St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1901-09-14
AN ALIEN

When the girl reached her own
door she turned to look at the sun,
which was just sinking behind the
cotton mill. But it was adult, disrep-
utable ball which leered at her
through the grimy atmosphere, and
che threw out her hand with sudden
revulsion of pent-up disgust.
g 'Tain't my sun, Z she half sobbed;
ahit's-hit's on'y jes some cheap
thing the fact'ry gifts up.
The company used the poorest
grade Of soft coal, and though its
dense smoke had ceased to blacken
the sky above the tall chimney, it
still clogged the moist lower atmos-
phere of the mill yard and the cheap,
hastily constructed village in the lit
tie bend Of the sluggish river. Some
of il even seemed to cling to the
slouching, sallow-faced helps as they.
shambled towards their homes in the
low rows of unpainted cabins.
A heavy step approached, and she
turned to look into herfather's easy,
good-natured face.
sYe pears to git ahead o we uns,
Nervy," he said, with obvious disap-
proval in his voice; 81 spoke TOTO
Bess comm out, an she said ye lef
the fact'ry like ye was fired outen a
gun. Shethey don't like fo'ks to
be ofish an onneighborly.a
At the name Of Bess the girl drew
back, flushing holly.
aI don't keer for none of EN-, she
retorted, drearily; they're 50 cheap
an trifin'. Hits bad 'nough in this
cabin, With nothin' but mo- cabins
an mud an mill smoke all round;
but hit lows meto to myse'f, some.
Oh, papi if on'y we hadn't lef' the
mountainp She turned abruptly
into the cabin, and he followed.
eBut hit was you as seemed mos
set on comm, Neryy, he ezpostu-
lated, as he seated himself upon
box and watched her start fire and
set about getting supper. When I
frs spoke Of hit, ye was jes VII to
come. Ye said there'd be chances to
study an rarn to be ike folks, an
that We wouldn' have to grow up
ign'rant and no count. An now
(wonderingly) @here ye are, home
sick already. Tn feared, Neryy, that
ye aim so stron minded an an pro-
iectin' as folks lowed on. / didn'
keer much to come myself at frs,
but now I wouldn' go back"
The girls face hardened a little,
but she made no answer. The man
drew his box forward and began to
eat hungrily, but from time to time
raised his eyes furtively to the face
opposite. Once he cleared his throat
as though about to speak, but hesi-
tated, and allowed his gaze to fall
back To the table. At length, as he
transferred the last slice of bacon to
bis plate, he blurted out desperately:
Mebbe ye'd ought TO have mo-
comp'ny, Neryy. Tain very lively
with ies' one man like me in the
house, an memosly out. Now there's
the Grogans that take bo'dersn (shift-
ing his eyes from her direct gaze);
ttthey'ye got TO- or five mighty bright
young gals, an I do hear one Of ems
goin' of. P'raps ye might gil her
place. They don't charge but two
dollars, an that would leave ye
Ynore'n dollar week TO- spendin'
money, Of co'se (hastily), I'D hate
10 have ye go way, but if / lowed
ye'd be hayin' better time an be
mo- content like, I'd be willin'."
Her lips curled little.
ssThen hits trus?" she said. 've
been hearin We was aianin' to marry
khat gal Bess, an I reckon I've done
SAID sharp things to folks that limited
il. But IL eouldn' help it, pappy,' Z
her voice breaking suddenly, with
my own nanny dead ony Eve
months. If ye'd wait i year, / Eouldn'
say q word, an an Ed even try to