The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-02-27

oooh' uor uld sucn an account appea
to have been paid in the usual way
| their credit at the bank. Evidently
4 check had been drawn and paid O
which the books of neither firm ha
any record. It was sum under elO
but as the youth who ran between tn
mill and the bank in the adjoining
town of Blackbrook appeared too un
sophisticated to transact such fraud
and as Jim Sumner was immediatel7
responsible for the current cash of tn
firm, he was held to be morally re
sponsiblc, if not actually criminal
and, according to the immemoria
custom of the firm, ''had to co."
Poor jim! He did not wait to meet
his chapel folks and intimates. III
just kissed his widowed mother, who
would not have believed "owt again
jim" on the testimony Of an arch.
angel, and went ont into the frosty
air, straight to the station, and away
to town thirty miles distant, to make
q fresh start. His sweetheart was
still in the mill. He ought, of course.
to have waited for her and told her.
But he didn't. He would write. She
would learn soon enough. The village
would buzz with the news, as thoug Oh
1ns new ''hooter" had proclaimed it,
by nightfall. And it did. There
were girls who seemed glad to tell
Rachel, and whom she Jared I'D and
said:
"Io' know as we'll as CIV do at Jim
ne'er did it," they only replied:
swell, he's ta'en his hook ct anv
rate. Yo'r aunt Bet seed him 600.
and says good radiance to bad rub
bidge.' She doesn't seem to think as
weel O. Jimmie as her niece Does"
What could Rachel say? She went
home with rage in her heart against
her aunt, and something like resent
ment against her lover for hastine
away without word to the girl who
could have died for him. All, little did
she think-yet even now dead misery
Ind taken possession Of her.
swell, Miss Proudie, an how's thy
fine gentleman naa?" (Aunt Bets
own lad had had hopes of the "office'
once, but had turned out wastrel-
hence her bitterness.) cav thout
wot it nd be. Some fowk can't stand
gcttin' up i tn world. Pride'll hey
a fall an thy whipper -snapper's como
a cropper at ony rate"
In tongue warfare Rachel was no.
where; besides, Aunt Bet wasn't worth
answering. Then, that very day, the
overlooker had threatened to reduce
her to two looms, and had humbled
her SO terribly before the other weay-
ers, that all the spirit seemed clean
gone out of her. She went to bed.
but not to sleep. The "knooker up"
had an easy task next morning. That
lay was the blacklist of many black
ones during the past few weeks. and
now no lovers comfort awaited her.
Everything went wrong. The stuff
weave. Her looms seemed
oewitched. The overlooker overlooked
With vengeance.
"Yo'll start on two looms to-morn,"
he said; "think on that! Awe lots
! lasses o fourteen at weave better
lor thee, an do moor wark on two ]
ooms tan tha' con o three" :
1t was the last straw. She dare not
ace Aunt Bet and her sneers. |
"Oh, Jim. Jim," was the cry of her 9
cart, why couldn't you say a word I
0 me?" For when her heart spoke,
cried for jim and not for looms,
joining out of the hot mill it was
liter cold. She drew her shawl
yer her head and hurried
way. Not to the place she called
home She scarcely knew where she s
ent. A hopeless despair weighed on !!
er sensitive spirit. Tears unchecked +
nd UNDECIDED dropped as she walked. {!
Anywhere, anywhere. out of the II
orld!' would have been her exclama. 0
on could she have expressed her G.
eepest wish. Suddenly she found G.
erself on the top OF the reservoir en- u
ankment. The moon was shining n
pom the water, which sparkled and O.
lone with crystalline briliiance. a.
"There's nowt left to live for, an te
won't live!" and, casting her shawl "
ON her, she threw herself from the "
abankment. There was q sharp 81
nging sound. The moon shoue on, g
ID all was still. d'
snow, aw wonder what's come out at
out this money!" thought Jim Sum- 81
r, as he struck the reservoir bank fe
bis way, from tho station home.
folks are fain to stay in to.neet, aw
,kon. AVN glad nob'y'lly see me tr
awe cleer2a mysel'-if clearin'
Island what can tn masters ha'
zen tn trouble to get my address
J mother-for MODIFY else knew it
an telegraph for me to come in. ca
ntly, if it's not? My! but tn frost
been keen this two days. Aw'll
49, L. =