St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1895-12-21


-4arthA AcCulloch Williams IN Outlook
THE LITTLE CASK.
Mister Chicot, innkeeper Of Eperville
stopped his tilbury in front of Mother
Aagloire's farm. He was q big fellow
OF forty. red-faced. high-stomached
pnd passed for being mischievous.
He tied his horse to the way post al
the gate, then took his way into the
court. He possessed an estate adjoin
ing the old woman's land, which for q
long time he kept watch upon. TWEEN
" times he had tried to buy it, but
Mother Magloire obstinately refused.
Here l was born; here will die,
she said.
He found her peeling potatoes in
front of her door. Being seventy two
wears old, she was dried up, wrinkled
and bent, but as indefatigable as a
young girl. Chicot tapped her in q
friendly way ON the back, then seated
himself ON stool beside her.
well, mother, and - your health IL
ways good7"
.Not SO bad; and yours, Mr.. Prosper?''
"Eh! eh! A few pains, otherwise it
satisfactory"
"Well, SO much the better"
And she did not say anything more.
Chicot watched her accomplish what
abe wanted. Her crooked fingers,
knotted hard like crabs claws, seizing,
pinch-r fashion, the grayish tubercles
with one hand, and quickly she moved
1t. taking of long strips of the skin
with the blade of an old knife which she
held in the other hand. And when
the potato had become quite yellow she
threw it into . pail Of water. Three
fearless fowls came, one after the other,
close 20 her skirts to pick up the peel
ings, then ran off as fast as their legs
would carry them, bearing their booty
in their beaks.
Chilcot seemed ill at ease. hesitating,
anxious, with something on the tip of
his tongue which would not come out.
At last he begins:
Tell me, Mother Magloire-"
''What can do to oblige your
This farm, you still will not sell it
to me?"
AS to that, NO. Do not count ON it.
have said it. Do not talk about it
again."
THE fact is. have found an arrange
ment which will suit us both"
''What il that?"
Here it is. You will sell it to me.
and still you will keep it. Don't you
see? Follow my meaning?"
The old woman left OF peeling her
vegetables and fixed her quick eyes
with their crumpled eyelids ON the inn
keeper.
He resumed: Il will explain myself.
Every month l will give you one hum
dred and fifty francs. You hear me
wcll--every month will bring to you
here. in my tilbury, thirty crowns Of
one hundred sous. And SO there is moth.
ing changed nothing at all. You ~
main here at home; you need not
trouble yourself about me, you owe me
nothing. You only take my money.
Does this suit you?"
He looked at her with . joyous air,
with good-humored mir.
The old wopan. looking for the snare,
considers it with misgivings. She
asks:
THAT 10 for me. But for you-that
docs not give you this farm at ALL.
He continued: "Don't worry YOUR
self about that. You will remain a.
long as the good Lord let's you live. You
are at home. Only you give me a little
note from your lawyer to say that after
you 1T comes to me. You have NO chill
dren, only nephews. for whom you care
little. Does this suit you? You keep
your land during your life and give
you thirty crowns of one hundred sous
every month. 1t is all gain for you"
The old woman remained surprised,
but tempted. She replied:
do not say no, only want to think
It over. Come again and talk about it
the middle of next week. Twill tell you
what think of it."
And Mister Chicot went away as con-
tented rs king who had Just con-
quered an empire. Mother Magloirc
remained thoughtful. The next night
she did not sleep. During four days
she had fever of hesitation. She
smelt something bad for her in il, but
the thought Of thirty crowns month.
Of this lovely. clinking money which
would come rolling into her apron.
which. without her doing anything.
~-nr>n~lA fnn - h>~ - - 49,