St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1901-05-18

careless, but it's got to stop.
The ninny smiled and shook him.
self for readjustment of his careless
dress. He drew a breath Of happy re-
| lief. The following in that line had
been distasteful. No one chaffed the
saint over his personal regeneration.
There was not man among the hills
who had not felt or witnessed the
weight of his fist. Let sleeping dogs
lie. But out of his hearing there
were wonderings and speculations.
He's made over, said Jones, lean
ing against the windlass while he got
out his pipe; clean made over.
Saint and ninny had passed on their
way to the spring. Dixon, too, was
looking after them.
You know the dog?" he asked.
ssThe dog he shot?"
Aye. The creature turned up yes
terday. thin as a ghost, but alive
enough to crawl, and with only one
eye. It's in Crumps room, fed and
tended like lord
BY the ninny?"
An the saint. Last night / was
outside the window. Inside, the kid
was helpin pet the beast. I heard
him Wonderin' how it got 50 hurt.
Well, Crumps up an told low an
shamed like; an the kid giggled.a 2
Didn't believe him?a
SSNot bit
The ninny's laugh came ringing
back up the path, and along with il.
a deep voice, pleasantly attuned.
I heard man preach once" Jones
murmured, softly, for the deep voice
drew near, ..an' he said how the Lord
expects great things of folks, an
trusts them, an only a brute would go
back on him.
. Aye" replied Dixon. 'sThen the
ninny's took the Lords way forit.a
1An' he's mighty nigh done the
trick, (. whispered Jones.
Saint Crumps came up with thenew
good nature showing under his dark |
broWs. His tin bucket was sweating
with its burden of cool water. and he
offered drinks. /
The getting of lead from those hills |.
was by an ancient and leisurely meth
ID. When a hole, by pick and shovel,
1ad grown to be shaft, there arrived
great tub and a windlass. Two men
waited by the handles to wind up and
iown, men, or lead, or earth, or empty
.ub, as need came; and other men
vent down to dig. Their work, up
" down, was Wearily monotonous un-
il they struck ore, Then the great
ub came up heavy, and there were
'leasant reekonings as to the num-. !.
'er Of pigs in the sheeny Jumps,
nd there were keen eyes for flint
pots Jones and his party had long
lnce struck rich vein; and there
ad been much straining Of muscle
nd rope. In fact, the rope had seen /
S best days before getting on that /
'indlass; but its service had been for
often; it took revenge.
On pleasant afternoon a mock I /
1g bird was trilling most gloriously s
yer in the witch hazel, and the sun /
as striking long, cool shadows from II
ne oaks-a sound like shot came d
ON the shaft; and Jones and Dixon 5
the handles, went white. ]
Steady, said Jones across to Dix /
4, 'and baek:2' a nod answered. e
I'd the winding began to reverse. t
P the hill a little way the ninny was :
,ming.
who shots" he said, and looked
er the edge Crrmps had packed
le tub with lead. and it was lurchine i
.er his head on two strands of The Il
{ rope Suddenly the boy gave a E,
Id yell: i
Breaking, Breakingts d
Then, IN a breath, he was upon the q
-
ndlass and down the rope like Il
ankey. Jones swore softly From Il
! hazel there was 4 hasty flight. VI
1e handles turned steadily down. 5,
the fralylng place the ninny tried
aold BY one hand and reached the
ler below; but his mad effort failed.
{ fell upon the tub, and The two To- a,
ther plunged on towards Crumps. n
L sfazEled, thrashing rope end went G.