Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1913-08-09

Hear them? said. It's nearly |
up to you-what do you say?'
The old mans lips quivered. and
his calloused fingers grated in his
beard. He opened his lips to speak,
but his jaw moved helplessly. And
we heard Hens voice back there tn
the house calling-calling so that you
could have heard him over in the LIE
land barroom:
'Geisbach!'
MOT
"'He is one OF those who will
change l said.
"'Giger!'
all right when they call the afsentees.
/ said.
Gordon
"No,'
'Griesheimer!'
Aye
Hear them?" I asked. The HIS
came next, and the old man, still fumb-
ling with his chin, and without turn
ing his head. began to talk:
| Baldwin, he said, you're right.
am a poor man. ] have a wife an
eight children. Tomorrow I'm goin
back home, an on Monday I'm goin' to
hunt a job-hunt job in the harves
field. I've worked all my life. |
'spect to work hard all my life. I'll
keep on huntin' jobs in the harves'
fields I'll probably die in the poor
house. I'll be buried in the potter's
field. God knows what'l become OF
that woman and them children
"He nodded his head as in assent
to an indisputable proposition, and his
eyes widened as if in fright. They
We're looking down the barren years
before him, and felt in that moment
glad of my power to brighten them.
'Hallen!' we heard Hen call.
mol
Henderson of Effingham.
"'Aye,
1.-The old man Strengthened out his
long, lank figure. and then suddenly
he turned and looked me in the eyes.
"'But Baldwin, he said, I come here
last January an honest man, and to-
morrow I'm goin' back, back to oil
Greene, back to my people. back to
that woman an them children, an
Baldwin'-he gulped the word-'Bald-
win. I'm goin' back an honest man.
Henderson of Greene!' Hens
voice called. and the old man stalked
into the corridor and Numbered mol
in a trumpet note"
The lobbyist ceased. The train had
stopped at Chenoa, and they could
hear the breathing of the engine,
breathing as a living thing when 1t
rests. The noise ceased presently,
and the silence of the wide country
night ensued. They heard only the
notes that came from the threats OF
frogs and the stridulent drumming oil
: the cicadae. Baldwin looked at the
two politicians, expecting some com
ment. The oscitant Healy looked ou,
of the window, into the vast darkness
brooding over the prairie town. Jen
/, nings sat meditatively pulling at his
moist mustache, an expression OF per
plexity in his countenance, the
> wrinkles of increasing concentration
of mind gathering In his brow. Pres
entity. without a word, he rose and lef
,, the compartment When he returned
: he was treading In his stockings, his
. coat and waistcoat and collar hat
.. been removed, his suspenders mere
hanging at his hips. He was evidentl,
preparing for his berth. Baldwin
!, meanwhile, had pressed button. ant
/. sent Gentry, the aged porter, now II
: white jacket, for his bag, and laid ou
l on the seat beside him his pajamas
: and a travellers case filled with silve
toilet articles. Jennings lifted hii
: own big valise to his knees, and iron
= it's depths drew a bottle, wrapped
. heavily In newspaper. He held on
of the heavy little glasses under tn
faucet OF the water-cooler, and allowe'
the water to trickle into 1t. Then peel
9 ing back the paper from his bottle. b
L took a long pull from its naked neck
l. and passed it to Baldwin. AS he di
so. his brows still knotted In perplel
ity, he asked:
n "Whatd you say that felier's nam
!, was?"
Henderson"
I Henderson of Greene, eh?"
t yes"
Jennings threw back his head an
d tilted the water. deadly cold from tn
', ice and tasting of smoke. into hi
k throat. and when he rinsed hts mouth
a he said, with the happy expression c
= a man who has resolved doubt:
e "Oah, yes. John Henderson
p Greene. He lived out at Rabbs Co
D ners. Yes, that's him; the governc
y 'p'inted him public administrator
v Greene county right after that Sc
S. SION"