The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-04-20

IA " IhiAn SANS
he'd better seek some other field of
labor.
II was a good deal worked up
about it, for l considered myself a
good shot in those days, and for me
to miss such an easy chance as that
seemed like a surer sign of Ill luck
than any Of Mother Gleason's. To
make matters worse. in going back
to the path 1 caught my foot on an
old root, and fell among the bushes
and scratched my face ridiculous.
Il suppose it must have been go
ing on toward five o'clock when I
finally reached the Widow Lincoln's,
though 1 couldn't say exactly, for
when l went to look at my watch just
before I got there, 10 and behold, it
was gone!
1T was an old bull's-eye and not
worth so very much. but I valued it
because it had belonged to my grand
father. Besides, I couldn't help
thinking how I'd heard that it always
caused i'll luck to lose an old family
heirloom.
80 I wasn't over and above cheer
full when I entered the widows yard,
and I was still less so when I came
out.
81 didn't so much mind her set
ting the dog on me, for he didn't
really bite through my cowhide boots,
and she called him off as soon as she
found out who it "a And 1 could
have stood the dressing down she
gave me for coming there with a
gun and my face all bloody, soaring
a lone woman half out of her wits,
as she said. But when, finally, h
lowed that she wouldn't sell her
wood-lot to me at any price, I did
feel considerable down t the heel.
But there was no use arguing
with her, and all that was left for me
to do was to just trudge back. And
when at last I got home, long after
dark, and Mother Gleason told me
that all the trouble came from my
undertaking new business on Friday,
why, I hadn't a word to say"
"The day of the week had nothing
to do with it." declared
"It was merely a coincidence
that your hard luck came on a Fri
mo doubt you're right" admitted
'Bijah. "Probably it was just
such condolences that gave Friday
it's bad name"
Didn't you ever find your watch,
Mr.. Neal?" asked the storekeeper,
with a kindly interest.
"Oh, yes" he replied, resuming
his narrative with this encourage
ri went over to that swampy
place the next morning, and found
the watch right under the log where
1 was when I fired at the rabbit. 1t
hadn't taken a mite of harm-ticking
away as cheerful as could be when l
picked it up. I had my gun with me,
but of course I didn't see anything to
shoot.
II was kind of curious, though, to
know where my bullet went the day
before, so I rummaged round a little,
and finally I spied the very hole that
ought to have been made in that rab-
bit. 1t was in the butt of an old
dead tree, and come to look at it
close, 1 saw something yellow and
sticky oozing out. I took up a little
on my forefnger, and touched my
tongue to it; and then I says to my
self, I wish I'd brought my ak in
stead of my gum
II clipped it for home. and got my
ak and two twelve-quart pals, and
came back to that tree, and got out
all 1 wanted to carry of as prime
honey as I should ever wish to ee.
when Id got most home I met
Hosea Ross. Before 1 had a chance
to show him my prize, he sung out,
Well, Bile, how much money did
you have in the Pooduck Savings
Bank?'
why says I, T did have quite a
number of hundred dollars, but !
drew it all out yesterday says I.
well, you are a lucky dog says
he.
why SOP says I.
".Why, haven't you heard?' says
he.
Then he went on to tell how the
burglars had blown open the savings
bank safe the night beforeI and got
off with all the funds before the
Pooduck Centre people had fairly
walked up. You must recollect hear
ing about that robbery, Mr.. Lufkin,
if it was forty odd a ago."
"Sartin I do, as if it was yester-
day." said the storekeeper. 80 you
got your money out just in the nick
of time. How did you finally invest
it, if it is a civil question:"
"Oh, I bought the wood-lot with it.
The Widow Lincoln came over to see
me that very afternoon, and said she
felt as if she had been a little hasty;
and finally she offered me the lot for
six hundred and fifty, which was fifty
dollars less than I'd calculated I'd
have to pay. I made quite a .speck
out of that wood-lot," he added, COM
placently. $50, as I told Mother
Gleason, my Friday luck turned out