St. Landry democrat., 1885-12-12

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place of our own, however poor, than
to be dependent upon somebody
else and obliged to move every year
perhaps, and never feel that anything
is our own, as we would do on a rented
place. But are you sure about the
title, John? Don't for PHYS sake let
us buy ranch to which there is not a
good title.'' -
That's just what told Mr.. Blake,
the man that ownes it. / told him that
| if there was anything at all wrong with
the title wouldn't touch it with a ten
foot pole, but he says it's all right, an
he is to get an abstract of it from the
recorders Office. The place has never
had but two or three owners, an it's
clear outside of the land grant, so il
there's no mortgages onto it don t
see how there can be any danger, an
of course the abstract will show
II almost wish you had told him we
would take it. I'm afraid somebody
else will step in and get it first, there
are so many looking for places now.
When did you tell him you would give
him an answer?'
"He is to come over tomorrow and
look at the things we have to trade. Ii
we kin agree, then he is to get the alb
stract, an if that is all right, it's a
trade. wish you could see the place,
! mother, before we decide about it, but
I don't see how you kin, unless we take
Johnny over to Ritchie's and leave him
while you go an take look at it.
"What do you say, johnny VIII you
stay at MIR. Ritchie's while mother goes
with me to see the new placeP"
won't the water and mud rise clear
over us and bury us?n asked the boy,
in his weak little voice.
''Oh, no." replied his father, "Mr
Ritchie's house is higher up than ours,
you know. There is not bit OF
danger
'.Then I'll stay
But Mrs. Parsons did not wish TO go
to see the place.
lit would be hard days ride" she
said. ''ifty miles there and back, am
we would have to go on horseback,
suppose, for it must be awful slow get
ting along with a wagon, now; and be
sides it would make no difference any
way. If YOU think we can make 6
living on it we had best take it, for w,
CAM stay here many days longer. VT
have no other place to go to, and it wi
not be easy to find places that we cal
trade for
And so they talked on while the tel;
was made and drank. Then they la.
down, but it was almost day before
sleep came to either of them.
/ About noon the next day Mr.. Blak
came as he had promised
He was man of medium size an
pretty well built. He had q red fac
and q. large mouth, and appeared abou
fifty years of age.
Certainly not handsome man, h.
was yet not noticeably homely. II
fact, there was nothing especially no
ticeable about him in any way. TO al
appearances he was an ordinary kin
of man, who had doubtless minet
some; been q farmer back in the States
perhaps, and at some period in his life
had probably kept hotel in countr.
town, or engaged in some other occl
patton which had given him o lit
more the air of man of business, an
a little less that of day laborer.
At dinner, of which he was inYitet
to partake, he asked blessing. A
D they ate he commended the cooking
spoke of the great loss which his hos
had sustained from the destruction D
his ranch by the overflow, and con
. demned in strong terms the ontrag,
upon the rights of so good citizens a
those at whose table he sat.
Then he passed on to- description
of his own ranch, which he wished t.
sell.
It was well up in the hills, he said
but it was fine place for fruit, an
was out of danger from the overflow
! and all it needed to make it q valuable
!; property was the cultivation and car,
which Mr.. Parsons knew SO well how
to give it.
He offered it for. sale cheap because
he was going back East, and wanted e.
clear everything up before he went, an0
get what he had together. u
He Wouldsprefer to2sen for cash, bu
if they could not do that, he Woult
b take a pair of horses and Saay othel
stock they might have to turn out. Ant
if he could not dispose OF them readil,
4 in the neighborhood, would drive then
ID Sacramento, on his way to New
York, and sell them there.
After dinner he went out, IN COMPANY
t with Mr.. Parsons. and looked at tn
Z different animals and the things Whict
the now nearly impoverished family hat
to offer. He readily agreed to take ont
T pair Of horses and a wagon and the tol
: carriage, also three cows. But thi
still left difference which he proposed
should be made up by q note to b
8 signed by MIR. Parsons and 9 couple o
his neighbors. 4. s......s..
, To this Mr.. Parsons would not con
! sent. He doubted if any one WoulI