St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1897-02-13

men who, without meaning to be disa-
= greeable, nevertheless make themselves
llisliked wherever they go. The real
reason was that he was utterly devoid
of tact. He seldom failed to say the
wrong thing, speciallysWhen it was cs-
sen tial that he should say the right.
If there was chance of putting his foot
into it, into it (as sure as eggs) his. foot
went If he was obliged, in the eXer-
else of his duties, to make an unpleas-
ant remark, he was absolutely certain to
say it in the most unpleasant way.
These unfortunate procliyities were al
ways displaying themselves.
There was another little point about
him which increased his unpopulaGity
especially among the tFadesmen of
the place. He was tnear" in the matter.
OF money. He seemed to have a con-
stitutional aversion TO parting with it.
Even when On account was due he in
sariably dallied in the discharging OF
the same; and though he always paid
up in the end, he often kept shopmen
waiting longer than thea cared about.
1t was really fad ofNhis-as mere
idiosyncrasy, and did not arise from
any conscious churlishness. But the
shopkeepers of Winfield regarded it
shopkeepers of Winfield regarded it.
niggardly nature: and though they,
supplied the vicar, because it was worth
their while, they nevertheless disliked
him with all their commercial souls
Winfield was small place Of 1900
inhabitants, something between 4 tiny
town and an overgrown village. 1t
had quite fair number of shops
butcher, baker, fisfmongef. grocer,
Enendraper, ironmonger, wine NOR
chant and tobacconist. 1t was served
by q doctor, eke by an auctioneer. But
there was one important thing not to be
had thcre-nanely, law. No solicitor
had yet found it worth his while to set
tie in so small place.
Bntabout the middle of 0etobera year.
or two since q solicitor did, at length,
make his appearance, anu set up in
Winfield. His name was Perks. He
was shrewd, dapper, little man, of pre-
possessing exterior and insinuatiEg
ways, who soon made to himself friends
in the village. Although his manner
was bland and courteous, it was pretty
obvious that he was not,quite gentle
man. But as very few persons in Whin-
Geld--except the squire and the vicar
had any pretensions to that distinc-
tion, the solicitors lack of the pure
"haut tom was no barrier TO his getting
on. Perhaps, indeed, it rather helped
him; since it was to the tradesmen and
farmers that he would chiefly have to
look for business; and they preferred
man with whom they could associate
on footing of equality,
This is just what Perks did. He corr
stantly went to the tradesmen's houses.
He dined and supped with them. lie
did the civil to their wives and daugh-
ters. He often dropped in casually in
the afternoon for d cup of tea, or iii the
evening for a pipe and a glass Of grog.
This naturally made him popular ia
their circle.
''Mr, Perks is quite the gentleman"
said Mrs. Grocer Hobb, "and there's no
nasty pride about him, neither"
''True, Maria" asserted Hobb. her
spouse, a. fat and prosperous figure,
Perks is a good sort, Andif Ihave q
bit Of lawyering to be done I'll put it IN
Perks way
For the, first month or two after his
arrival in Winfield Perks was a regular
attendant at The parish church. TWAS
the proper, the respectable thing to do.
: Resides, to get in with the vicarAeren
when tile Vicar Is unpopular may pa y
G newcomer very we'll in country
parish.
But the yicardid not take TO Perksat
all. From the first he had shown dis
like 10 him, and nothing that the solici-
tor Gid to ingratiaie himself IN that
qaarter made any difference At the