The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1916-09-07
Copyright. 1914. by Harper &
Brothers
CHAPTER XII.
The New CORRESPONDENT.

liz Ter. ldFp Sd1u 10 ullnSelI US
" ri Abner approached him
" He's swallowin' it like
hungry fish. If this thing goes through
it will lie the talk of the county. Say.
Uncle Alb, did you ever in your rounds
happen to meet chap by the name o
]. L. Tarp, proprietor of Tarp's Dry
Goods and General Merchandise En-
porium at Darley? Well, if you haven't
you'd better keep your eye peeled
He's the slickest and the cheapest ad
vertiser in seven states and will do you
if he cam And. with an eXuItant
smile, the merchant turned into his
store
Abner finished reading the communi
cation just received at the foot of the
stairs and then went up to the Office
Throwing his armful Of papers on
table, he glanced across the room at
Howard, who was at work on an ed
itorial.
"Say." he began, smiling significant
that we'd run little shy on news fer
tomorrow's issue, wasn't your
II thought so," Howard returned.
but I guess we can manage to fill up
by running some reserve matter al.
ready in type"
I'VE won't have to- Abner smiled.
us he tapped on the table with the
folded sheets he had received.
"Why? Has something happened?"
Howard asked. curiously.
You'll think So" Abner chuckled.
We've got new correspondent over
the mountains at Elktown-Thomas L.
Keith he signs hisse'f, and he's corker
eff l am any Judge. Drop that work
an listen to this"
Howard turned in his seat, and
opening the. manuscript and clearing
| his throat, Abner began to read in q
sort of declamatory tone which he
used when he wished to be impressive
Elktown, Ca, Wednesday Morning
| Editor the New Clarion:
| Dear Sir-I am writing to you with the
| hope that / may be enrolled as your cor
respondent from this charming mountain
| hamlet. I have never tried my hand a
newspaper work, but / have always fell
| that would like it a pastime, ant
| after reading about what a princely hos
| you were at your recent dinner to tht
rural correspondents of the New Clarion
| and what~a gay time you all had in suci
a brotherly and sisterly way. l admit
have had the pen fever worse than ever
| And as for a suitable outlet for my eff
/ forts, I must say, without any Intention
to fatter that know of no journal tha
would rather be n contributor to thar
yours. That such a well printed, well ed
tied paper could emanate from small
town in north Georgia in these days o
struggle is a marvel that l find difficult
TO adjust myself to.
"Fine, amt it?' Abner paused t
comment and spit "He knows what
what eff I'm a proper Judge. an In
glad sech feller appreciates what W
are doin'. But jest wait-that's jes
the introduction to the main stuff
That's comm. as you'll see in mir
ute"
| am happy to say, Mr.. Editor (Abne
resumed reading) that it happens no'
| that 1 am able to transmit some impoi
| tant news-news. it seems to me at thi
| distance, to be of unusual interest to pee
|
Something Of an astonishing nature ha
| just come to light here in these quiet oil
| + nouatains and the excitement is absolute
| ly unprecedented and is spreading like
! swollen torrent Of water.
| It started from an old report that ha
been whispered and talked and hinted {
ever since the last Cherokee Indian trit
lived here and was finally run off by OF
early settlers to the west. AS you an
h fnS
\ aware it is a fact of history and preser
day observation that those same Indiar
dug gold with considerable success a
around E!1town, as is proved by tt
old pits and shafts which still greet tt
eye in many spots Now that fact is M
only established beyond peradventul
by what has just come to light; bu
moreover the old story about ceTta
Indian. chieftain burying big treasu
II of nugget gold appears to have had actu
foundation, as you will see by what fo
II lows.
II The old tales had died out; folks We
| going about their various affairs in the
II daily walks, never dreaming Of the bon
II Of untold wealth that was to explode
| our sylvan midst when n stranger arri
ed from the indian territory and put
L at the Elktown hotel. He had no part
II ular business that anybody could see, b
| kept coming and going and saying not
II ing to anybody. Some thought he W
an agent seat out to buy up iumt
lands for some rich company or inspe
water power plants.
II But as the man continued to stay a
act secretive in the extreme. the specu
ton as to what he was UP to became ri
/ For one thing the stranger had an o
look He was as dark as a mulatto, h
very high, If not actually protrudi
| cheek bones. was remarkably tall.
straight as ramrod and had hair
thick and stiff as No. spool thre;
Many noticed that he looked happy.
| fact folks on the watch caught him 81
ming to himself when he thought nobo
was looking. He paid his bill; in ia
made lavish tips all about He had PAT
ed up his belongings and was waiting
the train to take him off when he 81
) denly fell sick
- The amiabie proprietor of the Elkto
hotel and his kind hearted and popu
! wife tried to attend to his needs as v
!: as they could, and it appears that It
: overheard him saying things not intent
!. Tor other ears than his own He seen
!: TO be afraid that the hand of the 81
/: | reaper was oversladowns him and =
!. anxious to get something of vast