The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-10-30

would never consent to his son marry
ing my granddaughter unless he had
Il fortune and standing equal to her
town."
/" unto the third and fourth gener,
alton, quoted the girl with tremu-
Ions smile. But I'm in love with
the grim old captain, now, and the
only way to get him for father is to
marry Dick, just as I intend doing.
Miser, indeed! He's grand and noble,
no matter if he was smugglsr or
pirate or whatever it was. No wonder
Dicks so dashing and brave and indie
pendent. He only writes me that
he's doing very we'll out there, but he
wouldn't talk about coming home to
fix things up with the dear old gov
ernor, as he calls the captain, unless
he was successful. Dick thinks all
the world Of him, though they did
quarrel"
"Why doesn't he write his father,
then?"
because he forbade it when they
parted, and you know they are not a
yielding family, I believe. I wish
they were more so.
At the very time this conversation
was going on the few people that the
captain had about him were rapidly
concurring in an opinion that he had
gone crazy. His two latest meals had
been like banquets compared with
his usual repasts. He had issued a
standing order that hereafter he would
live as became the proprietor Of one
of the finest landed properties in the
state. In the evening he went so far
as to sing in his foghorn voice some
Of the nautical classics that only go at
their best in the teeth Of a gale. The
simple truth was that he had paid
the last dollar due on the mortgages
and was now longing for the safe re-
turn OF Dick, who had threatened to
own gold mine before he came back
to claim a bride. The captain even
thought of Margaret, and how like
she was to what her grandmother had
once been, but dismissed her with a
conviction that she would not have re-
manned true to Dick on so weak a
foundation as girls first love.
Within a week the quiet community
was shocked by the re, o of Richard
Spanker's death. He was on his way
home and had been shot by train rob-
bers whom he had attempted to re-
sist. The letter bringing this brief
account Of a tragedy that left the cap
tain nothing to live for aud almost
broke the heart OF Margaret, told that
the papers and money belonging to
the young man had been forwarded.
They followed closely and showed that
Dick had made good his promise to
win fortune He was richer than
the captain himself. Then the girl
pocketed her pride aud went to Dicks
father. She read him the love letters
from his son, and in each Of them was
some sentiment of regard that filled
the old man with rejoicing while he
groaned at the thought Of what might
have been. The beautiful young
woman and the captain were drawn tc
each other in their common affection
until she was as his daughter and had
already been named as the sole inner.
itor OF his property. One afternoon
they sat talking in the library when
one white-faced servant rushed
through the hallway to the rear Of the
hcr -,while another stood, wide-eyee
: and speechless, supporting hersel
against the newell post.
"Dick," shrieked the girl, as {
merry laugh came from without.
'Dick,' echoed the hoarse voice O
the old captain as he caught the faint
ing girl on his arm and stood al
though to defend a beleagured ship.
"What's the row, governor? Did
, give you bit OF fright?' shouted
! the same jovial voice. '!And Margie
too?" as he encountered the obstacl
: to giving the captain a sonly EN-
, brace. "Allow me-" aud he trans
ferred the burden to his own arms
Nor was it water that brought he
| back to consciousness and bushes
v And the first coherent sentence OF tn
captain was: "She's yours, Dick. y
Yes, it was Dick, bigger, handsome
and more manly than ever. His vol
: unteer travelling companion had lal
, him out with the heavy butt OF
9 Colts revolver while they were O
Q their way to the nearest depot for tn
t East, and it was the robber who ha
y been killed with all Dicks money an
!. papers on his person. When grandm
j. and the captain danced quaint old tie
g ures at the wedding it was plain to til
Q pretty bride that they were living fe
;. the time in the atmosphere of 40 yeal
l. agone. Detroit Free Press.
A Reward for Cr0codiles.
a A reward was once offered in one c
j. the Indian states of a rupee for eac
o foot of crocodile killed. II q sever
lao,, foo+ o,o,od;lo woo l,il1o1 tho III