The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1886-04-30
GAIN AND LOSS.
The Burial Place OF Jake Hollis
Little Girl


to be dull enough. The Metropolitan
Hotel, at which am stopping, was al.
together barren of metropolitan at.
fractions. A hard rainstorm had set in
about dark, and the heavy drops clat.
tered against the window panes and ran
down them in shining streams.
strolled into the bar and billiard room,
in which at western hotels there il
usually abundant life and animation.
The only inmate was the bartender,
who. seated on low stool and leaning
against the beer refrigerator, was read.
ing an illustrated paper. The single
billiard table. covered with what looked
like faded old bed quilt, wore q very
distressed and woe-begone look, as if at
that moment it might be suffering from
. nightmare consisting of all the ex-
ecrable shots to which during its life
time it had been made an unwilling
party. Several rows of shining pool
balls in the rack against the wall Winked
in the dim light Of the dingy kerosene
lamps. Eight or ten cues, stained with
the grasp of many dirty palms, stood up
stiff and prim in line in the cue-rack,
and at the end OF the bar stood large
box spittoon, the fresh sawdust in which
showed the effects Of recent center
shot.
shook my head at the barkeeper, who
had raised his eyes inquiringly, to signi-
~ that wanted no bar-room refresh
ments, then glancing out the dripping
window and seeing bright light across
the street, turned down the brim of NV
SLOUGH hat, buttoned my coat around my
throat and scurried over to the little So
loon which is, as had learned during
the day, the favorite retreat of the VII
lage tipplers. Arough-looking man sat
at table slipping gin and water, and
slipping it. too, with elaboration indi-
eating either an absence of ardent thirst
or desire to make the most of the
drink.
ssGineral," said TO him one Of the
three or four ike-looking men gathered
around the stove, ''this q howlin' bad
night =
The ssgineral" whether so-called in =
spirit Of compliment for military sery-
ices. perhaps duly recorded somewhere
in the war annals Of his country, or in
the way of . facetious allusion to his
marked propensity for gin and water, 1
shall not attempt to say-poised his
spoon long enough in the air midway
from his glass to his lips to reply that It
was. indeed, !" tough 'un, and gettin'
wus and WINS. And IS If to CORRIDOR
ate this unfavorable opinion Of the
weather, the rain beat against the door
and windows 9th increased fury, the
wind tore headlong through the street
hitting the swinging signs blow that
made them shrek with pain and rage.
and the rising creek roared in the rulch
below.
THAT boomin' creek down there. ),
resumed 1.-THE gineral," after . little
panse, ssmakes me think Of the terrible
night when old Jake Hollis little ~
was carried away in the big spring rise.
Il was nineteen years aeo tie comin'
spring. Yes, It started in lust Ike this.
a-rainin' and BLOWN and the creek
showlin itself h0arse. What an swful
night Il was and what deal Of bed
.lnck and what deal O. good it brought
g old Jake Holt Jake, ye 80, w
'all1s Just the poorest seediest, xood-for.
n0hluest cuA anywhere round here.
But he Was rich man almost from Ia
iust hour that big storm hurst over The
boiler. YES sir, sure's you're born.
q 4 hadn't been for the druwnin' az
q that pOOtY little al down IN the run
tnero Jake might O. been vet the poor.
ohf1ou Oook h MA them 6~v. i,..H-S