I	O
A	O
STRANGER	O
FROM	O
SOUTH	O
CAROLINA	O
Time	O
touches	O
all	O
things	O
with	O
destroying	O
hand	O
;	O
and	O
if	O
he	O
seem	O
now	O
and	O
then	O
to	O
bestow	O
the	O
bloom	O
of	O
youth	O
,	O
the	O
sap	O
of	O
spring	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
but	O
a	O
brief	O
mockery	O
,	O
to	O
be	O
surely	O
and	O
swiftly	O
followed	O
by	O
the	O
wrinkles	O
of	O
old	O
age	O
,	O
the	O
dry	O
leaves	O
and	O
bare	O
branches	O
of	O
winter	O
.	O

And	O
yet	O
there	O
are	O
places	O
where	O
Time	O
seems	O
to	O
linger	O
lovingly	O
long	O
after	O
youth	O
has	O
departed	O
,	O
and	O
to	O
which	O
he	O
seems	O
loath	O
to	O
bring	O
the	O
evil	O
day	O
.	O

Who	O
has	O
not	O
known	O
some	O
even-tempered	O
old	O
man	O
or	O
woman	O
who	O
seemed	O
to	O
have	O
drunk	O
of	O
the	O
fountain	O
of	O
youth	O
?	O

Who	O
has	O
not	O
seen	O
somewhere	O
an	O
old	O
town	O
that	O
,	O
having	O
long	O
since	O
ceased	O
to	O
grow	O
,	O
yet	O
held	O
its	O
own	O
without	O
perceptible	O
decline	O
?	O

Some	O
such	O
trite	O
reflection	O
--	O
as	O
apposite	O
to	O
the	O
subject	O
as	O
most	O
random	O
reflections	O
are	O
--	O
passed	O
through	O
the	O
mind	O
of	O
a	O
young	O
man	O
who	O
came	O
out	O
of	O
the	O
front	O
door	O
of	O
the	O
Patesville	O
Hotel	O
about	O
nine	O
o'clock	O
one	O
fine	O
morning	O
in	O
spring	O
,	O
a	O
few	O
years	O
after	O
the	O
Civil	O
War	O
,	O
and	O
started	O
down	O
Front	O
Street	O
toward	O
the	O
market-house	O
.	O

Arriving	EVENT
at	O
the	O
town	O
late	O
the	O
previous	O
evening	O
,	O
he	O
had	O
been	O
driven	EVENT
up	O
from	O
the	O
steamboat	O
in	O
a	O
carriage	O
,	O
from	O
which	O
he	O
had	O
been	O
able	O
to	O
distinguish	EVENT
only	O
the	O
shadowy	O
outlines	O
of	O
the	O
houses	O
along	O
the	O
street	O
;	O
so	O
that	O
this	O
morning	O
walk	EVENT
was	O
his	O
first	O
opportunity	O
to	O
see	O
the	O
town	O
by	O
daylight	O
.	O

He	O
was	O
dressed	O
in	O
a	O
suit	O
of	O
linen	O
duck	O
--	O
the	O
day	O
was	O
warm	O
--	O
a	O
panama	O
straw	O
hat	O
,	O
and	O
patent	O
leather	O
shoes	O
.	O

In	O
appearance	O
he	O
was	O
tall	O
,	O
dark	O
,	O
with	O
straight	O
,	O
black	O
,	O
lustrous	O
hair	O
,	O
and	O
very	O
clean-cut	O
,	O
high-bred	O
features	O
.	O

When	O
he	O
paused	EVENT
by	O
the	O
clerk	O
's	O
desk	O
on	O
his	O
way	O
out	O
,	O
to	O
light	EVENT
his	O
cigar	O
,	O
the	O
day	O
clerk	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
just	O
come	O
on	O
duty	O
,	O
glanced	EVENT
at	O
the	O
register	O
and	O
read	EVENT
the	O
last	O
entry	O
:	O
--	O
"	O
'	O
JOHN	O
WARWICK	O
,	O
CLARENCE	O
,	O
SOUTH	O
CAROLINA	O
.	O
'	O

