The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1902-10-04
Charging the Enemy,

r. Old Glib Ezell went swinging and
Btumping upon his crutches down the
street and up the steps of his store.
1t was the biggest store in town,
though not the smartest. Joe Beenan,
4 who had opened up the spring before.
just across the street, was running
re old Glib hard in groceries and hard
ware, and leaving him out of sight
when 1t came to knick-knacks or dry
goods pure and simple.
Z i, A man, who half knew, looked after
i old Glib. then across at the sign of his
young rival, and murmured half to
himself, What a pity!' Another
man who knew and also looked, lis
tened to the exclamation, and
answered it, sticking out his chin as
ne spoke. Better say what
( shame.
WI whats a shame, Doc?" third
said, coming up behind them. Doctor
Waters smiled half erimly. "I'm not
quite sure-it seems to be the hitch in
1.-The course of true love-" he
answered.
Ae Lew Bayne, the man who had
4 spoken first, shook his head ener-
getically. Il meant that poor old fel-
u lows legs" he said; Il suppose, Doc,
Ssft's certain he'll never walk again"
a "Now you've got me-" the doctor
protested. I'D risk my professional
reputation that fall he got on the
eleety pavement did no worse harm
Y; TO his shrunk shanks than barking
them up pretty generally. There were
bruises of course, end on the shoulder
and side as well. l told him he'd be
out and about in plenty of time for
the Christmas trade, but from the
Arst he stood me up and down that
bed never take another steady step,
and so far I'm bound to admit he was
right. There's nothing on earth the
matter with his legs-nOthing, at
least, that l or the other doctors can
see. Against that there is the fact
that the minute he tries to stand on
them they do the joint-rule act, dou-
BILE under him as though they hadn't
the strength to bear up spider. The
trouble must lie in The nerve If that's
what you meant, l Lgree with you,
it's a pity. 1 thought you had refer
ence to the trick he's played on Joe
Beenam."
W. What is it?" asked Merton, the
third of the group. "You know I've
been away six months! Tell me all
about It,"
mot much to tell" Dr. Waters said.
you know Florrie Ezell-"
ss'I ought demonstrating she sent
me away" Merton broke in ruefully.
"You don't mean Joe is gone on her
like the rest of us? I thought"
you've hit it," the doctor said.
Joe did stand out mighty well against
the prevailing infection; but a man
never knows what's coming to him,
until it hits him square in the face
49,"
Lord! To think of Joe-the
0omb-proor we called him." Merton
chuckled How did 1t happen? Tell
me all about it."
Merton, newly evolved drummer,
had given what he would have called
"a comprehensive order" Doctor
Waters also chuckled as he answered,
nodding his head by way of emphasiz-
Ing his points: well, you see it's
this way. The hour struck for Joe
when he saw Florrie EZell swirling
around, blue tarleton angel, in a
waltz with Bob Acton at the PattOns'
party. Florrie's pretty girl anyway
you see her; that night she was par
ticularly fetching. But that wasn't
the thing-I insist Joe's time had
come. He knew it. Soon as the waltz |
was over. he froze to Florrie-didn't |
get yard away from her all the
evening"
lit was freezing time, as remem-
her, Lew Bayne interrupted with .
laugh. Indian summer up to dusk
then . cold rain, that turned to sleet
In short order. Say, didn't old Glib |
get hts fall that very night?"
I'm coming to that, If you'll watt"
the doctor ran on. Il tell you that
Eas.ass ssleet to remember. Joe, of
course, wouldn't let Florrie walk
home: though the Ezell house is only
elk blocks from the Pattons. No,
stree! He telephoned for the finest !