The Opelousas courier., 1890-05-10

"a young I'm, she kneeled down thar an
said the ptaT he'd larned her himself.
'Twus orful lonesome arter tibet. an
n gal cried q lot; but l amt never ben
the sane man sence.
IWus In my mind allus, whar d
vi Steady planted his gold! An how
Wus l Ter be as true ter him an his'n as
ned ben ter me an Pollva
Il couldn't sleep sca'ce none, an one
moonlight night I went outside an
walked all 'roun' the gully. When I
come ter tibet thar heap @ stuns, as sartin
as ye're a sinner, thar sot sOF Steady
On a bowlder playin' guards all by his
self
"Hs'd ben a marster hand fer SOLITARY
when he wus 'bove groun', an it
'peared he hedn't lost none O. his grip
down below. | turned all kinder cold,
but Io livin' man d ever downed me, an
I lowed no dead one shouldn't.
':Hello, pardl' l hollered. He never
let on, but jest KEEP a-sortin' an handlin'
his cyards same s he'd allus done.
Somehow my legs felt heavy as lead, but
| KEEP OF a-draggin' myself nearer, till
all of a student he wus gone!
81 didn't tarrY long, nuther: but
tumbled inter my bunk an cussed myself
fer a blamed fool.
"Nex' night, sunthin' t I couldn't
help fairly drug me out o. the cabin agin'
an 'roun' an 'roun' till I brung up ter
the same pile O. stuns, an ther-thar it
sot agin, big as life an twict as material
II started fer him-it-plumb straight,
but fust / knowed, thar wus my feet
a-lagin' agin s eff they b'longed ter some
buddy else. Thet time, though, Lodged
a leetle %clusser, an spoke out good an.
i gritty.
whats sent ye back, OF Steady?
Didn't we do the plantin' job all reg'lar2'
He wavered, an twisted, an squirmed
'roun' consid'ablt, an then-he warn'G
thar!
ssThet blamed thing went OF fer seven
nights; me a-gittin' madden an it a-git-
tin -sassier an stayin' later till I got so
clus' L could Almost tech it.
"sThe las one, I got a good look over
his-its-shoulder, an blest if ever one
O. them spook guards warn't spades
aces O. spades! I couldn' help lartin'.
Say, pardner! wizard ye git thet pack;
be they from above er below2'
"He didn't take no notice, jest KEEP
on a-shufiin' an dealin' EN- out on tibet
bowfder, one arter another, ace arter ace.
We begun these pertractcd meetin's
now twas later n later ever night afore
he'd come ter time. Thought I'd settle
the hash then an thar.
Il asst ye onct, pardner, what sent We
back, an now I az agin'.' I'd ben dom
| considerable thinkin' an cal'lated I'd
struck a lead at last. sWus it cause ye.
didn't git no chance ter tell bout yer
pilea'
tsThet spook stopped shufiin' an,
raised its head ter onct. / follered up
the trail. sYe don't play nothin' but
spades. I reckin tharll be ONE diggin'
ter do
"oP steady's eyes looked from his aces
inter mine. I thought a blizzard d hit
me; but I braced up onct more. Bel
I
chartered.
ssHope ter die eff he didn't smile,
The gladdest, relievedest t ever ye see-l
It made him look so peart like t / clean;
forgot T he'd ben dead an buried, an &
wus so tickIed ter think I'd foun' out
what he wanted, It I jest cIapped my
han down heavy on his shoulder! Thet
is, I clapped hearty nuf, but thar warn't
nothin' ter hit but the stun whar he'd
set"
The miner relapsed into revery, o pc
culiar smile lowering owe his stubbly
lips. John Barr was smiling, too; the
mingled pathos and bathos of eerie tale
amused while it touched him.
His host suddenly looked up and fixed
anew his piercing gaze upon him. The
scrutiny was again sustained in perfect
calmness. If it was a mailman with
whom he had to deal he would be pre-
pared.
esThar, stranger! I don't in common
ak no questions O. them at eats my
victuals-who they be ner whar' they're
a-goin'. But I dew now. What's yer
name2"
stPardon me, I forgot; / should have
told you at first. John Willett Barr"
The settler stood up. Dut his scrawny
hands to his mouth, and blew a shriIl
whistle. At the third repetition an an
swering salute was heard, and the pink
calico gown came in sight.
The oval cheek was redder from shame
than exercise, as the girl advanced to her
fathers side. She had not meant again
to face this guest who had witnessed her
poverty and awkwardness, but she dared
not disobey.
ssPolIy, hev ye got the letter safea"
eyes, pop"
ttWar'2n
She raised her dark eyes and searched
both countenances with grave question
ing.
seWhat fer ye want ter knowa"
stNo matter. / want it,
stFer himfn
ssThet ain't nothin' ter ye.n
sYes, pop, il be. ] promised ter keep
it till his own sb5y' come from the States.
I promised agin tibet last day. Don't asst
me ter give it up ter nobuddy else
aYoung I'M, what wus sOP Steady's
nanea He larnt it TO ye 81 4 ye could
spell it out like q scholard.n
aSay It, / tell ye. Don't We dar' go
agin' mep'
The impatient words were addressedto
the reluctant girl, but aOl' Grizzly's