Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-02-13

MT. Dill SmOOkluS WdS al cACccU
ingly hard-featured man. Of no recog-
nizable age. Externally, he was blue
overalls and greasy tar.
Abbott grasped Bills hand. and in
quired about business.
Awful pore, sense Fran lef the
show" was the answer. accompanied
by a grin that threatened to cut the
weather-beaten face wide open.
Fran beamed. "Mr. cmookins knew
my mother-didn't you. Bill? He VAS
awful good to me when l was kid.
Mr.. Smookins was Human Nymph In
those days. and he smoked and talked,
he did, right down under the water
remember, Bill? That was sure-enough
water-oh, he's a sure-enough Bill, let
me tell you'll"
Bill intimated. as he slowed down
the engine, that the rheumatism he
had acquired under the water. was
sure-enough Observation-Disclosures his
change Of occupation. Il was strong
enough to be a Human Nymph," he
explained. but not endurable. Nobody
can't last many years as q Human
-Nymph."
Abbott indicated his companion
Here's one thatll last my time"
The wheel stopped. He and Fran
were barred into a seat.
And now" Fran exclaimed. "it's all
ups and downs. Just Lille a moving pic
ture of life. Why don't you say some
thing. Mr.. Ashton? But no. you can
keep still-rm excited to death, and
wouldn't hear you anyway. want to
do all the talking always do. after
I've been In the cage. My brain IL
filed with air-so this il the time to
be soaring up into the sky, isn't 1t!
What IL your brain filled Without
never mind. Well be just two bal
loons-my! aren't you glad we haven't
any strings on us-suppose some peo-
pie had hold!-I. for one. would be
willing never to go down again. Where
are the clouds Wish we could meet
few. See how I'm trembling-al-
ways do, after the lions. Now. Abbott.
I'll leave a small opening for just one
word"
"In steady you." said Abbott. brief
ly, and he took her hand. She did not
appear conscious Of his protecting
clasp.
II never see the moon so big" she
went on. breathlessly. without think
ing of that night when 1t rolled along
the pasture as II 1t wanted to knock
us of the foot bridge for being where
we oughtn't. never could understand
why you should stay on that bridge
with a perfect stranger, when your
duty was to be usher at the camp-meet-
ing! You weren't ushering me, you
know, you were holding my hand
mean, Il was holding your hand, az
Miss Sapphire says shouldn't. What
a poor helpless man-as I'm holding
you now, / presume! But laughed in
meeting. People ought to go outdoors
to smile, and keep their religion in a
house, l guess. I'm going to tell you
why l laughed, for you've never
guessed. and you've always been
afraid to ask"
AIral0 OF you, ran
"Awfully, I'm going to show you
let go, so / can show you. No. I'm in
earnest-you can have me, afterwards
l.. Remember that evangelist ?
There he stood, waving his hands-as
I'm doing now-moving his arms with
his eyes fastened upon the congrega-
tion-this way-look. Abbott"
Fran! As II I were not already
looking"
"Look-just SO; not saying q word
only waving this way and that -.
And it made me thing of our hypno-
tizer-the man that waves people into
our biggest tent-he seems to pick 'em
up bodily and carry them in his arms
Well! And IL the people are to be
waved into a church. 1t won't take
much Of q breeze to blow them out
don't believe in soulwaving. But
that doesn't mean that l don't believe
in the church-does it?-do you
| Think"
| You believe in convictions, Fran
And since you've come into the church
you don't have to say that you believe
In it."
"Yes-there's nothing on the out
side. and oh, sometimes there's &C
little, SO little under the roof-what
do you think of me, Abbott?"
Fran. think you are the most"
But do you!" she interposed, still