St. Landry democrat., 1884-05-17

profanity as utterly appalled, net only
Z Frank, but Franks mother, who wit
messed the scene from her kitchen win,
dow. She called Frank away at once,
and after a few words of rebuke tl
Charlie, spoken far more in sorrow
than in anger, she sent him home,
saying that she could not allow any
Sboy who sWore or used bad language to
be the companion of her son.
Charlie departed in tears with his
broken wheelbarrow, and probably
gave an account of the trouble from his
own point OF view to his mother, for a
few moments later Mrs. Sunderland
was startled to see. coming over her
back fence, first cabbage. then a peek
or so of potatoes, and finally the basket
in which she had that morning sent to
Mrs. Cooper the vegetables thus uncer-
enormously returned. An explanation
of this surprising shower followed in
Mrs. Cooper's voice:
"Hill thank you after this to keep
yourself and heverything belonging to
you to yourself Hif my boy hainf fit
society for your boy, we don't none of
us want nothink to do with YOU"
Of course to such a speech as this no
civil reply was possible, SO Mrs. Sun
derland quietly Withdrew from the
scene of action, leaving her neighbor in
possession of the field. The predicted
quarrel had come, greatly to Mrs. Sun
derland's notifications for to have it
known to the whole town that she was
at variance with her next-noor neigh
Dor as, thanks to Mrs. Cooper's I'M
scrupulous tongue, it speedily was
was felt by the widow to be real dis
grace. at
All that she could do to smooth mat
tiers she did, with no effect, however,
except that Mrs. Cooper subsidized grad
ually from a ferocious into sulIen
mood, but lost no opportunity of exhib-
ting her dislike and ill-will in the num-
berless little ways which near neigh
Dor can always make available.
The quarrel between the boys was of
much shorter duration. In the course
of few days Charles red head was
again seen bobbing over the division
fence, and Frank being responsive, the
former Intimacy was soon re-estab-
lished. When September came and
the schools re-opened the two lads be-
came school-mates and class mates
Charlie was bright boy, and his par
ents had kept him steadily at school,
and were very proud of his attachments;
but though he was two years older than
Frank, the latter was more than his
equal in understanding. There was
no brag about Frank, however, and
there would probably have been no
Jealousy on Charles side had it not
been been excited by home influence.
Mrs. Cooper was bitterly jealous and
envious, and her sneers and innuendoes
did much towards making her son as
unreasonable and suspicious as her
SELF
A few months after the school opened,
an examination was held for the pur-
pose Of promoting such of the scholars
as were fttedfor the advance to higher
in the school, Frank Sun
derland was the only boy in his class
who was successful in passing the ex-
though Charlie Cooper had
not been far behind him, and his heart, i
and his mothers as well, had been set
upon his obtaining the promotion.
RAT he failed to do so was, in itself, !
: bitter disappointment, but that Frank /
should succeed where Charlie failed was {
: trial much harder to endure Mrs.
Jooper's undisciplined tongue wagged !
RELY, and her opinion that the school :
vas conduct,d upon the rankest princi- Z
'les OF faYorit:sm was widely dissent ,
lated. She would even have been fool !
81 enough TO withdraw Charlie from !
he school had not his father interposed |
lis rarely exerted authority and put a :
positive veto upon any such absurd pro- :
eeding.
As usual, Charles wrath soon evap- :
rated. and as there was now no occa- )
ion for actual rivalry between them, :
he two lads got along very harmoni- :,
usly, and Frank was able to do many !,
kind turn for Charlie, which the lat :
er, as a general thing, fully appreci- !,
ted. !
Though very well aware of the rumor .
I Mrs. Cooper's feelings toward her :
nd Frank, Mrs. Sunderland was sensf- :
lie enough to feel rather amused than
even when Mrs. Cooper's con- =
uct, on their chance meetings, verged :
pom actual insolence. The widow s u
heerfulness and politeness continued =
be quite invincible until the events 8 :
certain morning proved to her that u
,rbearance had at last ceased to be q
irtue
It was cold day in January; Frank b
ed gone to the well TO draw bucket Of
water, but found the weIl-bucket c.
alf-fdll Of ice, so that it would not al
nix when lowered into the water. His FL
lother came to. his assistance, but sue SC
'eded no better than he had done. tn
harlie Cooper was at the well in their tn
Fn lot, scarcely stones thrown dis al
mt, and he called out: Come fill your oil
rnIr