St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1882-01-28
A FATHER LOST.

Twenty-Five years ago, when spring
evening was moist and cloudy over all
the region about Mud Creek, Paris and
Betsey Lane came sauntering to the
woods cabin from school, ..i,
Betsey was an inch or two taller than
Paris, though he was ten years old and
she only nine. He looked like 'dellb-
crate and thoughtful small old man in
butternut-colored trousers reaching
nearly to his arm-pits, and correspond
ing coat and vest which hung unbut-
toned, exposing his hickory shirt. His
red feet had found themselves sandals
of mud i'm crossing Mud Creek Flat, and
he felt with pleasure, which half-shiv-
cred, the soft stuff still sponging up be-
tween his toes.
Paris carried the dinner-basket, so
Betsey had nothing to hamper her, and
stepped out as freely as her straight
dress, which struck her heels at every
step, would let her. Both Of them car
ried sprigs of young sassafras, and
marked their way with nibbled leaves
and peeled sticks. Betsey's dress was
made just like her mothers, and hooked
in from below its hem appeared the toes
of her cowhide shoes; above the corded
top, her round, ague-tinted face and
faxen hair.
Before they could see home through
the timber, the cows voices came down
the road, and their dog barked as if he
scented them affair off, and felt grateful
to them for this one daily occasion for
making the lonesome Illinois woods
ring. First they saw the stable; it was
a rail pen covered with corn-stalks,
and the door hung open on wooden
hinges. .-..-,.
"Pap amt home yet said Paris,
shifting the dinner basket to his Other
arm. . don't see the horses or wag
ON ssges,
"But there's Safe" said Betsey; fol
Safe. like loyal yellow dog, rushed t.
meet them as if making the effort OF al:
life. And there was the house crowded
by, trees,swith the whole woods To-
a dooryard; and on the log step wa
mother, little Elihu and Hiram just be
hind her. III. H.
Paris and Betsey smelt supper as the.
approached. Well did they know tina
corn pone was browning in the Dutch
oven upon the hearth. Goals beneath
and above it; that the sassafras orsplce
wood tca NJ % steep TO- be- finctlres
WITH rev milk and maple sugar aai
beeoSaes the most delightfal fdraagh
ANYBODY, ever drank they snuffed Zthl q
nerf,Ime OF fried wild onions, whigl
prew rank ana early along the creek
and hint of chicken gravy alm9s
strong enough to- make them suspee
there was company. sI
However. no neighbor appearedwitt
inwhep Betsey passed her mother az
entered 2 - = - ~. = D,
s.Your pap amt come home yet,
said Mrs. Lane, looking up the. WOOD
road uneasily. He ought to be heI
with his last load o. wood. It' d soon. :
dark. 'atoE @ rs E, s, f. IL
..Mud Creek is higher'n I ever So
~, remarked Paris, venerably. " II
most up to the bridge. Il it Keeps 9
rainin' we can't get across the nat
school. = ..-.,,.
.The,'isn't going to be any Shlghl
waters said. Betsey from the gou
dipper, yetdripping iron its Yls a. 20
mother ) jar Of spring beer.
The mortal who never tasted it ca
hover conception Of this drink-s
the roots and barks and spicy odoTs
sn,raested; its yeasty' hghfness ana 81 9,
tang. its honey sweetness ana 20 ! Wnol
some bitterness; and the oenehcial
EfJsI sts& =, - ~