The Henry County weekly. (McDonough, GA.) 18??-1934, January 03, 1913, Image 4
Miss Blanche Wentzell and Miss Annie Lemon are spending this week as the guests of Mrs. 1. D. Crawford near Inman. Mr. Tom Moseley, of Manches ter, was in our city Saturday. His many friends here wish him abundant success in his new home. r abbage plants 20 cents per 100 at W. B. J. Ingram’s.- adv. Read the Board of Trade Com mittees in The Weekly, see which you are on, and get to work tor McDonough. Mrs. W. J. Sloan and children, of Atlanta, left Monday for La crosse, Florida, after spending the holidays with he parents, Mr. and Mrs, J. L. Atkinson. Mr. T. M. McConnell made a business trip to Yatesville Mon day. Go to W. B. J. Ingram’s for Georgia Cane Syrup at 50 cents ; per gallon. Adv. I Miss Fay Simmons, of Gaines ville, is the attractive guest of Miss Ruth Turner. Mr. Carl Jackson has returned to his home in Atlanta, after spend ing the holidays with his home folk in McMullen’s district. Mr. and Mrs. Z W. Copeland and baby spent a few days during Christmas with his parents here. Fine shoats for sale at Ed Good win’s Stable. Adv. Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Collins were at home to a few of their friends during the holidays. Mrs. Adams, of Alabama, and Mr. Waiter Griffin, of Alabama, were in our city Saturday. Fine shoats for sale at Ed Good win’s Stable. Adv. Mr. R. L. Duke, of Thomaston, was in our city Monday and visited The Weekly, lie is a former citi zen of McDonough district and has many friends here who are glad to have him visit us again. Misses Agnes Dunn, Lucy Rea gan, and Alla B. Carmichael will attend matinee in Atlanta to day. Mr. C. R. McKinley, of Zebulon, was in our city visiting friends during the holidays. The Weekly enjoyed a visit from him. DYNAMITE at W. B. J. Ingram’s. Adv. Mr. J. B. Rowan, of Flippen district, visited McDonough Tues day. Miss Marcie Tucker, of Carroll ton, spent sevearl days with iMiss Evelyn Pendley during the Christ mas holidays. Mr. Roy Manley spent the holi days with his home folk at Elber ton. Cabbage plants 20 cents per 100 at Ingram’s. Adv. Mr. A. M. Stewart spent Mon day in Macon. Mr. A. M. Stewart visited At lanta Tuesday. Mr. J. M. Green, of McMullens district, was in our city Tuesday. FOR RENT —Blacksmith shop at Flippen. J. B. Rowan, F.ippen, Ga. Adv. Mrs. R. A. Sloan spent the holi days with her parents at Bulloch ville. Mr. Levi Bledsoe, of Broxton, visited relatives near McDonough a few days this week. H s many friends and schoolmates are glad that he is prospering in his South Georgia home. Will pay best price for hides. Adv. J. V, Upchurch. FOR RENT —residence recently occupied by A. F. Lemon. Mrs. Annie M. Nolan. Adv. Mr. Frank C. Turner, of Phila delpeia spent Christmas herewith his mother, Mrs. Tommie Turner. His many friends here were glad to see him again. Miss Hattie Sue Lowe left Tues day for a severai days visit to At lanta. She was a guest at the Sigma Nu dance there Wednes day evening. If you are a member of the Board of Trade, you are on a Com mittee See The Weekly and learn where you are. Last Thursday Mr. and Mrs. Tom Brown and the children, Dr. and Mrs. J. G. Smith, with their little girls, went to Flovilia to be present at a family gathering. I most of the children and grand ! children were there. A most pleas ant day was spent, but mixed vith sadness as it would be the last gathering there, as the old home i place is soon to be sold. MR. AND MRS. I. M. WOODRUFF ENTERTAIN. On Tuesday Mr. and Mrs. Idus Woodruff entertained most de lightfully at a turkey dinner. There were present: Mr. and j Mrs. J. N. Woodruff, Mr. and Mrs. Thrasher, Mr. an d Mrs. George Green, Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Hand, Mr. and Mrs, Jim Stroud, and Miss Hope Thrasher. Last Thursday Mr. and Mrs. Jim McDonald had with them all their chi dren and a few friends, | to enjoy a Christmas dinner, a 1 most delicious dinner. Analteget! - er good time was had by all pres ent. Mr. and Mrs. E. D Tolleson, Misses Alla B. Carmichael, Lucy Reagan, Ruth Turner, and Messrs Pierce Stewart, Paul Turner, Tom Tolleson, an d Gordon Dickson attended the Christmas dance in Jackson last Friday night. Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Green enter tained at dinner on Christmas day. All the children and many other relatives were there, and a most enjoyable day was spent. Mrs. J. G. Smith and two little daughters were in Atlanta Tues day and Wednesday with Mrs. Smith’s father and Another, Prof, and Mrs. Landrum. Miss Stevie Brogden, of .Sewa nee, was the much admired guest of Miss Ethel Sowell Christmas j week. Miss Emma Arnold has returned to Lagrange. Mr. Tom Wall has returned to Charlotte. The many friends of Mr. Arthur Bowden regret to learn of his illness and trust he nny soon recover his health. % Among these entertaining at Christmas dinners were Mr. and Mrs. B. B. Carmichael, Mr. and Mrs. E. M. Copeland, and others. Mrs. Wade Hooten.of near Snap ping Shoa’s, went to Newnan to spend Cnristmas with her mother. Mr. Tom Tolleson, of Fayette ville, spent last week here. i .Mrs. Verna Wright and children were here visiting her parents a few davs last week. Mrs. Tom Woodruff and thr°e children, of W llacoochee, have b' en with relatives h ;re for a w j ek. | Mrs. mas in Atlanta with herj children. The Prodigal Judge. Ho Distinguished Several Men. turned to the door. To say that he was amazed when he found it locked would have most Inadequately de scribed his emotions. Breathing deep, he fell back a step or two, and then with all the vigor he could muster launched himself at the door. But it resisted him. “It’s bolted on the other side!” he muttered, the full measure of Peg loe’s perfidy revealing itself to his mind. He was aghast. It was a plot to discredit him. Pegloe’s hospitality had been Inspired by his enemy, for Pegloe was Fentress' tenant. Again he attacked the dcor; he be lieved it might be possible to force it from its hinges, but Pegloe had done his work too’ well for that, and at last, spent and breathless, the judge dropped down on the edge of his bed to consider the situation. He was without clothes and he was a pris oner, yet his mind rose splendidly to meet the difficulties that beset him. His greatest activities were reserved for what appeared to be only a sea son of despair. He armed himself with a three-legged stool he had found and turned once more to the door, but the stout planks stood firm under his blows. "Unless I get out of* here in time I’m a ruined man!” thought the judge. "After this Fentress will refuse to meet me!” The window next engaged his at tention. That, too, Pegloe had taken the precaution to fasten, but a single savage blow of the stool shattered glass and sash and left an empty space that framed the dawn’s red glow. The judge looked out and shook his head dubiously. It was twelve feet or more to the ground, a risky drop for a gen tleman of his years and build. The judge considered making a rope of his bedding and lowering himself to the ground by means of it; he remem bered to have read of captives in that Interesting French prison, the Bas tille, who did this. However, an equal ly Ingenious but much more simple use for his bedding occurred to him; it would form a soft and yielding sub stance on which to alight. He gath ered it up into his arms, feather-tick and all, and pushed it through the window, then he wriggled out across the ledge, feet first, and lowering him self to the full length of his arms, dropped. He landed squarely on the rolled-up bed with a jar that shook him to his center. Almost gaily he snatched up a quilt, draping it about him aft£r the manner of a Roman toga, and thus lightly habited, started across Mr. Pegloe’s truck-patch, his one thought Boggs’ and the sub. It would have served no purpose to have gone home, since his entire wardrobe, except for the shirt on his back, was In the tav ern-keeper’s possession, besides he had not a moment to lose, for the sun w-as peeping at him over tho horizon. Unobserved he gained the edge of the town and the highroad that led past Boggs’ and stole a fearful glance over his shoulder. The sun was clear of the treetops, he could even feel the lifeless dust grow warm beneath his feet; and wrapping the quilt closer about him he broke into a labored run. Some twenty minutes later Boggs’ came in sight. He experienced a mo ment of doubt—doubtless Fentress had been there and gone! It was a hideous thought and the Judge groaned. Then at the other end of the meadow near the woods he distin guished several men, Fentress and his ‘’rionds beyond question The Judge laughed aloud. In spite of everything he was keeping his engagement, he was plucking his triumph out of the very dregs of failure. The judge