The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1874-04-01
TWO GREENBACKS.

sion. The other passed through a
honorable career of real service an
we'll, doing. To be sure, greenbacks ar
not endowed with life and free will
yet how people bow to them, and striv
to get them and submit to their power
The two particular greenbacks, tn
adventures of which it is the purpose O
| this story to relate, were each of tn
denomination of $40. One was brigh
new one, and was one of thick pil,
! that lay in the desk of a fat old frauc
in the shape of wealthy citizen, who's
small eyes sparkled complacently as he
contemplated his hoard, and who's
false tongue pleaded poverty in reply
to requests for the payment of homes
debts. That greenback's life was very
monotonous one. If it had had
tongae to speak it would have lifted uT
its voice in loud protest at being penne6
up in such a,lonely place, and beg TO be
allowed to see something of the world
instead of being doomed to the dreary,
useless life it was leading.
Greenback No. was a creature oi
more fortuitous circumstances. It was
not so crisp and clean as the one that
was kept in confinement, but its scars
were honorable ones, won in life OF
activity and hard service. We first be-
hold it passing over the black-walnut
desk of large manufacturing estab-
lishment into the hands of an honest
looking man with soiled clothes and a
dust-begrimed face. For convenience
sake we will give the man name-we
will call him Luke Preston-though
that is q matter of little consequence
as regards the adventures of his green
back. The first thing he did was to
call at Skettle's grocery on his way
home and pay his weeks bill. This
amounted to three dollars and forty
cents, and handing over his ten-dollar
greenback he received six dollars and
sixty cents in change. Further along
he stopped at the meat market and set
tied mn, zaaui1aes ont two. lass aaad t~sa
cents, having then remaining four dol
lars and fifty cents. With these two
debts off his mind he went home and
sat down to good supper which one of
the best of wives had prepared for him.
"Lucy, did old Garland saw that wood
this afternoon ?" he asked.
eyes" was his wife's reply.
"Then TIL go around and pay him
after supper"
"It is so cold and stormy tonight I
wouldn't go out. He can probably just as
we'll wait until some time when you
happen to see him."
"No," was Luke's reply. "He has
earned the money and may want it. 1t
would be too bad to keep it from him.
All he has comes from little jobs like
this, you know"
And after the meal was finished Luke
made his way through the driving snow
straight to the home of old Garland.
"Good evening, Mr.. Garland. I
thought 1 would step around and pay
YOU for saving that wood. It's dollar,
I believe"
"Thank We, sir, thank ye," exclaimed
old Garland, while his wife looked up
over her spectacles from pair of socks
which she was darning. eyes, sir, that's
right. Much obIeeged w
" Not at all. 1t belongs to you.
eyes, yes. You're right. But it
amt all of them as locks at it in that
way"
ais that SOP"
eyes; there's lots of little debts
standin' out that I can't collect; and
there's Squire Clinch, in particular, as
had ten cord of wood in his yard, which
1 took the sawin' of. I jest finished the
job yesterday. and of course asked for
my pay. But he allowed that he'd
been doin' me great favor4in givin'
me such big job, and said I'd have to
wait week or two, as he was hard up.
esquire Clinch too hard up to pay
for his wood-sawing! That sounds like
a joke.
"'Tain't much of joke for me, for 1
need the money. had to borrow three
dollars of John Brady the other day to
buy some coal with, and he ought to be
paid. But I had only enough to get a
little flour with tonight, and | was Won
derin' how I'd put John off Howsum
ever, I'll give him this dollar, and per-
haps he will wait for the rest. was
going to get pair of new boots, too.
old things let most too much cold
in when a man stands still all day saw
IN wood. But I'll have to wait till
Squire Clinch isn't SO hard up.
ESQUIRE Clinch doesn't act on the
right principle" said Luke, turning to
go. 1T hope he will pay you before
long. Good night.
"Good night, and many thanks to
you."
On his way home Luke saw light
across the way in the village printing
office. He crossed the street and en-
tered.
Good evening, 1TE. QsilI, /" ne said
81 my time for your paper is inst out,
believe, and wish to pay for another
six months ahead.
All, thank you, Luke; I wish all
my subscribers acted on your plan.
"Don't they r. asked Luke.
"No, indeed. You would be sur
prised If / should mention the names OF
some of our most wealthy men who owe
for from two to five years back.
We'll, hope that won't ever be said
of me. The rich ones, | suppose, think
such small sums make no difference.
"There's where they are mistaken, "
replied Mr.. Quill. "The life of trade
is in these small sums. And o poor
mans dollar is worth more than rich
mans promise, any time; for material
and labor eannot be obtained without
money.
Before returning home Luke bought
some delieaeias for a Sunday dinner,
weekly literary paper and his wife's re-
lioious magazine. Besides, he gave ten
cents to a little heggar girl, who held
ont a hand blue with cold from under
tbe shreds OF a talteTed shawl. When
he finally reached home his poeket-book