St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1885-10-10

rooms were engaged, and arrangements
having been made for the girls to take
possession, the whole party proceeded
to see the city and the displays of agri-
cultural products and mechanical skill
at the Exposition.
The first day was largely spent in
wandering through the department Of
fruits and vegetables. It was here that
their own products were on exhibition,
and they naturally felt more interest in
this than in any other. They took no
little pride in observing that few, if
any, excelled them in the quality of the
fruit and vegetables exhibited, although
many had displays which embraced a
large variety of products. Next they
looked at the poultry, and here johnny
discovered some bantam chickens and
then some large white ducks, over
which he went into ecstacies, and could
with difficulty be induced to leave for
the purpose of looking at anything else.
When they had succeeded in getting
him away and the rest of the family
were engaged in examining other
things, he slipped his hand out of that
of his father and started back to have
another look.
He was missed almost directly, of
course; in fact before he had got out Of
sight in the crowd; but so eager was he
to get another look at the ducks and
chickens, and so fast did his short legs
stir themselves, that his father was un-
able to overtake him, and only caught
him when he paused before the coops
which contained what, to him, were the
principal things of value in the exposi-
ton.
Having recovered Johnny and i'm
pressed upon his mind the danger which
he ran of getting lost or being carried
off if he did not keep close to the rest
of the family, they spent some further
time in looking at the collection of
needle-work and flowers. and then re-
turned to their boarding place.
The next day, after a glance through
the agricultural department to ascer-
tain if their own articles were undis-
turbed, they went to another part of
the building to see the machinery. John
Parsons was not machinist by trade,
nor had he any special love for mechan-
ism; and yet he fingered long and with
kind of fascination over the machin-
cry for mining purposes, and especially
over the specimens of hydraulic mining
pipe, which were on exhibition.
81 declare, Marty" he said to his
wife, 81 believe they could wash down
Mount Shasta with that thing; and If
they thought there was gold enough
there to pay 'em for doin' it they
wouldn't be long in tryin', I'll be
bound. heard yesterday that COM
pany of Englishmen are at work now
up in the hills above us ome'ers, ar
ranging for hydraulic works. !"
We'll" returned Mrs. Parsons,
''there isn't any gold in our hills, so
they won't be wanting to wash them
down, anyway
s'No,n replied her husband, thought
fully, '.there amt any gold in the hills
close about us, as anybody knows on. "
The following day they went again
through the fruit and vegetable exhibit,
took another look at the fowls, and
then Mr.. Parsons left them to go alone
through the domestic department,
while he went again to examine the inn
plements for hydraulic mining.
'Wonder if they will tear down old
Shasta, he muttered to himself. e'Won-
der if they won't wash down all the
mountains and fill up all the valleys?''
Returning to his family, they took
another short turn about the building,
and then returned to their lodgings.
LAYING off her things, Mrs. Parsons
turned to her husband and said, little
reluctantly, for she did not like to seem
the first to weary of sightseeing:
John, if you have seen enough of
the exposition, let us go home. If not,
I'll stop with the girls in their rooms
until you are ready to 60. p"
"You are not sick, are you, nlother?"
asked John, anxiously.
tsNo; but am tired, and I want to
get back home and rest and see to
things. Home is the best place for old
folks. after all. y
''Why, mother, we are not old folks
vet. by a good deal feel bout as
Young and spry as I did fore came to
the coast; but if you are tired and want
to go home in the morning, I reckon
this here youngster'u be ready to go;
Ell, Johnny? seen enough of the city
| and want to get back to the ranch?"
inquired the lads father, drawing him
between his knees.
''Pll go if you'll buy me the big white
ducks, and the little banta chickens an
iack-knife with four blades in it,
piped the youngster, who thought he
saw chance to make a point in his
mothers evident eagerness to go
| home.
Tell you what I'll do, Johnny" re-
piled his father, gravelY, though with a
twinkle in his eye, for he enjoyed the
boys ''cuteness,' = as he called it; ''ten
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