threw himself over the fence, a cor ner of the quilt caught on one of the rails; he turned to release it, and in that instant two pistol shots rang out sharply In the morning air. CHAPTER XXXI. Solomon’s Last Night. It had been with no little reluctance that Solomon Mahaffy accompanied Yancy and Cavendish to Belle Plain: he would have preferred to remain in Raleigh in attendance upon Judge Price, Intimately acquainted with the judge's mental processes, he could fol low all the devious workings of that magnificent mind; he could fathom the simply hellish ingenuity he was capable of putting forth to accom plish temporary benefits. Permitting his thoughts to dwell upon the min gled strength and weakness which was so curiously blended in Slocum Price’s character, he had horrid vi ; sions of that great soul, freed from | the trammels of restraint, confiding his melancholy history to Mr. Pegioe in the hope of bolstering his fallen credit at the City Tavern. Always where the judge was con cerned he fluctuated between extremes of doubt and confidence. He felt that under the urgent spur of occasion his friend could rise to any emergency, while a sustained activity made de mands which he could not satisfy; then his efforts were discounted by his insane desire to realize at once on his opportunities; in his haste he was tor ever plucking unripe fruit; and though he might keep one eye on the main chance the other was fixed just as resolutely on the nearest tavern. With the great stake which fate had suddenly introduced into their los ing game, he wished earnestly to be lieve that the judge would stay quiet ly in his office and complete the task he had set himself; that with this off his hands the promise of excitement at Belle Plain would compel his pres ence there, when he would pass some what under the restraining influence which he was determined to exert; in short, to Solomon, life embraced just the one vital consideration, which was to maintain the judge in a state of sobriety until v after his meet ing with Fentress. The purple of twilight was stealing over the land when he and his two companions reached Belle Plain. They 'earned that Tom Ware had returned from Memphis, that the bayou had been dragged but without results, arid that as yet nothing had been heard , from Carrington or the dogs he had gone for. Presently Cavendish and Yancy set off across the fields. They were go- i ing on to the raft, to Polly and tho six little Cavendishes, whom they had not seen since early morning; but ' they promised to be back at Belle J Plain within an hour. By very nature an alien, Mahaffv sought out a dark corner on the wide porch that overlooked the river to await their return. The house had been thrown open, and supper was be ing served to whoever cared to stay and partake of it. The murmur of idle purposeless talk drifted out to him; he was irritated and offended by it. There was something garish in this indiscriminate hospitality in the very home of trhgedy. As the mo- i ments slipped by his sense of dis I pleasure increased, with mankind in general, with himself, and with the judge—principally with the judge— who was to make a foolish target of himself in the morning. He was go ing to give the man who had wrecked his life a chance to take it as well. Mahaffy's cold logic dealt cyntcaLly with the preposterous situation his friend had created. In the mid3t of his angry medita tions he heard a clock strike in the hall and counted the strokes. It was nine o’clock. Sure'y Yancy and Cav endish had been gone their hour! He quitted his seat and strolled restless ly about the house. He felt deeply Indignant with everybody and every thing. Human intelligence seemed but a pitiable advance on brute tn stinct. A whole day had passed and what had been accomplished? Car rington, the judge, Yancy, Cavendish —the four men who might have worked together to some purpose— had widely separated themselves; and here was the duel, the very climax of absurdity. He resumed his dark cor ner and w’aited another hour. Still no Carrington, and Yancy and Caven dish had not come up from the raft “Fools!” thought Mahaffy bitterly “All of them fools!” At last he decided to go back to the judge; and a moment later was hurrying down the lane in the dlrec tion of the highroad, but, jaded as ho was by the effort he had already put for that day, the walk to Raleigh made tremendous