The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-06-12

he travelled, he travelled for business, an it were seldom that a woman ever had anything to do with poker game on the boats. But he had Il gentlemanly way about him, an was very soft spoke, so maybe that was the reason they made him the committee.
 '"rhere might ha been another reason, too9 fir he'd played 2 great game that night an had torable nigh cleaned out the four mOs as was playin with him, SO, O course he'd been the principal contrib utor to the kitty.
 Anyway he was chose, an a ter count in the money carefully so st the others ud see how much there was he started out to find the widder. an the others piked off to bed Ony Frank Hardy t had been playln' to the other table-he kind O shook his head an looked a little bit doubtful about things, an he sot still while the others cleared out.
 Well, Red Masters, he went round looxin' fir the widder, an the servants told him she were on the upper deck. Pears she didn't sleep none, an had been walllin' round most O the night. He found her sittn' just behind the pilot house, sort O out the way like. She set there with her hands in her lap lookin' straight ahead at nothin' with her big gray eyes as dry as they had been afore the flood. Feared like she hadn't been able to cry none. an the women had been sayin t that were a bad sign.
 Anyway she listened like she didn't hear nothin' when Red Masters come up to her and told her about the kitty t had been made for her. Then he laid the money in her lap. an she looked up and said: Thank ye.' just like she didn't know what she was saying.
 Well Red Masters he just stood there an kep' on tallxin'. There aint no tellin' just what he said fr there want but one t heerd him. outside O the widder, an neither the widder nor that one never said nothin'. but whatever twas pears the widder didn't pear to take no mo- tice.
 "The Widder She Just Sot Quiet"
 Then Red Masters took her hand but he did it In a way t thought ha been en- tirey decent, and there want nothin' did. The widder sot quiet, like she w'n't payin' no 'tention.
 Then Red Masters he just slid one arm round her waist, an just that minute he pitched for'ard on his face on the floor, with hole plump through his head.
 Just then Frank Hardy stepped round the corner O the pilot house, putin his gun back in his pocket. I beg yo' par don, madam he says very polite, but it didn't look to me like there was no time to be putterin. I reckon you won't be bothered with that cattle no mo-
 But the Widder she just looked up like she didn't know nothin' had happened, an Hardy he called some O the servants an had her took to her stateroom. The old man come up an investigated Feared like there want nothin' to be did, ony to see t Red Masters was buried decent, an that was did at the next landing"
 But what became of the widow, Ca- leb?" asked one of his hearers,
 "Oh, she didn't turn out very we'll Feared like shed never had so much money before. an there was some doubts whether she'd ever had hus- band. Anyway, she come to New Or leans and went to the bad quick. I did hear t Hardy said, one time, t he didn't have no p'ticular regrets about killin' Masters. but he was kind O sorry he didn't have some better excuse"