
the supper, and daring the course of the
meal learned that the two strangers
were officers trailing a horse thief, who
had stolen a valuable horse at a ranch
forty.miles east and sold it at Pickett
station, and who was believed to have
come this way.
As she listened to the conversation a
sudden nameless fear came upon her,
making her feel ill and faint. As soon
as supper was over she took her shawl
and hurried home.
Somehow she was not surprised to find
the door open. She entered hastily.
Sam was in bed, asleep and breathing
Btertoronsly. He had evidently been
drinking, as his clothes were scattered
about the floor, and Mat, looking out
the back door, could see his pony stand
ing patiently where Sam had left -him,
waiting for some one to come and feed
him. •' \
Mat leaned over the sleeping man and
kissed him gently, her eyes full of love.
Then she turned to pick np his clothes
and put them away. The trousers were
heavy, and something jingled in one of
the pockets. Instinctively Mat thrust
her hand into it and drew it forth, clasp
ing several gold pieces. As she did so
her eyes opened wide, and she stood as
if stunned for a time, her heart chilled
with the same strange fear that had
stricken her awhile ago ajid impelled her
to hurry home.
She rushed to the bed and shook Sam
roughly. “Sam! Sunt wake up!” she
almost screamed.
The man tnrued over and looked at
her stupidly. “H’lo, M-Mat! Yere, be
ye? Gimme kiss,” he said in a dull tone.
“Not twell ye tells me whar ye done
got these yere things!” Mat's voice
sounded broken and sbrill.
Sam sat np and rubbed bis head, look
ing at her in drunkeu wouder. “W-w-y,
them—them thar, honey?”
She shook him fiercely and said in a
lower tone—a tone of earnest force:
“Tell me, Sam Toms, whar ye done
got these yerd coins! Quic.: now!"
Her tone partially sobered the man
whose eyes opened wider as he asked
querulously:
“What ’n hell yo so all fired fussy
’bout? I hain’t done nothin,” and he
langbed in a half drunken, half nervous
way.
“Sam, whar did ye git ’em?*
He sat dumbly staring at her.
“Sam”—her voice was full of horror—
“di<l yon steal that thar hoss?”
No answer; but Mat saw by his eyes
she had guessed the truth. Slowly the
coins fell from her hand to the floor
slowly her head bent forward until her
face touched the pillow. For minutes
slio did not move—not until Sam, who
had been staring at her wonderingly
reached ont his big hand and laid it
caressingly on her bead. Then she sprang
to her feet, her hot eyes glaring and her
form trembling with anger and horror.
She did not speak, bnt fixed her gaze on
his face for a few seconds. He did not
meet her look, and presently she turned
and ran ont of the door.
Sam, almost sober now, called after
her, but she did not answer. He got ont
of bed slowly and started to dress him
Belf. He had almost finished when Mat,
accompanied by her father and the two
strangers, returned.
“Thar he is—an thar’s th’ money,” she
said, and passed on out thronghtheback
door without looking at Sam.
—
IN TENEBRI8.
I beard her sons
low in the night . .
From out her casement steal away.
Nor thought it wrong
To steal a sight
Of her—and to! sho knelt to pray.
I heard her say:
“Forgive him, Lord!
Such as he seems he cannot be.”
I turned away.
Myself abhorred—
Bhaprayed —and lo! sho prayed forme.
—T. W. Hall In Mnnsey's 1
NERVE.
There was a jail at the crossroads; it
was a primitive affair, bnt solid and sub
stantial. It was a dngout in the side hill,
and had a heavy oak door aud greatsteel
hinges and lock. It was plenty strong
enough to hold a dozen men, all anxioqs
to escape—and Sam Toms did not try to
escape. He only sat still in the low,
Matup, darksome room and tried to un
derstand how it all happened.
It most be a drunken dream—bnt, no,
he was almost sober, and knew where
he was and how and why he was there.
Bnt—he could not understand. Had
Mat—was it really Mat who had given
him up? There must be some mistake.
The big, strong man finally began to
realize it all. He lay down on the bnnk
and cried himself to Bleep like a child.
It must have been about 1 o’clock
in the morning when some one silently
entered the bouse of old Bill Bonn, con
stable. This some one entered by the
back door, went stealthily into the room
where.Bill and his wife slept, rummaged
about a few minutes, and then emerged
froqi the house. It was a woman, and
she bad something in her hand.
