St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-12-22

here and your coffee Is about ready.
..Wot a fool I was to let him stay
there so long," said Policeman Buffer,
regretfuily. '.How do | know but Wot
he's been .drillin hole under the lock
and pluggin' it full of blastin' powder
while was up the street,"
n,Taint no call for you: Mr.. Buffer,
to be THROWN yourself away investigat-
| in. and come to think of it. he couldn't |
have been doing anything like that for
he's been out and in from there dozen
tines
"Mebbe ought to have stroked him
off a little with the club" hesitated
| Mr.. Buffer, caressing that fifth member
| of himself fondly; .'but he's out OF my
beat now, and anyway he's pretty sure
to be run in before morning. and
| with this consolatcry reflection he re-
| tired.
! Down the well-nigh deserted streets,
/ with head bent down and with rapid
steps, the man hurried along. Pres
emily he stopped and looked around
him. A toy-shop across the way WIN
brilliantly-lighted sfow-windows caught
his eyes, On the pane was lettered IN
evergreens '.Merry Christmas. (" every
where the same old story" he muttered.
l impatently, "and it seems can't get
away from it. don't want to hear the
i Christmas bells-who would, with such
/ echoes ringing in his ears? | kept my
last Christmas Eve just ten years ago.
/ and don't care about trying it again.
| The icv wind was sweeping down colder
4 than ever, and he began to feel strangely
I numb and bewildered. Half-despalr-
inc, and yet with anodd sense OF happl-
4 ness, he sank down upon aiiight OF low,
broad steps and leaned his head against
the balustrade. Across the street he
could see some one dressing 80 Christ
mas tree some one with cherry ribbons
in her hair-and he smiled as he
languidly tried to guess who it might
4lbe3 then he smiled again as he counted
4 four little stockings hung up before the
a mantel-piece.
Il si; "A broad beam of ruddy light flashed
q out over the snow. A bluh-taced man
8 Sbentoy him and shook him vigorous
.stElln ,, III. Come, my man. he said, "this
won't dol! Another half-hour and you q
never never have heard the Christmas bells.
II ne man dragged him inside and looked
I lat him half-curiously, half compassion
: ately. g Tramp, eh?" he calculated.
We'll, even a tramp ought to nave
| shelter night like this. Wait here till
you feel better
: The stranger looked stupidity around
t him. Above his head rose vaulted
' root supported by lofty columns around
f which were wreathed long strings OF
= evergreens, frightened here and there
by sprays of flaming holly. Some
. church, of course, but everything
4 looked strange and unfamiliar. The
Y bluff-faced man stood on a step-ladder
1 busily engaged in fashioning in ever
!. greens a motto on the wall. His guest
! looked on, fascinated as the sentence
d grew under the makers deft fingers.
t :" Unto us child is born-unto us
n Son''-it read at last; and as its mean.
n inc grew upon him he groaned aloud.
Il The sexton, as he evidently was
) turned around pleasantly. Coming
d round. I see," he said "Well, now
b I've been thinking that it's hardly RICH
Y to send you out again tonight. Sup
i, pose YOU stay and help me, and II SCI
q Won through on bed and breakfast?''
} .Why. YOU don't know anything
IS about me- said the other, slowly.
It "I'll risk all that. just come VI
r here and finish out this sentence
i Here's the rest OF it written out on TIL
% piece of paper.
d Il know it well enough dom
g want the paper said the strange
g roughly; then changing his tone. b
y added: !" I beg your pardon for speak
n ing hastily. Just give me the green
e and I'll do my best.
le sWell. you are queer chap!' sal
the sexton, greilectively, :" but JiI
u Davidson doesn'tsgo back on his word
al and LII do as I said. Here are tn
lg greens, and you'll find the holly owe
er there in the corner.
er The two men worked on in silence to
as some moments: then came 2 knock 2
S. the door, and the sexton disappeare
v for moment. ''Only the rector b
IN explained. as he came back and met b.
a. companion's inquirirg glance. ii
p. ALWAYS comes to tile church Christina
d, Eve and waits till the bells begin
m ring-leastways he's always done $
+; since he took charge here, and that
ou nine years ago. | don know what
70 does here and | suppose its ms oW
q, business, anyway. Well, my Iad, an
what is it now turning 10 q wy WI
MS had been vainly endeavoringg to attra
n, his attention.
en- ..Please, sir, and there's a gentlems
as as down at your house that must see ye
AZ at once-important business. -
re ssTell him to come up here, Jimm
NC IT'S nigh to twelve, and I'll have to
on hand to ring the bells. "
- He says, Mr.. Davidson, that he can
~ possibly come up to the church, but tn
W. he won't keep you but moment.
Ter wen, up FL - :, has.tatad thu 60