Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-10-04
HI LITTLE BARREL.

VI " I'll ClOul, anu udu
the reputation of being rather sharp.
The horse was tied to a post at
the edge of the gate and its owner
went inside che yard. He owned some
property adjoining old Magloire's
fields which he had always looked
upon with covetous eyes. AIT least
20 times he had tried to buy the
farm, but Mother Magloire had re-
fused to listen and had told him to
leave her in peace.
I" was born on his place and | am
going to die here too,'' she always
said.
She was standing outside the door
peeling potatoes, when he came. She
~, bent and bony but as hard
a worker as any young woman. Chicot
sat down on a low bench next her.
" Well, how is your health. Mo-
Their Magloire?" he asked. You are
LOOKING we'll"
"Oh, | am not complaining, and
how are you Father Prosper
"A little tired" he replied.
NoTmore was said. They both knew
what was coming.
Don't you want TO sell the farm
YETI" he inquired at last. Sell
the farm to me and every month I'll
bring you $50 francs. Do you under
stand? I will come here every month
and bring you $50 francs in my little
cart. Otherwise there will be no
change. You stay here and do not
bother our head about me. not a bit.
You have. nothing to do but to ac-
cept the money. That is a good scheme
don't you Think"
The old eyed him suspi-
ciously and looked for the trap she
knew must be hidden somewhere. At
last she asked:
This Is for me. And what are you
to have from the FARM"
"You need not bother about that
You will stay here as long as the
good God lets you live. You only
have to sign a paper before the no.
tary that the farm is mine when you
die. You have no children and you
don't care a bit for your nephew. 1t
is a good offer | am making you.
You keep your farm all your life, and
every single month I give you $50
francs
The old woman was surprised,
scared and the money tempted her.
She went to a lawyer and asked
his advice. He advised her to accept
Chicot's offer, but to ask 200 francs
a month instead Of $50, as her farm
was worth $4,000 francs.
Even if you live another IS
years. he said, "Chicot will pay only
5000 francs for the farm"
She shook her head at the thought
of getting SO much money every
month. She was still suspicious and
feared a thousand hidden traps, but
at last she made up her mind to have
the contract made. out.
When Chicot came back he agreed
to her terms.
Three years passed and Mother
Magloire did not seem to grow a
single day oldeI, while Chicot was on
the verge Of despair. l. seemed to him
that he had been paying her 200
francs for at least a half a century
and that he was surely running him
self.
From time to time he visited the
old woman, who always received him
with a malicious smile, as IL she en-
.ioyed playing him a trick. He did
not know what to do. When he cav
her he felt like %strangling her. He
hated her with the intense stubborn
hatred Of the peasant who sees him
self robbed.
AT last he hit upon a scheme. He
went to see her and when they had
been talking for a while he said. Why
not take a meal with me when you
come to Epreville? People say we
have been quarreling and ] don't like
that. Please drop in for dinner.
Old Mother Magloire did not give
him a chance to ask her twice and
when she drove to market the next
day with her stable boy Celestin,
she putt up her nag at Chicot's stable
and asked for the promised dinner.
The %innkeeper beamed upon her,
her as If she had been a real
lady and served the best in the house.
She ate very little, however. for she
was a woman who had never been
to anything but a bowl of soup
aud a chunk of bread. Chicot insist