Sam Toms was awakened a little af
ter this by a rattling, jarring sound.
He sprang up jast as the big oaken
doors swung bock and revealed the fig
ures of a woman and two saddle horses.
“I come fr ye, Sam,” said the woman
with a sob* “I done bring both ponies
an on* do’es. Lie’s go, Sam; we c’n git
’croet th’ rivah befo’ niawnin. Come!”
He clasped her in his arms, and they,
clang to each other a little while. Then
Mat said, more steadily:
“Come, Sam. Le's go ovah t’Mexico
an mebbe we c’n try an do better ovah
thar.” ,i.
And they rode forth in the bright; free
moonlight down toward the Rio Grande
—into a new and better life.—R. L.
Ketcbam in Argonaut.
While Marat was in Madrid he was
anxious to communicate with Jnnot in
Portugal, bnt all the roads to Lisbon
swarmed with guerrillas and with the
troops composing-Castanos’army.
He asked Krasinski, the commandant
of the lancers, to find him a brave and
intelligent young man.. Two days after
ward the commandant brought the
prince a young man of his corps, for
whom ho pledged liis life. His name
was Leckinski, and he was bnt eighteen
years old.
Marat was moved at seeing so young a
man court so imminent a danger, for if
he wero detected his doom was sealed.
Murat conld not help remarking to the
Pole the risk he was about to ran.' The
youth smiled.
Let your imperial highness give me
my instructions,” answered he respect
fully, “and I will give a good account
of the mission I have been honored
with
The yoqng prince augured favorably
from the young man’s modest resolu
tion. The Russian embassador gave
him his dispatches; he put on a Russian
uniform and set oat for Portugal.
The first two days passed over quietly,
bnt on the afternoon of the third Leck
inski was surrounded by a body of Span
iards, who disarmed him and dragged
him before their commanding officer.
Lnckily for tho gallant youth it was
Castanos himself.
Leckinski was aware that he was lost
if ho were discovered to -be a French
man; consequently he determined on
the instant not to let a single word of
French escape him, and to speak bnt
Russian and German, which he spoke
with equal fluency, The cries of rage
of his captors announced the fate which
awaited him,’hud the horrible murder
of General Rene, who had perished in
the most dreadful tortures but a few
weeks before as he was going to join
Jnnot, was sufficient to freeze the very
blood.
“Who are you?” said Castanos in
French, which language he spoke per
fectly well, having been educated in
France.
Leckinski looked at the questioner,
made a sign and answered in German,
“Ldo not understand you.
Castanos spokeGerman, bnt he did
not- wish to appeal 1 personally in the
matter and summoned one of the officers
of his staff, who went on with the ex
amination. The young Pole answered
in Russian or German, but never let a
single syllable of French escape him.
He might, however, easily have forgot
ten himself, surrounded as he was by a
crowd eager for his blood, and who
waited with savage impatience to have
him declared guilty—that is, a French
man—to fall upon him and murder him.
But their fury was raised to a height
which the general himself could not con
trol, by an incident which seemed to cut
off the unhappy prisoner from every
hope of escape. One of Castanos’ aids de
camp, one of the fanatically patriotic
who were so numerous in this war, and
who from the first had denounced Leck
inski as a French spy, burst in the robin,
dragging with him a man wearing the
brown jacket, tall hat and red plume of
a Spanish peasant. nrfhnf attt j
The officer confronted him with the
Pole and said:
Look at this msh, and then say if it
is true that he is a German or a Rus
sian. He is a spy, I swear by my soul.’*
The peasant meanwhile was eying the
prisoner closely. Presently his dark eye
lighted np with the fire of hatred.
Es Frances, he is a Frenchman!” ex
claimed he, clapping his hands. And
he stated that having been in Madrid a
few weeks before he had been put in
requisition to cany forage to the French
barrack, and, said he, “I recollect that
this is the man who took my load of
forage and gave me a receipt. I was
near him an hour and recollect him.
When we caught him I told my comrade
this is the French officer I delivered my
forage to.'
This was correct. Castanos probably
discovered the true State of the case, but
he was a generous foe. He proposed to
let him pursue his journey, for Leckinski
still insisted he was a Russian, and conld
not be made to understand a word of
French. But the moment he ventured
a hint of the kind, a thousand threaten
oner’s conch, the hand that shaded the
lamp touched him on the shoulder, and
a sweet and silvery voice—a woman’s
voice—asked him, “Do yon want eat?”
The yflung Pole, awakened suddenly
by the glare of the lamp, by the tonch
and words of the female, rose np on his
couch and ; with eyes only half opened
said in German, “What do you want?"
Give the man something to eat at
once,” said Castanos, when he heard the
result of the first experiment, “and let
him go. He is not a Frenchman. How
Conld he have been so far master of him
self? The thing is impossible.”
Bnt though Leckinski was supplied
with food 1 he was detained a prisoner.
The next morning he was taken to a spot
where he could see the mutilated corpse
of the Frenchman; who had been cruel
ly massacred by the peasantry of Truxil-
to, aud he was threatened withthe same
death. But the noble youth had prom
ised nottd fail.’and not a word, not an
accent, not a gesture or look betrayed
him. .
Leckinski, when taken back to his
prison, hailed it with a sort of joy: For
twelve hours be had had nothing bnt
gibbets and death in its most horrid
forms before his eyes—exhibited to him
by men with the looks and the passions
of demons. He'slept, however, after the
harrassing excitement of the day, and
soundly, too, when in the midst of his
deep and deathlike slumbers the door
opened gently, some one drew near his
couch, and the Same voice whispered in
his ear:
“Arise and come with me. We wish
to save your life. - Your horse is ready.’’
And the brave young man, hastily
awakened by .the words, “We wish to
save your life; come,” answered still in
German, “What do you want?”
Castanos, when he heard of this experi
ment antT its result, said the Russian
was a noble young man; he saw the true
state of the case.
The next morning early four men
came to take him- before a sort of court
martial, composed of officers of Castanos’
staff. During the walk they uttered the
most horrible threats against him, but
true to bis determination he pretended
not to understand them.
When he came ‘before his judges he
seemed to gather what-was going on
from the arrangements of the tribunal
and not from what he heard said around
him, and he asked in German where his
interpreter was? He was sent for, and
the examination commenced.
-IN LETTERS OF GOLD.
Fall fifty years, sweet love, tozeUier .
We wandered on’gainst wind and weather;
Beneath love's fond, impulsive away.
It seemed bnt like a single day.
Not quite a week the grasses wave.
Dear heart, upon thy hillside grave—
And yet a thousand years to be
It seems since thou art gone from me.
—New Orleans Times-Democrat.
OLD MSOK
Judge between me and my guest, the
stranger within my gates, the man whom
in his extremity I clothed and fed.
I remember well the time of hie com
ing, for it happened at the end of five
days and nights during which the year
passed from strength to age; in the in
terval between the swallow’s departure
and the i redwing’s coming; when the
tortoise in my garden crept into his win
ter quarters and the equinox was on ns,
with an east wind that parched the
blood in the trees, so that their leaves
for once knew no gradations of red and
yellow, bnt turned at a stroke to brown
and crackled like tin .foil.
At 5 o’clock in the morning of the
sixth day I looked out. The wind still
whistled across the sky, but now with
out the obstruction of gray cloud: Full
in front of my window Sirius flashed
with a whiteness that pierced the eye.
A little to the right the whole constella
tion of Orion was suspended clear over
a wedgelike gap in the coast, wherein
the sea conld lie guessed rather than
seen, and traveling yet farther the eye
fell on two brilliant lights, the one set
high above the other; the one steady and
a fiery red, the other yellow and blazing
intermittently; the one Aldebaran, the
other revolving on the lighthouse top,
fifteen miles away.
Half way np the east, the moon, now
in her last quarter and decrepit, climbed
with the dawn closeat her heels. At this
hour they brought in the stranger, ask
ing if my pleasure were to give him
clothing and hospitality.
Nobody knew whence he came, except
that it was from the wind and the night,
seeing that he spoke in a strange tongue,
moaning and making a sound like the
twittering of birds in a chimney. Bnt
his jonrney mast have been long and
painful, for his legs bent under him, and
he conld not stand when they lifted him.
So, finding it useless to question him
i for the time, I learned from the servants
It turned at first upon the motive of : all they had to tell—namely, that they
his journey from Madrid to Lisbon. He I had oome upon him bnt a few minutes
Tom Moore’s Old Harp.
