The Opelousas courier., 1892-05-14

uI1CS. roper Nent w baih No"H
star, as it was usually left, for the bene-
lit OF the Waterman outside. His hand
WAS on the key of the gas'iixture, when
lie noticed that the tire-proof was open.
He did not know how to lock it; that
was Toms function. Dared he leave
the place with that tire-proof open!
No: he must stay here till the watchman
CAME, at any rate, for there was money
in the safe; there it lay-greenbaeks-a
little pile. How careless rich people
were with money! There was a paper
beside the notes. He stepped down;
the paper said the money was the rent
for some of old Boyd's property, and had
come too late for the bank to receive it.
30 this also would go to the church
fund.
Roper picked up the bundle. How
strangely valuable these little bits OF
paper wefel He turned over the notes,
counting them. Why, there are just a
thousand dollars here, the amount old
Boyd had said he would leave him IN his
will. Was this a posthumous rightlng OF
a wrong2 The cold sweat came out on
his forehead. He looked round him
| No, there was no one there. TOM had
been the last one neutrality-suspicious.,
intemperate Tom, the cut. off, angry son.
He would swear Tom had said good
night to him on the step--and who had
ever known Sandy Roper to lie? MeIia
was delicate, and had N unpaid doctors
bill; Mary Edith's husband did not get
On well, a mere photographers assistant,
and the photographers shop n ofthose
on wheels; missus owed a good deal, and
Blum wanted the money for that suit of
black--and here his wages were cut
down. His lips were pressed tightly to-
gether. He reached and turned down
the gas, then quickly fared it up to full
head, and left the counting house. As
he went out he dislodged a newspaper
on a chair, then reached down and placed
it just as he thought it had been. Then
he vent into the street, leaving the door
unlocked, as b had found it.
A new recklessness came to him; he
felt like slapping some one on the back.
He came to the jewelers. shop, and
thought Of diamonds and missus. He
crossed the street, and plunged into a
dark narrow way under the cloudy sky.
His head was burning; it was almost as
though he had been to one of the labor
meetings and stood treat to a dozen men,
who must stand treat in return. He came
to the tall house be called his home.
There was Mother Jones in the hall with
Bill.
"Bill," she said, 'tgo get them onions.
We amt having money left to US. And
hurry, for it's going to rain"
Roper laughed, and told her it was q
large evening. He went up to the third
floor. There was a buzz of voices there.
Mary Edith must have come to spend the
afternoon with her mother. There was
also a good 6nell; missns always had
something nice for supper when Mary
Edith came. All at once he heard the
coo of a baby. He stopped short; he
seemed to have lived this moment be-
fore; he was coming home, missus was
getting supper, aud their first child was
gurgling unintelligibilities in the cradle
little Buster. Then the toolishness of
the thing struck him, and he threw open
the door. There was missus at the fire;
there was Mary Edith with her baby.
"Halloa, pop" she said.
"That you, Mary Editha' he sad in
returns "And, well, young UNI Missus,
you look warm"
YOU'D be warm, too,n she retorted,
s'if your eyes were b%roiling out of your
head"
She had turned her eyes upon him,
and she looked as though she had been
crying.
Mary Edith was dandling the baby.
There was a sort of awkwardness in the
room. Roper went and took the child.
s'Look out for her back" cries Mary
Edith, sit amt strong"
stAs if I never had a kid in my arms"
laughed Roper, rather boisterously,
throwing the child IN the air.
Don't, Roper said his wife from
the fire; 'sshe amt strong. She's han
died like" She did not finish the
sentence, but turned to the frying pan.
Mary Edith looked conscious. "Wha
allied little Buster, anyway, mothera'
queried she, gently.
.tSpinem meningitters,n answered her
mother. "He got it off of the paste on
the bill boards at the corner. He would
play there.
Roper wondered why, in the name of
heaven, they had been talking about lit
tie Buster!
"Where's MeIia2" he asked, sharply.
"Gallivautin' with Smith2n
stShe amt hat kind" said her sister;
tsand she won't marry Smith till she can
get some new clothes, she told me. She's
upstairs with Mrs. Jordan. Jim's dead
at last. It's a mercy, walking like
that"
EYES, he did go a little lame,"r as
,sented Roper.
stIt was locomoter taxes" volunteered
Mary Edith, volubIy. ITS aqueer name
for . disease. Say, mother, did he ever
work in car shopsa"
sNot as / ever heard tell of" an
sWered missus, who, going over to the
table, announced that supper was
ready.
won't we wait for Melia2" asked
Mary Edith.
"Melia's delicate said her mother,
s'and pities them that has sickness; be.
sides, Smiths sister delicate. Aud she's
more pityin' than ever to-day because
YOU brought that. Oh. Roner.1 she
burst out, ssdon't you know what day
this is2n
Roper had tile baby in his arms look.