The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1897-03-13

could talk freely with the natives, yet
by roll ng it around his mind for some
time he succeeded in polishing it until
he felt justified in trying it on new ac-
quaintance In about this shape:
Men along the river tell me they FREE
quently have chills and fever, and that
the climate don't low the men to be
very active, yet can't zee any sign that
the younger women suffer in that way.
mo" said Sam Mazzitt, the man adj
dressed, as he motioned the visitor to a
seat on the log on which he was resting
in front of his own Goors Il reckon
here he paused to puff contenpiatively
on his pipe-"l reckon the Lord thinks
somebody down here ought to have o
chance to be spry.
Jack made mental note OF this for
his intended book. and then doubted
whether it would do
Fact is," Sam went On, after little
more reflection, gals amt out in the
woods an swamps as much as men, an
they don't drink"-puff--no chaw"-
pufr-"nor smoke; leastways, not many
OF them takes to smokin' till they've
been disappointed in love. Say, stran-
ger, where's your own pipe? I'll git a
coal of fire out here for to light it"
Then he turned toward the house and
shouted "Lizzie!"
please don't trouble yourself" said
Jack, hastily. Il don't smoke"
he man looked sidewise quickly and
suspic.ously.
whats that2 Don't smoke? Well,
some don't; but it's poo y bal for 'em
in these parts. Tubbacker keeps of the
chils an fever"
Jack was atout to unfold a theory,
which he had formed since his arrival
on the river, that tobacco, which every
one seemed to use, was probai ly one OF
the causes of malarial complaints, by
making the liver TO. pid, when he heard
voice saying:
What do you want of me, pop?"
Jack turned and saw in the doorway
of the log house specimen OF that por-
ton of the population that had seemed
to him specially interesting. 1t was a
girl in faded calico dress; but Jack won
dered what the young fellows in his
town at home would have said could
they have seen her. There were some
very good-looking girls in that town.
Jack and the other boys had often looked
at them adm.ringly for an hour at a
time, when they should have been lis
tening to the sermon which the minister
was preaching that self-same hour, but
none of them were like this girl. Yet
she waa not different from many whom
he had CHANGED to see during his short
trips ashore-merely a rich olive COM
plexion, large, warm, dark eyes, and a
great deal OF black hair, with head set
firmly on shapely neck. How could
she be daughter OF the thin, sallow,
wrlnkled, awkward man beside him?
She must have inherited her good looks
and figure from her mother. Jack re-
solved that ne would improve the chance
acquaintance, If possible, to see If there
might not be something in the idea of
inheritance by sex.
Its noshin', Lizzie, GAL eaid the
father; Il was goin' to git you to fetch
but coal TO light the strangers pipe,
out it seems he don't smoke. Say, my
friend, know it amt any of my BUSH
ness, but didn't you ever smoker"
ooh, yes" said Jack with a laugh.
"Once, when was about IL years old,
/ smoked about an inch ora cigar. 1t
answered me for life; can taste it
now, or whenever til nix OF 1t. "
"Oh, ] see,' said the man, with a
kind though plying look; cigars amt
safe. If you'd begun on pipe, now,
you'd have been gettin' as much COM
fort out OF tubbacker by this time as
me-"
Meanwhile, the girl had come from
the house and stood in front of her
father, listening to the conversation
and looking at the visitor without any
show Of embarrassment. This seemed
odd to Jack. II up in New Hampshire
he had stopped at so common and shah
by place to speak TO O native who did
not know him, the women OF the family
would have regarded him from afar off,
and looked uncomfortable if they
CHANGED TO meet him face to face. But
this girl looked him full in the face, as
pleasantly and with as little concern as
il he had been an old acquaintance, and
said:
Pop gets so much comfort out Of bis
pipe that like to see him smoke.
Jack quickly determined that he
would like to talk with girl like that
girl who made so little fuss about get
ting acquainted. He had already found
that formal introductions were not in
fashion among the humber residents
along the river, and that no one seemed
10 have any distrest OF man who at
tended to his business and did not con-
Germ himself unduly with other peoples
affairs. II was as delightful as 1t was
etrarge-the way OF. southern Girle, OF