The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-05-04

,seph B. Bowles.)
| turning the conversation from poor
Mrs. Carp's delinquencies, ''as how
you amt got married 1t must have
been yer own fault, I'm thinkin'."
WELL" said Sal, slowly. there was
chap once. an a likely sort o chap
| he was, too. Bill Cartwright's his
name; but that's fifteen years ago and
more"
The Morning Leader at this juno
ture discreetly lowered. and two
straight-looking green gray eyes ap-
peared above it and fixed themselves
on the face CT the unconscious SAL
you see," she continued, father
he took Ill an lost the use Of his
hands. l promised mother when she
was a-dying I'd look after him. He
didn't mind my working for him-that
seemed nat'rel like; but know he
was that proud that II he had to ear
bread that man o. mine had got foi
him, it would choke him. So when
Bill comes along one day an puts the
question straight. just swallers down
big lie-God forgive me!-an' ser
as / didn't care about him. Then he
goes on to foreign parts-Californy or
somewhere-an' l amt never heard
from him since"
Haven't you really now?" observed
Mrs. Bower sympathetically. We'll,
my sister-in-laws nephew's just back
from Australia. Shouldn't wonder at
all If they mightn't have fallen In
with one another. Strange things do
happen at times over the seas-migh-
ty strange! He's comm to drink q
cup o. tea along with US some Sunday.
You just drop in toe an have chat
; with him. I'll be real glad to see
you"
Thank you kindly. Mrs. Bower. !
don't know but what will" answered
Sal.
BLESS you, SAL" said Mrs. Carp,
what for do you want to trouble your
head about a fellow who has been
a-galavantin' about all these years?
never have much of an opinion of a
man who can't content himself with
the country wot has born him. There's
plenty of men in London"
$50 there may be, Mrs. Carp, for all
care!" retorted Sal sharply.
Just then the omnibus pulled up
with a jerk at the end of Parliament
street and the conversation ceased.
The conductor looked irvitingly to-
wards two lady typists in whom he
considered he had vested interest;
but it was dry under foot. and the fru-
gal maidens preferred to walk, so the
bell had sharp pull and the omnibus
moved on.
Il often think" remarked Mrs
Bower, what a mercy It's that those
who buy our flowers are still asleep
in peaceful at this hour. an don't
take it into their heads to do Their
goin' out before twelve or thereabouts
else how should we ever get oul
house-work done an tend to the chill
dren?
Most of yours are on to school by
this time, aren't they?" asked Mrs
Carp.
Eyes, all on 'em but Willie an Meg,
they amt old enough. My Ben he''
a-gettin' on fine You should heal
him say his poetry-pages an pages
of 1t, he knows-bout larks an corn
fields an such like It's as good ~ |
day in the country just to listen Il
him."
WELL" announced Sal, Il Get GU
here for Rochester Row. See you Sun
day, Mrs. Bower"
S764 stopped the bus with alzcrit!
and passed down the basket, but the,
had no sooner started on again thai
the bearded stranger discovered tina
had been the precise point where h
d had wanted to alight, and sprang on
10 accordingly.
N Sal meanwhile had walked on wit
m her burden at that quick nervous pac
h characteristic of women who are dc
r, ing something beyond their strength
N so it was a minute or two ere he
r fellow-passenger caught up to her.
e Hi. missis! l want some of then
geraniums of yours. AS big buncl
n as you've got"
ID Sal stopped. and lifting up the ira
n. of her basket, produced h4 flower,
le "Ah, they're real beauties, they are
don't want any change" and h
}: dropped sovereign into her hand.
TX She stared at the coin, then at hin
:" "Bill!" she gasped. IT'S you! Ths
ID was never you in the 'bus?" and he
70 weather-worn face took the hue 9
e, her flowers.
But it was, though, my gfri-than
Q my lucky stars. Now just ron han
"a over that there basket, for I'm goin' 4