The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-11-17

along that path and wondered what
would happen next The fiier and Il
half grown boy happened together. He
came along the path. whistIing and
paying no attention to horns just in
time to get the mail bag which the
f1ier threw out, and to him | addressed
an inquiry
He shouIdered the lean mail bag ana
tilted his hat on the back Of his head,
Sweet" said he meditatively. is she
the lean che or the fat one:"
didn't know. but hoped she was
fat.
The boy grinned and instructed ne
seeing in what contempt he held tha
cows, although the path. vide enough
to form dry thoroughfarc for tYoU-
sers. was too narrow for skirts. ana
was conscious that every step was
laying the foundation for Il shrinEa"o
in brilliantine We walked half a r.iJc
before coming to the town. if Il dozen
houses, church and Il schooiLau
can be dignlied by that name ANA th2
boy pointed to house on the outskirts
as the home Of the fat Sweet
1t was a square white house with
green blinds all closed. The front door
was also closed and locked; ditto the
back door. | stood on the back steps
and looked around Truth to tell.
wished | were at home. The COUNT!
was indeed beautiful to look at, bur
not to walk in with low shoes ana
new suit. The grass was knee deer
everywhere. even in the front yard,
Besides, was getting very hungry.
Presently back of the house, beside
an orchard. I caught sight of man
blowing between rows of green things.
l waded through the grass to the wall
and, balancing myself on it, called to
him. He paid no more attention to me
than if had been a June bug Finally
| followed after him and touched his
arm
els Mrs. Sweet at home?" asked
He turned ind looked at me hard
without saying word. Then he drop
ped the reins and stalked solemnly to
ward the house. | following. asking
questions, to which no answer was
vouchsafed Finally decided that he
was insane and as we neared the house
vowed | should never trust myself in
side with him. but when he produced
the key from under the doormat and
opened the front door the action seem
ed to unseal his lips
ole.
into the dark interior and then burst
out in loud. hearty voice, Darn her
she's taken down the Sittin' room
stover After that felt at ease. eX-
cept with my wet feet.
While my host was building a fire III
the kitchen stove he Informed NE il
the rising voice common to the very
deaf that INA has gone to SEWN so
cety." thinking | would not come in
the rain. and also added that | must
make myself Ito home" while he done
the chores" Therefore sat supper
less for two hours and fed the fire. ali
the time thinking how much more COM
Portable should be if some one would
perform a similar service for me.
Nine O'Clock and Ma Sweet came to-
gether She was the fat one and felt
so 'turribly sorry" that she'd made Il
mess of my comm" that | forgavc
her and ate heartily of the supper she
set forth-pickes and pie. cheese and
doughnuts, cake and milk. While |
ate and until went upstairs she rock
ed and asked me questions. pa snoring
in his chair. until was nearly wild.
You see. so far | had not done BIT Of
thinking which would lead to Il heci-
sion concerning Lem.
When started upstairs asked her
to call me early. as wished to walk
out little around the country alone.
| emphasized alone" for she had just
told me that pa intended to get Il sur
rey and take his sisterin-law. herself
and me around the lake after break
fast. Before breakfast | decided |
would walk through the cemetery and
consider Lem. Not that there is any
thing funeral about him. but Gene
terry is conducive to thought-more CON
ducive. soon discovered. than l., the
combination of pickles, pie and cheese
laid to rest on deep feather bed.
had never slept on feathers before
and. come to think of it. can't truth
fully say that slept on them that
night. although toward morning | did
fall into a doze deep enough so that |
dreamed that Lem had turned into a
great, sour cucumber pickle wearing
an inverted mince pie for a hat. and
then
Miss Drew. Say. Miss Drew. get
upr' came outside my door, and !
opened my eyes to the early dawn and
half past 4!
1--WE have breakfast at g. continued
Ma Sweets voice. but didn't think
you'd like to git up any earlier"
Breakfast at 6. | crawled out and
looked into the glass. One glance al
my pale yellow skin was enough. | de-
cided that there would be no CON-
munion with myself in the cemetery
that morning and beat an ignominious
retreat back to bed until breakfast