Mr. Gebrge W. Childs has the ve^r
harp that the people of Limerick pre
sented to Tom Moore—“the pridfl ot all
circles and the idol of his own.” Moore’s
widow gave the harp to an English earl,
who in turn presented it to George W.
answered by showing his dispatches to
Admiral Siniavin and his passport
Spite of the presence and the vehement
assertions of the peasant, he persisted in
the same story and did not contradict
himself once.
“Ask him,” said the presiding officer
at last, “if he loves .the Spaniards, as lie
is not a Frenchman?’- -
“Certainly,” said Leckinski, “I like
the Spanish nation, and I esteem it for.
its noble character. I wish our two na
tions were friends.”
“Colonel,” said the interpreter to the
president, “the prisoner says that he
hates ns because we make war like ban
ditti; that he despises ns, and that his
only regret is that he canndt unite the
whole nation in one man, to end this
odions war at a single blow.” >
While he was saying this, the eyes of
the whole tribunal were attentively
watching the slightest movement of the'
prisoner’s countenance, in order to see
what effect the interpreter’s treachery
wonld have upon him. Bat Leckinski
had expected to be put to the test in
some way, and was determined to baf
fle all their attempts.
“Gentleman,” said Castanos, “it seems
to me that this young man cannot be
suspected; 1 lie-peasant most be deceived.
The prisoner, may pursue his jonrney,
and when he reflects. on the hazard of
onr position he will find the severity
we have been obliged to use excusable.”
Leckinski s arms and dispatches were
returned, he received a free pass, and
thus this noble youth came victorious
ont of the severest trial that the human
spirit can be put to.—H. K. in New
York News.
Peculiarities of Nervous Women.
Says a physician who is a specialist in
nervous diseases: “The vagaries of nerv
ous women would fill a volume. I have,
however, a profound respect for their
sincerity and a deep sympathy with
their victims. One of my patients,
fine looking woman, with a splendid
physique, is reduced to a condition bor
dering on insanity by a high wind. If
she is ont in it her misery is heightened.
She says she has a dazed, confused feel
ing that amounts to bewilderment, and
she feels as if any moment she would
lose her hold on reason and Bense.
“Another of my patients cannot endure
to hear toast crunched between the teeth
of another person. She can cat it her
self, but has to leave the tablelf another
a mnt or tne iona, atnonsana mrearen- ^ m ^ * her distress. In other
mg voicta were raised against tote and ^ iaa woman ofstrengchar-
he Baw that clemency was impossible. * . .. ,, ^. —
Bnt,” said he', “will yon then risk a
quarrel with Russia, 'whose neutrality
we are so anxiously asking for?"
‘.‘No,” said the officer, “bnt let us fay
this man,” ^rTu- ■ \>•; -
Leckinski understood all, for hg \yqs
g acquainted wig} Spanish. He was re*
*' lypd and thrown‘into a room worthy
have been one of the dungeons of the.
inquisition in its best days.
When the Spaniards took him prisoner
he had eaten nothing since the previous
evening, and when his dungeon door
was closed on him he had fasted for
eighteen hours. No wonder then what
with exhaustion, fatigue, anxiety, and
the agony of his dreadful situation, that
the unhappy prisoner fell almost sense
less on his hard couch. Night soon
closed in qnd left him torealixe in ita
gloom the full horror of his ; hopeless
situation. He wag brave, of course, bnt
to die at* eighteen—ftis sudden, Bnt
youth'and fatigue finally yielded to the
approach of sleep and he was soon buried
in profound slumber. 'U i ’ : • - 1 V~ £ ; u:
^.He had. slept perhaps two hours when
the door of his dungeon opened slowly
with cautions
actor. It would be interesting to trace
the origin of such apparently cansaleag
conditions.”—New York Times,
—
The Zither,
$h0'zithey is a Stringed instrument
which has not as yet a very great follow
ing in New York. It has the sweetness
of the guitar and mandolin, with the
depth and richness of the harp. In the
hands of an expert performer, who thor
oughly understands the scope of the in
strument, no music can he more deli:
cions. -It is somewhat difficult to learn,
is played with b^h hands, a shield being
worn on the" thumb of the right hand,
and has'from thirty-one to forty-four
strings.—New York Press. ’ ’
[*J- Fine Clothes. . U •» *»(f j .
“The soil of California is so fruitful,’
said a native.of the.Golden State, “that
a man who accidentally dropped a .box
of matches in his field, discovered the
next year a fine forest of telegtaphpdlek.’
