The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1906-11-10
Molly and the Prince

You must be the Prince" said Mol
Iy. not at all surprised to see him.
"Eh?" said the small. elderly maj
who had shuffled in, "Me, my dear
No I'm 'Opkins, Bill 'Opkins, my dear
l wants to see your pa, which the
young lady as opened the door says IL
hout. 'Asty tempered" he went on
contemplating a peaked cap that some
years ago had changed it's habit o.
black for brown, and putting it or
again very cautiously, "as will never
make a good wife. Them sorts the
making of public 'ouses, they is"
"Oh, of course" said Molly, con
fidentially, tucking her small black
stockinged legs very luxuriously under
her on mat, and shaking back cnrls
that were invariably trying to hide
her eyes; "of course, you are the Beast
now"
The room was very bare, and Molly
made the most of the one little mat.
Everything looked as though 1t had
got up quite early and was waiting
to go out. A chair in it's eagerness
had jumped on big chest, and the
table had edged close to the window.
Her father had told her they might
have to move in a great hurry.
''Oh, my dear, 'opes mott" The lit
tie old man in the rusty green ulster
looked quite grieved. He was ner-
vous, shaky old man. with a strip Of
whisker under his chin, which stuck
out like an immature fringe, whiskers
and scanty hair that would have been
gray if they had been anything defin-
lite. But they were not self-assertive
enough to be any decided hue, and
we're as indefinite as everything about
their owner, including himself. I'm
not much to look at, and the young
lady who tried to stop me when 1 was
coming in to see your pa, my dear, did
the same; but 'oped as 'ow that was
merely 'er 'asty. temperatures. 'opes
not. I ave my feelin's, my dear-I
don't boast on 'em, no, Bill 'Opkins
amt no boaster-but l as 'em, an
beasts don't ave no feelin's."
The door opened suddenly about a
yard, and dirty face, surmounted by
dirtier cap, was thrust in. 1t be-
longed to Liza, the small maid of all
work in the small house in the long
row which was Molly's home, and for
which the landlord looked very fool
ishly to Molly's father for rent. Liza
was aggressive She often was. Mol
1y's father said she was invaluable
when creditors were in the case 9th
erwise. he would add, that term was
not wholly applicable. 1t was really
astonishing that her clothes were i'll
variably so dirty, because there never
seemed to be any loss of dirt in the
house. And she contrived to break
quite large number Of articles, con
sidering that many were intrusted,
probably for safety, to a gentleman
around the corner, whose house was
decorated with three comparatively
golden balls.
You villain. you sneaking Upper
crite!" she said, and slammed the |
door. The voice was so loud when
you considered how small Liza really |
vas, and slammed door SO sudden,
hat Mr.. William Hopkins jumped and |
gave gurgle of alarm.
"Oh, you must be the Beast" said
Molly, following out her original idea.
"nOn't vOu ha1iovo horso The ia
nan said, gasping!y. IT'S 'er 'asty
emper. I'm not no beast-I'm a ten
ound franchiser, l am. What she
as agen me let her up an say. and
don't see-no, / don't see-not no
ow as l can say fairer nor that"
Molly understood nothing of this
peech, which was not surprising.
She regarded the strange visitor very
losely from the vantage point Of the
earthrub. Then she rose slowly and
ent over to him.
"Oh," she said, coaxingly, you must
the Beast. I want you to be the
east"
The door opened. and the appari-
on of the dirty face and the dirtier
Up appeared again
You sarpint!' said Liza, very loud :
;. "Oh, you wrecker of 'omes, you !
estroyer Of the fatherless-which it
lould be motherless, pore thing, and :
lose who are hoppressed; OH" The
'or slammed again in as precisely a