The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-04-17
poor old creturs when you can bcrr;

poor old creturs when you can borr;
it,"
"That's so, be. You shall have
that money back if I live, old lady,
and Interest too, I promise ye. l feel
like man eS'iu, and it's you that
made me-
"Oh, no! You Was man afore, but
kinder unfortunate, that's all.
swell, here's your note. I've wrote
it to pay in q years time, if that will
do.
1T will, less one OF us should die,
and then 'twoulan't be as il we hadn't
got that note to show"
The man laughed hugh Of amuse-
ment and relief. l watched him as he
went to the door, and this time his
head was up and his shoulders were
square. In listening to the col}oquy1
had entirely forgotten or overlooked
the fact that I had constituted myself
the guardian Of tie old lady's slender
fortune. What to do did not know.
The man seemed anxious to pay the
borrowed money, and she WAS ready
to trust him. Perhaps I would better
let the matter rest as it vss, and in
case he did not return to pay it in
year pay it myself as a fine for my
negligence, which would then have
been proved ouipable.
When descended, which I did os
! soon as the man had been gone several
| minutes, l found tho old lady to be
! Very nervous.
"Why!" she said, starting to her
feet in alarm at my entrance, IL clean
forgot there was anybuddy in the
house but mo-"
$50 you wish had como down be-
fore aud prevented the loan you
made:"
"No, I ritiea the poor cretur' so.
He'll pay it back if be can, and if not
it'll be Jest another orphan we've
helped. Most like bein' SO old, both
OF us up'erds of seventy, we shan't DO
for no more as we have Gone, and We
shall git buried some wny."
"Don't worry. If he doesn't pay il
| will" WAS my reply.
"You needn't think nothin' about
it. I've saved the mortgage money
and given a man q lit on the road to
heaven, and I'd oughter be satisfied.
1 be satisfied" she said fervently.
"And you have reason 70 be, said.
We did not go to bed, either of us,
end in the morning / returned to the
city.
But Ibid not forget the old Lady
nor the burglar. Ifelt convinced that
he would retura the money on the
exact date when the note was given, il
at all. and accordingly, in Just Quo
year, l made it convenient to visit the
old lad y ct her residence.
This time was so fortunate as to
see her husband, and I Immediately
discovered that he was just such an.
other guileless person as herself. They
were expecting the man to pay the
note, and it lay ready for him on tho
mentel when I entered.
Sure enough, at ten o'clock q firm,
stalwart man walked up to the door,
where tho old lad y met him with q
cordial grasp Of the hand.
"You did cit work, she said.
eyes, I cid, and it WAS you tina:
saved mo from crime. [ had tried
every way to lind something to do I'M
til that night, and tho fifty dollars
put me on nv feet square and firm. I
got chance in q shop where I got
good pay, and here's the money and
the interest,""
"The interest! didn't as!. you no
interest,""
''But I mean to pay it..
1 do not know whether he evo1 heard
that WAS in the house that night or
not. Il doesn'b matter. I saw him
several times aftcrward, and he seemed
both prosperous and honest, and I
don't doubt that be was. The fact did
not tendto make ne neglect my hobby.
which was that crime, when it is not.a
disease, is either the result Of inherit
ed evil tendencies or Of misfortune,
and that circumstances keep and make
some men honest and others dishonest,
-Wayerley Magazine.