“That's nothing to my state,” said a my vrife laid "the case before her.
native of'Illinois. “A cousin of mine
who lives there lost a button off his
jacket and in less than a month he fonnd
a'brand new suit of clothes hanging ou a
there, as he expected. SterMcSSSa ? S 8 ^d New " J^SLgSth hi* Ji$i»d.tiwl^!<*j££ rana mwsuwoi ciotnes MMMg
have notified her. So, late ratbo after- y ork at0I f e of her concerts.—Exchange, a lamp. The visitor .bent over the pris- fence near the spot, ~Teys
noon of the fifth day, 6he threw uer - ' v .. .
.
, . t U ^ - Aa ** - - * ..—ttU Jsja «v> jsLl*»TlireoO *«li tfciY
before, lying on his face within my
grounds without staff or scrip, bare
headed, spent and crying feebly for suc
cor in his foreign tongne, and in pity
they had carried him in and brought
him to me.
Now for the look of this tnan. He
seemed a century old, being bald, ex
tremely wrinkled, with wide hollows
Where the teeth should be, and the flesh
hanging loose and flaccid on hie cheek
bones; and what color he had conld have
come only from exposure to that bitter
night. Bnt his eyes chiefly spoke of his
extreme age. They were bine and deep,
and filled with the wisdom of years, and
when he turned tiffhn in my direction
they appeared to look through me, be
yond me and back upon centuries of sor
row and the slow endurance of man, as
if his immediate misfortunes were bnt
an inconsiderable item in a long list
They frightened me. Perhaps they
conveyed a warning of that which 1 was
to endure at their owner’s hands. From
compassion 1 ordered the servants to
take him to my wife, with word that 1
wished her to Bet food before him and
see that it passed his lips.
So mnch 1 did for this stranger. Now
learn how he rewarded me.
He has taken my youth from me, and
the most of my substance, and the love
of my wife.
From the hour when he tasted food in
my house, he sat there without hint of
going. Whether from design, or be
cause age and his sufferings had really
palsied him, he came back tediously to
life and warmth, nor for many days
professed himself able to stand erect.
Meanwhile he lived on the best of our
hospitality. My wife tended him, apd
my servants ran at his bidding, for he
managed early to make them under
stand scrape of his language, 1 though
slow in acquiring hours—I believe out of
calculation, lest Borne one should inquire
his business (which was a mystery) or
hint at his departure.
I myself often visited the room lie had
appropriated, and wonld sit for an hour'
watching those fathomless eyes while 1
tried to make head or tail of his dis
course. When we were alone my wife
and I used to speculate at times on his
probable profession. Was b e a merchant,
an aged mariner, tinker, tailor, beg-
garman, thief? We conld never decide,
and he never disclosed.
Then the awakening came. I sat one
day in the chair beside his, wonderin
usual. I had felt heavy of lafe wit
soreness and languor in my bones, s
a, dead weight hung continually on -my
(shoulders and another rested on my
heart. " ■ - * ’•
Awartner color in the stranger’s choek
caught my attention, and I bent for
ward, peering under the pendulous lids.
His eyes were livelier and less profound.
The melancholy was passing from them
as breath fades off a pane of glass. He
was growing younger. Starting np I fain
across the room to the mirror.
There were two white hairs in my fore
lock, and at the corner of either eye hal f
a dozen radiating lines. I was-an old
man. ‘
Turning, 1 regarded the stranger. He
sat as phlegmatic as an Indian idol, and
in my fancy I felt the young blood
draining from my own heart and saw it
mantling in his cheeks. Minute by min
ute I watched the slow miracle—the old
man beautified. As buds unfold he put
on a lovely yonthfnlness, and drop by
drop left me winter. o'-si-riUin w*> \
I hurried from the room, and seeking
y wife laid the case before her. “This
is a ghoul,” I said, “that we harbor; he
is sucking my best blood, and the house
hold is clean bewitched.” She laid aside
the book in which |he read and laughed
at me. Now my wife was well looking,
and her eyes were the light of my soul.
Consider, then, how I felt as she laugh
ed, taking the stranger’s part against
me. When I Left her it was with a new
suspicion in my heart. “How shall it
be,” I thought, “if after stealing my
youth he go on to take the one thing
that is better?’
In my room, day by day, I brooded
upon this—hating my own' alteration
and fearing worse. With the stranger
there was no longer any disguise. His
head blossomed in curls; white teeth
filled the hollows of his month; the pits
in his cheeks were heaped fall with roses,
glowing under a transparent skin. It
was ASson renewed and thankless, and
he sat on, devouring my substance.
