The morning call., 1891-06-07

from afar off, aud looked uncomfortable if
they Glanced to meet him fGce TO face. But
this girl looked him full in the face, as
pleasantly and with as little concern as If he
had been an old acquaintance, and said:
D." Pop gets so much comfort out Of his pipe
that | like to see him smoke.
Jack quickly determined that he would
like TO talk to girl like that-a girl who
made so little fuss about getting acquainted.
He had already found that formal intro
auctions were not in fashion among the
humber residents along the river, ana that
no one seemed TO have any diStTuSt of a
man who attended 10 his business and did
not concern himself unduly with other
peoples affairs. 1t was as delightful as 1t
was strange-the way of Southern girls, or
such of them as he had met in talking to
chance acquaintance; they were as frank
and free as if among old friends; they did
not seem on guard against possible impu-
dence, and any impulse toward Irritation
seemed far from them. Was this result OF
heredty? He thought it must be; yet how
could it have come about? de would look
into it; he would have plenty OF time on his
hands before his bees had got ali they could
out of the Louisiana lowiands.
"Supper'S ready. DOp." said the girl !;
hadn't You better bring your friend in ?"
"0f course" said the head Of the house,
knocking the ashes out of his piDe aud arts
ing. Come along and have bite with US,
stranger"
Pm very much obliged" said Jack,
"but if / am to enjoy your hospitality let
NE introduce myself. My name is Brews-
ter; I'm down here with a boat-lOad o bees,
making honey for Northern markets"
THAT sop asked the host. so much sur
priSed that he forgot to offer his name in re-
turn. That's queer. Don't they have any
bee-treeS up that way, ia like to knOw?"
Jack thought not; he had forgotten
that there We're such things as bee-trees,
though now he remembered TO have read of
them. lie was about TO explain the short
ness Of the Northern season and to tell of
his method Of work when he found himself
within the house and in the presence OF a
woman about as old and thin and SallOw as
her husband.
Brewster, from up North
"Glad you dropped in, sir" said the
woman Set down"
The supper was exactly the same as Jack
had seen at all other evening meals that he
had seen on tables in the lowlands-fried
pork, fried fish, fried bread and coffee which
he felt sure would have been fried If any
way could have been devised for preparing
coffee in frying-pan. On his boat, thanks
to a lot of stuff which he had brought down
from the North, there was frequent change
In the bill of 1are. In his New + gland
home he had been taught that much fried
food was unhealthy, yet right opposite him
=
have been the envy of all the New England
girls he knew Gould it be that heredity
had accustomed the Southern physique to
that sort Of diet? He would make note
of that for future thought Meanwhile he
determined that in this humble home,
IN which not book was visible, he might
hope to repay hospitality by Offering some
glimpses Of a higher civilization. so be began
TO talk about the land from which he came.
Somehow, though. his remarks did not seem
to excite any curiosity; the family listened
respectfully, bat that was all; il was only
when he asked questions that the CONVEX
satiOn became general
Have you lived here long, sir, he asked
the host.
Ever since l found a wife here" was
the reply, except the time ! was off in the
war. l belonged 200 or 800 miles up the
river, but got down this way one spring.
an somehow l wasn't ever able to git away
again; eh, old lady?"
The wife nodded assent and Jack Won
dered how it could have been. He ventured