The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1907-04-13
the furniture, if it comes to thu"

| The furniture, II 1t comes to thI.., ''
he said.
| eve can't farm without Rex, and he
wouldn't bring anything to speak of
One hundred and forty dollars more
before the sixteenth OF March, Dick,
| I've lain awake and gone over every
| thing we have in the world to sell.
and seventy-five dollars is the very
| most. even if anybody wanted to buy.
| We haven't any relations that aren t
as poor as we are, and father never
| had a rich friend, nor mother either
| All we've got is the farm and it has
| not even any timber land, or water
right, or anything on it to sell eX-
cept the house and barn and fences.
That grove father planted might be
worth cutting down some day, but not
yet
There was man driving by yes
terday, who stopped and asked me
about those trees" said Dick, sud
denly. He wanted to know how old
they were, and how many of them.
There he is, driving in again. Look!'
gy, drove up the lane and hitched
his horse by the barn. He looked
round the farmyard, with its lack OF
prosperity, with a considering eye.
and then came up to the shabby
house
Gertrude and Dick met him hos
pitably on the doorstep.
Thank you, l haven't time was
his brusque answer to their invita-
ton to come in. Il see you have
few elm trees out there that might be
worth transplanting. There are
great many round this part of the
country and l sometimes buy several
of them here and there. that look as
if they might live through transplant
ing It's a lottery, for you never can
tell, until three years afterward,
whether a transplanted tree will live
or die. But at a low price | can take
the risk. I'm willing to give three or
four dollars apiece for good trees the
size of yours. If you're willing to
take my price, it's a bargain"
Gertrude's heart fairly jumped.
"How many would you want?" she
asked.
About fifteen or twenty. if you
have as many as that that are worth
taking. I'll go over and take look
at them" and off he started. with
Dick at his heels.
Gertrude's heart fell again. Four
dollars for twenty trees-to take the
highest rate and largest number
would be only eighty dollars. That
was not enough. Then another
thought came into her mind, and as
she followed it out. her face grew de-
termined She could look business
like when she chose. it was her busl-
ness look, we'll known Of Dick, that
greeted the tee man when he came
back, brusquely satisfied with what
he had seen.
I'll send my men out some day
next week." he said. "The trees are
not as large as should like, but
they'll pass muster at three dollars
apiece"
1--WE have not made any bargain"
said Gertrude, quietly.
The tree man looked at her. He
had only noticed her youth and DICKS
and the tumble down farm, and the
evident poverty of the place. Now he
noticed Gertrude's mouth, and be-
cause he was something of physl-
ognomist, he change his tone.
Il make you an offer of three dol
lars a tree for twenty trees. and
will put it in writing II you wish. l
the firm Of Williams &
Prendergast"-and he took business
card out of his pocket and handed 1t
to her. "Mv name is Sutton"
II will consider the offer and write
to YOU within a week, Mr.. Sutton,
said Gertrude, slowly.
The tree man looked at her now
harder than ever.
II am not sure our offer will hold
a week." he said, "as am in treaty
for some other trees in the nelgibor'
hood"
Very WE'LL" said Gertrude. II will
wait, then, till you write to me IN
stead
Mr.. Sutton smiled uneasily. we
ran wait-er-till next Friday" he
said. Dick stared, and felt his con-
fideuce in Gertrude returning. he
was not surprised when. after the
man drove away, she turned cneer-
Pul face upOn him.
"Dick. those trees are worth some
thing!" she cried.
Three dollars apiece" responded