The Van Buren press., 1904-12-03
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Bavardage
BY =. Il. LANCASTER
Copyright, 1904, by Daily story Pab, Coz

u
ED AVARDAGE?" Eli bien, mon
6 ami. there had been a heap OF
taiE along Bayou Bienyille. Heap Of
talk, yes. Some people said one thing
and some said another. But it was all
about Dazier and Nizile.
"Dazier had been goin' see NiziIe Ions
time. long time. yas. Most tree years
so madam, his mother, said;
And now he had bought silver ring
down to the store. Tout le mond knows
what it means when young man buys
a silver ring. But yes; everybody along
Bayou Bienville knows.
Dazier didn't mean for anybody 10
know about the ring. Not yet. lie
wanted to make Nizile one surprise.
Mais. Quel voulez-vous? A man must
talk. And Frenchman, mon ami, And
only one paper a week,
Dame Tutute, MILES papa, got hoid
of the story Tutute was a stolld man
but he knew how to clinch good bar
gain. When he saw Dazier's team com
ing up the road he laid down his hay
fork and yelled: "Arretez.' Daz!et
stopped his team with a long whoa-ho-
whoa. and when the old man began to
climb the fence, added that the sun was
''sho hot"
Tutute said: "Hot sho," and held Out
his hand. and they both said; Bon
iour." Courteous inquiries were made
concerning the well-being Of madam sa
mere and Of madam, meaning, of course,
his wife. then Dazier showed back his
hat and wiped his brow with his shirt
sleeve while the old man wiped his
palms on the seat of his pants and ran
critical eye over the waiting team
'Das nice team you got he said,
slowly.
Vas sir. He's right nice, heem
Pull t'irteen hundred feet yesterday -
BON"
There was a pause during which the
pines purred in the hot air and Dazier
wiped his brow again. The sweat was
oozing from his every pore, but it was
not the suns fault All, que non! The
thoughts he was thinking were enough
TO make a man sweat on a cold day. To
ask a father for his daughter without
first making q toilet for the occasion!
According to 'CajaE etiquette a man
nav not ask the old man for his leot,e
gal without first giving himself and his
horse also an extra grooming There
are certain things that must be done In
a certain style. Everybody on or off the
Bayou knows that.
But, VOLTA, Daz;ar got hard grip on
the great spoke of his carry-log wheel;
he tore his stare from Jaques red flank,
IN Leon"-Tutute's raj name was
Leon. mon ami. Leon Demuerre. Tu-
tute was his baby name, and he went by
It on all save grand occasions.
"M. Leon. been come see Nizile good
while"
Good while yas," assented Tutute.
"Das right nice leetle place got down
yonder."
Right nice, yas. Right nice leetle
place
Dazier faced up desperately, his
strong fingers gripping that spoke; his
strong jaws gripping each other
Seem like she and me might mex
marry" he said, tensely,
sin so, sho. Mais it'll be like my
leetle gal say"
"Yes know me" he spoke softly
"Sho is hot said Tutute.
They shook hands hard
"Bon jour, Dazier'
"Bon jour. monsieur"
Tutute climbed back over the fence,
Daz.er took up his long whip, 1t
cracked and cracked again, And hope
was in the cracking Of it and shy pride
and nervous JOY,
Noise. down in the hollow, scowled.
He had heard about the silver ring; he
had heard the old man hail Da2Ier; now
he heard Da2ier cracking his whiD, And
Mile was the prettiest girl along all
Bienyille,
Noise was no fool, as everybody
agreed Pas nigaud, though he had
come to the bayou only year ago lie
drove teams in the turpentlne orchard.
| lie was good teamsters and made big
money An, que non He was no fool.
| Yet they distrusted him vaguely Voyol,
be had a red head.
But das one fonne ting mon amt,
| You can dstrust man, but when he
come tell you one lie you win believe
that lie, yes. And Gas curious sho,' as
madam, Miles mamma, would have
said, smoothing her apron the while
! Curious. sho!"
Tututc should have known better than
| 70 believe what Noise told him, But
Tututc was an honest man-and Ell
ben, Molnc was pas nIgaud lie hailed
| Tututo gCnlolly
Been down to the storc?" he added
| iuyltingly
no; I amt been down to the store
me been hunt the ship
"You nnd EN-? Das mouton2 Boni"
Noise got of his wagon pole to walk bc,
/ side Tututc's horse, "Dey talk hear
bout Da2Ior pIdard down yondor
donno. me, Don't sim righttotcll tIngs
/ like das on young folor--eyen If dey
! Is irue.'
"What trps?"
"Say he have leg time when he so
20 Totc dEauX to sell his coal Boog
/ time, yas"
what he do? lla2"
"Oh race do horse, shoot dc crap"--
Noise shrugged his swoaty shoulders
Hes young, hoCm" but Tuluto't
/ heart mIsgayc him Was the great good