El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-06-28
The Sailed Potatoes
A short story.

Short Story.
~ the dim gIimmer Of a lamp the
* woman could see the strangers
- face. It was bIoated from drink
and twitched momentarily as a result
Of the mans designations. He sat
down at the open fireplace and began
to talk TO little Pierre, the son Of the
woman who was busily peeling pota-
toes for the supper
The stranger told the child that he
had come from very far away, that
he was a peddler and that, having sold
out his entire stock, he was going to
the city for more
The boy listened attentively. The
woman was expecting her husband,
I who had gone to a nearby town in the
morning She worried about his safety
! though he was familiar with every
. mountain path
At last she heard his steps and
/ rushed out TO greet him.
i am so glad that YOU are back"
she cried 1T must be awful in the
{ mountains tonight"
Well I won't deny it feels better
( in here replied the husband in a
strong. cheerful voice Turning around
he saw the stranger at the fireplace.
| his wife explained his presence, speak
ing in the peasant dialect that the
man might not understand
Well the husband addressed the
man, 4 bet YOU prefer coy fire to
tramping in the snow"
The stranger agreed in a shallow
voice
How much did you get for the
Sheep" Julie asked.
More than I expected. dear" he said
with a smile. IT got S225 in gold
oh. you are fooiing me-"
Look here, then" he replied. and
pulled out his heavy leather purse from
which he counted the money. The
stranger watched him with q greedy
EXPRESSION in his eyes.
The husband put the purse back into
. his pocket Then he went to the cow
shed. while Julie opened the heavy
4 rrapdCOr in the floor and went down
into the cellar to get some wire.
Now alone in the room. the stranger
began TO raise the i'd of the soup pot
and smell the OdOr Of the ingredients
cooking Then he raised up the pO-
tatOes and put them back on the fire
. Little Pierre. who followed all the
movements Of the stranger, suddenly
cried
What was that YOU threw on the
. them
I You took ~omething from your pocket
and threw it on the potatoes It looked
like salt"
Well perhaps It was a little salt"
Julie then brought a big pitcher Of
[ wine and the husband returning from
the stable remarked
Come on. cOmrade. let US have a
glass of wine to start with"
While the two men were drinking
Julie put salt in the soup As she was
about TO put some on the potatoes,
Pierre whispered into her ear
'A on need not put salt on the pota-
toes for the funny strange man has
( already put salt on them"
salt" cried the nOther in sunrise
"He s. he took something from his
pocket and threw il into the pot
I know he did though he says he didn't"
Then she called her husband aside
and whispered to him.
Look out for that man The little
one has seen him throw something on
the potatoes perhaps it IS poison He
krows we have all the money in the
house"
The husband whistIed softly between
his teeth. which was his manner Of
expressing violent emotion.
Then they all sat around the table
For q while nothing was heard but the
rafting of the spoons against the soup
plates
When tn soup had been eaten Julie
carried In the Steaming potatoes and
again filled the plates. Sitting next
to Pierre the mother pressed her knee
against her sons to remind him that
he must not eat anything until the
stranger had eaten first The man
struck his fork into the yellow balls
but did not eat.
What" asked the husband. you
don't want any potatoes2 And they
look so appetizing. I never had finer
crop than this lot"
They do look tempting" the man
said but I ate too much soup and can
not get another mOuthful down"
The husband tried to persuade him
like q good host. The man appeared
to give in, cut a potato to pieces and
carried it to his lips. but again de-
clared that he could not eat it.
Well" said the husband. It know
something that YOU will give YOU an
appetite. You like q good glass Of wine
and / viii mix YOU an appetizer You
have not tasted the like of it before"
The husband went over to the fire
place and seemed to look for some
thing in the corner. suddenly his
guest looked into the barrel Of a rifle
Don't move an inch lou have tried
to play some scOundrclly trick and
now we viii give YOU taste of your
own medicine Eat your potatoes or
I shoot"
you had better chase him out Of
the house suggested Julie.
Don't mix yourself up in this, Julie.
I have no pity for a pOisOner. Take
the little one out in the stable and
dor'f come back until I call you"
NO. stay here. Save me. Have pity
on me-" cried the Stranger.
But the mother and child fled from
the room.
Rave pity on me, the man repeated
IT shall count ten. When I say ten
I shCot. One-twO-three-"
The stranger hOwIed in despair.
Then ne ate half of his potatoes on
his plate SUDDENLY his eyes became
fixed. he leaped from his chair and
fell to the floor dead.
what conclusion did You reach in
Your discussion of votes for women
asked Mr.. Meekton. Our discussions
do not aim to reach a conclusion
was the Identified reply. They are al
WAYS to be continued. Washington