The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-04-17

~3SSsc tEEggssM people lmean writ
Mfss s4:.zssEA ers in particular.
Nv GfnN.o =: W} They say that there
..G@: ;S::zsSss is little pictur.
sequences except in
the backwoods and
IN districts far removed from the en-
vironments of railroads and electricity,
and that dialect peculiar to each To-
cality is being Aattened into monotone
by the omnipresent schoolmaster, who,
they complain, has his way far too
much in this proudly new world Of
ours. But if this be true, as whole,
there are delightful exceptions. A
carriage drive Of few hours, or the
whirl of ones bicycle an hour, brings
one to the home of folk lore and pro.
vincialism capable of causing ecstatic
thrills in the heart of tho dialect.mon-
ger.
Such were my thoughts as I alighted
from my wheel at nightfall, one cold
autumnal day, and raped there was
no belly at the door OF low browed
cottage, behind which clumps OF
bushes shut off the horizon and seemed
to narrow the world down to the little
house, the yard, and myself, with a
heavy heart, standing before it, steady.
ing my wheel, for I WAS tired.
Presently an old lady came to the
door. Her comfortable, rotund form
and mild blue eye but decided chin
impressed me with instant respect,
while the Unborn ladyhood of her
nature was evidenced by her courteous
greeting and invitation to enter.
''Do you ever keep travellers over
night" inquired after a decent inter
val had elapsed.
''We do and we DON'T" she replied !;
s'but you Gun stay in welcome. Sit
up and eat with me if you hain't had
no supper"
II haven't" was my reply; and
presently the old lady and / were dis.
cussing her homely but tootbsomo
supper, and doing it ample justice in
the way Of testing its qualities; at
least ] did.
"My husband has gone to town." re-
marked my hostess, ':and if you hadn't
come I should ben here ell alone to.
night"
"Would you have been afraid to
spend the night alone?"
ooh, mol But tonight I feel Diff
'runt. for, you see, ct last we're ready
to lift the mortgage. It's two hun.
dred and thirty-three dollars an one
cent. That last cent I got by selling
an aig." she said with happy laugh,
"end now it's altogether 'twixt the
straw bed and feather bed in my room !;
and husband, he's gonter pay it off to.
morrer--if he lives" she added, with
the reverence felt by the old who have
seen so many hopes fade and friends
die that they never dare to speak even
OF almost certainties without IN eff"
'But are you not unwise to speak of
your money to q stranger?" I asked as
warning.
ooh. mol" she said, laughing pleas.
antly, II know an honest man when I
see him, and I was glad the minute l
see your face and knowed that you
wanted to- stay all night. faint likely
anybuddy would steal from me but
atragglers. One has been seen round.
and feed little mito uneasy"
My hostess and ! spent pleasant
evening together. She showed me
many an heirloom which had been
handed through five generations from
an ancestor who had been q great man
in colonial days. There was silver
punch bowl and q gold snuff box,
either worth more than the SUM treas
ured so carefully in the owners bed;
but l suspect size would have parted
with her life Us quickly as with either
OF them.
''They are Jamesca," she said, ''or
will bo when husband and I arc done
with them. James is my nephew, and
he's out to Chiny now. He's had lots
of pullbacIs, James has, or he'd helped
us. But you look tired, Mir"
bradley"
"Mr. Bradley, you look zif you
doughser be to bed. I'll Ugh: you up"
Ascending the short flight OF stairs,
I learned that my room was exactly
over the old lady's ''settin'" room, as
she called it. There was sort Of reg
lister OVERT, through which the warmth
struggled agreeably enough. How.
ever, | should HAYS closed it had not
q sense OF the old ]sdy's unprotected
situation impressed me, and so i re.
tired to bed and dreamland, where /
wandered lazi]y until awakened by
voices beneath.
Evidently the first word had reused
me, for as sat up in bed, wide awake
in an instant, I heard the old lady say