The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1914-02-27

III your TUOm wash UlS SuUuSH W
hold a handkerchief on your wash
day" He looked about the library,
absorbing its quiet elegance. Things
mighty different now, amt they?"
Then l was struggling to get a
start"
1t seemed to be a monologue Kerr
was delivering. His questions were
answered, but he made no sign that
he heard. His remarks were delivered
at random and he never took his gaze
from the fire, except the one time he
had looked about the room to note
the contrast of the present with the
| time when Gilbert had first come to
Belmont.
Bout that time you wanted to git
married to a mighty nice girl"
Yes. that was about the time | was
elected prosecuting attorney"
Exactly" then after pause, and
you got married"
Gilbert could not understand the
drift of the conversation, but he rec
ognized that Kerr was reviewing the
past step by step
Then gave up my desk in your
Office, and moved to the courthouse"
But you still came to see me,
Amos"
This vas said as quietly as had
been his previous remarks. Taken
by itself it was a harmless utterance,
but in connection with what had gone
before it was of great significance.
Yes, Amos Gilbert, the rising young
prosecuting attorney. had gone to see
David Kerr after he had moved his Of
fee to the courthouse. The boss let
that remark sink in well before he
asked.
/ After that how long was you on
the bench?"
six years"
Is that SOL | hadn't an idee 1t
was that long. What made you give
that up?"
81 had a family on my hands and
needed more money, | didn't run
again, you remember, because want
ed to be attorney for the new street
railway company"
Kerr seemed to be revolving some
thing in his mind, for it was some
time before he reminded Gilbert of 9
step in his rise which he had not
mentioned
II thought you was lawyer for one
of them crowds that was fightin' fol
a franchise"
We'll, we got the franchise"
That was what Kerr wanted K
bring out.
Exactly. And you're still their Law
yer"
Yes"
"And for the water company,
unused Kerr. And for the lectri
light company and you still come t
see me, Amos
} why, yes, Mr. Kerr, I'm not III
5 mindful Of"
Kerr seemed to throw off some c
the gloom in which he had appeare
| to be wrapped as he interrupted tn
attorney
. This time, Amos, I've come to sc
t you. It's the first time I've ever bee
e in. this house"
A "Well--Mr. Kerr" stammere
t Gilbert,
The boss pulled himself together /
, his chair, sat up straight and locke
at Gilbert
: But you've got telephone" The
4 he added in a gentler tone: That
+ all right, Amos, I've always unde
S stood" 1t seemed to be with an e
g fort that he continued, I'm going I
l. tell you some things that you know
n and some things that pou don't know
4 and some you've guessed. and som
j. I've thought nobody'd ever have
s know. Bout the time you come her
e was married, and my wife died 0
giving birth to girl"
y Gloria"
YES, Gloria. was just gittin' in,
}. politics. Things might ave been di
/ ferent if my wife had lived. 1t didn
n seem long before there was with
?. big girl on my hands-me, Davi
II Kerr" The old feeling of powt
surged through him as he added wit
# spirit, IF it had been boy"
II, This thought held him silent for
minute, and when he took up Il
o thread of his story again it was Il
a old weary tone
n well, it wasn't. There was Wi
n a girl on my hands. Her mother didr
have any relatives, Her father was
/ minister, sames my father was.
n didn't have anybody, either, / cou
,r send her to. kept her as long as
IA could, but by that time my house
even in the country-warn't fit pia
for a child--specially girl. So
r. sent her away to school and she ali
been back since. ! reckon Belmont
n gate to receive their premium frc
the thieves. Practically every poll