The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1891-06-20
HIS PERQUISITE.
Why the Squire Doesn't Keep as
Well Posted as Formerly.

s'It ought to be here by this time"
said the postmaster of Darby, as he
shufied in from taking squirting
view through his fist down the turn
pike"
well, / can't wait. If anything
comes, send it up" Jake Perkins
picked up his molasses-jug and went
out.
The Darby mail was late: and when.
q few minutes later, some one an
nounced the approach of the mail, the
postmaster felt called upon to vindicate
his own position by censure of the mail
carrier, who climbed slowly out of the
dilapidated old buggy called the
stage"
"You must have a powerful heavy
mail, you're so long getting here" he
began.
always have a heavy mail when
Billy's aboard" said Uncle Billy Tate,
winking as he entered with his usual
deliberation and threw the mail pouch
with circular motion over the counter
and around behind the small cluster of
boxes known as the Darby post Office.
THAT may all be So" said the squire,
''but the people of this town don't feel
obliged to wait all day on govern
ment official, on no soldier ground than
his being fat and his horse lean. This
Office is run for the people, not for a
people, and they want their news on
time"
1.-THE news'll keep" said one.
"An' the SQUIRREL never let his per-
kisites spoil a-layin'," remarked an
other, with a wink.
These frequenters of the combine
ton village store and post Office knew
that the squire at least wanted the
news; and it was no secret that the
newspapers and postal cards that came
in the mail for the families living on
the outlying hills gave him an oppor-
tunity for supplying his wants-an OPP
portunity not enjoyed by the less
favored residents.
In reality the squire had reioiced
looking upon it as one of the perquisites
of the position, and Prerequisites" he
always had an eye upon
He had always reasoned that anyone
had right to make good thing when
he could. If he had better chance
than most people for. news, why, if
there was anything to be made out of
it, who had better right to use it?
He distributed the matter among the
boxes with great deliberation and en-
tered the sitting-room adjoining the
store as soon as the crowd had departed.
He slipped postal card into his wife's
hand.
''Perkinses coming. Shiny"
In o very short time his wife thrust
her head into the store.
''Why, it don't concern us; there's no
news on it" she said, with evident dis
appointment What of it?r she ques-
toned, as she slid back to the office
and reached up to place the postal card
among the Ps.
'I'll put that card up, Shiny. Just
you leave it down there. So you think
that isn't news, and don't concern us!
Well, reckon it does. You wait till
get this mackeres>lsit down cellar"
Presently he came up from the cellar
''Isn't it eleven miles to Perkins'?" he
asked. ''And isn't Raj free as water
with his money? The man that takes
'em up there's going to get paid for it,
and I'm going to be that man."
''You! Why, Dan'l, where's your
t'other horse and your wagon?"
I've thought that out. Fry's mare
for half-dollar, and Jobs big wagon
another, and I'll clear full five on it."
But Jake'n go after 'em, sure. If he