St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-06-16

s.How much fine was it besides?'
'Twenty-fve dollars, sir"
''Twentv-fve? Well, I can't let hin
come down here and clean out the
. town and invalid the whole police
force for less than that"
"There's always something hap
PENN to that boy ever sence the ole
woman died. The fust time | washed
him he most drownded in the piggir
O water. He could scarcely craw
fore he went to waller in the fire. He s
fell down and broke his arm. He's
shot hisself accidental He's cut his
self all over with knives and hatchets
and axes. Every thing that could cut
has cut that boy"
"How much money have you got?''
''Me' The old fellow hand stopped
OF itself in establishment. His jaw fell;
the pipe, if it had been in place, would
have broken to pieces on the ground.
Me? amt got no money. l come
tr m the mounting"
What did you come to town for, if
y" MAVEN SoI any money!
"!he boy, he wanted to come. He
wanted to see town for oncet in his
life. He brung a live coon with him,
SIT, what he caught, and some skins
| otter-skins''
We'll what did he do with themp'
Traded EN- off, sir A side of
green meat wuz what he calkerlated
on. But he took boots, sir-boots to
come up outside O. his tbreeches. He
gesticulated toward the place where,
under more favorable circumstances,
the calf of his leg might have been visi-
bic under the patched trousers. They
Wuz handsome boots. He wouldn't
take EN- fust. Wanted me to hev 'em.
Me with boots outside o my breechesH'
He would have smiled ifhis mouth had
known how.
Suppose Imake the fine five dol
lars?'
That's reasonable, sir; that's reas-
enable. But just as you please, sir
I've had mighty heapo trouble with
that boy, We nussed-''
''1ou look around and see if YOU
can't scrape up the money, and be in
the courtroom early tomorrow morn
ing. Good-by."
The next morning by daylight the
mayor was summoned. As he descend
ed the stairs OF his residence he saw a
grayish-red head cautiously thrust in
side the front door and withdrawn four |
or five times
"Hello! What are you doing here this
hour Of the morning?''
''Nothin', sir; only to see you amt
forgot"
''Well, haven't"
Hes there, sir; there in the lookup,
my boy is. He's a-waitin' there for
you. l set up with him all night, on
the outside. | wuz bound to be there.
He wrinched the bar out, an he drap-
ped out, most on top O. me-"
1.-THE deuce he didr'
HE amt ealkerlated to spend the
night away from me. He never did
that sence he wuz born. No, sir. But
ne went back fair and square, climbed
light back, when explained to him;
IN he staid thar all night, in the lock-
Up. He wuz reasonable, sir, mighty
reasonable. He wouldn't talk much;
he didn't want to disturb no one. We
'nly looked at each other, sr-I've had
! powerful heap O. trouble along O
hat boy. Unused him; tended him;
actually prayed over him.
Here! l can't stay any longer"
You wouldn't take these here for
he fine, would you? They mought fit
ou.'
He fetched the hand that did not at
end to his chin from behind his back
nd held up pair of boots.
He tuck EN- right of, my boy did.
lie said he didn't wurnt the darn !
Kings noways; he'd ruther 60 bare
ooted all his life. He's there. sir, in s
ne lookup, a-Wa;tin' on me. He said |
ed wait on me. an he won't 60 back /
n his word. But he's in a mighty ,
urry to go home, my boy is. He's c
one said he'd stay there. though, t
veil ] come back. He alters stays if c
stays. When the old woman went G
i an died, he staid with me. He G
ou'd went and died as easy as not. |
missable, puny-' Q
Il said five dollars, and / stick to it t
-herer' t
The door closed, and the mayor re- t
red upstairs. The old man looked at b
e five-dollar bill which had been q
rust into his hand. They told me t
e mayor was gentleman, and they t
Id me to come to him for sympathy y
race King, in Harpers' Heekly. Il
Somewhat Strange. e