St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1882-10-21
we bought candy with it. and nuts, and

twelve lemons, and some sugar. ana
we divided it up SOS if it came to eat
ing we wouldn't get more II belonged
to us. And we painted sign with
black paint:
BARTLETT & ARNOLD.'
It looked real nice. And Captain Til
ley said he'd lend us his camping-ont
tent if we'd be careful of it, and we
said we would.
SO that's all until we came to 60. We
went the night before with the express
wagon and Duke, because our old Duke
he's pretty slow, and we wanted to be
there before the procession did in the
morning.
Well. we got to New Holland, and
we were going to set up our tent long
side of the Capitol-that's their meet
ing house and school-house and town
house all in bunch. And | and Guy
we were going to set up and get ready
to sell things, when along comes man.
and says he, big as life:
"Got a license?''
"No, SIR said we.
Then you can't sell here,' said he
"Why not?' said |.
"My fathers name is Mr.. Arnold, y
said Guy, redding up, land he keeps
store
81 don't care eff he keeps dozen
stores,' said the man.
Come to find out, that man had
bought the right if that's what you call
it, OF mile square, with the Capitol IN
the middle, and folks had to give him
money or they couldn't sell there.
''How much is license?' said |.
Give dollars said he.
"Will you trust us?' said Guy, bold
as brass.
No. said the man, Il won't
Well, sir, we didn't know what to do,
and all that gingerbread and pies and
things just waiting to spoil. And we
stood and thought.
LETS we 90 half a mile back on the
Deerville road" said Guy, in minute,
throwing up his hat, with q hooray,
land then the procession II 90 by us,
and maybe the folks II buy something. "
"Good!' said |.
So we found out how far half mile
was, and we went a little more, SOS tc
pitch right on the top of a long hill
And we hitched old Duke out to grass
And after while we laid down in the
tent, and said twas fun But | thought
for nv part, L Il rather be to home.
In the night l dreamed | was II
swimming. and the water was awtu
cold And pretty soon [ woke up, anc
there | was two inches deep in water
and twas raining like sixty. SO WOKE
, up Guy, AMI we felt round and tount
that the things to sell weren't getting
wet: and then we sat down on board
, and the next thing l remember of t'wa
morning, and the sun was shining, an'
r l and Guy we laid there in the tent we
as water.
a So we got up and combed eacl
5 others hair with our fingers. and thel
g we ate pie between us, and then we pu
e out our sign 1t was streaked some be
. cause it got rained on, but you coul(
/ read it close to. Then we spread on
/ pies an things out on q board, and be
!. gan to roll our lemons the way I'd see
mother do to make the juice come on
easy. We rolled 'em slow, and befor
J. they were all done, after long while
il we heard music, away off and faint. bu
e coming nearer every minute, the bl
d drums and little drums and bugles an
g horns all pounding and footing away
n s.The Star-spangled Banner"
Oh, it was grand! | and Guy we "a
g out to the road. We couldn't see tn
it procession so far away, beau every
y thino was SO misty after the rain; br
we could hear it coming nearer an
e nearer, and we wondered if our folk
J would come first, or last, or where.
d did seen. as if we hadn't seen our mott
t ers for month of Sundays.
IS So we stood and cracked our feet tt
Is oether once in a while and waited. An
all of sudden we heard thGnderln
T. racket good deal nearer than the pro
Is cession-a dreadful rafting and buml
D. inc and humping. and somebody ava
l. behind singing out 'Whoa:'
le cts Mr.. Pressy's old roan!" yelle
le Guy, all on fire in q minute. He
u running away with the gingerbread I
g stuff. do believe
., Then we heard a screech-a regul;
4 =, ear-splitter. And a girl ran out OF Ii
~ tie Holiander house across the road an
le down a ways. And she put her hant
g over her eyes. and tumbled right on h
" knees, and screeched and screeche'
~ And it all happened in a heap, thong
%! "a YOU have to tell it one to time; so abo1
IL as soon as we saw Mr.. Pressy's old roo
and the woman we saw two little He
lander babies, with their yellow ha
- braided in wispy pigtails, and viii
-, dresses on, PLAYING right square in Il
~ middle of the road. =
= It seems to me as if looked at CT
i a long, long time, and Guy looked
70 - me. And / thought about my mothe
#: and my dog Ponto, and that we hadr
= rolled all Of the lemons; and then | fl
Va as if something gave me push. Al
>, it was all in minute, and and G1
,,o,, And C,,v he was q little firs