The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1903-01-03

~ ERANE q. SwEET

O.
&I-ANAA14N-NEt&
GABE was lying upon his back, his
III hands clasped under his head, gaz-
ing unthinkingly at the sky. He was
% years old, and b%arefooted.
Overhead a buzzard loated upon mo-
t~ionless wings. and Gabe's eyes followed
it ais far as they could without causing
his head to move If he had any thought
that was strong enough to be called an
ambition, it was to be a buzzard, for a
buzzard was not forced to flap it's wings
to fly.
Times had been going somewhat hard
with him of late. For one thing, he had
had to think, and the prospect was that
before long he might have to do. Coon
er's daughter was now of age, and the
understanding between the families had
been that some time after Mary Bet was
old enough these two should marry, in
order to save the seven acres on mi
side Of the slope being separated from
the nine acres which Joined and crept
over and down the other side. Cooner
was arbitrary, and Gabe's father, un-
AGI lnE lnnltCllCG VI AUO4GA WQuAu NC
just as despotic. Then Mary Bet was
pretty, there was no denying that and
more than once Gabe's heart had
thumped tiresomely in her presence. In
that state he had even looked about her
cabin critically, 1t may be hopefully.
But Mary Bet did not like work herr
self. He had found the ak lying beside
three or four uncut branches which her
father had dragged in, and the seven or
eight chickens pecking about without a
sign Of coop or shelter. BY that time
hrs heart was again beating TRANQUILITY,
and he had viewed the scene with dis
passionate forethought. Married to
Mary Bet, he would have to cut wood,
and perhaps make chicken coops, and it
might be would even have to plant a
corn and potato patch. The thought,
made permanent by the persistent hints
Of Cooner and his father, had harassed
him for days past, and this morning,
feeling the need for absolute, unthink-
ing rest, he had come out to this sunny
spot. where he could lie in his favorlte
attitude, with his hands clasped under
his head.
But, alas for plans. AS the buzzard
hoated slowly beyond view, and the un-
thinking eyes following it began to grow
dreamy and heavy, there came a sudden
rasping interruption. It was Cooner adj
monishing his father.
q tell ye," the strident voice was say
Ing, this things goiD' On too slow. Fust
we know somebodyu be steppin' in, an
then where'n our two estates be? Dr.
vided. There's that Bill Tanner, already
comm up to see Bet an she 'lowin' him.
Pshaw! He'd be for carryin' her way
down to his cabin in the valley an likely
s not they'd be for sellin' my seven
acres some day. I tell We, Nose, ye
must be stirrin' up Gabe. He's a good
boy, an won't never be goin' of; an IL
he's got a single. wicked habit, I've
never heered on 1t. III see the preach.
er this very day, an nave him come up.
in two weeks. Wen have EN- ready
by that time. I'll have to git Bet some
new shoes, an you must see bout
Gabe's gettin' his hair cut. It's pretty
toler'ble long an untidy for a weddin'
An we'd better be askin' all the folks
to come"
Gabe had forced himself as deep as
possible into the leaves and he lay with
bated breath until the voices and foot
steps had died away toward Cooner's
cabin. Then he groaned and removed
his hands slowly and despairingly from
beneath his head. He must think,
and think quickly and hard, or he would
be lost.
Bin Tanner vas peeling bark in the
valley. He was a worker-not in the or
binary acceptance OF the word, perhaps,
but from the slope point Of view. Gabe
went to him there.
"HulIo, Bill" he began, affably.
@Gettin' quite a heap, amt ye?"
Bin nodded grufiy. He had no objec-
tion to Gabe personally, only that he
was welcome at the Cooner cabin. And
that was enough.
"Hullo," he responded; but I low
ye'd better come some other day. I'm
too busy to talk now"
That's all right, g~raciously. Il
don't mind seem folks work. Couin' up
to-night?"
"Where?"
"Cooner's, of course" with a grin.
"But there's no need to git mad, Bill "
at the look on the others face; II amt
here to plague ye. 1 come down to sell
my later patch. Whatu We give?"
1t was Bits turn to grin.
1--WE heered bout that later patcae
he said "It's two acres, an old Coon