The Grenada gazette., 1888-06-23

u IlOW iuuCn uuC was ~
"Twenty.five dollars, sir"
"Twenty-tiveP Well. can't let him
come down here and clean out the
town and invalid the whole police
force for less than that"
"There's always something hap
penin' to that boy ever sence the old
woman died. The fust time l washed
him he most drownded in the piggin
O water. He could scarcely crawl
fore he went to waller in the fire. Hes
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"
slow much money have you got?"
"Mer' The old fellows hand stopped
of itself in astonishment 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
from the mounting"
What did you come to town for. If
you haven't got any money!"
"The boy, he wanted to come. He
wanted to see town for oncet in his
life. He brung live coon with him,
sir. what he caught, and some skins.
otter-skins."
well, what did he do with them"
Traded EN- of, sir. A side OF
green meat wuz what he calkerlated
on. But he took boots, sir--boots to
come up outside O his breeches.' 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 breeches"
He would have smiled il his mouth had
known how.
Suppose make the fine five dol.
lars?'
That's reasonable. sir; that's reas-
enable. But just as you please. sir
I've had. a mighty heapo' trouble with
that boy, I've nussed-'
.You 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side the front door and withdrawn four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 'ain't
forgot
"Well, l haven't"
"He's 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-
"Ihe deuce he did"'
"He amt calkerlated to spend the
night away from me. He never did
that sence he wuz born. No. sir. But
he went back fair and square, climbed
right back. when explained to him;
an 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
only looked at each other. sir.-Tve had
powerful heap O trouble along O
that boy. Unused him; l tended him;
] actually prayed OVER him.
Here! | can't stay any longer"
you wouldn't take these here for
the fine, would you9 They mough: fit
YOU
He fetched the hand that did not at
tend to his chin from behind his back
and held up pair Of boots.
He tuck EN- right of, my boy did.
He said he didn't wurnt the darn
things noways; he'd ruther 60 bare
footed all his life. He's there. sir. in
the lookup, a-waitin' on me. He said
he'd wait on me. an he won't go back
on his word. But he's in mighty
hurry to 60 home, my boy is. He's
done said he'd stay there, though,
twell come back. He alters stays if
stays. When the old woman went
off an died. he staid with me. He
could a went and died as easy as not.
A missable. puny-'
II said five dollars, and | stick to II
| -here!'
The door closed, and the mayor re.
tired upstairs. The old man looked at
the five-dollar bill which had been
thrust into his hand "They told me
the mayor was gentleman. and they
told me to come to him for sympathy "
| Grace King, in HarDers' W,eeklY.