"	O
One	O
of	O
the	O
South	O
Ca	O
'	O
lina	O
bigbugs	O
,	O
I	O
reckon	O
--	O
probably	O
in	O
cotton	O
,	O
or	O
turpentine	O
.	O
"	O

The	O
gentleman	O
from	O
South	O
Carolina	O
,	O
walking	EVENT
down	O
the	O
street	O
,	O
glanced	O
about	O
him	O
with	O
an	O
eager	O
look	EVENT
,	O
in	O
which	O
curiosity	O
and	O
affection	O
were	O
mingled	O
with	O
a	O
touch	O
of	O
bitterness	O
.	O

He	O
saw	EVENT
little	O
that	O
was	O
not	O
familiar	O
,	O
or	O
that	O
he	O
had	O
not	O
seen	O
in	O
his	O
dreams	O
a	O
hundred	O
times	O
during	O
the	O
past	O
ten	O
years	O
.	O

There	O
had	O
been	O
some	O
changes	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
true	O
,	O
some	O
melancholy	O
changes	O
,	O
but	O
scarcely	O
anything	O
by	O
way	O
of	O
addition	O
or	O
improvement	O
to	O
counterbalance	O
them	O
.	O

Here	O
and	O
there	O
blackened	O
and	O
dismantled	O
walls	O
marked	O
the	O
place	O
where	O
handsome	O
buildings	O
once	O
had	O
stood	O
,	O
for	O
Sherman	O
's	O
march	O
to	O
the	O
sea	O
had	O
left	O
its	O
mark	O
upon	O
the	O
town	O
.	O

The	O
stores	O
were	O
mostly	O
of	O
brick	O
,	O
two	O
stories	O
high	O
,	O
joining	O
one	O
another	O
after	O
the	O
manner	O
of	O
cities	O
.	O

Some	O
of	O
the	O
names	O
on	O
the	O
signs	O
were	O
familiar	O
;	O
others	O
,	O
including	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
Jewish	O
names	O
,	O
were	O
quite	O
unknown	O
to	O
him	O
.	O

A	O
two	O
minutes	O
'	O
walk	EVENT
brought	O
Warwick	O
--	O
the	O
name	O
he	O
had	O
registered	EVENT
under	O
,	O
and	O
as	O
we	O
shall	O
call	O
him	O
--	O
to	O
the	O
market-house	O
,	O
the	O
central	O
feature	O
of	O
Patesville	O
,	O
from	O
both	O
the	O
commercial	O
and	O
the	O
picturesque	O
points	O
of	O
view	O
.	O

Standing	O
foursquare	O
in	O
the	O
heart	O
of	O
the	O
town	O
,	O
at	O
the	O
intersection	O
of	O
the	O
two	O
main	O
streets	O
,	O
a	O
"	O
jog	O
"	O
at	O
each	O
street	O
corner	O
left	O
around	O
the	O
market-house	O
a	O
little	O
public	O
square	O
,	O
which	O
at	O
this	O
hour	O
was	O
well	O
occupied	EVENT
by	O
carts	O
and	O
wagons	O
from	O
the	O
country	O
and	O
empty	O
drays	O
awaiting	EVENT
hire	O
.	O

Warwick	O
was	O
unable	O
to	O
perceive	O
much	O
change	O
in	O
the	O
market-house	O
.	O

Perhaps	O
the	O
surface	O
of	O
the	O
red	O
brick	O
,	O
long	O
unpainted	O
,	O
had	O
scaled	O
off	O
a	O
little	O
more	O
here	O
and	O
there	O
.	O

There	O
might	O
have	O
been	O
a	O
slight	O
accretion	O
of	O
the	O
moss	O
and	O
lichen	O
on	O
the	O
shingled	O
roof	O
.	O

