The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1916-10-26

me Eplack my boots, shave up or put
Oh Hean shirt. an she wants to know
whar the woman's hidin'."
What are you watchin' Abe today
fer?' Abner asked. his thoughts far
from his friends domestic affairs.
why. jest imagined" Pole an
swered, ''since l ketched Abe prayin'
t'other day that maybe this rousin'
meetin' might work on his conscience
in the way you spoke of. l thought
I'd keep an eye ON i'm, anyhow"
Abner was silent for several minutes;
then, facing his companion, he said:
You started me out on this particu-
lar line, Pole, an you'll deserve most
O. the credit if any good comes from
it. don't feel right in keepin' you
out Of 1t so much. I'd "a let you do
more, but was afeard two on the job
would scare i'm off. You are cautious,
Pole, an want you to do some'n' fer
me this morning. Don't you think you
could run across Abe sorter by acct
dent-like an say some'n' or other In
! offhand, roundabout way that d
tend to make i'm sorry fer HowardT'
Il reckon l could, Uncle Alb, an I'll
try 1t ef you think it will do any good"
We'll, 80 ahead, but don't stay long,
fer I'm goin' to talk to i'm myself this
mornin'.~ Let me know when you are
through an I'll take some step or other"
Leaving Abner among the trees, Pole
walked around the shed till he was
close to where Abe Fulton sat on the
log, his shaggy head down.
| You hain't got good seat, Abe" he
smiled cordially, "but it's better'n one
you have to stay on till the doxology Is
sung"
The man addressed made failure
Of smile. My wife's in thar, but
didn't want to CO." he muttered. 81
hain't member" Pole sat down, TAX
ing his knife from his pocket and be
ginning to cut straight sprout OF
hickory growing at his feet.
I'm backslider," he laughed
I've slid an slid down grade. Abe, til
1t 'u'd take railroad derrick to hoisi
ME to Il seat among the favored. Thai
is so many sad things In the worl(
that 1t takes the heart out Of n feller
I'm worried right now. I've got ,
friend. Paul Chester-you know i'm,
reckon. Abe? He's good hearted fel
Ter, but he was runnin' blind tiger
in town. an now the pore devil Is IL
Jail. He sent fer me, an l went to Sc,
i'm. l expected to find i'm down IL
the mouth; but, la me! He didn't car,
so much fer what happened to i'm a.
he did fer some'n' else. 1t seems tina
his cage is right across from the on,
Howard TinsIey's in. an the sight Q
Howard's awful condition made in
think his own case wasn't nothin' t
compare to 1t. Paul couldn't talk q
nothin' but Howard. l took peep a
Howard through the bars, an cer
tainly understood what Paul meant
He's wasted away to bare shadow
an it looks like all faith in man al
God has left i'm"
Pole paused, and Fulton suddenl
fixed an unreadable stare on him.
"What do you think about it?" h
asked. his thick lip hanging loosel!
his big right hand clutching his knee.
Pole blinked visib,y.
ME? Well, it's like this, Abe: Yo
l see, I've heard so many conflictin' n
. ports that l hardly know what to b.
: lieve. The truth is. I'm so sorry fe
2 Howard an his nanny an fer tina
) nice gal that's workin' in his plac,
/. goin' to see i'm every day an prayil
= fer i'm so hard that-well, | hahn
0 fully made up my mind, though I'm IL
Il clined to take his word I've knowe
); lin sence he was little tot, an
. hain't never knowed i'm to lie.
e hain't done no particular good in til
= world-I've been a bad egg from til
g start. an'-an'-well, you'll laugh,
+ reckon, at the idea. but considerin' a
I that lies in front O. Howard, I'll
r darned ef wouldn't be wiIlin' to tax
|. his place an let i'm go free"
+ The singing was beginning und,
/. the shed. A verse was sung. and Il
!, minister began to intone another in
l. clear. mellow voice. Abe was no
4 staring at the ground. and Pole. clos
$ ly watching him from the corner of b
eyes, saw quiver pass over him. 10
% decided that his prompt departure no
" would strengthen the effect Of b
l. words. so he yawned carelessly al
E. rose. We'll, I'll be goin'," he said.
y Hold on; wait a minuter' Fultt
It turned suddenly. Pole sat down aga
g. on the log.
D: What is it, Abe?" he asked.
Is Il jest wanted to ak a question
,e Fulton faltered. II don't want to
ID to any o them In thar, because | kno
to what they would say. but IL want
,e Ak you. Is all that singin' an pray
to in thar pure poppycock. or do tn
mean it?"
re "l'll tell you, Abe, it's like this,
to reckon" Pole said finally. Some of Z
are dead in earncst-them that's do
wrong an know it. but think all
- even down to the youngest-git a bel
Se fit in some shape or other"
n '"Then you think"-Abe's somnoie
w. eyes seemed to burn from fires
,'r agony and indecision-"that thar rea
he Is sech q thing as God?'
1t "Oh, yes; oh. yes!" Pole felt hims
eff on firmer ground. Scripture sa
er The fool hath said in his heart ii
%. thar amt no God Oh, yes. thar
IT one, Abe, but begin to believe as
Ell Abner Daniel does. that he hain't
ne actly the sort Of a God that ever (
ed tell anybody precisely how many ns
he to drive in the side of house or dicl