The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1894-11-24
MANDY.

Eph Parks and his family lived in
that part Of Livingston county where
the farms are red and gully washed,
where the cornstalks are hin and sick
" looking and burn yellow in the sun
almost as soon as they are green. He
was strong and rugged, this sturdy
farmer, with his big, bony hands and
nut brown, lean cheeks, aud as he
stood out in the burning August SUI,
striking vigorously at hidden sassafras
roots with his homemade hoe, he was q
striking illustration OF those people who
toll throughout their lives with little
thought CT the rest Of the world Or its
pleasures. Between the rolling, poor
lard on which Eph was working and
the road stood q two room log house,
scantily protected from the suns rays
by q few scrubby black oaks.
At q grindstoDe at the rear Of the
house stood an old man grinding away
at all ak. His hair was snowy white.
His wide brimmed straw hat, with its
shoestring band, did not conceal the
deep wrinkles on his face. His Hickory
looked blistereG through the rents. He
rested once i'll awhile and tested the
edge of his ak with his thumb. This
was Eph's father. A woman almost as
old and long past the age of work sat
on q stone il a shady spot watching the
grinding Of tie Ak and remarking III a
cracked voice the chances for q crcp.
They had failed in this the last seaso2,
and it was Of great Importance to them.
The corn bread and bacon had been very
scant Of late. Eph's parents were very
old and feeble, but they helped as best
they could.
A tall, angular woman of perhaps 40,
though she looked much older, came to
the door. Her calico dress was soiled
and torn. A pair of Eph's boots with
great patches of rawhide and with the
heels run over peeped out from under
her tucked up dress. Her face was hard
and pinched. The sallow color contrast
ed strongly with the dark, almost black
blue Of her gown, and when the sleeves
were rolled to the elbows her arms were
brown. One bony hand clutched a dish
rag, which she held against the side OF
the door as she shaded her eyes with the
other. She was looking at her husband
as lie worked across the red clay field.
The CHATTER of a horses hoofs on the
hard and gravel washed road was heard.
Her eyes were turned in the direction ct
the rapidly approaching rider. A half
dozen children, the eldest a boy of 10,
came from q gully lear by, where they
had been playing, also attracted By the
sounds. All moved around to the front
OF the house. To the surprise of all, the
stranger pulled up at the fence:
"Eph Parks live here?"
"Yep, that's him over there i'll the
field" answered the
The stranger ~disnounted, tied the
bride rein to the rail fence ard started
across the field toward Eph. The chill.
dren ~instinctively clustered around theil
mother and tugsed unconsciously at hei
dress. She smacked them right and left
impulsively. She was watching the
stranger. The man finally reached Eph,
ard the two had a rarley for several
minutes. When they started toward the
house, the stranger had hold of Eph's
arm. Eph's parents and his wife and
children were all standing close together
when the pair reached the house.
MANDY, this 'ere's q government ossi.
fer, and he's cum ter take me way tx
Jail fur maxim them dollars. 'Twan't nc
harm nohow. le'stwise I'm er church
member yet"
Hurry up, hurry up" said the de.
t%ective. Il want to get to the station il
time to catch the night train"
"How long will yer be gone, Eph?'
said his wife. His aged parents stood
with their mouths open. They did no1
understand it at all.
"Doan' know" answered Eph as the
handouts were adjusted to his wrists.
Then the men climbed over the fence.
The stranger got on his horse and told
Eph to walk along in front of him. HI
also said that any attempt on Eph's par
to run would cost him his life. There
was no handshaking, no tears. The
men moved off down the searching no,
road, leaving the group standing as il
had stood at first, together. The OLD
man and old woman looked at Mandy
>-roo1sr~11y h~& Norl- ~r,xalal -.