Now having probed my weakness, and
being satisfied that I no longer dared to
turn him ont, he, who had half imposed
his native tongue upon ns, constraining
the household to a hideous jargon' the
bastard growth of two languages, con
descended to jerk ns*back rudely into
onr own speech ones more, mastering it
with a readiness that proved his former
dissimulation and using it henceforward
as the sole vehicle of his .wishes. On his
past life he remained silent, but took
occasion to confide in me that he pro
posed embracing a military career as
soon as he should tire of the shelter of
my roof.
And I groaned in my chamber, for
that which I feared had come to pass.
He was making open love to my wife.
And the eyes with which he looked at
her and the lips with which he coaxed
her had been mine, and 1 was an old
man. Judge now between me and this
guest.
One morning 1 went to my wife, for
the burden was past bearing, and 1 most
satisfy myself. 1 fonnd her tending the
plants on her window ledge, and when
she turned 1 saw that years had not'
taken from her comeliness one jot. And
was old. -
So 1 taxed her on the matter of this
stranger, saying this and that, and how
I had cause to believe he loved her.
“That is beyond doubt,” she answered
and smiled.
By my head, 1 believe his fancy is
returned r 1 blurted out.
And her smile grew radiant as, look
ing me in the face, she answered, “By
my soul, husband, it is.”
Then I went from her down into my
garden, where the day grew hot and the
flowers were beginning to droop. 1
stared upon them and conld find no so
lution to the problem that worked in my
heart And then 1 glanced up, east
ward, to the sun above the privet hedge
and saw him coming across the flower
beds, treading'-'them down in wanton
ness. He-came with a light step and a
smile, and I waited for him, leaning
heavily on my stick.
Giro me year watch!” he called ont
as he drew near.
“Why should 1 give yon my watch?” I
aske<4* while something worked in my
throat
Because I wish it; because it is gold,
because yon are too old and won’t Want
it mnch longer.”
Take it,” 1 cried, pulling the watch
out and thrusting it into his hand.
“Take it—yon who have taken all that
is better! Strip me,-spoil me”——
A soft laugh sounded above, and 1
turned. My wife was looking down on
us from the window, and her eyes were
both moist and glad.
Pardon me,” she said; “it is yon who
are spoiling the child.”—Arthur T. (jail
ier-Couch in Noughts and Crosses-
JACK DONAHOE KILLED.
HIS BSOTKBR-IN-LAW ACCIDEN
TALLY SHOOTS HIM
THROUGH THE HEART.
A Plato! Pads Out of a Pocket—No
One Except the Two In the Room—
He Dies Without a Word.
Mastvillx, Ga. Dec 10.—(Special. ]—
Theitoommnnity was shocked this morn
ing to hear of the killing of Mr. Jack
Donahoe by his brother-in-law, Adol--
phos D. Martin. They-were brothers-
in-law and always had been good
friends, and you could hardly ever see
one without the other being with him
Mr. Martin bad gone over to Jack Don-
ahorB to spend the night about six
miles from Harmony Grove, near the
Harricane Shoals. There was no ono
but these two men in the room, and
while Bitting by the fire talking over
the topics of the country, Mr. Martin
leaned over to the fire place to light bis
pipe, when his pistol dropped out of his
pocket and fell to the floor, and as
soon as it touched the floor it fired, the
ball going straight to Mr. Donohoes
heart and billing him instantly.
Coroner Worsham summoned a jury
and after getting in the evidence, a ver
dict of accidental killing was rendered.
Mr, Donahoe is one of the largest
farmers in Jackson county, and bis
death Is regretted by all who knew
him. Mr. Martin is a very sober indus
trious man, and no one believes but
tbatitwas an accident, as they were
very warm friends and no difficulty
had ever occurred between them.
After Mr. Donahoe had been killed
it took hard work to keep Mr. Martin
from committing suicide. He takes his
death very hard.
The right is given to every one to tell
their friends, their neighbors, and the
world at large all about Skiff, the jew
eler, both good and bad, no sforets
concealed; but don’t forget to mention
or say something about bis Christmas
display far goodr and prioes to suit the
Up-bill times. Go to Skiff the great
North American jeweler where you will
find a little of every thing in the jew
elry line.
A ROMANTIC MARRIAGE
if
Postponed on Account of Sickness of
the to be Bride’s Father.
A romantic marriage was planned
for Watkinsville on Friday, but was
p6 tponed for a few dsja on account of
the illness of the father of the bride to
be. Mr. Reuben T. Durham, a son of
Dr. Spencer Durham, of this place, and
Mrs. Sallie Durham, the widow of the
late Dr. Frank Durham, of Sparta, are
to be the contracting parties. Mrs-
Durham was a Miss Calaway, of Ten
nessee, and she and Mr. Durham were
sweethearts in their youth. The mar
riage was to have occurred at the home
of Mr. J7 C. Johnson, editor of the En
terprise, who is . a son-in-law of the
prospective groom. A delightful din
ner was' served to a few friends despite
the postponement of the ceremony.
Mrs. Durham waste have come here for
the marriage on account of the opposi
tion of her children in Spartfr—thus re
versing the usual order of love affair,
like this in that the parent was evading
the objections of the children.
ANDREW J. COBB
To Become a Citizen of Atlanta.
The management of the affairs of the
G.C.&N.R. R., and other business
matters which has caused Mi 1 . Cobb to
spend so much time in Atlanta lately,
has made him resolve to move there
sometime in January.
The business in Atlanta as in Athens
will be conducted by the firm of Erwin
& Cobb.
Few men in the community have at
tained the standing as a professional
man and citizen as Mr. Cobb. Atlanta
is to be congratulated in receiving him
No batter preparation for the hair has
ever been invented than Ayer's JHair
Vigor. It restores the origlanl color to
faded and gray hair, and imparts that
natural gloss and freshness, everyone
so mnch admires. Its reputation
world* wide,
THERE’S FCN AHEAD.
A Clash of Sensational Nature Prom
ised in South Carolina.
Columbia, S. C., Dec. 9.—A breezy
incident occurred in the house today.
During the absence of Colonel John C.
Haskell from the hall, Representative
Wolfe moved to indefinitely postpone
the latter’s resolution to extend all State
bonds not met at maturity for four
years at the same rate of interest. This
is the (ply measure bearing on the im
portant question of refundment that
has been introduced m the bouse, and
ic does not appear to have met with
favor with the administration members
Mr. Haskell’s colleague protested
against such action during his absence
and said he would return in a few min
utes. Despite this motion prevailed
and Representative Yeldell put a
“clincher” on it, preventing any mo
tion to reconsider.
When Colonel Haskell came in he
was pretty mad and he said it was the
grossest violation of common legislative
decency he had ever beard of. He said
the motion was deliberately intended to
prevent him from speaking and said he:
I gave those who are responsible for
it fair notice that I will bring this res
olution before this house and say all
that I wish to say on it in spite of any
at,empt that they make to defeat it, and'
I defy them to try it.”
Can We Afford to Do It?
Ms, Editor: I desire space in your
columns to say a few words on the
water works question.
As I understand it, the oity of Ath
ens has entered into a contract with
Neely & Co. to build a Bystem of water
works complete, including boilers,
pumps, stand pipe, and lay about 12
miles of main pipe. In making this
contract the oity made no provision for
the purchase of any part of the present^
system. r
No one will say that Athens is large
enough to sustain two systems of'
works, thus the question arises;"!
is to become of the present works ? Are
they to be abandoned entirely by the
city without any oompansation to its
paesent owner?”
If you will remember about 12 years
ago the oity of Athens was anxious to
haYe water works, and as the city did
not feel able to build them, they by of
fering to make a contract for a certain
number of fire plugs for a term of 20
years, induced Mr. Howell and his as
sociates to build the present system.
These men certainly would not have in
vested their money except on the faith
of this contract.
I grant that Mr. Howell has not fully
complied with the original contract;
but can we aff&rd to wreck $75,000 to
$100,000 worth of property by building
opposition works which will unques
tionably take away 9-10 of the patrons
of the present system? I for one do
not approve of this. The pump>, stand
pipe and 8 miles of main pipe, are good
and could be used by the oity, besides
300 or more connections for private
consumers.
Will the oity act in good faith if it
ruins this property?
Fair Plat,
It is too plain to need a demonstration
by Chart or diagram that Dr. Bull’s
Cough Svrnp is what the people need-;
everywhere, for cure of bronchial and
peotoral troubles, It is a sure cure,
owi ,
■UnnKi
-r. :d v -'
