The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1900-10-13

can spell like almanac. I'm goin'
10 have him do the writing for pay in
part O. what he's OWN me. He can
do it for you, too, if you want, Man.
Hey? What do you say. OLD feller?"
Lemuel slapped the mourning
Emanuel on the back and chuckled.
Something suspiciously ike chuckle
came from Emanuel in return.
IL s'pose somethin' got to be did
for the kids he said, "and a woman's
the only thing that can do it proper"
You're right" said Lemuel. Now,
look here, Man." He spread the paper
upon the ground and indicated dirty
spot in one column with a dirty fore
finger. Here's the one I've chose. A
young lady called pretty by her
friends, and possessed of $3.50, would
like to CORRESPOND with some honest
man-no dude. Object, matrimony.
Address B1772, Cupid't Dart You
see, that hits me to a dot, Man. l
amt no dude"
mo, you amt, that's fact" said
Emanuel, promptly.
1T costs only ten cents to get
started. The letter goes TO the pa
per and they send it on to the young
lady, and she answers back, and there
you be, slicker'n grease"
Looks all right said Emanuel.
'Tis all right" said LemHel. Nov,
Man, you take thish ere paper home
with you and pick out one for your
self. 1 amt no hog. / feel real sorry
for you, Man. She-she was q fine
woman"
Emanuel gulped. lie felt that it
was incumbent upon him to say some
thing-something to show his friend
that his kindness was not unappre-
ciated.
$3.50 was yours, Lem" he said,
softly.
DIDN'T you b'livc it," said Lemuel
with sudden gruffness. "Mine's vile
snake. Man. But never mind; / know
how you meatt it. Good night"
''Good night" said Emanuel. and
went teetering home.
He sat late that night spelling out
laboriously the advertisements in Ca-
pid's Dart, but found none that salts
fed him-none excepting the one
chosen by Lemuel. None of the 9TH
ers appealed to him. Most of them
were impossible. They laid down con-
dltions to which he was quite unable
to conform. They insisted unrea-
sonably that the gentleman have
wealth or good looks or brilliancy of
mind. The few exceptions insisted
that the gentleman be willing to work
hard in return for the affection of an
honest, earnest heart. This was not
impossible, but it was unpleasant.
Emanuel shuddered at the suggestion.
Time after time his finger returned
to the advertisement of the ''lady who
was called pretty by her friends and
who was possessed of $780, She
yearned for an honest man-no dude,
and Emanuel's heart was drawn to
her. 1t panied him to think that
Lemuel had chosen her first. Lemuel
had treated him with great consider
alton. 1t was not entirely right for
him to covet Lemuers choice, but he
could not help it. Finally he went to
sleep.
In the morning he returned the pa
per to Lemuel, but his eyes fell be-
lore those of his friend and he talked
Mostly in monosyllables.
Find one?" inquired Lemuel, with
! wink.
mo.
"Ain't you goin' to get one?"
"Can't."
"Why?"
"Ain't none to suit"
"Sho, now! Well, I'll tell you: /
couldn't find none either, but the one
picked out. Still, done the best / |
ould for you, Man."
"Uh-huh."
"And I've been figgerin' some. 1 |
eckon I'll tell her she's got to take
ne quick if she wants me. cause |
here's great demand for me. L
int goin' to sign my name to the
etter. 1 don't want to get into no /
reach o. promise suit. Course, the
ady's probably all right, but there's
othing like bein' on the safe side"
'Uh--huh."
so I'm just goin' to have young
briggs write me down as gentle
nan who's honest as daylight and
rho amt no dude. I'm goin' to have
i'm tell her bout my bein' prop'ty
wner and all that and explain that
don't give no name cause / want
be dead sure she's square. reckon
he'll be reasonable if she means
usiness.''
Yeah" Emanuel shifted uneasily
rom one foot to the other. "Guess
our heads level. Hope you have
ick. Lem"
Thanks" said Lemuel. I'm goin'
own to see young Spriggs now"
He turned into the shanty to oct