Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1889-04-27
A FEMALE HIGHWAYMAN.
How Old williams Was Made to
Shell Out the Money.


have an utter contempt for any thing OF
the sort. Still the voices were SO clear
and plain that l could not help hearing
them; my senses, too, were so prefer
naturally acute that what was said
made a deep impression on my memory.
Nor do look upon it as breach of
confidence on my. part to speak of mat
ters Of which was the involuntary re-
cipient, considering the distance of time
and the disappearance of the parties in
volved from the scene OF action.
'Marthy,' said voice which l at
once recognized as that of old man
Williams, 4 tell you l KANT afford it.
You'll ruin me with your extravagances.
What with your house bills, an your
dress bills, an your gallivantin' about,
an your trips to town, I'm s'prised you
should dream OF such a thing. Five
hundred dollars for a trip to Frisco!
Why, you must be crazyr
"Its you that's crazy, you old hunks,
replied the female voice, in scornful
tonesi it's six years since I've been to
anywheres but San Luis. Doyou think
I'm going to toll an slave to make
money for yOw all my life, and get no
good out Of itP l put my foot right
down here. an say won't I'm agoin
to Frisco to spend a month with my
sister, an I'm not agoin' to be laughed
at when l get there, you can just bet
your sweet life. Five hundred dollars
an not cent less Why, hain't got
a rag fit to be seen in-hain't had these
six years, an don't propose to stand
1t no longer.
"'But who's agoin' to take charge of
the ranch, Marthy, when we're both
away% queried the old man, querulous.
ly; it'll go to rack an ruin, sure
"'Why, wouldn't Mr.. and Mrs. JEFF
freys be glad to Gomez Hain't l asked
them, an hain't they said SOP An
hain't they got Tom an Bill to help
'em, an old man Morgan to do the
choresP What're We talking aboutp
disdainfully rejoined the female voice.
"I see it all, Marthy,' rejoined old
man Williams; it's all beca'se I've got
to go to the bay that you want to go,
too. But mines bizHesS, an you know
it, Their amt no 'arthIy use of you
goin' 'cept to spend money. Now look
a-here, Marthy, there four hundred
dollars, as you know, nes'ry to meet
that bill O. Baxter's for that last bit O.
land. My stagin' back an forrud,
twenty-five dollars each way-that's
fifty. Two days in town, two dollars
KANT do it a cent less 'cept Baxter
cities is orful Expensive.
Now there's four hundred an fifty-two
dollars got to be paid. An you want
five hundred more for nothin' at ALL!
Here the old man groaned as If his heart
would break.
:Nothin' or no nothin',' replied
Mrs. Williams, decisively, I'm goin'
10 hev it. Don't you forget that
"'Well, well, Marthy,' said the old
man, after pause, in what was evil
lently meant for soothing and molli-
iying key, you was allus a good gal.
I'll see what kin be done. Them banks
n San Luis is oriul close, though. You
mustn't 'spect too much
"'Don't give me none o. your games
'eioined his better-half, sternly; you
ried that once afore. an if you go for
% try it agin, you'll try it once too
,ften. Mind what I'm a-tellin' ye.'
'After this the voices ceased, and as
he snoring had also ceased, at last l
managed to fall asleep.
Next morning we found the river !
lad gone down according to expecta- !
ion, and after paying our bills for man !
md horse which we're certainly pretty |
teep-we resumed our journey at day (
'reak, supplemented, however, by an !
ther passenger in the person Of old
nan Williams
:" No foolin', now, ST. shouted his 7
anne, as we drove out of the yard, :
1--WE hundred or nothin'.
Aye, aye, Marthy,' replied her :
pouse; I'll be back to-morrer ev'nin'. 4
"Well, we got into San Luis without I
lrther mishap about noon, taking ex- /
rn horses at Santa Margarita to get us 4
yer the hill and make up for lost time. :
n order not to delay the passengers =
rho had arrived from Santa Barbara
nd southern points the night before, it
'as decided that, as we had lost half q
ay, the same stage would start on it's
eturn trip the course of an hour. l.
s the only business l had to do was to 8,
raw money, / was perfectly ready to e
art the same afternoon. While was h
i the bank getting my coin. old VII lcI