The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-08-07

A-NNFe a. AAALLGA 10 AA VIC
courts, and will be adjustedin time. All
yon can do Is to wait.p And almost be-
fore Shrimp realized It, he found hini-
self gently worked ont Of the room and
the door closed after him.
AS Shrimp rode slowly along on hia
homeward way. he feE to p~ondering
very seriously oeer whathadtranspired
in the last few days. and at last he
asked himself:
What is er teller ter do with his
money? Eff he buys Ian he dom need,
it is jest er 'cumbrance on i'm an Their
taxes eats IL up. Ef he loans it he gifts
beat outten it. An eft Re buys too much
stock it eats its head of, and he shook
his head despairingly.
Just then he came even with Smiths,
and Smith, being out In front, invited
Slime to stop for dinner.
"Thankee," he said, 'bui / guess I'd
better jog along"
But Smith insisted, and Slime yielded
and followed into the house.
He was introduced to Mrs. Smith. and
was struck with her happy. healthy,
contented look, and he could not help
contrasting her with his own pale
faced, tired, worn and patient wife.
Then there came floating In from the
adjoining room sweet strains of music
IA mingIing of sweet young voices
with the vibrations Of the piano, and it
soothed and rested him. Then he
looked at Smith with his jolly, broad
face and his beaming smile, and he en-
wed him. Simon could not but contrast
the surroundings-the air of sweet con-
tent and peaceful quiet-with his own
life.
"Did you lose anything by the Her.
ringtons?' Slime asked.
"Not a cent Smith replied, though
I might If I'd had the money to lend.
As it was, I used all I.had to spare from
the farm in repairing and furnishing
the house. / hear you lost quite a sum,
and you have my sympathy
II dom wan no sympathy" Simon
said. "I've been er fool all my life, an
now I've come to my senses, an 1 dunno
if it hain't a good thing fer us that the
money is gone. Some PEOPLE won't
never learn nothin' 'thouS payin' well
fer it, an I'm one o that kind"
Shrimp returned home more cheerful
than he had been for years, and Mrs.
Shrimp wondered at it, but Shrimp kept
his own counsel and saiA nothing.
The next morning early he pitched the
horses to the big lumber Wagon and
drove off to town, but before eaving he
came and put his arms arounh his wife
and kissed her-something Ne hadn't
done for so long that it startled her,
and the tears came to her eyes.
II pears to be mighty light-heart6d,
Simon unused as he logged along she
lanes, up hill and down. Il hain't felt
happy for years, an j reckon sohhe
other folks II feel lifted up tonight
when I git back"
For hours old Slime. pAked arouna
among the stores in the city, and somA
how everybody looked happier and
lighter-hearted than he had ever seenfl
them,
Looks like the ole world is gittin
brighter, some way" Simon unused, a
he drove homeward in the cool Of the
evening. II never see the sun shine 50
bright, an even tine little brook down /
the edge Of the woods sings merrily
long its way. l noticed that
1t was getting dark when Simon
drove up over the last hill on his return
home. Mrs. Shrimp and the girls were
out at the gate watching for him, and
when at last they heard the runble OF
the wagon, and looked up the road,
they saw that a great box tiled the
wagon bed.
Wonder what Shines been err buy.
the mother said.
"Looks like a big box" one Of the
girls replied.
Yes, | know, but there must be some
thing in it."
"Oh, / reckon it's just to put the
wheat in when he threshes. 1 heard
him say he woull need one"
Hi, ther,' Shrimp shouted. Solar
outten the road an open Their gate thar.
! gotter drive inside with this ERE box.
Here, you boys, fly erroun', YOU ras-
calls, an help ter git this OUT And
P 1AACu HIS Desb TO appear as sour
and cross as possible, but made q miser-
able failure Of the effort.
What have you got, Slime? ?" the wife
asked.
'Nuther box fer Their wheat. Jest
ther thing / need"
Feels mighty heavy" one Of the boys
remarked, after lifting at an end Of it.
Must be something in it,
Simon was unable to hold back the
any longer, for his happiness
kept bubbling up, and refused to be
kept down.
ITS a pianer, " the boy shouted. "It'a
a pianer!!"
And It was q piano, as they soon dis.
covered when the great box was rolled
and opened. For a moment they all
stood about speechless, motioniess,
while Simon watched them, q smile
about his features. Then one
by n they came and kissed him-the
good patient wife and the uncomplain.
ing daughters, and Simon was SO happy
that he actually cried.
Ether is more things" Simon said at
last.
And a search revealed a new Garnet