But	O
the	O
tall	O
tower	O
,	O
with	O
its	O
four-faced	O
clock	O
,	O
rose	O
as	O
majestically	O
and	O
uncompromisingly	O
as	O
though	O
the	O
land	O
had	O
never	O
been	O
subjugated	O
.	O

Was	O
it	O
so	O
irreconcilable	O
,	O
Warwick	O
wondered	EVENT
,	O
as	O
still	O
to	O
peal	O
out	O
the	O
curfew	O
bell	O
,	O
which	O
at	O
nine	O
o'clock	O
at	O
night	O
had	O
clamorously	O
warned	O
all	O
negroes	O
,	O
slave	O
or	O
free	O
,	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
unlawful	O
for	O
them	O
to	O
be	O
abroad	O
after	O
that	O
hour	O
,	O
under	O
penalty	O
of	O
imprisonment	O
or	O
whipping	O
?	O

Was	O
the	O
old	O
constable	O
,	O
whose	O
chief	O
business	O
it	O
had	O
been	O
to	O
ring	O
the	O
bell	O
,	O
still	O
alive	O
and	O
exercising	O
the	O
functions	O
of	O
his	O
office	O
,	O
and	O
had	O
age	O
lessened	O
or	O
increased	O
the	O
number	O
of	O
times	O
that	O
obliging	O
citizens	O
performed	O
this	O
duty	O
for	O
him	O
during	O
his	O
temporary	O
absences	O
in	O
the	O
company	O
of	O
convivial	O
spirits	O
?	O

A	O
few	O
moments	O
later	O
,	O
Warwick	O
saw	EVENT
a	O
colored	O
policeman	O
in	O
the	O
old	O
constable	O
's	O
place	O
--	O
a	O
stronger	O
reminder	O
than	O
even	O
the	O
burned	O
buildings	O
that	O
war	O
had	O
left	O
its	O
mark	O
upon	O
the	O
old	O
town	O
,	O
with	O
which	O
Time	O
had	O
dealt	O
so	O
tenderly	O
.	O

The	O
lower	O
story	O
of	O
the	O
market-house	O
was	O
open	O
on	O
all	O
four	O
of	O
its	O
sides	O
to	O
the	O
public	O
square	O
.	O

Warwick	O
passed	EVENT
through	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
wide	O
brick	O
arches	O
and	O
traversed	EVENT
the	O
building	O
with	O
a	O
leisurely	O
step	EVENT
.	O

He	O
looked	EVENT
in	O
vain	O
into	O
the	O
stalls	O
for	O
the	O
butcher	O
who	O
had	O
sold	O
fresh	O
meat	O
twice	O
a	O
week	O
,	O
on	O
market	O
days	O
,	O
and	O
he	O
felt	O
a	O
genuine	O
thrill	O
of	O
pleasure	EVENT
when	O
he	O
recognized	EVENT
the	O
red	O
bandana	O
turban	O
of	O
old	O
Aunt	O
Lyddy	O
,	O
the	O
ancient	O
negro	O
woman	O
who	O
had	O
sold	O
him	O
gingerbread	O
and	O
fried	O
fish	O
,	O
and	O
told	O
him	O
weird	O
tales	O
of	O
witchcraft	O
and	O
conjuration	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
old	O
days	O
when	O
,	O
as	O
an	O
idle	O
boy	O
,	O
he	O
had	O
loafed	O
about	O
the	O
market-house	O
.	O

He	O
did	O
not	O
speak	O
to	O
her	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
or	O
give	O
her	O
any	O
sign	O
of	O
recognition	O
.	O

He	O
threw	O
a	O
glance	EVENT
toward	O
a	O
certain	O
corner	O
where	O
steps	O
led	O
to	O
the	O
town	O
hall	O
above	O
.	O

On	O
this	O
stairway	O
he	O
had	O
once	O
seen	EVENT
a	O
manacled	O
free	O
negro	O
shot	EVENT
while	O
being	O
taken	EVENT
upstairs	O
for	O
examination	O
under	O
a	O
criminal	O
charge	O
.	O

Warwick	O
recalled	EVENT
vividly	O
how	O
the	O
shot	EVENT
had	O
rung	EVENT
out	O
.	O

He	O
could	O
see	EVENT
again	O
the	O
livid	O
look	O
of	O
terror	O
on	O
the	O
victim	O
's	O
face	O
,	O
the	O
gathering	EVENT
crowd	O
,	O
the	O
resulting	O
confusion	EVENT
.	O

The	O
murderer	O
,	O
he	O
recalled	EVENT
,	O
had	O
been	O
tried	EVENT
and	O
sentenced	EVENT
to	O
imprisonment	O
for	O
life	O
,	O
but	O
was	O
pardoned	EVENT
by	O
a	O
merciful	O
governor	O
after	O
serving	EVENT
a	O
year	O
of	O
his	O
sentence	O
.	O

As	O
Warwick	O
was	O
neither	O
a	O
prophet	O
nor	O
the	O
son	O
of	O
a	O
prophet	O
,	O
he	O
could	O
not	O
foresee	O
that	O
,	O
thirty	O
years	O
later	O
,	O
even	O
this	O
would	O
seem	O
an	O
excessive	O
punishment	EVENT
for	O
so	O
slight	O
a	O
misdemeanor	EVENT
.	O

Leaving	EVENT
the	O
market-house	O
,	O
Warwick	O
turned	EVENT
to	O
the	O
left	O
,	O
and	O
kept	EVENT
on	O
his	O
course	O
until	O
he	O
reached	EVENT
the	O
next	O
corner	O
.	O

After	O
another	O
turn	EVENT
to	O
the	O
right	O
,	O
a	O
dozen	O
paces	EVENT
brought	O
him	O
in	O
front	O
of	O
a	O
small	O
weather-beaten	O
frame	O
building	O
,	O
from	O
which	O
projected	O
a	O
wooden	O
sign-board	O
bearing	O
the	O
inscription	O
:	O
--	O
ARCHIBALD	O
STRAIGHT	O
,	O
LAWYER	O
.	O

He	O
turned	EVENT
the	O
knob	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
door	O
was	O
locked	O
.	O

Retracing	EVENT
his	O
steps	O
past	O
a	O
vacant	O
lot	O
,	O
the	O
young	O
man	O
entered	EVENT
a	O
shop	O
where	O
a	O
colored	O
man	O
was	O
employed	O
in	O
varnishing	EVENT
a	O
coffin	O
,	O
which	O
stood	O
on	O
two	O
trestles	O
in	O
the	O
middle	O
of	O
the	O
floor	O
.	O

Not	O
at	O
all	O
impressed	O
by	O
the	O
melancholy	O
suggestiveness	O
of	O
his	O
task	EVENT
,	O
he	O
was	O
whistling	EVENT
a	O
lively	O
air	O
with	O
great	O
gusto	O
.	O

Upon	O
Warwick	O
's	O
entrance	EVENT
this	O
effusion	EVENT
came	O
to	O
a	O
sudden	O
end	EVENT
,	O
and	O
the	O
coffin-maker	O
assumed	O
an	O
air	EVENT
of	O
professional	O
gravity	EVENT
.	O

"	O
Good-mawnin	O
'	O
,	O
suh	O
,	O
"	O
he	O
said	EVENT
,	O
lifting	EVENT
his	O
cap	O
politely	O
.	O

"	O
Good-morning	O
,	O
"	O
answered	EVENT
Warwick	O
.	O

"	O
Can	O
you	O
tell	O
me	O
anything	O
about	O
Judge	O
Straight	O
's	O
office	O
hours	O
?	O
"	O

"	O
De	O
ole	O
jedge	O
has	O
be	O
'n	O
a	O
little	O
onreg	O
'	O
lar	O
sence	O
de	O
wah	O
,	O
suh	O
;	O
but	O
he	O
gin	O
'	O
ally	O
gits	O
roun	O
'	O
'	O
bout	O
ten	O
o'clock	O
er	O
so	O
.	O

