St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-03-19
SUPPER FOR THREE.

Copyright, 1897.

~
People throughout the district O
Shropshire were in the habit of speak
ing OF my Uncle Thomas Taylor as
ulsers. but this was slander on In,
eharacter of the man. Over in Lin
eoinshlre, many years before my stor,
opens, he had been made the victim ot
designing rascal and left heavily in
aebi. he meant to pay every shilling
he owed and IN time be had receipt il
iuil from every creditor. He hac
worked hard, lived poorly and pinehed
ms pence for years, and the people oil
shropshire, not understanding his
worthy motive, called him a miser and
were not at all neighborly.
When 1 went to live with my Uncle
Iom Tor year he was out of debt and
mad money in the house. He was a
buyer and seller of live stock, and of
ten he was away and / was alone on
the little farm. No help was employed.
The man had got used to living alone
and doing for himself and he made no
change when able 10 do SO. 1t de-
volyed upon me to cook, milk the cow,
and care for the pig and the poultry,
put l still had time on my hands for
nshing and roaming about. One Oc-
tober day, as my uncle was preparing
Tor trip which would take him three
days or more, he oyerhauled his money
box and counted up its contents, which
amounted to 6 $50. This box was al
ways kept buried in one corner of the
cellar, and after the count it was re-
placed. We had never talked of rob-
Ders but once, and then Uncle Tom
had cautioned me not to betray the
hidirg-place of the box unless to save
my elf from torture. A fve-pound note
and handful of silver were always kept
In an old dish on the top shelf of the
pantry, and il hard pressed / was to
offer that.
The day turned out dismally, and
It began to rain soon after noon. The
day probably made me nervous, for
found myself thinking of robbers and
wondering if I had not better remove
the money. Buried where it was rob-
Der might search all day and not come
across the spot, but towards night /
dug up the box and carried it out in
the rain and thrust it among the roots
OF rose-bush growing beside the
kitchen door. Then took the old dish
dCm the pantry and covered it up in
the hole where the box had rested. /
had no good reason for making the
change, and after making it was an
cry with myself for being so silly. We
had no firearms of any description
about the house, and though the doors
were fastened at night a push from
erong arm would have carried any of
fhcm on their hinges. Before night
came on I had finished my outdoor
work and was feeling little more
cheerful. 1t was close upon six o'clock,
and was eating bowl of bread and
milk by the light of a candle, when
the kitchen door opened and in walked
= stranger. There was plenty OF
tramps about, and some of them were
nervy fellows, but 1t struck me at once
that this fellow was more dangerous
character. He had an ugly, deter
mined look on his face, and as he
smiled at me across the table, it
brought out cruel expression around
tis mouth.
sWell, sonny" he began, after a
look around, you don't seem to have
no word of welcome for visitor"
'sWho are you?" / asked.
AS to that, names don't count. |
What wants is a cheerful welcome
supper-a pipe-a mug o. something
perhaps bed. begs yer parding fur
not knockin' on the door, but We
needn't furgit yer manners cause I did.
Am ! invited to supper?'
I asked him to sit down to the table,
and minute later placed a bowl of |
milk and half loaf of bread before /
him. He ate ravenously and without
i word between mouthfuls. For five |
minutes had good look at him, and
i sized him up as bad man.
s.More!" he growled, as he finished |
what had given him.
There was another half loaf and
full pan of milk. He filled his bowl
and emptied ii twice over, and when he
Had finished it he pulled dirty pipe
lfcm his pocket and said:
There's tobacco lying around here.
md I want pipe o it before begin
- talk"
i NY uncle always kept a box Of
noking tobacco on the shelf, and 1
reached 1t down. The fellow looked at
- In 1 very ugly way as he filed and
H8hted his pipe, and he had taken
1nceen whiffs before he thickly observed:
Tue uncle is away and you are ali
o1one. I've come fur the money in the
kouee. II you gives it up without any
neusense I takes it and goes on. If
vou don't ties you up and burns your
leet with the candle till you thinks
1ou Is Tophet. Whichever way it is
rn bound to git the Doodle, and If
you've got sense you won't make me
hcuble. win ye give it up?"
There is no money in the house."
IDLY replied, looking him square in
~ eyes Is said it.
~Tntl tuti boy. but don't give me
~ such yarn as that. Tom Taylor al
~svx leaves money behind him when he
soee out. It's fur you to hand it over
w3fAin three minutes or take the con-
s.kences, and them consekences won't
:, yery funny, I can tell yon."
81 ms afraid OF him, you may believe.
- yet not so badly as to think Of gir-
~ m the money box at his simple de-
Sad He was regarding me with
~. cruel look, and was about to
- That there was any money in the =
SssIse. Khen the door softly opened and
go 1prang into the room and dealt !
- stranger blow on the head that
lsIed him Oh his chair like bag 4
5Ssnd. Before I could make ont what q
30 - 81 man the new arrival was he q
'sf55f . pon the other and called to me:
s. -, boy. fnd nee some stout lash 4
1or this fellows ankles and wrists
"A roon make him harmless" ia
= III he idea that the new arrival s
IN o1feer Of the law, and was max i
u e1her his prisoner. ran for the
r