The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1900-11-10


the bmiiy Bible ana nsulted tar
oftergr. it Is to ts fears Wh the
stoy4lid litter n.seona uefed .self
lrrsf Ieacox bi6s IS So ia OF
snirh to her dds ba ound
tbafher worst 5rsbod more
thai conhrnda Tt i5etokene the
0ipav queen dozen aaIb and
loss of fort, ~ the mc King OF
powerful enen itheq }he neg
lecttd to state in what er these
misfortunes were tp come. But there
was still a ehancet continued
the oracle, sthis slould happen on
TFiG ll1a Ire s9er feeds bounti-
N 81 comes to-
a may Be
thought
n likely to
a h nn they'd
an pre- they
tne resk 81 Z tridasy. The rec
etion Of the last tramp who had
tea her and Of his hurried retreat
% the road followed by Dentist and Of
his fearful maledictions as he aed--
all this rose up in Judgment against
the farmers wife and troubled her
exceedingly. She laid her dish towel
down after she had wiped the last
of her breakfast dishes and then went
out and chained Dentist up. Most Of
the morning she brooded over the
sign and tried to imagine what par
fipular calarnifins yvapa lilYa1u IN bo
fail her, and, at last, looking out of
the window, saw the pale-faced tramp
at the gate.
Her first impulse was to take down
the big tin dipper and Iadle out some
scalding water from the iron kettle.
Her next was to go to the pantry and
take stock of the eatables there, but
before she could do either the tramp,
was knocking humbly at the door.
Oh, but he was an humble and soft
spoken man! A victim of a cruel and
altogether undeserved fate, hungry
with the hunger begotten of three
days fast, Just out of the hospital, and
weak and weary. Irving to make his
way back to Missouri, where his
wealthy relatives would receive him
with open arms.
Just out O. Jail, YOU mean y said Mrs.
Leacox. "An' it won't be long afore
you're back there again, or / miss my
guess. Well, if you want suthin' to
eat, come in.''
1t was an ungracious invitation. but
the tramp wondered that it was Given
at an. SIC was still more surprised
when the hostess set herself about the
preparation for his meal. Bounti-
full, the book says" thought Mrs. Lea
cox, and she had no intention of fail
ing to carry out the instruction liter
ally. Generous slices OF ham began
to hiss and splutter in the frying pan,
the coffee pot sent forth a fragrant
aroma and pan Of biscuits was slid
into the oven. On the table Mrs. Lea
cox set large dish of preserved
peaches and a pie and fresh golden
butter and pickles Of appetizing ap-
pearapce. Here was feast to tempt
the most jaded palate, and the tramp
Tealliy haa not eaten 1or a hours'
He looked around the kitchen and
~ = 49, - -AAA9 ~ -@A-S ~ st~AN ~A-N-A
any other creature stirred in the house.
There was nobody else, apparently.
It was clear that the woman was par
alyzed with fear-that was the only
reasonable explanation Of her liberal
ity. He thought that he would make
2 trial Of It. "Hayen't you any aigs to
go with that ham| he asked, roughly.
There was warning enough for him
in the Hash OF her eye If ne had been
quick enough to zee It. She had been
washing in the little frame shed ad-
Joining the .kltchen, ana she lnstlnc-
lively moved toward tine broom hanule
WIZ "hlen she lIted the cloInes OUT
OF the Doller' but the words OF the
gypsy queen feeuFred % her; reed
DouhblIuliy tne nrsg Deggar, ana the
llrsV Pssgar llao not yet Deeh leu'
Eale "alteo upon lne leeulng'
guess mepoe I've got an egg or Two
LEFT" she said, N choking voice.
Get 'em, then, commanded the
tramp.
She obeyed and broke the eggs into
the pan, and few minutes later the
tramp was eating ravenously, while the
woman stood behind him, regarding
him halefully with her teeth pressed