The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1898-07-09


might be worse than to keep still. she
looks all tired out now, with her work
and worry at home; how will she look
when she's married 10 drunkard!'
"Its an awful pity" said her neigh
Dor. and as Jack Raymond passed
through the room she glanced curious
" from mother to son. She thought,
81 guess Bert Hill amt much worse
than your boy" What she said was,
"Thats real pretty cloth you're work
Ing on"
Jack went up the hin behind the
house till he came to a spot where the
April sun shone warmly under pine
trees. He dropped upon the needle
covered ground, pulled his hat over his
eyes, and calmly finished the nap
which his mothers indignant protest
had disturbed.
The wind blew softly among the pine
branches, flies and wasps crcpt Into
the sunlight, blucbirds sang, and TAR
overhead hawk sailing on steady
wings cried cruelty. At length Jack
Stirred, removed the hat from his eyes,
and sat ND. He hitched along on the
ground till he got his back against a
tree trunk. He gazcd out upon the
spring landscape meiitatively. Then
his lips began to move. He was talk
ing to himself, inaudibly.
'Its q shame for such nice girl as
Mary Halleit to go with a worthless
shiftless fellow like Bert I'LL. Yes,
that's SO. 1t ought to be stopped. Talk
ing won't do any good. Something's
got to be done. L suppose might un
dertake the job" He grinned slightly
Mt the thought. at would be good
idea to so into missionary work, ant
I'm sure that is good cause-to res
cue Mary Hallett from Bert. She's ,
nice little girl, and it would be a pity
for her to marry him. Bert doesn'
hyen treat his mother well-what woult
he do to MaryY' He Strengthened VI
almost theoretically. Il VOW I'll d.
It." he said Then he meditated again
sWonder if cam? he unused, doubt
fully. He felt in pocket and too
out a small, round mirror. He gaze
at 1t earnestly. He took off his ha
and brushed his blonde hair back fror
his forehead; then he gave smile Q
affectation which showed his whit
teeth; then be put the mirror back J
his pocket. There was a look Of cont
dence In his blue eyes.
"Guess you'll do" he said. "Rathe
against you, being light, though; bu
where there's will there's way"
He got up and started down the hill
Half way he paused. Suppose ST
should fall in love with me, and the
I'd have to go back on her and brea
her all up! 1t isn't likely, to be sur
. but what If it should happen? Their
was rueful pause-then he said, 18th
end justifies the MEANS" and went o
down the hill.
Although Jacks friends maintaine
that he would be all right If he on
kept out of bad company, the gener;
opinion was that he and Bert wei
about evenly matched for WORTHLESS
ness and shiftlessness. And when Jat
began to go to Hallett's, people sal
10, dear! Two Of them!' They co
tinued to be shiftiess; but 1t was J
marked that, unlike Bert, Jack hi
given up drinking.
'sYou'll have to stop that" Jack to
himself. "This Is going to be sha
game, and you can't afford to mudd
what brains you've got"
Some young men would have beg
the campaign by going of an evening
call on Mary. but Jacks methods we
different.
1t was a Monday morning, just
Mary was carrying a basket OF ciotf
into the yard, that Jack appeared
the scene.
He greeted her cheerfully, then we
and took the clothes line from h
s1'll put this up" he said, and he pt
ed It tight and fastened 1t firmly.
Snow, you give me the big things
hang up he said. Il can't do al
thing with handkerchiefs and su
ike, but I'm great on sheets and tab
cloths"
Mary laughed. She was too surpris
TO object. and in short tine