The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-02-06
.OVt AND HUMAN NATURE,
ale OF Short Courtship on the Mississippi
River.
BY JOHN HABBERTO>-

last night while nc an the old man was
| smokin'.'
| You must have got two men mixed
my friend, said Jack. Il don't think ]
exchanged twenty words with her.
Gals have eyes as well as ears, my
TREND. was the reply. II ain a -goin'
20 so over aG.n what she said, cause
l don't b'licve in,tattIin', but what I've
tod you IS dead sure, an rs you're a
pooty decent kind OF Teller, as said be-
fore, | made bold to come down an ask
you between men, an not to 90 any
further an that you don't go to maxim
yourself eXtry pleasant an sociable-
like onless you mean bizness.
Jack eyed the fellow sharply. Was
this talk what it seemed on the surface,
or was it Il sly way of discovering
whether he had any intentions regard
ing another mans sweetheart? OF
course this man Eill vas himself in love
with the girl--hc couldn't help it-no
one could, Jack was sure, who saw her
often He had heard that some simple
| looking Southerncrs were desperately
| crafty, and it was plain to Jacks prac-
! ticcd eye that this fellow, in spite of his
rude exterior. was no fool: had he not
discovered, through his own unaided in
tcllisence, that Jack himself was "a
pooty decent kind of a fclter:" What
could he be up to? Well, the most
straightforward course was tho best,
particularly with man who always
carried % gun, and was astir so early in
the morning.
My FRIEND said Jack, 81 give YOU
my word as an honest man that all I'm
thinking Ebout down here is tho bee
business. l like the people I've met
along the river, and the young woman
you have been talking about is very
charming girl. bat I've a mother and
sisters OF my own, and I've too much
respect for other women to trile with
their feelings"
Il didn't How that you'd do anythin'
mcan-no sirec--not a bis CT it," was
the reply 1T aint you I'm afraid Of
dom anythin', it's her, bless her big,
warm. natural, innocent, heart. You're
somethln new an strange, rot that she
amt seen other men that wasn't thought
up in these parts, but reckon you amt
like the rest Of EN-; she thinks SO, any,
how
JACK had been studying the man
Closely while he talked. Unless all
rules CT human nature were false, this
man was no sly dog; there were traces
OF the gentleman in the expression OF
his countcnance. 1t was natural that
he should not have said bl'intly that he
himself Was in love with the girl; he
had displayed admirable taste in the
way he put the case. Jacks heart
warmed toward him, and Jacks hand
Went forward as its owner said:
Your manner does you great credit,
old man, and l wish YOU Joy of her.
promise solemnly that J. will not 90 near
her house again. When | find myself
feeling lonesome I'll tramp in tho OPP
po5ite direction and find somebody to
talk 10. We lanEecs arc great takers;
everybody has his weakness, you know.
But as for that girl, Iagain give you my
word that | won't see her again"
The vsi or dropped lacks hand and
his face grew long as he sighed:
!n"I IL DC aWiUl hard on ier.
Jack stared in establishments; then he
began to lose his temper and he ex-
ciGimed-almost shouted:
See here, old man. you talk like a
FOOL. No man can be near that girl
without ad!nirinS her Il great deal: |
you've told me certain things about her;
you don't want her to get moro inter-
csted i'll me. nor me in her, yet"
Yes, do, camc with great energy
from the visitor, while Jack in his sur
prise stepped backward and nearly
tumhed INTO tho river. II only want
you to keep away if you don't mean
anythin' serious. Nothin' would suit
me better than for her to git a man like
you for her husband"
What? And you give her up?"
Then it was the visitors turn to be |
He began to straighten nim-
self to a standing posture, and he con-
tinued until he seemed q giant when he
said:
What have I got to do with it? 1 amt
her beau. I'm goin' to marry n friend !
OF hers as soon as my cabin DONE"
viz CuIt OdIhs Will " llOlC EdluuU
OF infections as the change Of condi-
tons became clear to him. Then he
found his brain in whirl. It was ut !
tery ridiculous, the discomfort he had
suffered in abandoning that girl, whom
he had first seen only twelve hours be-
fore, to the man whom he supposed was
her lover. Now that he learned she |!
was free he wanted to shout with Joy,
which of course was equally ridiculous. |!
Besides, the fellow was probably mis-
taken; any man in love imagines every
body else in the same condition. He (
would question his informant farther,
not that it would be possible for him to
fall in love in earnest with woman OF
whose family he knew nothing, but it
would be delightful to be sure that so |
glorious a creature had really become !
Interested in him.
It's born in her. said the visitor, af-
ter q short chat about tho indications
which had aroused his interest. Her
father and mother went the same way.
I've heard ag'in an ag'in how her
who was the most run after gal |
in these parts, never took a shine to any |
Teller till one day Sam came along.
There'd been some land flooded down |
here by a break in the levee, an Sam |
come down with some more fallers from