The Opelousas courier., 1889-04-06

49, D..
'sHAIN,T HAD NO DINNER, I RECKON"
Now there wasn't a more r%snerous.
klnd-hearteo man ll'!~4g than Farmer
Symms' n noCSne, no matter how UNI
worthy, sver went AWAY from his door
hr-agry. He was just going to say
certainly" in answer to the boys
question when he remembered that
there was a thousand dollars hid away
in the house, and the thought came to
him.that the boy might know of it and
rob him in the night. Them city
boys iamighty sharp" he thought,
IAN they hain't NJ tricks what they
hain't up to; an a boy like this that
hain't had no trainin' is monty apt ter
be bad" He pondered owe the mat
ter for a minute or SO, but at last his
discretion gave way to his generosity,
and he said:
"Sartinly yer can have somethin'
ter eat an a place to sleep, an We
needn't do no work to pay forit Hist
down often there an come along"
The lad 'histed down" and followed
the old farmer to the house. Mandy,
the farmers wife, came to the door
just as they came into the yard, and
seeing the boy she held her hand up
over her eyes and took a good, long
look at him. Then placing her hands
ON her hips and holding her arms
akimbo she waited till they came near,
when she exclaimed:
Liam O. gracious, Hank Symms,
what is that ere you air a bringin' with
you? an where on the yearth did you
fin itg" And TIE good woman laughed
till the tears ran from her eyes.
Hank told his wife that he knew of
the boy and that he wanted something
to eat and a place to sleep. Amanda
eyed him with distrust, for she had a
dread of city boys and felt that it vas
a great risk to take this one into the
house. But she said nothing at the
time and went ON about the supper,
which she o o had ready.
When the boy came to the table,
after first washing his hands and face
in the trough at the big spring, he
looked considerably more human and
his c~ountenance was frank and open.
The old people thought better of him
and though Amanda had suspicious
that would not be dispelled, the old
man decided that he was honest
When they were seated at the table
the farmer helped the boy to every
thing, and passing his plate to him
said:
Thar, now, fall to-"
The lad waited for no urging, but
fell to" with an earnestness and zeal
that promised to leave the supply of
provisions on the table considerably
reduced, if not entirely demolished.
Pore boy. you must "a been power
full hungry" Amanda observed, when
Joe passed hs plate the third time for.
cold boiled ham, q 9
HE pears like lie was nigh almost
starved" the farmer replied. Guess
he's maxim up fer lost time"
Reckon he won't kill himself
eatin', will hep" Amanda, asked in
some alarm.
"Sho! they amt no danger o. that.
Eve yit knowed of er boy dyin'
Of over-feedin' an I've knowed em to
eat monstrous meals an finish up on
green apples or green waterMelons.
Jest let i'm eat. No danger o. KILN
i'm that ERE way.
Joe finished the meal at last. and a
little later he and the farmer sat be-
foR the kitchen fire while Amanda
cleaned away the supper things.
'Say, looky hNar, boy" the old
farmer demanded after an interval of
thoughtful silence, wouldn't you like
a job of work."
"'Cors' / would; that's what I'm
lookin' fer"
"Nal, FIN needin' some help in the
apples dnouty bad, an / dunno If you
wouldn't do right well. You seem to
be considerable peart, an though /
s'pose you never picked any apples. it
won't take long to get the run of 1t.
Joe was willing to try, even anxious,
for he did want to earn something, and
then apple gathering seemed to his
imagination more like play then work.
Accordingly, in a very short time a
bargain was struck up between them,
and Joe retired to bed upin the loft to
dream of red apples till morning.
The farmer was In O better state of
mind since he was assured OF some
help in the apple gathering, and soon
fell asleep when once in bed, but with
Amanda it was different Joe and the
money weighed heavily on her mind
and as often as she got into a doze she
awoke with a startled feeling, sure that
the boy was after the secreted treas
ure. AT last after two or three hours
of vain endeavor she gave up trying to
sleep, and punching her elbow into her
sleeping husbands side awoke bin.
Whats Their matter, MandyP" he
asked. impatiently.
ssHankr' she called, wake up.m
II am erwake. What yer Wantp'
II wish you'd a. put that money in
the bank
What ais ther money!"
"I'm afeerd tibet boy might steal it.
We don't know nothin' 'bouts,im. an
he may hev come a purpose for that.
! wish you't keep it in the bank
sYes, an let the bank steal it. ]
| mt Ar hradrad dnliars a. tha. hank