The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1881-04-30
HOW DOLLIE SAVED HER FATHERS
MONEY.

bright-eyed little thlng-lntO family
of great, rough, tender-hearted, ador-
ing boys, and she had been treated by
them as doll mp to her sixteenth year.
Tom, Dick and Harry had gone to
market, which was trip of two days;
Jack and Joe had gone to assist a
neighboring farmer in press of work,
and at nine o. CLOCK in the forenoon Dol
lies good father, Mr.. Durand, said:
Dollie, Ned and are going to the
village to do some trading at the store.
Shan't be back until after dinner, so
have an early supper, smoking hot, for
us, for Wen be hungry as sharks"
=" Yes, father" said Dollie, bringing
out twelve dozen of eggs in basket;
for she knew her fathers ways--he al
ways loaded up thewagon with country
produce, eggs, dried apples, potatoes
and other vegetables, which he ex-
changed at the store for sugar, tea,
cloth, farming implements, etc.
g shan't take cent with me. for
fear shall be over-persuaded to buy
those pesky cattle of Jim Green's"
said the farmer, coming in for his coat.
9 know he's lynn in wait for me; he
mostly is market days. l don't want
'em and won't have 'em if they be
cheap But you know there's money
in the house, Dollie. There's three
hundred dollars Mr.. Kent gave me for
the south meadow lot sold him yes
terday in the desk, and there it must
stay safe until go to Peterborough to
the bank. So don't entertain no stran-
gers or suspicious-lookin' people while
I'm gomez w ~
No, father" Fa
I'll leave Bose at home, and I'll be
home long before dark" .4is'.
So when he had drawn two pals of
water, and Ned had filed up the wood
box for Dollie, they drove off, little
pig. tied in the bottom of the wagon,
squealing Justify. Dollie liked the horses
and cattle, the hens and chickens and
pigeons, but she didn't like the pigs. so
she didn't feel badly at all that this one
was going off to be stuffed and roasted
for somebody's dinner. She had a
baking to do and picilili to make. and
set busily about her task.
With wistful look down the road
and a sudden, unpleasant feeling of be-
ing unprotected in that lonely place
for the farm house was half a mile from
any other Dollie came back into the
kitchen,
When she had taken a solitary lunch
of bread and milk at the kitchen-table,
she made a nice tea-cake for the even
ing meal and then set about making her
fathers favorite relish, picilili.
1t was five o'clock when Dollie had
finished this last task and carried the
jars down cellar. When she came up q
man had entered the open kitchen-door
and was seated before the stove. Is
He was rough looking customer and
Dollie was frightened; but she did not
show it. trfs'A.s -,
Whom do you wish to seeP" she
asked.
I'D like something to eat, if you
please" answered the man in what was
evidently feigned voice.
But in spite of that and the muller
about his face, Dollie knew him. 1t was
Jim Green, the cattle-dealer, and he
had a very bad reputation. She had
never seen him but once before in her
life, but she remembered his leer and
hooked nose. She had had him point
ed out to her in the village, but she did
not think he had-ever seen her. What
did he wtshe here whens her father was
away?
With no idea that this was the object
of his errand. Dollie, however, cut one
Of the pumpkin-pies and gave him a
generous quarter, which he proceeded
to eat as well as he could, without too
freely revealing his face. Dollie hoped
when he had finished it he would go
away, but he did not. Instead of that
he got up, walked into the sitting-room
and looked round. After q moment.
he walked up to the desk and shook
the lid.
Say! is this lockedp' he asked.
The frightened blood came hot and
indignant into Dollie's young cheeks.
The man was robber,i after her faith
er's money. She took her hands out of
the dishwater where she had begun
washing up the cooking-dishes, and
walked into the sittinc-room. g
g See herer' she said, boldly.
know you; you Gre Jim Green. What
do you want here?'' nsa asr
"Moneym lsconically. . I've seen
your father at the village; i know he
hasn't got the money Kent paid him
with him, SO I think it mnst be here
He shook the lid violently and peered
about its edges -ci 20
{" How dare yon-tfy to rob a house in
open day2" asked Dollie. !" Don't you
know you win be arrested and sent to
jail?p
No, l won't" answered Green.
coolly. s'rm going out Of the country
tonight. Come, Iwant the keysr
Ddilie turned scoFnfully away, but
gave longing glance out at the win
dow.
!" expect my father every moment, =
she said. g He has the keys with him. -