The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1899-07-29
\ Bills Number One
q BY Robert Halifax.

per, stored away the unsold vegetables
washed down as far as the ring roun,
his neck, sneaked into the bedroom
and was lost in round-eyed contempa
ton of the five-weeks-old pink atom il
there, when that queer sort of whispel
came through the doorway.
bill" She edged in farther. Don
yer love me? Amt you got the lovelies
boy ever a man longed for? Or are you
going to think more O. the child thar
me now?"
you'll wake him! What Il yer mean
gal? gasped Bill, taking the cutty
from his mouth.
what do l mean? All. you know
well enough. But we don't want nc
words about it. There's the boy-is he
to go all his life with a number, like
convick? l don't think! s'pose you
do know he's got to be named and regis
tered before another week-or didn'
you?"
"Lumme," said Bill, staring. $50 he
has. Bowed if l hadn't"
"Bill, you know you'd forget your
ter; there's the child, and you know
now" She folded her arms, and looked
up at the crack in the ceiling. "As
said, we don't want no words, we've
been SO nice together; but / s'pose /
may speak in my own house. / only
ask what's the dear mites name to be
his name, wot'll mean one thing or
t'other for him through life"
Him? Why, Bill, of course-Bill
Simmons" said he-or rather, faltered
1T. Didn't settle that long ago SOS
we needn't change the name on the
barrows"
''Oh! you did? Well, then, there
never amt no telling, is there?" and
Mrs. Simmons Uttered little hyster-
ically, as she fumbled behind the pic
ture of Garibaldi. "There, 1 think it's
his mothers place to settle that. So
when you go to the registrar, you'll
take this bit O. paper, and see he puts
it down prop1y. Here it is-and no
words; er-Ermyntruda Marmaduke."
"Erming-what?" Bill swayed up,
his eyes goggling. "That boy?"
THAT boy. Why shouldn't he have a |
dukes name as well as anyone: You |
didn't care; did. Me and Mrs. Ripple
ton found that name in paper, and we
amt going back on it,"
"You-give it here!" said Bill. hus-
kily, making a snatch. "Blimy, it's a
plant! You've left it till now SO as
Mrs. Pippleton? Who's she? I'll break
her blooming neck. I'll"
That's it! Send the baby into fit,
along of your beastly temper. / knew
how it would be. AS sure as you stand
there, Bill, that's the child's name, and
% there"
"Ermyntruda Marmaduke," he
spelled out, incredulously. 'What, a
kid that's going to sell carrots on the
kerb along O. me! Oh, yes! amt we
springing up in the world. 'One PEN
north o. tunnip-tops, Mister Ermyntru-
da Marmaduke. and no stalk!' Yus;
I'll see about that. Bill he was born,
and Bill he sticks"
$50 you say! Allow me to tell you.
Mr.. Simmons, that child's not going in
the carrot line, nor any other; he's go
ing in the civil servidge, or not at all,
where they go up and take their money
and walk out again; either that or
beerhouse, SO now! And as for Mrs. S
THE best friend the child's c
got, If you go down those stairs and
make words between them, he-he $
shan't have no name at all! And I'll i
lou II
blessed father sat down and conspir- L
ated to ruin him. Now!" 1t
She swung out. Bill stood staring at
he paper-a morsel torn from "The S
Bandit of Blue Gulch." Ermyntruda
darmaduke-he sweated even now at
he very thought of being asked the
1ipper's name. Ermyn-Stewed cells y
md gin! 1t was past bearing. He s.
'aught up his cap and went down the s.
enough to catch Mrs. o
appleton edging off. She had been b
listening, then. He clenched his fist as o
he snorted and clattered her fireirons. A
"Yus; for two brass pins I'd down s.
err" he said, in whisper.
Il know you would; but there's only I
me in the house, as it happens. p
lark who'll do the downing! P'rhaps n
'ou'll get of my oilcloth." IL
Bill strobe down the street, his neck
ed and pulled, to the pub at the COR t.
er; Pippleton was calling for a PEN "
lorth of shay when he felt his ear y
'ulled. II
what no, Bill! what's yours? L
"Yus, know all about that; I'll buy
ny own. Now, what games this-you
nd your missus? Dyer see that there? 81
my kids name. That's what you've
unged into her head between YOU: hut OF
won't come off-see?"
"Ermyn- Pippleton stared. "Not
lie, Bill. Take my oath l amt heard