The Opelousas courier., 1899-12-09

uOIl0 u1OIo lOI AIWs VI COuAu Ahs'
learned better what he wanted
"What did the physicians say o
do?" I asked.
"They said it was the breaking vi
Of the system by old age. neye
felt that they quite understood tn
case"
Poor little thing! Married to al
aged paralytic and yet regretting hi
death rs the breaking up of the on
tie on earth! What desolation, wha
utter desolation her case seemed t
me! ! was moved to take her in m.
arms and weep with her, which was
great deal for me.
Not only was the late Mr.. KNAPP
old and imbecile and paralytic, bu
he had other traits which must hav
rendered him highly Objectionable a
a daily companion.
"Just about this time every attn
noon I always gave James a bowl o
cream with fresh sponge cake in ii
He would not touch it unless it was il
a certain bowl nor unless it was fres
from the bakers. And yet they trie'
to persuade me that he didn't kno1
anything!'
From which I inferred that, adde'
to his other peculiarities, the late Mr.
Knapp possessed an extremely un
pleasant temper.
"And, oh, Miss Curtis!" she walled
"after the poor dear was dead ans
gone, they wouldn't let me bury hin
in the family lot" From which I in
ferred that the dear departed hat
come of q family of unpleasant tenn
pers. Such heathenish doings I neve
heard tell of. Surely, however the.
felt toward him during his life, moth
ing but a iend would deny him tn
family resting place after he was dead
But / forgot my interest in Mrs
Knapp and her affairs by reason o.
some of my own. I had a delightful
letter from Tom Dixon, saying h
would be with us for a week. Nov
Tom was a favorite cousin Of mine
and I spent a good deal Of time furn
ishing up my little belongings so thai
I might look my very best when h'
came. And then, [ was putting fin
isning touches to Toms room, too
until the minute he arrived, so that ]
really had no time to talk to Mrs
Knapp or to listen to herif she wished
to talk to me.
Dear old Tom! How good it was
to see him that day with his blithe
ways and "bonny brown hair!' We
talked and talked till supper was
called, and then we still talked all the
way to the dining-room door, and ye'
we found time to say nothing about
anyone but ourselves. AS we seated
ourselves ct the table I saw Mrs.
Knapp's vacant place (for she was Q
little late) and realized that I had mo-
mentioned her presence in u house.
hold.
"Why, we have a boarder, Tom,"l
began, in answer to his look Of inquiry
at the empty place. Just as I spoke
she glided in.
"Why, who on earth would have
thought of finding you here!" and be
shook her hand in a grasp SO hearty
that I could see it was painful to her.
She colored family, and said a little
unsteadily, ''This is, indeed, a sur
prise, Mr.. Dixon" and I read be.
tween the lines that the surprise wa:
not an altogether agreeable one.
But Tom didn't seem to notice any.
thing (most men are dumb about suct
things, you know, SO 1 kept my eyes
and ears open, and waited for develop.
ments.
At last they came and in the most
startling manner.
$50 I hear poor Jim is gone al
last?" said Tom, turning to Mrs.
Knapp as he buttered his seventh bis.
cult. tom always was rather {
greedy youth, and enjoyed mos
heartily the good things of this life:
mothers cooking among them).
"Oh, Mr.. Dixon, how can you speal
of him in that way!" exclaimed the
widow, hurrying from the room, in .
fit of sobbing.
1OLA 6tHE6us
"Well, I'll be blamed! What unde,
the sun is the matter with the woman.
he exclaimed.
"You ought to be ashamed Of your
SELF" replied I, severely. "No won
der the poor woman is shocked to heal
you speak Of her husband in that wa,
after he's dead and gone."
Tom started again. And then b.
broke into such spasms Of laughter
that I thought he had suddenly LOST
his mind. I had heard of such things
but I had fortunately been spared tn.
sight of them so far.
"Her husband!'h he exclaimed, wher
he could catch his breath, as he wiped
the tears from his eyes. "Her hus
band! She hadn't any husband. Sh,
never was married. Jim was her ole
black cat!" and then he went off agar
iptn snasms.
No 2saonder the hard hearted rela
tives Nd objected to having all tina
was mo- al of ''the late Mr.. Knapp
laid in q e family lot!
Mothef end I looked at each Other
and said 1bthing. What was there tt
say? Fdtw thought things. I dom
know whether they were the SAINT
or not, but we certainly though
things.
Big French Counterfeiting Scheme.
French officials IN Algeria have jus,
a nanat darsnn hand Of forn |