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

clothes were I'LL HuHS oH Sho hho o"~
Jack had put the clothes pole under
It,"
Nov, If you've got any troublesome
young brothers or sisters you'd like to
get rid of, temporarily, why, just send
'em along. I'll take charge of them
and deliver them safely over to you at
noon."
20, If you would" said Mary. "They
are so fretful this morning and In my
way all the time"
1t was with sigh of relief that a
few minutes later she saw Jack ana
the two boys and one girl passing down
the road. She got her work along
bravely, and just as dinner was ready
and her father had come In, Jack, true
to his promise, left the three children
at the door and went home without
stopping to speak.
The children gave glowing accounts
of their walk "And Jacks going to
make us kite and fly 1t the next
windy day." they ended.
Nearly every day after that JACK
took the children off to the woods and
fields, giving Mary a vacation from
their noise. When he went to get
them, or when he brought them back.
he always found some little thing to do
to help her.
Then one Sunday he dressed with I'M
usual care, looking remarkably fresh
and clean, too, and went to church and
Sunday school. Afterward he walked
| home with Mary, holding her sunshade
over her carefully all the way.
Mr.. Hallett stayed at home with the
children Sundays, and it was rather
tiresone for him. So when he saw
Jack coming he frightened up and ask
ed him to stay for dinner. Jack con-
scented, much to Mr.. Hallett's satisfac-
ton, and the children's boisterous de-
light. Mary's father dearly loved to
talk, and Jack appeared to enjoy Us
tening equally well.
After dinner Mr.. Hallett went into
the sitting room and fell asleep in his
| chair, while Jack insisted ON wiping the
dishes for Mary. The children swarm
cd about him and got in his way, till
he declared that they were as bad as
cats, and he'd have to sprinkle them,
and see II they would clear out then.
When the dishes were done and Mary
had taken off her apron Jack began to
notice signs of uncasincss IN her man
ner.
about time for Bert" he said to
himself; then aloud: II should think
you'd go crazy with these noisy young
sters around all the time. I'm going
to take them away and you can rest,
instead of working rs you usually do"
Down the road they went, and were
hardly out Of sight Ia one direction be-
fore Bert Hill appeared from the 9TH
or. He, too, was dressed with particu-
lar care, but though there was no de-
nying that he was handsomer than
Jack. there was a certain set to his
Jaw and kind Of flcrceness In his dark
eyes which were not prepossessing
These softened when he greeted Mary
and he became very agreeable.
But Mary for some reason felt nm
easy and hoped he would not ask hel
where the children were. She also
dreaded their return. What would Der
say when he saw Jack?
After he had gona she sighed wearily
She felt dissatisfied with herself; am
the children, as she put them to bed
; irritated her by their constant repetl
ton of Jacks name. Later she sat II
her own room and cried. because sh
was tired, she told herself.
She had not reached that state o
mind. which came only few week
later. when she cried from perplexit,
and indecision as to the course sh
should take. She had honestly SUI
: posed herself in love with Bert, and
took her some time to find out her mil
, take.
When Bert learned what was Soin
|, ON between the Halletts and Jack h
was in a towering rage. He met JAG
!. one night and stopped short befor
r him, blocking the way.
4 "What do you mean fooling aroun
4 Mary Ha'lett, then" Bert raised h
n voice.
. "Haye / ever interfered with you
. Have ever been In your wayY' d.
n manded Jack.
i. mo, and you'd better not" Be
threatened.
W you'll be the one to suffer- rotor
y ed Jack, unless you are more sob'
than you are now"
, That night Jack held earnest consu
N tation with himself NJ IN the darkne'
n Of the pines. He arpned many uncor
n plimentary cpIthcts to himself. "Ho
a could be so base as to start this thing
= To go to work deliberately to get 81
away from another fellow, with Il
= firm intention of giving her up WHIT
I'd done It! 1t was vile. And how n
:, it come out? 1t has come to this-th
:, II she refuses to marry me shall
:, the most miserable man alive, and w
70 richly deserve it, too, for being so co
g temptibly mean."
r. For a long time he sat meditatn
a then he stood up, and there was lo'
N. of determination on his face as
"a raised It to the troubled sky, such
"a had never been there before.
you've got to try and be half go
Id enough for her now" he said. IA
rp you'll have to work harder to do it tn
lie you ever dreamed Of working before
Erron, that nj chit II was noticed that