St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-11-26

glefork, with its three or four bust.
ness houses, its iron pump and horse
trough, and its hotel-a plain frame
structure for which, as he CHANGED t.
be aware. the Widow Ruggles had ex
changed a portion Of the small farm
left her by her husband. As Mr.. TunA
remembered the transaction, Mr.. Rol
Inns, who had owned the residence now
by exigency Of circumstance become q
hotel, had made a very good bargain
He had takcn what he considered the
choicest Of the widows land and Joined
it to his own, leaving her few rough
acres, valueless alike for stock o,
crops; he believed he had managed il
with much cleverness, as he had man
aged the deal with the quarrymen.
"H.m-m-m; queer about that quarry
feller," ruminated Mr.. Tunk; don't
seem to me altogether likely he'd be Of
. sort to let Ezra bamboozle him. All
people amt foolish in the same spot.
He glanced into the store where Ezra
was perspiringly displaying his stock
Of dress goods. and then, with an idea
forming in his mind. he arose and
leisurely made his way to the stable
where he had quartered his team.
"'Twon't do no harm to find out
what I can" he told himself as he
turned the horses heads in the direc
ton Of the quarry, two miles from the
village. "A man don't learn much In
this world unless he asks questions
now and then"
But he derived little satisfaction
from the replies given in response to
his questions at the quarry that day;
for some reason the men were reticent
and evasive. Yet, as he drove back to
the village. he gave vent to an occa'
sional chuckle. indicative that he con
sidered the time to have been we'll spent.
He said nothing Of the matter to Ezra,
who called to him from the store door:
well, goin' home, be you, Salem?"
"Whoa!" said Mr.. Tunk. Eyes.
reckon it's time to be gettin' along that
way"
Better wait and see the drays come
up from the train," suggested Mr.. Rol-
Inns, facetiously.
Here's Bill" said Mr.. Rollins, shad-
ing his eyes with his hand, land he's
yes, he's got a box on! Now, that Is
worth waitin' for, Salem; faint often
you see one Of 'em with box on.
What's he goin' to do with it?'
The dray turHed into an alley lead
ing to narrow lane running parallel
with the street. Fronting on this lane,
directly to the rear Of the hotel. was a
warehouse.
"It's somethin' for the quarry fel-
lers; they've rented that buildin' to
keep their truck In. What's happened
to Jim, do you suppose? 'Tain't safe
for Bill to be that close to Ruggles's
without some one to keep an eye on
him. by jing! there he comes up the
lane on q keen jump! Told you 50.
Salient"
ut appears to me. Ezra" remarked
Salem, deliberately, that his horses
are runnin' away"
'They be-they be-" cried Ezra, ex-
citedly, 'and Bills backed plum across
the lane and one of his horses Is balk-
in. Can't make that horse bulge till
he's good and ready; sold old Elliott
that horse myself. My Gawd! some
thin's goin' to be all smashed up,
Salem!'
Looks favorable" agreed Mr.. Tunk.
He clambered to the ground and tied
his team. II reckon. Ezra, we'd better
be gettin' over that way"
Hastily Mr.. Rollins locked the store
door and, bareheaded. followed Mr..
Tunk across the lots On the way they
were joined by three boys and two
barking dogs When they arrived at
the warehouse Bills dray was upon
its side, and his horses were plunging
in an effort to break away from a de-
termined looking woman, Mrs. RuI-
giles, who had CHANGED to be hoeing in
her garden when the catastrophe oc-
Cured. Her daughter was hurrying to
her assistance. Both Of Jim's horses
were down, tangled in harness, AND
Jim was upon his face in heap Of re-
fuse Is feet distant.
Look at Bill" whispered Mr.. Rol-
Inns to Mr.. Tunk. What's the matter
Of the fool?"
Bill was sitting in the road, staring
with Mortified expression upon his
face at the box, which lay directly in
front of him. He seemed incapable Of
either speech or action.
II reckon he's scared" said MI.
Tunk. Lets get these here horses
around and Well find
put"
This was soon accomplished, Jim,
somewhat dazed but uninjured, assist
Ing. And then the entire company,
with the exception Of Jim, gathered
about Bill.
What's the matter, Billy" Inquired
Mr.. Rollins. Hurt"
Slowly Bill raised his hand, point
Ing at the box. 1t bore upon its top the
grim inscription:
DYNAMITE-EXPLO
HANDLE WITH CARE.
............. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 49,
Mr.. Rollins broke the silence. "Jim,"
le called. come here and see what
vou've missed"
Jim shunled forward.
"Nothin' but the sheerest kind of