The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1901-02-01
PARTNERS.
BRIEF stop, and the train
\ puffed .mpatiently away 10
Y ward Tavares. The platform
BY FRANK II. SWEET


~ ward Tavares. The platform
was soon left TO the posses
sion of two fruit-farmer3 vino were
transferring boxes of oranges from
their mule-wagons TO an empty car on
side track, and n small, sallow-faced
boy watched the operations OF the
men with n languld interest, and then
moved slowly down to where several
cases Of plneapples were awaiting
shipment Seating himself on one OF
these, he appeared to give himself M
TO the enjoyment of the fragrance o.
the fruit Occasionally he bent his
head TO gaze curiously between the
Stats of the boxes. Clearly he had
never eaten pineapples, and wondered
II they tasted as good ms they smelled.
Sometimes he glanced up rs If hc
wc"r expecting some one, but he did
not seem inpatient. Perhaps he was
used TO waiting.
Suddenly a grun voice brought him
trembling TO his feet
Can ye drive, sonnyW
"I-I mought," stammercd the boy,
n frightened look creeping into his
eyes II worked heap with mules
OH the poor farm"
There, there, didn't mean TO scare
yc. But | want some one TO drive my
team over to the grove for another
load. Smith'll take the other team ana
point out what yen do. I've got to
stay here and mark truck"
81 were a-waitin' fer paw, and !
low / caynt go right now. If il
weren't fer that, I'd accommodate yc,
sure"
r He spoke dcprecatingly. and bent
his shoulders as If he expected blow.
The man looked at him curiously. The
shrinking form and furtivc glanccI
reminded him of some dumb animal
cowed by long abuse.
Don't be feared, younker, I'm not
hurtln' babies" he said, in more kind.
ly tones. But low your paw must
be pizen mean, and"
"My paw never hurted mcw inter.
rupted the boy, ficrccly Twas the
poorhouse men that pestered and beat
me. My paw wrote for me his own
self he did, and | come clean from
Car'lina on the cars. We're gOin' TO
be pardncrs, he and |. lie wrote so.
My paws bigger than you, and he'll
fight all you 'uns that talk TO him
bad. lie and | are goln To make an
orange grove, and he wrote me the
money TO come on paper, and The post
office man gave IL to me. He's bigger
than you, and more favored" The
sallow checks were flushed now, and
the eyes flashed angrily.
"Sho, sho" cxpostulatcd the man. 81
low | don't know your paws name,
and | reckon he's n mighty fine man.
But If yen take my team over I'll
make IL all right with him when he
comes. Likely he'll not he round be
fore next train now, and ven bC bacl,
long before that Besides, We can
show him this when We see him." auG
he tossed mp u silver quarter and
caught it as II descended.
Quite reasSurcd, the boy clamherCd
into the wagon ana began sklfully
10 back the mules from the platform.
Seeing his team was i'm safe hands.
the man turned his attention to stcn.
Cling the boxes.
"Ye1l he sure and tell paw | were
a-waitin'" shouted the boy before
he disappeared from sight.
"Surcw
An hour and q half afterward the
teams drove up, and the boy asked
eagerly:
"Did paw Gomez
"Haint seen him." answered the
man. But perhaps he'll come to meet
the next train. Likely he lowed VI
wouldn't bc round before then"
But the next train puffed In ana ont,
and the crowd once more melted away
from the depot and left the boy alone
Soon after the man who had given him
the quarter came up.
Your paw must have mistaken ths
day. he said, kindly. THAT wcr,
the last train. Yed better come hom,
with me fer the night and tomorrow
ye can come back and wait for him. 81
The boy followed his new friend
dOubtfully. 81 must surely be bacl
early I'm the mornin'," he observed
"Paw mought think | got lost"
whats your paws nameg Perhap.
i might have heard of him"
John Croffers, and paw, he lows i
are a good name. His grandfather
were cap'n. he were"
The boy spoke proudly and looked n
his new friend with flushed cheeks
but the man turned his face ava,
with low whistle of dismay. Johr
Croffers had been led away from tn
town only the week before. an,
warned never TO enter IL again. II
had long been known as idle au'
shlftless. and for some time suspecte
of being even worse
Cattle had mystcrlously disappeared
and no amount of search would revea
their whereabouts. Grove-owners O,
caslonally found orange trees Stripe
OF their fruit Even nurserymen dC
clared that choice stock dsappeare
from their grounds
No proof could be found agains
Croffers save that he was idle and a.,
solute. lie had entered n good homs
stead claim three years before. bu
had done little to improve IL. A roug