Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1889-08-31
NUMBER 80.

! was il!eltSS, ITO NII'lpN ever ildh"if
opened. and strangest of all, not a
wreath OF smoke could BE- seen Issu-
ing from anv Of the chimneys. rs
may be readily imagined, such pecu-
liar proceedings aroused the curiosity |
of the two ladies next door, aad they !
forthwith determined to watch closely |
ell the day following.
1t was energy wasted; whole week |
went by, and in all that time there
was never light. glimpse of any
living soul, save the trim servant as
she went back and forth receiving the
milk, visitors, and belongings. Mai
there was none, or anything in fact
to indicate the residence of civilized
beings. Cooking was an imposslbiiity
without either fire or smoke. and yet
from daylight till dark it sounded as
if drove of young mules had taken
possession Of the cottage, such scream
ing, whistling and general rowing as
went on inside.
The mystery was dark and deep.
but when women are on their metal
as detectives, they are not easily
foiled. Were they lepers? If so, then
the very best thing was to investigate
promptly. Surely these eccentric
people were obliged to 90 out some
times, and as the moon was bright
that night, they determined to set
watch. Sure enough, about | o clock
The back door opened very gingerIy
on crack. Soon curly head peep
ed out, evidentlv taking observations.
The iolly little face was shortly fol
lowed by the absolutely nude body of
boy five years oil. He slipped
through and in a couple Of minutes.
the advance guard reporting all safe.
another and another start naked child
! appeared, till five boys, ranging from
three to eleven years of age, came out
to frolic in the warm moonlight. The
alleged servant sat placidiy on the
doorstep thoughtfully regarding the
hilarious, rosv-limbed cupids. For a
while the spectators We're too amazed
for speech Bat finally,with an ejacu-
lation, one Of the party turned, and
as she did so the remarkable naturalis-
Z tic picture disappeared like magic.
Skit. Five bare bodies positively flew
past the now alarmed maid, who
peered anxiouslv about before the
door was closed and locked.
This last disclosure was rather too
much for the neighbors. The idi-
osynrracies of the new family furnished
an unfailing source Of interest, and
5 nothing went on among the cottagers
: that keen eyes and ears could not
graphically report. FINAL Y, the elder
lady discovered that from an up stairs
window. by mounting a chair it was
$ possible to see between the blinds
g opposite. And such a sight as was
n observation-disclosures and pathetic as
we'll There they were, the five naked
bows, scrambling, fighting, sleeping
and eating as normally as children
e wearing clothes. The living room ap-
5 parently, not stick of furniture
y could be seen, neither bed nor board,
nothing save heap of gunny sacks
bundled up in one corner. The man
e tleshelf served for storeroom. Here
e they ate the stuff gotten from milk
a man and grocer-sardines, milk, crack
o ers and cheese, none Of it requiring
the wood and stove that were lacking
Three weeks passed, and then the
fun began. Negotiations for further
# supplies from the groceries mp and
a down the street proved futile, and
l. suspecting some crookeduess, the mer,
n chants demanded instant settlement
e for provisions already furnished. Tht
e milkman had evidently been given {
is "straight'tip," and his morning anc
e evening calls were no longer for th'
il delivery Of milk, but to dun the mild
d eyed maid in no measured terms.
J. Would You believe it, the amused
e. narrator went on to state, that
IS have seen that first victim come pounc
D on the back gate, ring the front doc
t, bell, and swear and threaten for hal
\ an hour without being able to raise
a sign of lite in the house. The frs
sr three days the blue-gowned woman
e. held sort of parley, but that wa
given up. Then, best of all, no soon
ie er would the one infuriated milkmal
n, drive away than a second dupe woul'
E. come pleasantly up and deposit th
ID daily supply Of curds and sweet milk
in But the richest part of it was tn
ID training of those children. The
n, would be yelling and fighting lik
er young imps when the door bell woul
I'd ring. and before a new breath wa
N drawn they would rival death itse
w in stiffness. Like a shot every one {
re them would drop at the sound Of tn
tx gong, no matter how fast or wild thel
ne revelry: let knuclsles thunder on tn
ed back gate, and one could hear tl
I'd crickets in the grass, so deep aui'
y. reigned about the place.
he "Cut off from substantials the co
ed tage folks laughed at fate and set
ho work on the fruit stands. For nearl
ad two weeks longer the family lived @
to peaches, pears, watermelons an
i'm bananas. When the Dago was adde
by to her ever-increasing bit Of daily ca
ly lers and she had graduated up to h
he third milkman, / saw and heard th'
,er woman do the neatest trick on recor
lit 1T WIS after dark that she left Il
nd house and went Oft foraging; not
ed sound was heard till she came, wal
es, ing cheerfully up, followed by fru
let man carrying a huge watermelo
he Bidding him in pretty, ladylike ton