The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1896-05-02
SWEET HOME.

tttl t!C SsIuSSlt!S SAGStCt VI
dincy frame buildings that reared their
shabby, p~rctentious, false fronts in the
midst Of the parched, quiTeTing prairie.
Save for. tho kn0t of saddle ponies
standing viii: detected heads before the
door Of the single saloon, 10 sign Of
life existed. Tho few buildings scat
tered along the main street locked UNI
uttcrably shabby and cheap under that
hot. scorcLin9 glare.
Things had not been going we'll at
Sweet Ec.nc lately. III fact, tie boom
that lad originated and sustained its
eEis:c-co Showed unmistalable signs Ct
coll.5Hu. Tho MCst strenuous efforts CT
its f5-.-dC-, tho most lavish distribu-
ties of laid literature. failed 70 attract
prospective buyers. Seven Of the eight
col.r1Gs Of lie Weekly OZono had for
wees been devoted to the unparalleled
prospects Of those owning town lots
and the desolate Eopelessn ess Of those
who did not. A couple Ct stray tramps,
kicked Off 4 passing freight train, were
Immediately Leraldod as astute capital
lists, eager to grasp at this wealth of
opportunity; q passing cyclone that
overturned a third Of the town was en-
laTScd upon as evidence of the unlimit-
ed quantities Of pure air.
But it wouldn't 60, and William
Sweet, ESQ.,, better known as "Windy
Bill" was forced to admit, as ne sat i'll
bic 1ry,nv CfTca cpifficr foHocco ir;po
through the gaping seams i'll the warped
heialock flooring, that he was near to
the end of his rope. All the tried and
true lodges Of professional town BOOM
ers had been used without effect; the
obstinate public absolutely refused to
invest their money in his town lots.
He glanced ct the map of the city
hanging on the wall. Ut hadn't been
pail for. but Windy Bill' never paid
for anything.) The beautifully ruled
spaces marked lefty hall" botanical
Gardens" Public Fountains" etc,
were as yet as nature had fashioned
them. the city hall was a thriving
prairie dog town, the Botanical gardens
contained a choice collection of tumble
weeds, Russian thistle and wild mus
tard, while tho site of the public foun-
tains was buried under a miscellaneous
collection Of defunct animals. The little
tickets that marked the property sold
were SO hopelessly few and scattered as
to be almost indiscernible.
Mr.. Sweet had been in tight places
before in fact, q considerable portion Of
his past had been spent lodging those
inquisitive individuals called deputy
sheritfs. Now, however, when his credit
at the Blue Goose was attacked, tho
situation was, indeed, desperate. A man
might rubalong without meat, but with
out drink, never.
Suddenly an idea developed in his
racked brain. Grasping apen and blow
ing a cloud of alkali dust from a solid
sheet of paper, he traced with grimy,
perspiring hands the following lines:
The proprietor of a delightful resort in a
state that affords peculiar advantages to those
seeking.relief from connubial bonds offers spc-
cial terms to Divorces. Pure air and water.
Good society. Address
WILLIAM SWEET. ESQ,
Mayor and Counselor at Law, Sweet Home,
s. d.
"That'n fetch 'em or I'm q sucker, -
he chuckled, as he eyed the sheet ap-
p%rovingly and proceeded to make a num-
Der Of copies, which, after folding, he
addressed to a number of prominent
eastern newspapers. Then, with a grin
of satisfaction, he drifted over to the
Blue Goose.
The arrival Of two letters ten days
later marked a nibbler at the bait. The
first was q large, square envelope, deeply
bordered with black. 1t inclosed, writ
ten III a fine hand, the following lines:
New YORK CITY, Aug. p, 1885,.
DEAR SIR AND ERoTIiER-My weary eyes
were attracted te your advertisement in The
Daily -. Verify, il Were like the balm of
Gilead to my broken spirit-yea, as The W.
tiers of Sloan unto the weary traveller. Com
passed about with worldly dissensions and
strife, largely stimulated and encouraged by
the woman l took to my bosom, who not orly
possesses q vi--enish temper, bat also com
mends the ungolly behavior Of the sons of ia
hal, it behooves one to seek the mental ana
spiritual relief your worthy laws afford dis
tressed souls. I trust to be with you in body
as IN spirit within q fortnight. Your dis
tressed friend,
REV. MELCHIsEDDc BELLwETHEP.
We'll. Of all tho sharps | ever seed,
this yere galoot lays 'em all out, " snort
ed Mr.. Sweet, as he folded the letter.
Lays it to the woman, O. course. They
all do. | reckon them sons O. Be1ial's VIII
pretty gay boys. Some O. these town
fellows is dead game"
He opened the next letter-a dainty,
perfumed affair. Written at impossible
angles in a bewilderingly angular style
was the following: