Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-11-05
THE LITTLE BARREL.
A Short Story With We'll Establish
ed Moral.


Magloire's farm. He was a sturdy man
Of forty, red faced and stout, and had
the reputation Of being rather sharp.
The horse was tied to a post at the
gate and its owner went inside the
yard. He owned some property ad-
Joining old Magloire's fields which he
had always looked upon with cove
tous eyes. At least twenty times he
had tried to buy the farm, but Mother
Magloire had refused to listen and had
told him to leave her in peace.
Il was born on this place and am
going to die here too," she always said.
She was standing outside the door
peeling potatoes, when he came She
was seventy-two, bent and bony but
as hard a worker as any young wo-
man. Chicot sat down on low bench
next her.
well, how is your health, Mother
Magloire?" he asked. You are looking
we'll"
| "Oh, I am not complaining, and how
are you, Father Prosper"
| "A little tired" he replied.
| No more 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 one hundred and fifty francs. Do
you understand? I will come here
every month and bring you one hun
dred and fifty francs in my little cart
Otherwise there will be no change.
You stay here and do not bother your
head about me, not bit. You have
nothing to do but to accept the mon
ey. That Is good scheme, don't you
think?"
The old woman eyed him suspi-
ciously and looked for the trap she
knew must be hidden somewhere. At
last she asked:
THAT 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 paper before the notary that the
farm is mine when you die. You have
no children and you don't care bit for
your nephew. 1t is a good offer am
making you. You keep your farm all
your life, and every single month
give you one hundred and fifty francs"
The old woman was surprised, scar
ed and the money tempted her.
She went to lawyer and asked his
advice. He advised her to accept Chi
cots offer, but to ask two hundred
francs a month instead of one hundred
and fifty, as her farm was worth at
least sixty thousand francs.
Even IL you live another fifteen
years." he said, "Chicot will pay only
forty-five thousand francs for the
farm"
She shook her head at the thought Of
getting 80 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 con-
tract made out.
When Chicot came back, she agreed
to his terms.
Three years passed and Mother
| Magloire did not seem to grow sin
gle day older, while Chicot was on the
verge Of despair. 1t seemed to him
that he had been paying her two hun
dred francs for at least half century,
| and that he was surely running him
| self.
From time to time he visited the old
woman, who always received him with
malicious smile, as If she enjoyed
playing him trick. He did not know
what to do. When he saw her he felt
like strangling her. He hated her with
the intense stubborn hatred Of the
| peasant who sees himself 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 quarrelling, and don't like that
Please drop in for dinner.
| Old Mother Magloire did not give
him chance to ask her twice, and
when she drove to market the next
day with her stable boy, Celestin, she
put up her nag at Chicot's stable and
asked for the promised dinner The
innkeeper beamed upon her, treated
her as II she had been a real lady and
served the best he had in the house
She ate very little, however for she
was a woman who had never been used
to anything but bowl Of soup and a
chunk of bread. Chicot insisted that
she must eat but she would not, and
also refused coffee after the meal.
But surely you can't refuse a petit
veree|"
mo, I won't refuse that brandy Is
good for the stomach they say"
"Rosalie," Chicot shouted to the bar
maid, give us a bottle Of Cognac, the
very best.
The girl brought in the bottle with
gilt label.
Chicot filled up two glasses.
Here Is to your good health, Moth
| er Magloire," he said. May you and
have many a glass together yet"
The old woman slipped the brandy,
slowly, smacked her lips and when she
| had finished said: 1T tastes good, l
must say"
Chicot Immediately filled up her glass
again. Before she left she had drunk
third.
"Since you like it 80 we'll" said
Chicot, II think I had better make
you a present of a small barrel Of the
same kind of brandy, just as proof OF
| friendship.
Mother Magloire did not refuse, but
she felt rather giddy.
The next day Chicot brought the
promised barrel and of course she had
to taste it to see that it was the same
kind. Again they had three glasses to-
gether and when he left Chicot said:
And when the barrel Is empty there
is more where it came from. have
plenty Of it and the more you drink
| the better I'll be pleased"