St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1896-05-09
THEY THAT MOURN.
BIZ SHAN r. BULLOCK.

! BIZ SHAN r. BULLOCK.
Bum Market was over, its hurry and
aaggle. In corners and quiet spots of
the big m.rket-yard you saw men and
women carefully counting their little
stores OF silver, testing the coins with
their teeth, knotting them firmly in red
pocket handkerchiefs, firally slowing
them away in their long, wide pockets
AZ cautiously as though every SKIP. nee
was diamond. In the streets people
were leisurely moving towards the
shops, whers tills were rafting and
counters teeming, and trade. for lew
hours, fiourishlnS, after its whole sly
days of bilssful stagnation.
A cart laden with butter, chiefly in
drkins, issued from the ma-ket-yard
gate, man between the shafts, one ut
either wheel, two pulling behind. all
noisily endeavoring to keep the cart
from running amuck down hill into the
fiver. Close behind, like chief mourncrs
after hearse. one might fancy. came
Tim Kerin and Nan, his wife-a tat-
tered, slow-footed couple. heavily bur-
dened with the big load Of their years,
white haired. both of them, and lean
as grayhounds. Heavily they shufiied
along in their clumsy boots; the nan
with one AIM across his back, the other
swinging Imply; the woman holding
up her skiI with one hand and gripping
with the ether the handle of a big,
empty basket; both looking over the
tail-board of the cart at the few pounds
of butter for which they had shaved
hard for weeks. and for which, sf'cr
hours of haggling, they had just re-
ceived few most precious shillirgs.
Fixedly they watched it. and mourn
fully they were bidding it last fare
well.
They passed through the gate, strag-
gled across the footpath, and silently
watched tic cart zigzag down the street.
run presently along the curb, and, amid
great shouting, discharge its contents
into the packing house.
"Faith," said Tim across his shoulder,
twas cliverly done. / wonder, some
day, they don't break their neeks." He
wagged his head obviously; Nan tucked
up her skirt; the two turned their faces
up hill and set out to share their profits
with the shops. The butter was gone,
and sorrow go with it!-'twas heart
break.
TIM KerIn's share of the profits was
q shining slxpence, reluctantly ,en-
dered 10 him by Nan, his wife, who now
walked a couple of steps behind him.
with Is pence shut tight in her land
and the remainder of the butter money
lonly shilling or two) tied fast la a
cotton bag and safely slowed away in
the neck of her hrsey-w oolscy dress.
ThreepentC of Tins sixpence was tn
buy tobacco, a penny might go in the
purchase Of a weekly newspaper, a rtn.
ny would buy a pair Of "whangs"
(leather laces) for his boots; the penny
remaining, when all those luxuries had
been honestly paid for, would buy .
whole tunblerful Of frothing porter.
A whole tumblerful! At sight of it,
with his minds eye, Tins lips dr,ed
and his feet went quicker over the cob,
blestones.
Mans lips were tight, her brow wrin-
klcd. She was figuring. 1t would take
her to be powerfully cute to fill her
basket with the things she wanted ;
tea, sugar, bacon, a herring for the
Sundays dinner. bit o. white bread,
and-and supposing there was a penny
or two over with knowing bargaining
there might bel. was it likely now that
Mr.. Murphy, the draper, would let her
have cheap yard of narrow, soiled
lace to 60 around the border Of her
night caps. Twopencc might do, three
pence would be sure to- Aw, glory
be to goodness! did anybody ever hear
of such romancin', such extravaganza: /:
rure it was running wild her wits werei
Thyeepence for lace indeed!
A friend stepped from behind cart
and caught Nan by the arm. What,
was it pass q neighbor like that, Mrs.
Kerin would do? rass her ouldest
friend, Mrs. Brady, as if she was a mile
stone. and never pass the time of day,
or tell how she sold her butter, or how
the world was using herself!
"Och, och, Mrs. Kerin," moaned Mrs.
Brady. ''what have done to We, at all,
ut all?'
/: Nan stopped and put out her hand,
then volubly began explaining; sure,
SORROW the sight Of Mrs. Brady she
had seen; sure, she never passed q
neighbor without spaking; sure, twas
walkin' along romancin' she was, fig
urln' in her head, seeing how far she
could make the few shiilings 60. "An'
how are you. ma'am?' asked Nan, when
full pardon for her oversight had been
generously given and gratefully re-
ccived. "H0w are you, an all your
carer
I Meanwhile. Tim. his sixpence hot in
his palm, had taken turn through the
throng of the streets, had questioned
his neighbors about sales and prices
(just as though he were a man of stom-
ach and capitan, had spelt out the
time on the big market-house clock as
hc stood by the town pump listening
to the hoarsc drone of ballad-sinRer;
ard now, on the sidewalk of Main
street, stood dreamily looking through
\ shop window at pile of newspapers
which stood precariously among an
array of tobacco pipes and sweet bot
ties. II he bought a paper. Tim was
thinking. he would have a whole weeks
diversion o nights; if he didn't buy
it, he would save the price Of another
tumblerful o. A heavy hand fell on
his shoulder.
"Hello, TIM" said his neighbor, Shan
Crogan: 'havin' q wee squint at the
sngar-sticks, is it We are?"
saw ay,'' answered Tim. turning:
Jaw ay! was just lookin' at the pa
rcrs there, an wonderin' what an oius
lot o news they give us nowadays for
o penny. Enough 10 keep one goin' for
. week"
"Yis," said Shan, Its . wonderful
world. But aisy, Tim; ha' ye been to
tho post lateiy?"
"Naw." said Tim.
ssWell. look in there II vousre nassin'