The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-10-23
(which" explained little Fatbe

easy victories over him Of the cloYeu
hoof. One lone devil is no match fol-
HIM
Thc laugh was now quartet, and
Quiilebcrt did not long hesitate to
make it Z quintet
Well, in this encounter Of my own
seeking l yield to numbers and will
pay tribute In forage to my vanqulsh.
crs," Ouillebert said, with mock ait
Of submission. at is noon and time
for solid nourishment. Come with me,
fathers, to cid Nine. Goudeau's table
and take a stout absinth and anisette,
and then we will sample Mother Pier
rot's turkey and rice with a bottle OF
bordeaux" And as host he LED the
priests Into the building.
! Nine. Goudeau received her patrons
with profuse acknowledgment Of The
honor conferred, and with great cere-
mony mixed FIVE glasses Of the appe-
tizing decoction.
"Sante to you, fathers, and success
to my candidate" was Quillebert's SEN
timent as he raised the green liquor to
his lips.
"Dominus nobiscum," responded
Father Galotte. "How is the election
progressing?'
Satisfactorily said Quillebert.
aLaure Juneau is 4 sure winner. My
guess now is that she is % votes ahead
Of Estelle Latiolais, and the race was
really between those two. 1t is too
late in the day for Estelle to overcome
such a majority, as her strength was
chiefly from Borodino and the Big
Bend Of Bayou des CLASSES, and it has
been voted. I am sorry for her; but.
then, Laure's father and came from
the same part Of France, and, you
know, I had to stick to my clan.
have worked hard for Laure, and she
cannot be beaten. How proud the
saucy little Gasconne will be!'
Having laid coin upon the table,
Constant was leading the way to
Mother P;c.iot's. when Nine. Goudeau
called:
Hold II. Constant. till give you
your change"
'No change is coming to me, madame.
1 gave you a gold dollar, and 20 cents
apiece for FIVE absinth anisettes is
cheap enough for church fair"
'No, n. Constant, this is not 81; it is
a five dollar piece
"Oh, Nine. Goudeau, your sight is
failing like that! This comes of read
ing your prayer book so much. Put or
your spectacles, madame, and examine
the coin carefully, and if you find it a
five may stop again for the change"
And, bowing merrily, he moved on.
"Well, that is handsome Of Constant
and will get him two more votes for
Laure Luneau," remarked madame to
Maximilien Cantcnet. an ancient ex-
justice Of the peace, who in religiously
intoxicated condition devoutly assisted
her with the bottles and glasses.
Mother Pierrot bustlingly superin-
tended the carving by her mulatto man
and served five heaping plates Of breast
and back, declaring one gobbler to have
been 20 pound bronze and the other
cream yellow Of equal weight and
both to have been fed on pecans for
three weeks prior to their martyrdom
in the cause Of the church. 4 pyramid
Of steaming, 1aky rice fanked each
plate, beside which was set bottle Of
bordeaux wine Of good body: There is
no need to discuss the efficacy Of the
ahsinth. The fact is, the five portions
were disposed Of by the five men with
every indication of hunger, thirst and
appreciation.
s'Is our little Laure still ahead, NJ.
Constant?' inquired the old woman.
"She is and will remain ahead till
the poll closes at half past 5 o'clock," I"
Quillebert replied confidently. Leon
idas Latiolais is no politician. He be-
lieved he could elect Estelle by simply
interesting the neighbors on Bayou des
CLASSES, while have electioneered for
Laure not only on the bayou, but on
the prairie also. She has had votes to-
day from Marksville, Isle de Cote, LIE
Coigne, Par en- Haut, Bayou Blanc and
even Poi1te Maigre."
"You have indeed been very active"
said Father Grhe. II am edited to see
you manifest such interest in matter
Of the church.
'Tt is not the church-no," Quillebert
protested; at is politics with me. Who
ever enters q canvass against me can
not win by sitting quiet and looking
amiable. He has got to travel and
maybe get mud On his shoes. Good
Mother Pierrot, this will about pay for
our refreshment," he added, placing a
coin in the old woman's palm.
"But this is $50, NJ. Constant" she
cried in amazement.
81 said it would about pay for our
refreshment, and thank you," said he,
walking away.
"Such a generous man! I wish he
was on better terms with the church.
Certainly must get some more votes
for Laure," soliloquized Mother Pierrot
as she dropped the glittering golden
eagle into her silken purse.
Declining with thanks an invitation
to join the priests in pipes at Father
Grhe's house, Quillebert sauntered
along the grassy sidewalks Of the
street and had proceeded but a short
distance when he encountered DR.. De
Roux and Leonidas Latiolais lounging
under Towering china tree. Latiolais
looked bored and worried. He knew
nothing Of the condition Of the contest,
but he felt he had not perfectly cham
pioned his grandchild's candidacy and
was apprehensive Of the result Her
defeat would grieye him deeply, and he
would lay it to his Swn supineness.
"Ah, my friends, this is slow affair
for full blooded men," remarked Quille-
bert. "You both look as thoroughly de-
jected as feel exhausted. Can we not
have a small game and hasten this aft