The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1897-03-20
LOVE AND HUMAN NATURE.
Tale of Short Courtship on the Mississippi
River.
BY JOHN TIABBERTON.
CHAPTER I,-Continucd.

CHAPTER I.-Continucd.
When the old man went away Jack
retired to his little cabin and pretended
to go to sleep, but he spent a most I'M
comfortable night. Why, even his boat
cabin, not ten feet square, was palace
compared with the house at which he
had taken supper. The idea OF man
and woman bringing up such daughter
in such place. What could they be |
thinking of, or, could it be they did not |
think at all? He thought his own quar-
tiers cramped and his river life almost as
quiet as a hermit's, yet if that girl lived |
on o bee-boat she would see great |
deal more of the world and its inhablt-
ants than she ever could while she in
habited that bare cabin. But why
should he think of her being on a bee
boat at all? There was no way for her
to reach such luck unless she were some
day to marry man in the honey busl-
ness; instead of that she would be sure
TO throw herself away on that stupid,
unmanneriy, lounging, hulklnS fellow
with gun. He wished his mother and
sisters could have the making OF that
girl, and then send her back to her own
country 10 teach her old acquaintance
what was what Wouldn't she make
stir il she could be put in that quiet old
New Hampshire village-even II she
made her first appearance in that very
faded calico dress? AS he imagined her
walking into the village church, the
white walls of that barn-like edifice
suddenly grew rosy, to his closed eyes.
and the scent of orange flowers Danish
ed the well-remembered and pervasive
odor OF caraway seed.
Nothing of that sort could hap
pen, though, il she already was
gone on that Internal fellow with
gun, as, of course, she was; if not, why
did she rush out so wildly to stop him
as he went along and bring him into
the house? Beauty did not imply
bralns-he had learned this long ago in
his home studies Of heredity; neither
did it save its possessor from rude
tastes. Well, Jack was sure the whole
affair was none of his business, and, il
he could not get it out of his head.
where it seemed determined to stay, he
would have himself towed up the river
ahead of time, and get away from such
nightmare of stupidity. Ii he could
afford to rush the season a little he
guessed the bees could stand 1t, too.
CHAPTER ii.
AS he emerged from his cabin in the
morning, with light and aching head,
and began to make his toilet, he was
startled by an apparition of the young
man with gun. Jack rubbed his eyes
and saw that it was no apparition at all
but the man in his real person, with a
very real gun. Jack had gun of his
own and knew how to use It, so he hur-
ried into the cabin, slipped cartridge
into his rifle, and then peered cautiously
through one of his little windows. The
man was still there, but he did not seem
IN haste TO proceed to bloody work, for
he had leaned his gun against tree
and seated himself on a stump. Jack
placed his own gun within the door yet
where he could reach it quickly il neces-
sary; then he ventured outside again
The man with the gun raised his he~I
saw Jack and shouted:
"Hellol"
Hello yourself, Jack replied; then
no thought it safe to say: Won't yot
come aboard?"
Don't care IL do"
Jack pushed out a plank, and The
visitor, leaving his gun behind, saun
tered aboard with his hands in hi:
pockets and looked carelessly abou
him. Tie seemed to approve Of what h
saw, FIR he soon remarked:
Mighty pooty bizness, this of yourn
Old man Mazzitt was tellin me bout l
after he came back last night, an
Flowed I'd take u look at it IL yo'
didn't mind.
Evidently, then, the man with the gui
was so close friend of the family tha
he had spent the night with them. Tn
idea of so uncouth a fellow being ever
under the same roof with that girl an
treated as her equal Jack wanted I
toss him overheard and drive him to tn
bottom with push-pole, but he re
strained himself and explained the bee
boat business to him. III the felloN
was to marry Lizzie perhaps the girl
life would be more endurable ii he
husband was to go into some bushes
which would enable his wife to sc
what little of the world lay along tn
banks of tho big river. Itwasn't "a
impossible scheme. The business di
not require much capital to start 1
and. 10 tell the truth, there was ne
much more work about it than III carry
ing q gun and skulking about in th
woods. so Jack enlarged little upo
what he had already said about bee
boating. and the fellow seemed to VI
derstand it, for he asked an intellSei
question or two. Then he leant
against the sunny side of the cabl
looked Jack full in the eye, and startlt
the owner OF the boat by remarking;
You pear to be pooty decent XII
of Teller.
Thank you, said Jack, though
don't SEQ how you've made up yo'
mind on so slight acquaintance.
"Oh, well, said the hunter. we ha'
10 learn in this country DO take man
measure pooty quick. There's Gil soI
come along, some by land and some
water. an there's no time to look
somebody that knows EN- and ask que
tons about 'em. If didn't think more
usual well OF you, ! wouldn't have coi
down here this morning to say som
thin TO you-somethin' strictly twe'
man an man.
What the-something-is the feli6
un to?" Jack ask ed himself.
ITS about her, said the native. no
ding his head in the direction OF Lizzie
residence.
Don't worry about me, said ia
promptly and quite loftily. new
attempted 10 take girl away nom
other fellow.
There's lots that she II be taken aw
fxo.x, IA. xyhonvor .,atS her was the