He	O
's	O
be	O
'n	O
kin	O
'	O
er	O
feeble	O
fer	O
de	O
las	O
'	O
few	O
yeahs	O
.	O

An	O
'	O
I	O
reckon	O
,	O
"	O
continued	EVENT
the	O
undertaker	O
solemnly	O
,	O
his	O
glance	EVENT
unconsciously	O
seeking	EVENT
a	O
row	O
of	O
fine	O
caskets	O
standing	O
against	O
the	O
wall	O
,	O
--	O
"	O
I	O
reckon	O
he	O
'll	O
soon	O
be	O
goin	O
'	O
de	O
way	O
er	O
all	O
de	O
earth	O
.	O

'	O
Man	O
dat	O
is	O
bawn	O
er	O
'	O
oman	O
hath	O
but	O
a	O
sho	O
'	O
t	O
time	O
ter	O
lib	O
,	O
an	O
'	O
is	O
full	O
er	O
mis	O
'	O
ry	O
.	O

He	O
cometh	O
up	O
an	O
'	O
is	O
cut	O
down	O
lack	O
as	O
a	O
flower	O
.	O
'	O

'	O
De	O
days	O
er	O
his	O
life	O
is	O
three-sco	O
'	O
an	O
'	O
ten	O
'	O
--	O
an	O
'	O
de	O
ole	O
jedge	O
is	O
libbed	O
mo	O
'	O
d'	O
n	O
dat	O
,	O
suh	O
,	O
by	O
five	O
yeahs	O
,	O
ter	O
say	O
de	O
leas	O
'	O
.	O
"	O
"	O

'	O
Death	O
,	O
'	O
"	O
quoted	EVENT
Warwick	O
,	O
with	O
whose	O
mood	O
the	O
undertaker	O
's	O
remarks	EVENT
were	O
in	O
tune	O
,	O
"	O
'	O
is	O
the	O
penalty	O
that	O
all	O
must	O
pay	O
for	O
the	O
crime	O
of	O
living	O
.	O
'	O
"	O

"	O
Dat	O
's	O
a	O
fac	O
'	O
,	O
suh	O
,	O
dat	O
's	O
a	O
fac	O
'	O
;	O
so	O
dey	O
mus	O
'	O
--	O
so	O
dey	O
mus	O
'	O
.	O

An	O
'	O
den	O
all	O
de	O
dead	O
has	O
ter	O
be	O
buried	O
.	O

An	O
'	O
we	O
does	O
ou	O
'	O
sheer	O
of	O
it	O
,	O
suh	O
,	O
we	O
does	O
ou	O
'	O
sheer	O
.	O

We	O
conduc	O
's	O
de	O
obs	O
'	O
quies	O
er	O
all	O
de	O
bes	O
'	O
w	O
'	O
ite	O
folks	O
er	O
de	O
town	O
,	O
suh	O
.	O
"	O

Warwick	O
left	EVENT
the	O
undertaker	O
's	O
shop	O
and	O
retraced	EVENT
his	O
steps	O
until	O
he	O
had	O
passed	EVENT
the	O
lawyer	O
's	O
office	O
,	O
toward	O
which	O
he	O
threw	O
an	O
affectionate	O
glance	EVENT
.	O

A	O
few	O
rods	O
farther	O
led	EVENT
him	O
past	O
the	O
old	O
black	O
Presbyterian	O
church	O
,	O
with	O
its	O
square	O
tower	O
,	O
embowered	O
in	O
a	O
stately	O
grove	O
;	O
past	O
the	O
Catholic	O
church	O
,	O
with	O
its	O
many	O
crosses	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
painted	O
wooden	O
figure	O
of	O
St.	O
James	O
in	O
a	O
recess	O
beneath	O
the	O
gable	O
;	O
and	O
past	O
the	O
old	O
Jefferson	O
House	O
,	O
once	O
the	O
leading	O
hotel	O
of	O
the	O
town	O
,	O
in	O
front	O
of	O
which	O
political	O
meetings	O
had	O
been	O
held	O
,	O
and	O
political	O
speeches	O
made	O
,	O
and	O
political	O
hard	O
cider	O
drunk	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
days	O
of	O
"	O
Tippecanoe	O
and	O
Tyler	O
too	O
.	O
"	O

