The Opelousas courier., 1899-09-16

~ - SNo'
business man to those who had oppor
tunities of Judging. Certainly he wa
methodical, and that quality is gener
ally supposed to go far toward maxim!
a good business man.
He had come to Burkville from
somewhere. The fact that he talke,
little or not at all about his W pre-
yious history may have somewhat pre-
JUDGED him in the estimation of on,
citizens, for Burkyille people, there il
no denying, are inquisitive-like tt
know all about newcomers.
In q business way, however, he was
all that could be desired. He had {
good, round sum to his credit in the
First National bank. He brought ex-
~cellent introductious from several di-
~rectors Of high-standins corporations
in two different cities. In a purely
business Everett X. Mason was
unimpeachable. 1t was socially, and
only socially, that his personality was
a little overcast by his never alluding
to any other place where he may have
resided before he came to hang out in
the thriving aad growing town OF
Burkville the sign, Everett X. Mason,
Real Estate"
AS anyone may remark, this was a
very notable exception to the rule
that silence is golden. Mr.. Mason, it
seemed, could smile on the just and
unjust, the high and the low alike,
though nobody ever saw him hilarious.
But it seemed that he had made it to
himself all intiexible rule to talk only
of Indifferent and impersonal matters
when he vas not talking business.
Nevertheless, his fate came to him
at last, for all his not talking.
It was a deal in Burkville real es-
tate that brought him into friendly re-
lations with Deacon Surge, the father
of Lydia Surge.
"Well, now," said the deacon, COM
ing home in a good humor one after
noon, "about this Mason. What's
the matter with Mason? That's what
I want to know"
"He's all right" young Bobby
yelled, thinking of last election.
keep still, Bobby" said Mrs.
Surge. What do you mean, pa?
Who said anything against this Mr..
Mason? I'm sure he comes to church
regularly, and you ought to know if he
puts anything in the plate. What
about him?'
swell, just this about him-he
strikes me as a good, square, up-and-
down business man, and I think this
community ought to be glad to have
him."
True, to be sure, some women
church members, too-tried to make
us believe that Mrs. Surge was trying
to get a substantial, reliable son-in-
law when she became hospitable to
this MI. Mason. But, then, there is
no end to the small malice of some
women who are church members.
It cauh hardly be said that Mr.. Mason
showed any great enthusiasm in his
way Of accepting the Surge invita-
ton. He came with what you may
call polite alacrity-just pleased to
show his consideration for the Surge
family. When he came he smiled on
everybody and on the supper, which
was q good supper. Lydia did not
take any marked dislike to him. He
made himself agreeable to Mrs. Surge.
He talked cheerily with the deacon
about the outlook for Burkville real
AS for mel happened to be
one of the party-it struck me that
poor Mason was not nearly so de-
with the entertainment as his
set smile would have indicated, and I
know that he once stole a sly look at
the clock when it was not yet quite
half an hour to the right going-home
time.
But before Mr.. Mason could prop
erly bring this visit to q close some.
thing happened.
1t all came of Bobby's inordinate
Eondness for dried prunes. Bobby
would run back for the second time
leaving the supper table to the
lining room to get more prunes. He
sat on the floor in a corner, between
The grand piano and the s.vurer, and
his jaws and ficked ID une
stones into the crate, unobserved by
ais parents, until suddenly lie paus. i.
:ooked alarmed and gave a hideo,s .,
cough. II
"He's choked," Mrs. Surge
"It's those prunes, I know
I'll"
Lydia got up from the piano seat.
caught her younger brother by the
rms. jerked him to his feet aud began
humping his back.
eff you will allow me-" said Mr..
Mason in exactly the same even, I'M
tones in VIII Oh he had mat
'een unfolding a plan for the expan-
ion OF Burkville in one particular di-
~ection, II think l see what is wrong"
Then he quietly, but firmly, took
from Lydia's violent hands. set
lim in q straight backed chair and
eized q Japanese or Chinese whale
zone hack-scratcher which helped to
ornament n end Of the mantelpiece.
Just let me hold your head back as
ar as you can, Bobby" said MI. Mason.
facing his left hand ON Bobby's rel
nd perspiriny brow and with his
light adroitiy ~concealing the back
cratcher.
Bobby, half exhausted already. did
8 n was told, while his mouth fell
pen automatically. Then MI. Mason.
'lth the STIFFNESS and precision of q
aggler, it seemed to me, sent the butt
OF the w%halebone straight down
'obby's gullct. A turn of NJ. Mason's
'fist and up came the whalebone
gain. Mr. Macnn cm;1ol $1,000 T,