The Opelousas courier., 1899-07-15

that you would shut up and keep sh,
up!" said Myra Sayles in a weary ton
and speaking as if the words wer
forced from her against her will.
"You do, hey?" replied her brothe
Simeon, sharply and irritably.
He had been scolding about som
triAing matter for nearly half an hou,
and his sister Myra had listened i
patient silence. Now she spoke be
cause he had said something peculiar
ly annoying, and when he hal reptile,
SO sharply she said:
"Ies, | mean it, Simeon Sayles.
get 80 sick and tired of your eterna
scolding and blaming that 1 just wisl
sometimes you'd shut your mouth ant
never open it again while you live"
"You do, hey?'
"Yes, I do"
There was a sullen silence in the
room for three or four minutes; the
wrinkles on Simeon brow deepened,
and his lips were pressed more anG
more lightly together. Suddenly he
| opened them with a snap and a defiant
toss Of his head.
Every well, Myra sayles, I will
shut up and I'll stay shut up" and
you'll see how you like it."
eth have some peace, then," re.
piled Myra, shortly. Yet she looked
at her brother %curiously.
The Sayleses were noted in the
country roundabout for rigidly adher-
ing to every resolution they made.
The thought now came into Myra's
mind, evil he do it?" She had not
meant him to take her remark literal
~. Simeon was as iron-willed as any
of the family, and yet Myra felt that
he could not keep such a vow long. It
was necessary for him 70 talk. So she
said:
Il guess You'll be Cabling away
fast enough before night. There's no
such good luck as your keeping still
very long"
Simeon made no reply, but took his
old straw hat from a nail behind the
door aud went out into the barnyard,
walking very erect, but with little
jerks, indicating that the Sayles tenn
per was high in him.
"Now he'll go out to the barn and
putch around out there a while and
maybe putch all evening in the house
and then talk a blue streak all day to-
morrow to make up for the time he's
lost keeping still. I declare, if the
men-folks can't be the tryingest!"
She stitched away steadily on the
sheet she was turning until the clock
struck s, when she jumped up hastily.
"Mercy," she exclaimed, sI'd no
idea it was SO late! [ hope to good
ness the fire hasn't gone out. 1 must
get the kettle on and supper ready. 7
lid intend making some of the flannel
cakes Simeon likes so much, to put
lin in good humor, but I don't believe
[ shall have time now"
Nevertheless, there was a plate of
'teaming hot Channel cakes" and a
BOWL Of maple syrup before Simeon's
,late when he came in to supper half
n hour later.
He ate the cakes in stubborn ST.
ence.
"Are you going to Seth Badgers
,fter SUPPER" Myra asked, "to see
i'm about helping you cut that grass
omorrow?".
After waiting in vain for the answer,
fyra said:
II want to know it if you do 40, be-
[ want to send Mrs. Badger a
waist pattern Of hers I borrowed last
No reply from Simeon. His sister
ave her head IN impatient toss, and
hey finished the meal in silence.
When it was done Simeon went to a
tile table in a corner Of the room,
ulled out the drawer and took from
a scrap Of blank paper aud a stub Of
lead pencil.
Myra took the supper dishes into
le kitchen; when she came into the
Dom again Simeon handed her the
rap of paper. On it was written:
"Im a-going over to Badgers
Myra dropped the bit of paper on
,e floor and stared hard at her
"Well, Simeon Sayles!" she said at :
st. II call this carrying matters :,
retty far. Before I'd make myself =.
ridiculous, I'd What you going )
do when you get over to Badgers? .
QUILL look smart writing out what .
got to say over there, now won't :
You'll make yourself the laugh ,
6 stock of the country if you go 6
ound writing out what you've got to :
y when you've got as good a'tongue .
your head as anybody" '
Simeon made no reply, but picked :
} the bit Of pencil and wrote on >
scrap Of paper: !.
"Whare is that patern?" !
II think you'd better learn to spell y
fore you go to conversing in writing :
spelling where with an "a and pat =
with only one t.! II you don't :
It sick and tired of this sort 0. tom :
olery before two days, I miss my !.
less, Simeon Sayles!' :.
Whether he grew tired of it or not. =
neon Sayles said all he had to say in
'iting from that time forth. His only .
ply to his sisters ridicule and re- .
was written in these y !.
,rds: I;
''You sed You wisht I'd shut up my i
'uth and keep it shut, and I'm
going to do it." =
He bought a little blank book, in g
lich he kept a pencil, and al his
m~munieations to the world and to n.
ilviduais We're made through the IL
of this book and pencil. o,
The neighbors said that "the s,