The Opelousas courier., 1892-05-14


M light flashed upon a
jewelers. is p a y.
With a sort of glow, Roper felt that he
might go into that shop and buy any
one of the glittering things he pleased.
Then he laughed. Imagine missus with
that diamond star on her calico breasti
Yet it need not be a calico breast.
But no, he decided, missus would do
without diamonds and a silk dress. For
how could he tell her about the money!
A hot feeling surged up into his face.
But wasn't the money hisa
He could reason as we'll as any walk
ing delegate he had ever heard, and his
reasoning told him the thousand dol
lars in his pocket belonged to him.
Hadn't he worked faithfully for Boyd&
Co. for twenty years2 and hadn't old
Boyd said ten years back that Roper
should be remembered in his will to the
tune of a thousand dollars9 For why2
Well, young Tom had come down to the
wharf the day old Boyd said that, and
fallen overheard and sunk twice.
IA thousand to the man who saves
him." cried old Boyd, like a ghost.
But Roper was already in the water,
diving under a boat, and had the boy on
terra tirma in five minutes, m~iraculously
escaping the Craft that threatened to
suck both of them under. Old Boyd
laughed then, ana said the ducking
served Tom right, and would teach him
to behave himself next time, and-Ohl
eh?-the reward2 Well, he would re-
member Roper to the amoant in his will;
and now everybody get to work.
Roper had always counted on the
thousand dollars, and it made missus
proud, and Melia and Mary Edith sort of
heiresses. Old Boyd died a month ago,
and missus and the girls and Mary
Edith's baby went and looked at the
funeral cortege quite as though they
were relations, and Roper had got a de-
cent suit of black from Isaac Blum,
round the corner, and trembled every
day when he went down to the ware
house.
Trembled for nothing; for when old
Boyd's will was opened it was found that
everything went to charity, even Tom
teing cut off with a few dollars.
It was hard on Roper, for Mother
Jones, in the lower Hat, had it on missus
and laughed on the stairs about people
who expected money aud did not get it.
Missus and Melia and Mary Edith were
rather cool too; and missus told him in
private now much in debt they were, and
told it with a sort of satisfaction.
Roper could not forgive old Boyd. It
was not that he wanted to be paid for
saving the life of Tom-perish the
thought2 But the promise had been
given, and he had believed his old en-
ployer.
And worse had come; for only last
week Badger, representing Co., had In
formed him that sixteen dollars a week
for q porter was pfeposterous, and
that hereafter it would be twelve, and
there were many who would be glad of
the place for ten.
Roper brooded over it; could not eat,
could not sleep. And now here he had
the thousand dollars in his pocaet. OF
course it was his, if old Boyd had made
his will that day ten years ago there was
not the shadow of doubt but that a
thousand dollars would have been be-
queathed to the man WHO at the peril of
his " life had saved that of Tom.
That the will had not been made ten
years ago was no fault Of Roper's; it was
old Boyd's fault. No; it was Toms
fault--Tom, the ~scapegrace, who had
nearly ruined his father, and whose ill
doing had soured the old man against
the world. But, any way you could fix
il, it was no fault of Roperis. What was
d public charity Did he not need il
as much as a church fund Z a church
fund ! 1t would go toward building q
magnificent temple into which the poor
and lost would eve dare to look, said
Roper. Queer, that handsomely dressed
rich people should 60 to a beautiful room
once q week, and hear about lost sleep
and sort of thing. and feel good and
safe Il was no charity to leave money
or such things, and even the walking
delegate couldn't have seen that quicker
than lie did. There was Tom Boyd cut
off with a dollar or two. Where was
The charity in that Tom would go to
the old boy faster than ever now,
ind all the time his fathers
money would go towards keeping
up a handsome church. Tom had looked
very rocky to-day when be came down to
theewharf. Tom would only be clerk
there till the enl Of the month, then he
would 60 West, and Badger would be
glad to shake him. Tom had looked
queer when be spoke to Roper this even
ing. and kept him till all the rest had
gone, and commiserated him on having
his wages cut down.
"And you weren't even remembered
in the will, laughed Tom. 81 was. =
Roper broke from the Youa.; fellow at
the door, and made for home. Whea
he reached the corner. he pulled himself
aagether; he had done something he had
ll5t lone in many years-he had lett the
osise % be locked Up BY some one else.
t'olas stopping him and tantalizing him
lsa1 ratified him. so he Keps back
Tom had not locked nm. al course. tha