The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1900-11-23

an improvised stranger. l looked
up the gravel path to the front door
On the threshold very thin boy in a
voluminous white shirt waist bobbed
up as l approached. He had the slick
est black hair, the shiniest white face
and the thinnest, most spindling little
legs I ever saw. He surveyed me for O
moment in sepulchral silence.
care you Mr.. Jackson he asked.
There being no apparent reason
why should deny my identity, l ad-
mitted that l was l. Then, for want
of something better to say, I added:
Who are your
"'J. Filkins,' said the thin boy sol
EMMY. Won't you come in, please ?
Miss Henrietta thought maybe you'd
be here this afternoon. She said if you
came for me to ask you to- wait and 70
| entertain you while she was gone.
What would you like me to- do, please?'
81 looked at j. Filkins in alarm.
Well l said, that is a pretty tough
question to put to total stranger.
| Nhat can you doE
81. Filkins held out his left hand and
with the index finger of his right he
| counted off the list of his accomplish
ments. Whistle said he, sing, play
seven-up, and talk
81 followed this enumeration with in
terest. AS a choice of evils said,
resignediy. 4 think should prefer the
last. Talk, please
81. Filkins answered my sigh with
another, indicative of an equal amount
of forbearance What abcut?' he
asked.
"'Miss Sparks said I, boldly.
81. Filkins bridled resentsu!ly at
that. 4 don't know as das to- he said.
ooh, yes, go on l coaxed. Miss
Sparks did not forbid her name as a
subject of discussion, did she:
"'No,' said the thin boy she always
tells me to use my own discre lion in
her absence. I've been doing that for
the past three years; and I've got so
I can size folks up pretty we'll by this
time. I guess you're to be trusted
u. Filkins cast off great cloud of
his uncanny atmosphere with that
tribute to my character. and | beamed
upon him effulgently. 'Of course | am
to be trusted said l. GO on, please.
Tell me whatever you think it wise to
reveal about Miss Sparks. Where is
she now?'
"'She's gone to the other end of
Sachem,' he said, to say good-by to
Tony Sanders
unknown to me though Miss Sparks
was. l felt my heart-strings grow taut
with jealous fears at that. and | said
quickly: Tony Sanders? Who is Tony
Sanders?
"He's her last said ]. Filkins, with
imperturbab gravity.
"'Her last what?' | persisted.
"'Her last young man. returned j.
Filkins. But he. too, has proved un-
worthy and Miss Sparks has gone to
the depot to see him eff
81 was fairly on edge with unre-
strained curiosity by that time and
reached across the narrow able which
stood between the thin boy and myself
and clutched him fiercely by the arm.
Now, see here, young man. said l,
I've had enough of this monkey bust
ness. Get down to facts. Tell me,
fair and square, just what you mean.
-. Filkins whimpered. 'Leggo my
arm,' he said, and | will. It's just
this way: Miss henrietta is mighty
rich woman. She's got thousands and
thousands of dollars put away in the
bank, and she owns this house and
hundreds of acres down in Texas, and
coal mines in Pottsville, and she's got
loads of iewelry and silver knives and
forks and spoons, not to mention
satin dresses and things of tnat kind.
Miss Henrietta's folks are all mighty
stuck up. They've been naggin' at
her ever since she was no higher than
that table to marry rich man
somebody that was her equal; but
Miss Henrietta won't do anything of
the kind 81 don't care about the
rich men, J. Filkins," says she to me
one day after another, just as sure as
the sun comes up. 81 don want to
have anything to do with rich men.
When l marry l shall marry a poor
man, somebody who needs me and my
money to help him win a battle for |
good in the world. There are so many |
men. J. Filkins," says she, ''who are |
capable of doing great things if they |
only had the opportunity. It's all
says she, and | just wish |
you could see her when she says that,
she looks so tall and handsome and |
grand ats all nonsense, says she,
''to say that anybody with stout