St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1899-02-04
W.-CoNT1NuEp.

Does the lady wear number mines,
says /, AN does she shmoke the Seal o.
North Carliny?' And Civ her wink.
&C long says she; for what do you
take me?'
For somebody's darling says /,
and for nobody's fool And 1 axed her
WHICH av her firms was wantin' Jacl,
Darcie.
Do you think says she, confden-
tial-like. that if the boys did want him
they couldn't get him?'
Well says I, him an me is workin'
pardners; whin they want him they
can have Mike, too. We goes by pairs.
like the cap and the fuse; if ye meddle
wild wan, yen likely hear from the
other.'
Thin she laughed. DO you go
sparkin' in pairs says she. 'ForI think
the lady business is not in wild the two
avyez. !, i
Mike, what are you giving me now p
said Darcie, sternly. 81
"It's Gods trut' I'm givin' ye, in the
very words av her mouth-and maybe
there was a kiss or two t'rown in, but
that's not for me to mintion. brung
the word straight as she gev it me. 2
sWhat is the word? Who does
1t come from?'' tfs
TT comes from the parlor at the Big
Horn by the way av the kitchen, which
is not always the safest way, thinks
I, but that's no business ay mine. And
whin, I chaffed her about the lady,,
she answered me plain, lookin' me in
the eye.
You'd betther not be monkeyin'
wild this message says she, there's
more in it than you know. And if he
thinks we're putin up game on him.
tell him this: The word is from her he
called the Mountain Lily"
'MilSe," said Darcie, flushing, II don't
know what to make of this. Are you all
right, old man-honor brightP How
many friends did you meet down at
Pegleg's saloon?"
"I'm as straight as a string," Mike
asseverated. "Ye know well enough I
have no truck wild any o that crowd.
Faith, 'twould be as much as my life
is worth to be seen in town wild jag
on. By the cross-and niVer take me
oath ON that but I'm tellin' the trut'--
Tm givin' ye the very words; and where
she got thin: how Should j know?
hfabby you know yourself who's your
nj where did you say 4 was to meet
her?" MI
SIN a quare place entirely, vet not SO
sp1handy to the mine. On the fringe O.
the 3tamaracks, up the gulch, where ye
niser viii meet wild soul, passin up
or down; and by token, there's big,
lone cedar standin' in bit av clearlns. !.
IF We 20 there to pluck lilies, I'm wid ye,
Darcie dear,ne
.'Go along with your Rlarney! When
did she say was to be there
ssThe hour is the quarest av all; be-
chime half afther tin and eliven o'clock
next Chuesday night. sAnunwholesome
hour, says /, and a great wish she must
have for him, to be pacin' the woods at
that hourl
atHutl' says she, don't you bescared.
It'll all be proper, for she'll have me wild
her.
s.Thin I'll be there, darlin',' says 7.
sYou may bet on me. But me own no
tion av that meetin' is that well shmell
powdher before well get SO much as
scent av the lily And she tossed her
head. -
"tIsll tell the lady he's afraid to come
widout little Mike to purtect him..
s'T dunno fwhat he'll be- says ],
snor where he'll be next Chuesday night;
but where he is, little Mike viii be. And
don't fail me- says I, for the joys ay
life is fadfn' on me-
aafilxe, you've ruined me- It's Ike
your blazing impudence to answer my
messages for me-. You viii go straight
back to your girl, whoever she Is, and