demands on him, and it was midnight when he entered the little town. It cannot he said that he was alto gether surprised when he found their cottage dark and apparently desert ed. He had half expected this. Fn tering, and not stopping to secure a candle, he groped his way upstairs to the room on the second floor which he and the judge shared. “Price!” he called, but this gained him no response, and he cursed soft ly under his breath. He hastily descended to the kitch en, lighted a candle, aud stepped into he adjoining room. On the table was a neat pile of papers, and topping the pile w r as the president’s letter. Be ing burdened by no false scruples, and thinking it might afford some due to the judge’s whereabouts, Ma aaffy took it up and read it. Having mastered its contents he instantly glanced in the direction of the Citr Tavern, but it. was wrapped in dark ness. "Price is drunk somewhere, wa» his definite conclusion. "But he'll be at Boggs’ the first thing in the morn iUg_most likely so far gone he can hardly stand!” The letter, with its striking news, made little or no impression on him just then; it merely furnished the clue he had sought. The judge was off somewhere marketing his pros pects. After a time Mahaffy went up stairs, and, without removing his clothes, threw himself on the bed. Ho was worn down to the point of ex haustion, yet he could no. sleep, though the deep silence warned him that day was not far off. A hat if but he would not let the thought shape itself in his mind He had wit nessed the judge's skill with the pis tol, and he had even a certain irra tional faith in that gentleman's des tiny. He prayed God that Fentress might die quickly and decently witn the judge’s bullet through his brain. Over and over in savage supplication he muttered his prayer that Fentress might die. Mahaffy watcb-:d for the coming of the dawn, but before the darkness lifted he had risen from the bed and gone downstairs, w in: re be made him self a cup of wretched coffee. 1 hen he blew out his candle and watched the gray light spread. He was im patient now to be alt. and tulLy an hour before the sun, set out for Boggs’, a tall, gaunt figure in the shadowy' uncertainty of that October morning. lie was the first to reach the place ct meeting, but he had scarcely entered the meadow when Fentress rode up, attended by Tom Ware. They dismounted, and the co onel lifted his hat. Mahaffy bare ly acknowledged the salute; he was in no mood for courtesies that meant nothing. Ware was clearly of the same mind. There was an awkward pause, then Fentress and Ware spoke together in a low tone. The planter’s speech was broken and hoarse, and his heavy, blood-shot eyes were the eyes of a haunted man; this'was all a part of Fentress’ scheme to face the world, and Ware still believed that the fires Hicks had kindled had served his des perate need. When the first long shadows stole out from the edge of the woods Fen- tress turned to Mahaffy, 'whose glance w is directed toward the distant cor ii >r of the field, where he knew his friend must first 3> ear ‘Wh«r are we Wd i<rj n g sir?” he oianded, his tone cold and formal. “Something has occurred to detain Price,” answered Mahaffy. The colonel and Ware exchanged looks. Again they spoke together, while Mahaffy watched the road. Ten(| miuutes slipped by In this manner, and once more Fentress addressed Mahaffy. “Do you know what could have de tained him?” he inquired, the ghost of a smile curling his thin lips. “[ don’t,” said Mahaffy, and relapsed Into a moody and anxious silence. He held dueling in very proper abhor r nee, and only his feeling of intense but never-declared loyalty to his friend had brought him there. Another interval of waiting suc ceeded. “[ have about reached the end of m.? patience; I shall wait just ten minutes longer," said Fentress, and drew out his watch. “Something has happened—” began Mahaffy. “I have kept my engagement; he should have kept his,” Fentress con tinued, addressing Ware. “I am sor- The Pistol Slipped From Hie Finger*. ry to have brought you here for noth ing, Torn ” Walt!" 3aid Mahaffy, planting him self squarely before Fentress. “I consider this comic episode at an end,” and Fentress pocketed hta watch. “Scarcely!’’ rejoined Mahaffy. His i.ong arm shot out and the open palm of his hand descended on the col onel’s face. “I am here for my friend,’’ he said grimly.