St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1893-07-15

! a few months.
He called On Jack one afternoon, not
casually, as he usually called, on his way
to or from town, but with direct pur-
pose. Jack was under the weather, and
lay on the sofa. I was reading to him
when Parker walked in.
| "Howdy, Flcmin', laid up, air ye:
Howdy, Faber; purity warm, amt it?
! Thanks, will set spell" And he sat
down on the edge of "a chair and began
tracing figures on the floor with his big
spur. He seemed nervous, and rose to
leave the room, but he waved his hand
and said: "Sct daown, Faber. Set
still. Guess l amt got nothin' t say
but what we mout ez well hear"
| Here the old man stitfened up in his
seat and stated the object of his mission
in a good natured but thoroughly de-
cided way, closing with:
"Neow, Fleming, l amt no 'bject'on
t. tn leetle feller-not n mite, he's tip
top good boy, an all that. But faint in
! reason th't I'm goin' t spend more'n So,
600 eddicating a young 'un, an then let
Ter 60 an marry mother young 'un,
'thout airy red An that's what it'll
come few, fust thing we know
Now, Parker's remarks were in the
nature of revelation to US. o. course,
we knew that Shorty had put in good
many evenings at the Parker ranch, but
we had never guessed that his visits
there had any significance. A courtship,
too, with six big brothers loating around
is difficult matter. 1t is easy enough
to fall--just fall-in love with girl if
there is no one to hinder. But with six
young men, with whom one is on good
terms, sitting around and occupying a
| large portion of ones attention, it is a
matter of getting in love, which, accom-
! plished, is rather more serious than a
mere fall into the same
Fleming sat up and ran his fingers
through his hair gravely. Then II
| quite agree with you, Mr.. Parker.
don't know what to say to Percy, but |
will try little strategy and see if he
can't be kept at home. If that don't do
! l can talk to him.
| And here began M connection with
Shortys love affair That evening was
writing busily when some one opened
1 the door of my den and walked in. It
was Shorty. He sat down quietly and
took up a paper, which he looked at for
several minutes, while I scratched away
at my work. Then he threw down the
paper suddenly and turned to me with ::
"Faber, what was old Parker here for
to-day?"
| l tried to dissemble, but Shorty is no.
| body's fool, and interrupted "Oh, rot! y
said he, ~ reckon you think I'm fool.
Now, honestly, what was he here for "
Finally told him about the converse
ton between his brother and Parker He
sat silent for few minutes. | could see
| his face twitch. Then he turned his
Pcyes to my face and said. slowly: "Faber,
know I'm young and all that, butt
| know my own mind. Jacks good
brother and feels in duty bound to take
care of me, but [ guess l can tend to
that myself 1--we made up my mind
to marry that girl, if she'll have me, and
| all the Jacks and Sam Parkers in the
world can't stop me- and Mr.. PercivaI
| Fleming set his mouth hard and walked
ont. He called at Parkey's the next
evening despite Jacks ''strategy.'
| There was another caller at Parkers
that evening, in the person of Morris
Cottrell, wealthy rancher from up the
Give Mile.' Shorty, when he got
home mentioned this fact to me. with
some feeling in his tones. CottreIl was
no old dutfer. He was man of thirty,
and well-read, and a gentleman and the
prospect of having him for rival would
have sent despair to the heart of any pen
niless young man less determined than
| Shorty Fleming.
For two or three months Shorty con-
tinued his calls at Parkcr's, growing
more and more gloomy and savage as the
days went by, for old Sam Parker was
something of a strategist and managed
to keep the poor lad from getting a single
private interview with Nettic, thereby
giving Cottrcll clear field, which was
evidently satisfactory to the latter, al
though he did not seem to make much
progress.
One evening Shorty came to my room
in state of mind. He had seen Sam
Parker that day, and the latter had told
him, as gently as possible, some calling
truths about his age and his penniless
condition, concluding with the cheerful
information that he ''reckoncd Net had
bout decided t take up with Cottrcll,
anyhow"
Of course Shorty was Respondent, but
he was none the less determined. CA
Der, I'm going to see her tomorrow
afternoon and-and ask her"
The time and the hour favored Shorty,
but hardly think Nettic knew her own
mind. The boy who came riding slowly
home through the shadows next evening
was very much downcast boy, indeed
He told me all about it later; how
Nettic had wavercd and finally told him
that she could give him no answer. She
cared a great deal for him, she said, but
she was not sure she cared enough for
him. Besides, her father objected to
him, and she could never cross her fathers
wishes when he had done SO much for
her.
Sam Parker must have heard of this
interview, and made up his mind to
good natured he was as determined as a
bulldog, and l think he used some in
fuence in deciding matters, for, two
weeks later, he "dropped in" to tell
Jack that Nettie and Cottrcll would be
married on Thanksgiving Day, two
months later
Shorty must have seen the news in my
face, for after supper he drew me aside
and asked me what l knew. | hated to
tell him, but did SO, the best way I
could. The poor lad stood still as stone
for several seconds. Then, with a
shuddering sob, he turned away. In