The Opelousas courier., 1899-12-30
BROTHER TO NECESSITY.
By HELEN HICKS.

NANN~N~~N~~~
The company owns it what holds
mortgage on it. and he's really jus
workin' it for them. His crop aim
his'n; it's got to go to pay the interest,
and some says his horses and cattle
and implements, is all chatteled TO,
moren't they're worth"
"That's a lie!" Both looked up,
The man they were discussing had
risen from beneath a <clump of eide,
bushes and was leaning over the fence
with battle i'll his eyes. He was lank
and ~cadaverous, with a thin, goats
beard, protuberant blue eyes, and
wiry yellow hair. The man wal plain
~ not in robust health, aud he had
the look OF having reached that point
in his cups when amiability is swal-
lowed up in q growing desire to be
quarrelsome. "Well, maybe it is, Mi.
Crawford" Henry said, soothingly.
@Maybe it is. "And they say you're
a regular gentleman" Crawford re-
marked, turning to Alec. and looking
him mp and down with s~cornfuI
amusement. IA regular gentleman
that never had his nose to the grind
stone and keeps money in the bank
all the time. Is that SOP" .sNo.o. I
guess is isn't So" Alec answered.
mildly With surprising quickness
the mai got over tbs fence that sepa.
rated them. sAnd you don't think
Tn a thrivin' farmer, eh?" be oueried.
tllrusting forward his white. imrudent.
face. "Take that, Young utstartt"
And suddenly raising the switch in
his hand he laid it s,nartly across
Alec's face. The next instant he had
fallen forward with his face in the
grass, and his thin hands graspin9
convulsiyely before him. They turned
him over, but though the muscles of
his face moved, his heart was quite
still.
Tie two men lookaa at aacb o.ho.
in CONSERVATION. ssThia ia hord an
Lyddy.s Henry said 81 loat w;th :
great sigh. pointing TO The nrostrata.
form. s4He's 4 widower and T-vddv
keeps things torather and tba,a,s 1vo
little ans" They carried the dead
man mo to his honse, whare Gt.ls
Blanche Mary was heln;no I.vddv aat
Inner. and Tonrl che s;r-ya.r,aId
,tood washing b;m.eIf Nth laas 80
7ery wide anart 81 ! h;o hoa;n 20 +hs
stoon Thav wara al .h;n
lin creatures With br;ght ha;u ani
,adiant ewes Of corn.aowsr hlna
.Welln said Mrs Mcphor.on
vhsn the funeral vas ovs, ..I'ndd.
cot ! hard row to ha.
like n .tav IN tha TOWN. ~.
ia home 10 her nov and thar,,o
5 nave ! rnof ovar ths;r 49,
here ..Bnt the martasgs ~.
b;ectad. ssrhav can no r. at.
Il. and that,s enough inst now Az
hs,a gr;nc - 80 ~ Au
ont If Wild rs.nhars;.s ssa
ucklal,eyr,;.. .na Ian~ sIs.LI.-.N
na sell fham IN Rnvtor m..I.t az
Is NAV ret nuite ( tr.den
Alec was nIaasaI Gr.d,.,,. !.
ii. chief ;ntarast =
vddv,a nndartak;rr sama.n".
a her IN tha wood. r;th ~ sh:15.. -
$3.50. Ms.sI ~. cni'ufen'
hrsnch 81 n-s4aat;aa .:ns,
m. IA rnrar saw 49, " ,
ithont . aharn aansa - 3ha ~. j
lar hair. hey .m.n vonsn,. e.. I
: brovn. .rn.ll hands + CO. I
him that she embodied al 1900 (
,untry fhinos-licht ana hrsa,s 49, .
a The fraursnca n IT'LL nniassas I
,wers. Al for T.vday - n;ah. - t
aha vrannad I tb;n hl.cr ]
Iawl abont her heai and shan,Jsrs /
a slipped ont Of tha hon.a ana domn Q
i hill ID ina br;1ce u 80 ~ ~
hits were still hnrn;no + Alee.s
'ndows. She did 4 evar1 n;ght sna {
had assumed for her the sacrednasa Z
4 rite. 9
When fall cane. Alec va. hattar t
] was less thin. his hand had J err Q
esp. his skin vas 4 haaItbv brown g
i eve MAS steady Ha b:d o1naast &
gotten iii l.nun;d dave and aiaen il
8 nights II f,e hnavant n,aasrls a
rising nh early in the autumn dawn G
feel himself tie director 81 al tha il
rsities 81 the farm. a
Itswas at upper one nioht That b;a il
,tflsr spoke 10 him. aA1ae ran 81
ye Abeen At home clnsa ~ e;rh. q
now, she said. and va;saa a
an answer. eyes IL said briaf.
.auRdd your health i erer d mnrh
Her than ron ever thourht i ronId 4
You're almost a. wall = 4
i ever were. Isn't that sosn i
g.aa - Ia sa;J or.;n ssvrl... 4: