Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1851-05-31
A Novel Mode of Paying a Debt.

a man by the namo or l., dreadfHUj III
debt, being in bed one morning, his wife, who
was looking through the window curt aims into
the street, suddenly jumped aside, crying -
"l1ere comes your boOt-maker," and from her
tone Of voice one would have thought tho
boot-maker was something terrible
"Where i, he 7" asked he.
"At the corner of the street."
"Ah, then, we have time enough; and since
he persists in coming here every day, and CON-
plains that We won't open tho door to
him.
L. did not finish, but springing from the bed,
threw into the burning fire the dooE-key, and
at the end of few seconds, he took the tongs
running to the door put the key in the hole on
fectly calm. A minute after, heavy step was
heard on the stairs; it approaches, stops bsfors
the door, and all of sudden howl Of pain
is heard, and the boot-maker fed at full speed.
The next morning L. was engaged ia past
ing some bands over some prospectus Of Al
affair he was experimenting
"Ah!' screamed his wife, who was again at
the window; "here comes the bootmaker."
"Do you 60 off to your neighbors," said L.,
"and leave the door partly open." And he i'm
mediately commenced FASTING his paper over
the cracks of the only window in the room.
The bootmaker enters, his hand tied up, and
Immediately commences to abuse and Threaten
his debtor.
Il am with you in 4 minute" replied L.,
mildly finishing his work.
II do not leave the room without any mo-
ney," said the bootmaker.
"You are right" replied L., II only ssk you
10 give me one moment"
So saying, he went and shut the door, lock-
ing it and put the key in his pocket. lie then
took from corner furnace full Of charcoal,
which he lights and begins to blow. The
bootmaker looked on in surprise. L. continued
to blow.
"You claim from me" said he, "the money
which owe you. Your demand Is just; you
have worked for me and should be paid for
your labor"
He continued to blow, the bootmsker some
what moved by the singularity and the solem.
nifty of his proceedings, was silent.
'You are, unfortunately, not the only one"
continued L., "whose just dues have been
obliged to put off: Many more than yourself
come here"
A strange odor began to spread itself
through the room. The bootmaker coughs
and considers the furnace with some anxiety.
L. blows all the time.
"Come here, l say, and overwhe!m me with
their demands, and sometimes like you with
their abuse; what can do! I can't pay; and
am on one side, in the most profound grief
at being unable to satisfy any engagement.
and on the other, ] cannot bear the affronts to
which am subjected. You understand thats
man like me can no longer remain in such
q situation, and ! have resolved to put a.
end to it ALL"
"But," commenced tho bootmaker anxious-
y.
"But," replied l., blowing energetical|J. "eil
that you may say to me cannot change my is.
revocable determination. You have long pun.
jshed me. forgive you"
"Diable!" cried the bootmaker, no lonaee
able to breathe, "do what you will with yosr-
self, but open the door for me!"
"Icannot pay," said L., ''and you said that
you would not leave the room without your
money. In these circumstances"-
"Open the door," shrieked the bootmaker.
@open the door, or will strangle you"
So ends the story. L. continued to blow
until the bootmaker, almost exhausted, con-
sented to give receipt in full, and the door
was finally opened.