The Opelousas courier., 1892-01-30

was ignorant and specifically coarse, yet
he knew that at heart he desired to act
right and be honest, only right and hon
esty had assumed a new and astounding
phase in the light of her sweet presence
and kindly remonstrances.
The rain at length ceased, and they
soon arrived at the Widow Green's.
Agnes at the doorstep offered him a sill
yer dollar, saying she knew she had put
him to a great deal of trouble. Silver
dollars were tempting, but he declined
taking it, saying:
II reck'n | kin erbleege people ef I
am a moonshiner."
uNever mind" she said, with a re-
assuring smile, s'you must take<& just
to please me. Perhaps it will help you
q little in getting better employ
ment."
The next day Little Mart returned for
his sack and kegs, rejecting deeply.
After getting them, he went to the
Hanging Rock, and there kindled a fire
with chestnut bark on the very spot
where Agnes had sat and talked to him.
Then he placed the sack aud empty kegs
thereon and grimly watched them turn
to ashes. As at last he turned away,
he muttered
me n mother hev got to git our
livln' some yuther way after this"
That night his mothers little cabia
in the Red Knobs was surrounded by
four deputy marshals, and Little Mart
marched off a prisoner of the United
States, to Athens. Two months later,
after his release from Jail, he came home
only to learn that Mrs. Baird and her
daughter had returned to Chattanooga.
Little Mart felt disappointed.
Though he realized the nature Of the
social gulf between them too well to
hope to mingle much with people like
the Bairds, yet he wished to see Agnes
once more and tell how her kind words
and sweet smile had made another man
of him.
He secured work in the log camps in
the mountains, and a few weeks there
alter went down to Chattanooga on a
large raft of logs. Having then an idle
day on his hands, he thought he would
venture to call on the Balrds.
He dressed himself in his best suit of
homespun jeans, aud soon found the
house from the directions given him by
the Widow Green. The imposing brick
front and the aristocratic neatness of the
surroundings rather daunted him, but
he ~resolutely knocked on the door re-
gardless of the polished belt-handle and
boldly asked the trim colored housemaid,
who at length came, if he might see
MISS Agnes, explaining also that 'She'n'
her mother know'd me in the mount
aims"
The servant surveyed him wonderlngly,
yet after a moments hesitation babe him
follow her, aud at once ushered him into
the parlor, where Agnes and another
young lady, with two or three fashiona
bly, dressed young men, sat talking and
laughing together.
Agnes had riseSes the door opened.
The contrast between her graceful,
stylishly CARRIED figure and Little Mart's
awkward pose, ill-fitting clothes, and
rusty trogans, as he stood clumsily hold
ing his broad brimmeI wool hat, was,
one of the young men whispered to the
other young lady, ''too utterly paralyz-
ing"
Agnes recognized him instantly, anc
colored with the reverse of pleasuraule
sensations as she said carelessly:
30 yes, you wish to see my father. HI
aever transacts business at the house: yor
will find him at the Office. Margaret, y
to the servant, "show this--gentleman tc
the door,
Then she coolly turned away, and be
fore Little Mart fairly knew what she wa
about, he had walked down the stree
with his thoughts in a Whirl and q dull
pain at his heart. At the corner a gentle
man stopped him.
"Why, are you Mart Dodsou, are yo
not2 This is fortunate, as you happen to
be the very man I was wishing to see."
The speaker was the father of Agne
Baird, whom Mart had seen once or twicl
when Mrs. Baird and her daughter wert
at Hawk Cliff. Mr.. Baird was largel
interested in the new iron industries thei
developing through East Tennessee; ant
after dragging our half-reluctant her
into an Office nearly as luxurious in it
appointments as the parlor from which
he had been so unceremoniously dis
missed, the former said to him:
young man, you are in luck. Gu
mining experts have been investigating
some of the iron deposits of the Red
Knobs, particularly hear Hawk Cliff, and
they report some veins of unusual rich.
ness. The new railroad projected from
Cleveland to Tellico will render some
land there valuable. You and your
mother have eighty acres. | am pre-
pared to buy you out for a lump sum, or
give you five thousand dollars for a hall
interest"
Little Mart gazed at Mr.. Baird, half
stupeied with wonder. Yet amid the
turmoil of his emotions came the though
that, if this were so, he would al
last have the time and means to make a
gentleman of himself, SO that people
would not want to turn him out Of doors
for looking like the clod he felt himself
to be at present.
There was some further talk. Then
Little Mart took his leave, promising to
go Immediately home, see his mother,
look around a little, and let MI. Baird
know. His native shrewdness did not
altogether forsoke him. II there was a
little fortune il their poof, worn out
farm, little Mart determined that the
Dodsons should have their share of it.
He could than oa Of nat IN aitcatinn