The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-09-09

polite bow she'd cone IN say, SO gentle
like: Uncle Jerry, do you mind if |
stay here with you??' l was mighty
glad to nave her. an she seemed to
know it. for she'd settle herself in a
pile of cushions an sit there quiet asa
mouse.
"Gradually the rest Of 'em kinder for
got her. and by-an'-by she'd come right
away from the start, an | got so used to
havin' her there at my right hand that
when she stayed home | felt real lone
some.
"She begged me to larn her how to
steer, an when | saw she meant it l
showed her n thing and another: an
somehow she never forgot what l told
her. An one day she says to me: Uncle
Jerry, l believe l could sail a BOAT as
well as anyone if l were only stronger
Bless her heart! I'd have trusted her
sooner'n any young Teller in the party
if she'd had a little more muscle in her
| arm.
when August come l begun to see
she warn't happy. She grew paler an
thinner, an her eyes was so wistful-
like it made my heart ache to see them.
There was a young teller in the
party a ed Grey. He was a likely
chap, about twenty, | reckon. He had
lots of money, an l heard from some of
the ladies' gals that he used to be a
great friend O. Miss Mays before she
was sick; but he was a great sport, an
after she began to go about, an he
found she couldn't do things he did, he
jest naturally slipped away from her
and TUX to goin' with Miss Julie Webb.
Miss Julie wa mighty pretty, with
frowserly light hair, a mouth big
enough to swaller a doughnut hull, an
rows of teeth like pearls l heered Mr..
Grey say. They looked strong enough
to bite nails, IN she showed 'em all
the time. When she waren't talkin'
she was laughin'. She he'd a voice like
a steam-whistle. There warn't nothin.
she couldn't do except keep still, an
bein' Mr.. Hugh was allays dom him.
self, they spent mos. of their time to-
gether.
Miss May used to watch 'em with
that heart-breakin' look on her dear
face, an finally Miss Julie took to
jokin' her. sayin: May. don't you want
to play tennis?' or I'll run you q race
on the ponies this afternoon. May or
Why don't you wake up, May? What
are you dreaming about?' But Miss
May never answered Miss Julie a word,
an finally they stopped even that an
left her altogether alone.
I'm gettin' to my story now. l hain't
never told it before. 1t hurts even now,
after all these wears.
1--we given you an idea pretty much
how things went on till the afternoon
they ended-for me, anyway-for
never sailed that boat again.
at was the tenth of August. The
month had been very hot, an we hadn't
had any sailin' breeze for -four days. but
that mornin' a nice stiff breeze begun
to com in from the sea. 1t was a
squally breeze, an I didn't jest like it,
but after a time it settled down, an !
!, concluded it would stay clear till next
mornin'.
/ "Well, l was settin' in my door mend
in a sail for my catboat, when | heard
the crowd a-comin'. | allays knew 'em
by Miss jules voice. most generally
could hear that by the time they left
Miss Hollis door.
They had a couple of city fellers
down from the city for the day, an
: nothin' would do but | must take 'em
sailin'. wouldn't have gone, but jest
at the last minute little Miss May COM
. up an TUX my old brown fist in her two
e little white paws, an sez she: oh
Uncle Jerry, do go. I'm going homt
r tomorrow, an l want one more sail
n an this is my last chance An SO i
V was, poo. lass. but not in the way sh'
+ meant. Well, couldn't say no.. Sh'
o made me think Of the little one l los
twenty years ago, an so-we started.
THE tide was runnin' out, an tn,
wind was due east. which made tn
e white-caps fly; but put in a tack an
e started for the mouth of the bay. Jes
about the time we got out from undo
/ the cliffs the squall struck us, an say
e my mistake.
1.-The Foam heeled over till her storm
deck was two feet under water. threw
her head up into the wind. but as sh
came around a cross sea struck her bow
an when l looked for Tom to take il
sail, Tom was gone"
Uncle Jerry laid down his paint
brush just here and gazed with din
eyes over the smiling bay. living owe
again the great tragedy of his simpl
life. And | sat upright, and buryin'
my hands deep in the white sand abou
me, tried to absorb all my faculties i
the act of listening, following Uncl
q Jerry's knot:y forefinger as it pointe
to the distant horizon hill, and CAV
meaning to his words
" ssWell. I didn't dare tell them yOun