Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1900-12-18


"It's this way, Bill" said McFar-
land, humbly. 81 hate to dun you,
but we are needing money the worst
way, and l thought you might be able
to let us have some if it was conven-
lent"
"You thought right. II it was
convenient could let you have some
just as well as not, but it amt. What
do you want money for? Won't they
trust you at the grocery"
eyes; but then there's rent-and
they only sell for cash at the meat
market. We've got to have meat"
81 guess that's right" said Seney.
"You can't stand them off for the
rent, but it would be mighty slim
diet without meat. couldn't stand
for that. Let's see if can't think of
some way Of helping you out"
Mcfarland looked hopeful as the
other sat down on the doorstep and
began to smoke meditatively 81
wouldn't trouble you if l didn't need
the money, Bill" he said again.
Seney waved his hand in a mag
unanimous gesture. "That's all right"
he said; chats all right. l knowyou
wouldn't, Mac.
"See here" he continued, GIVE got
it now, and it's the only way | can see
out of it for you. Take and butcher
the old cow"
MacFarland looked after him as-he
strobe off, and for a moment had a
wild impulse to pick up stone and
hurl it at the bulky boarder; but
that passed, and he crept dejectedly
into the house and met his wife at the
dining-room door. "Well?" she
asked.
"Well, he's broke to-day" said Nc
Farland, "but he'll maybe have some
money in week or two and then he'll
square up everything"
"Did he say that?"
"Well, he didn't say exactly it
just sort of intimated it-and the
chances are that the factory will open
up again inside of a week or two.
You just leave Bill Seney to me; I'll
manage him all right" He tried to
speak with jaunty confidence, but he
could not meet his wife's suspicious
and indignant eye, and his nervous
cough came on again.
"Bill Seney's all right" he con-
tinued, feebly. "There's lots worse
than Bill-whole townships of 'em.
When he's got the money he's as good
as the wheat, is Bill"
Suppose you go down to the meat
market and get pot roast of beef and
tell them that you'll pay for it when
Bill Seney pays you," suggested Mrs.
Mcfarland "Tell them what good
feller Bill is and they'll let you have
it,"
"That reminds me-" said the old
man. "What kind of an idea do you
think it would be to let them have
Maggie? She amt giving much milk
now, and we might get good deal
to take it out in trade"
His wife looked at him intently
and he covered. at wasn't exactly
my own idee," he explained. "Bill-"
at was Bill's idee, was it?" She
said no more, but went away after be-
slowing a contemptuous look on her
quailing husband.
At noon when Seney came in he
was met at the door by Mrs. McFar-
land, whose bare arms were akimbo
and who had an unmistakable gilt
ter in her eye as she looked up at him.
Usually Seney had passed her by
without much notice, but this time he
felt constrained to take off his hat and
wish her a good morning. Mrs. Nc
Farland, however, did not seem APP
peased by this polite attention.
'Was you going to dinner?" she
asked.
"Yes'm."
"Well, it isn't ready yet, but think
it will be by the time that you get
back with the money you owe me for
board You had better get out and
hustle, too, because you're going to
get hungry if you wait for me to feed
you until you've paid me. You may
put Mcfarland off, but you can't put
me- off nv man. and Won nepdn't look