The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1907-08-10
| Turpin FeminiZed.

Of jim Low's-as the next statlon
south of Salinas Crossing ct Soleaad
is called-to San Luis ObispC, to draw
$500 from the bank. rode into jim
Lows. and leaving my horse there.
boarded the southbound stage Tor san
Luis.
The rivers were running pretty hlSh
that spring. However, we got TO the
Pleito ranch all right where we
changed horses, took dinner, and again
started There was, however. one
more river to cross, the Naclmlento,
lying between the Pleito and San Mig
uel. l happened to be the only pas
senger in the stage that trip. ana
while the driver and myself We're DIS
cusing risking the passage, ranch-
er who lived close by the river ad-
vised us not to try it, as his own Wa
gon had been nearly carried down the
stream that morning He added that
If we liked, we could put up at his
place all night AS there was every
probability that the freshet would go
down before morning, we decided to
do so.
I'VE shall have to pay, though,
said the driver to me with a Wink as
he turned his leaders from the bank,
''and pretty roundly, tOo-mind thar.
Old Williams is hard one. I've got
stalled here once or twice before. IT.
just nuts for the old man to ketch
the stage in a tight place
Old Williams's parsimony was the
talk of the country side, although ru-
NOR had it that he was worth many
thousand dollars in cash besides herds
of cattle
When supper was called we were
received by our hosts wife. woman
of about 40, who had been doing the
cooking. The meal was really a good
one. Mrs Williamss conversation and
demeanor, too, were courteous and
pleasant, though one could see she
was a woman Of determined character
After supper we weer shown the
sleeping apartment, on the second
story. At each side of the room were
spread six camp beds, y in all. for
Old Williams's ranch had been the
supper stopping place of the up stage
some years before. l had not slept
long before l was awakened. Some
persons were talking on the other side
of the partition wall.
"Marthy," said the voice of old man
Williams, Il tell you KANT afford it.
You'll ruin me with your eXtrava-
gances. What with your house bills,
an your dress bills, an your gallvan-
tin about, an your trips to town. I'm
s'prised you should dream Of such a
thing. Five hundred dollars for a
trip to Frisco! Why, you must be !!
crazy"
l. TITS you that's crazy, you old !
hunks" replied the female voice in |
scornful tones: Its six years since
I've been to anywheres but San Luis. !,
Do you think I'm agoin' to toll and
slave to make money for you all my
life, an get no good out of it? I'm
goin' to Frisco to spend a month with
my sister. an I'm not agoin' to be
laughed at when | get there, you can
just bet Five hundred dollars an not
cent less. Why, haint got rag
1T to be seen in-hain't had these six
years, an l don't propose to stand it
no longer"
Il see it all. Marthy." rejoined the
old man Williams: its all beca'se
I've got to 60 to the bay that you
want to go too But mines bizness,
an you know it, Now look a-here,
Marthy. there's $500. as you know,
nes'ry to meet that little bill of Bax-
ters for that las bit of land. Ny
stagin' back an forrud, $25 each way
that's fifty. Two days in town, 50
KANT do it cent less 'cept Baxter
cities is orful Expensive
Now there's $452 got to be paid. An
you want five hundred more for moth
in at ALL" Here the old man groaned.
"Nothin' or no nothin." replied Mrs.
Williams decisively, I'm goin' to hey
It. Don't you forget that"
well, we'll, Marthy," said the Old
man, after pause, in what was evil
IDENTIFY meant for a soothing and mol
lifying key. you was allus a good
GAL III see what kin be done Them
banks in San Luis is orful close,
though. You mustn't 'spect too
much"
Don't give me, none O. your games,"
'ejoined his better-half sternly; you
ried that once afore. an if you go for
o try it again, you'll try it once too
,ften. Mind what I'm a-telin ye"
after t.lis the voices ceased, and l I
managed to fall asleep.
Next morning we found the river had
.one down, and after paying our bills
which were certainly pretty steep s
We resumed our journey at daybreak
nth another passenger in the person