The	O
street	O
down	O
which	O
Warwick	O
had	O
come	O
intersected	O
Front	O
Street	O
at	O
a	O
sharp	O
angle	O
in	O
front	O
of	O
the	O
old	O
hotel	O
,	O
forming	O
a	O
sort	O
of	O
flatiron	O
block	O
at	O
the	O
junction	O
,	O
known	O
as	O
Liberty	O
Point	O
,	O
--	O
perhaps	O
because	O
slave	O
auctions	O
were	O
sometimes	O
held	O
there	O
in	O
the	O
good	O
old	O
days	O
.	O

Just	O
before	O
Warwick	O
reached	O
Liberty	O
Point	O
,	O
a	O
young	O
woman	O
came	EVENT
down	O
Front	O
Street	O
from	O
the	O
direction	O
of	O
the	O
market-house	O
.	O

When	O
their	O
paths	O
converged	EVENT
,	O
Warwick	O
kept	EVENT
on	O
down	O
Front	O
Street	O
behind	O
her	O
,	O
it	O
having	O
been	O
already	O
his	O
intention	O
to	O
walk	O
in	O
this	O
direction	O
.	O

Warwick	O
's	O
first	O
glance	EVENT
had	O
revealed	EVENT
the	O
fact	O
that	O
the	O
young	O
woman	O
was	O
strikingly	O
handsome	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
stately	O
beauty	O
seldom	O
encountered	O
.	O

As	O
he	O
walked	EVENT
along	O
behind	O
her	O
at	O
a	O
measured	O
distance	O
,	O
he	O
could	O
not	O
help	O
noting	EVENT
the	O
details	O
that	O
made	O
up	O
this	O
pleasing	O
impression	O
,	O
for	O
his	O
mind	O
was	O
singularly	O
alive	O
to	O
beauty	O
,	O
in	O
whatever	O
embodiment	O
.	O

The	O
girl	O
's	O
figure	O
,	O
he	O
perceived	EVENT
,	O
was	O
admirably	O
proportioned	O
;	O
she	O
was	O
evidently	O
at	O
the	O
period	O
when	O
the	O
angles	O
of	O
childhood	O
were	O
rounding	O
into	O
the	O
promising	O
curves	O
of	O
adolescence	O
.	O

Her	O
abundant	O
hair	O
,	O
of	O
a	O
dark	O
and	O
glossy	O
brown	O
,	O
was	O
neatly	O
plaited	O
and	O
coiled	O
above	O
an	O
ivory	O
column	O
that	O
rose	O
straight	O
from	O
a	O
pair	O
of	O
gently	O
sloping	O
shoulders	O
,	O
clearly	O
outlined	O
beneath	O
the	O
light	O
muslin	O
frock	O
that	O
covered	EVENT
them	O
.	O

He	O
could	O
see	O
that	O
she	O
was	O
tastefully	O
,	O
though	O
not	O
richly	O
,	O
dressed	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
she	O
walked	EVENT
with	O
an	O
elastic	O
step	O
that	O
revealed	EVENT
a	O
light	O
heart	O
and	O
the	O
vigor	O
of	O
perfect	O
health	O
.	O

Her	O
face	O
,	O
of	O
course	O
,	O
he	O
could	O
not	O
analyze	O
,	O
since	O
he	O
had	O
caught	O
only	O
the	O
one	O
brief	O
but	O
convincing	O
glimpse	EVENT
of	O
it	O
.	O