The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1900-01-13

Well, &he said, i won put yoo
70 much trouble. 1t amt worth while
for you 10 go pokin' around into un-
necessary corners. Here's what there
il left of the last haul. The potatoes
is She stepped to the cupboard IN
the corner and threw back the door.
Martial the man called o;ts
sharply.
"sThat's all right, Hi she said, i
knew it'd have to come sooner or
later, an it's no use to beat about the
bush now that the officers is here.
There's the potatoes, she repeated
down there in that box. The meal IS
in that Jar on the second shelf. The
meat is wrapped up in that towel
The stuff is almost gone already, for
we've got a good many mouths to feed
here, countin' in the dogs It's good
thing you come when you did, for like
as not there'd have been another haul
tonight or the night after
"The woman sat down on stool
opposite her brother, and motioned
Tatman and me to chairs in front OF
the fireplace. took the seat, but Tat
man remained standing.
"Pm sorry to find things as they
are he said. 4 come, of course, to ar
rest Mr.. Leach, should find him
guilty. He is evidently very sicx
man. don't see how can take him
into custody to-day, yet-f he is
guilty, as you say
1.-THE woman sprang to her feet like
a wounded animal.
"sWho said he was guilty? she
broke in. Il said we got the stuff from
Peter Fagin's, but didn't say Hi took
lit. He didn't. Why, man, where are
your eyes and your common sense?
Can't you see? Can't you understand?
Don't you know that those weak arms
couldn't carry half that load hundred
Yards, let alone three miles? No, If you
are goin' to arrest anybody, you'll have
to arrest me. did the stealth. I've
been doin' it all along. T.
"There was a catch in her voice then.
1.-The woman sank back on her stool again
and gathered the youngest child into
her arms and began to rock her body
to and fro nervously. Tatman took the
vacant chair beside me and mopped his
streaming forehead.
"'You wouldn't think I'd be able to
do ii, either, would your she resumed.
pitching her voice in its high-keyed
monotone once more. I'm 72 years
old, but I've still got heaps of strength.
I've always been strong as an OK. I've
had need to be, too, for I've had to work
like one most of my life. I've had all
|. my brothers to do for. There were six
of them. Somehow, their wives all died
when the children were little tots, and
] I've brought 'em all up the best
: knowed how. His the last I'll have tc
, do for. liked His wife better than any
, of the rest of the women folks, and
: like her children best. If she'd beer
my own sister I couldn't have thought
; more of her, and if the children was my
{ own l couldn't think more of them
E At least, it seems that way. Anyhow
/ wouldn't have stole for anybody but
: them. / promised their mother whel
she was drawing her very last breatl
!. that they shouldn't want for anything
/, if could help it, an / guess they neve
e have, SO far.
o "'Hi never did have the knack o
t gettin' on very well,' she said. 1T wa
e this little fellow that set me goin'-
this one here, in my arms. He was hun
r CRY for two days an nights. He erie
an cried till / couldn't stand it an,
longer and then I-well, l hustled.
: took from Peter Fagin the first nigh,
!. You'll say, of course, 1 ought to hav
/ asked for help. Well, mebbe had, blu
Is I don't know as it would have don
e any good. Folks was always down o
b us. Somehow, they don't seem to ur
lderstand that His sick. and has bee
e ailin' for months. They still think he
/. sufferin' from lack of ability to get oil
e But it amt that now. If 1 beggc
d the best they could have done woul
@ be to send us to the poorhouse, an
le there's SO much red tape to be unwoun
before a body can get in even Their
= that the chances are we'd have starve
to death before the business could
ID settled. That's the way it was with til
le Dolan family
er Iatman remembered Inc DOldn ep
IS sode and nodded an acquiscence.
ID "'You may think it's strange that
e, woman as old as ! am could get arour
ii as lively as I've been doin' this white
ir 1t is funny. Ican't understand it m
st self, but somehow when / was out
b. stealing-I was spry as cricket al
he las still as mouse. never felt afrai
e. either. guess that's the reason new
r. got caught. But now that you've g
,g me, suppose I'll have to give m. !
o. You want to take me along with "
lis now? 1t won't take me long to g
It's ready. Clothes don't cut much of
ly figure with us. All wish is that you
of kind of look after Hi and the childr,
e: when I'm gone
re ssThe man in the corner sobbed alou