The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1881-05-14

"And perhaps, If the money holds
out, one O them ere bay windows"
"A bay-window and q kind o. porti-
rico, or whatever they call 'em, over the
door. can see it all as plain as day."
said Nancy.
fou see we can't spread quite SO
much on the house, on account of the
barn. OF course we shall want barn."
To be sure, nice snug barn with
a weather-cock on top"
''And the p'nts of the compass" said
Calvin.
Yes, the p'nts Of the compass
echoed Nancy. :" Head west, tail east
that's fair weather; then it whisks
round, head east, tail west-that's foul
weather." g
Who whisks roundp' asked Calvin.
g Why, the roosterr'
"What rooster?''
"Why, Calvin, how stupid! Haint
we jest been talking about weather.
cock-and what's that but rooster?"
t" Sometimes it's fish," said Calvin.
I" despise fish," said Nancy; al
Jest despise it. Who ever see q fish
climb up to the top of barnP No, q
rooster for me-a splendid gilt rooster!
l wonder at you wanting iish?"
% Did say wanted fish?''
''You give me to understand you did"
"No such thing! / said weather.
cock was fish sometimes, and 50 tits;
the one on the meetin' house is; but I'm
going to have one that'L beat that all
holler; see one like it down to Dam
bpyx-. ;f,o N man xu;th n ouyorI =, H..
hand-don't know whether it's meant
for George Washington or Napoleon
Bonaparte-but every time the wind
whisks it round. up goes the sword, or
down goes the sword" b naSs
g Now ] call that ridic' lous-simply
ride lous; wuss than the fish if any
thing. Now a rooster belongs on q
.'No. he don't; he belongs on the
dung-hill."
calvin Ketchum. I should be
ashamed! You talk like fool"
perhaps do. What is it the Bible
says about answering fool according
to his folly?"
But we will not pursue this war of
words further words which increased
in bitterness on both sides, and which
left an impression not soon forgotten.
The next day, as Nancy sat at the
window sewing, she saw Calvin come
out of the shop with his leather apron
full of refuse cuttings which he shook
out on the ground. He looked up and
met her gaze, then raising his arms,
tapped them like wings and gave q
lusty crow After that he went back
into his shop. laughing. The action
had been more exasperating than the
original quarrel had been.
"I'll pay him for it! IN come up
with himr' said she to herself. She had
no definite purpose in view, but fate sup
piled her with one that very afternoon,
and with the means of carrying it out.
Still nursing her wrath, she set about
building the fire preparatory to putting
on the tea-kettle.
She picked up q newspaper which
Calvin had carelessly tossed into the
wood-box, to kindle with, but before
lighting it. she had the curiosity to look
it over. There might be death or
marriage of somebody she knew, or
love-st0ry, or an interesting "local
item," and newspapers were rare in
this family-that one had come wrapped
round q pair of disabled shoes. She
spread it out on the table, and the first
thing that met her eyes was notice in
very large type-so large that it seemed
to be staring at her-headed thus:
"Losr-A PocKEr-BooK."
The time and probable place of losing
and description of the lost article were
all there. 1t ended thus: whoever
shall restore the same, or give informa-
ton leading to its recovery, win be
suitably rewarded. Apply to Julius
Sharp, ESQ.,
She could not restore it, because Cal
vim kept it locked up in the bureau
drawer; but she could give informa-
ton, and she would do it. It still
wanted an hour or two of sunset. and
Lawyer Sharp lived not more than
mile awsy-not more than half mile
across lots, the way she should go;
probably she would be back before Cal
win missed her.
She put on her bonnet and went out
the front door, which was not visible
from the shop. It was not without
some trepidation that she presented
herself before SO august q parsonage as
Lawyer Sharp, but he treated her with
great civility, particularly when he had
heard her errand.
Indeed, he bowed and smiled to such
an extent that it was rather embarrass-
ing, and she was glad when she found
herself in the street once more. So well
did she speed in her errand that she was
at home again and had supper on the
table not much later than usual.
Before she had cleared it away Law
yer Sharp made his appearance, 40
companied by two officers of justice. II
it was surprise to Calvin to learn the
GRAND upon which they had come, it
was an equal surprise to Nancy to see
her husband placed under arrest. She
had thought that il the pockct-book
was restored that would be the end of
it, and when she saw Calvin led away
I<x<e~ a n n y