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

ABOUT the room with q pleasant, bust
ling movement which must have filled
the burglar with wonder, as it did NE.
"There now" she remarked at length,
"set right up aud make yourself 70
home. Mebbe you'd like to wash,
though. I'll git you some warm water
outer the teakittle."
"'Iwould seem good. hain't
washed for a week, he replied.
81 wanter know! Ben trav'lin' and
hain't had no chance, most like.
Here's the soft soup, and there's cake
O. hard l keep for comp'ny."
':I'il uso the comply SOAP" said
the man with q sardonic laugh.
And then he sat down TO the table.
de must have eaten ravenously, for
where I sal / could see his elbows
working rapidly, while his hostess
remarked Voluntarily
"Poor cretur! How hungry you
bel"
otis the first square meal I've had
for six weeks" ne said with his mouth
full.
II wante: know!" And rising, his
hostess brought from the pantry q
plate of cold meat aud set it before
him.
But at last the meal was ended, and
the couple sat down by the stove on
opposite sides, she with her knitting,
and he lingering uneasily his old hat.
''Say" he broke forth at last in the
midst of some friendly inquiry re.
! garding tho state of the roads. "Quit
your foolin'. You know what I've
come for. It's that money you've got
hid in your bed"
show do you know I've got any
there?" she asked, without quaver in
her voice.
Il see you pack it away just before
your husband left. Then I crept into
the cellar when you went to sec him
off, and here I be come for it. I've ben
hid there six hours. Come, hustle
round, old lady, and fetch it out, or I
shall have to git it myself"
II know better"
''Know better?"
"Yes. know You amt no sech
! kind of man as to steal from an old
woman like me. You aro too much of
o man."
81 be, be II Wall, guess not!
You won't never miss it, and it would
be the making OF me-"
GLOW long you sp'ose me and
Josiah's ben gittin' that together to
lift the mortgage?"
II don't know. Amt your place
paid for?"
''No, and we've ben twenty years a
scrapin' together two hundred and
thirty-three dollars and one cent.
| You SEQ Josiah's lame and can't earn
much, and amt so smart as was
once, and We hat to live. The times
got hard Jest the wrong time for us.
We used to have enough and so We
used to take child from the poor
house every five years and fetch him
up. Four of 'em yo got started, and
all smart children, every one, and
! dreadful good to me End JOSIAH
! "Why don't they help you"
''They're jest beginnin' to do for
themselves, and We don't want 'em to.
James is in Chiny, Eben's workin' his
| way through college, Philaster's
clerkin' down to the Corner, and
Horace's jest married ind come in
debt for little place OF his own.
Can't you get no work?"
"No. ! can't. I've tried for weeks.
and tramped miles; but nobody wants
a tramp when there's them they know
ready to work"
'"That's SO. I seq how tits. wish
I could do for you, but I don't see how
| can 1s'pose might lend you our
sick money"
"Sick money!"
eyes. We've always kept laid away
fifty dollars to bury US with, which
ever goes first, Josiah or me; but we
don't like to speak itright out, and SO
we coll it sick money I could lend
yon that"
The man did not reply at first, but
after awhile said in 8 strangely altered
tone:
EDO you really mean that you
would lend mo that money with the ex-
poctstion Of getting it back?"
''Yes, would. l think if you can
get work you will pay it back sure"
~, Maybe you'd like not for it,
COZ course! I most forgot that.
Here's the ink bottle and Josiah's pen
and a half sheet of paper that's source.
~ got mark ont. Set right here. I"
And the old lady pushed the dishes
back into the middle of the table to
give him g better chance to write.
"You know, don't you, that I could
take the whole of that money you've
got hid between the straw bed and
feather bed if l wanted?"
"Yes. but You won't, because you
are too much of man 10 steal from two