Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1916-05-26


"Hullo, Lot" he said, seating him
self near the tubs. "How you gettin'
along?"
"Hullo, Lem" she replied, and kept
her eyes on her work.
"Ain't you glad to see me?"
| "Of course. Have you had hard
timer
"Dretful; somethin awful. Work,
work, work, from mornin' It'll night,
and half-starved all The time. That
workhouse is torture hole, if there
ever was one"
He was working up a fine case Of
self-pity He had been very badly
treated. Mrs. Brown noticed that he
was clean, that his hair was trimmed
and he was not in the least thin, but,
on the contrary. looked very well fed.
81 s'pose got to go look for job"
said Lem. IL got to have little car
fare
Mrs. Brown looked UP.
do you mean that, Lem?" she
asked "Do you really want money for
car fare? How much do you want?
Where are you going to look for
job"
The pale light of hope burned in her
eyes. Long years of experience seemed
to have taught her nothing. This thing
had happened, oh, so many times be-
fore. Lem drew very long, woe-be-
gone face.
cts night work" he said "Over at
the docks, stevedorin'. That's the
hardest kind of work--stowin' cargo Ia
ships. But l s'pose got to sport my
family. l always have managed to,
except when when l had one O. my
slip-ups. But that amt goin' to hap
pen no more. I'm through. I'm re-
formed man. All want is three dol
lars to get me some overalls an a din
ner pail an pay my fare to the docks.
They're needin' men, and l can go
right on tonight"
"Wait minute" said his wife. She
went into the bedroom. Lem looked
after her and treated himself to a
wink.
The door from the hall opened and
man stepped into the Brown kitchen.
IT was Sam Thomas.
''Hullo, Lem Brown" he said.
Lem looked up, startled. When a
man has been in jail, one can't tell
what may happen.
you been away, l hear" said Sam
pointedly. You're goin' away again.
amt your"
what, me? Coin away again? Oh,
no. | was just tellln' Lottie L"
He stopped, for his wife had come
in. She held three one-dollar bills in
her hand, which she hastily thrust be-
hind her, looking very guilty, as If
Sam Thomas had caught her stealing
the money.
"Hullo, Lottie," said Sam. 81 see
LENS back"
Yes" said Mrs. Brown. Hes got
a job-over at the docks. He's goin'
right over there now aren't you Lem?"
''M-hm. I'm goin' right over there
this afternoon-after get me some
overalls and dinner pail and"
"And half a dozen drinks of
whisky" put in Sam Thomas coldly.
''Oh, no, no. Sam. Certainly not"
protested Lem, certainly not. Never
again for me. No. sir. I'm goin' to
work. got a good job, stevedorin';
night work, you know, stowin' cargo
in"
"You lie, Lem"
whats that?' LENS artificial-look-
ing eyes stared with dull surprise at
Sam.
''You lie," persisted Sam. "You
haven't,got job they amt loadin' no
vessels over at the docks now; and
they hardly ever work nights when
they do"
saw, SAM whined Lem. $50 help
me, L"
Somebody's goin' to help you, but
he amt goin' to help you to no
drinks"
But, Sam, got to have some over
alls If go to work"
you'll git overalls all right, all
right. You'll git somethin' else. too.
Come on, now. Well be on our way"
What d. you mean, Sam?"
"I've got you a job. Lem A good
job-a right swell job. You'll like it,
Lem, cause / know you love hard
work"
But, Sam, I'm not very strong-I
been sick
You haven't been sick. and you're
big, lazy, hog-fat liar, Lem Brown.
You give me another word of your sass
and I'll hand you the grandest whalin'
you ever had in your life'
Sam shook fist as big as Chi
cago ham under the nose of the aston
ished and affrighted Lem. Then he
turned to the wife, who had stood
mutely and uncomprehendingly by.
'Lottie. this big hulk of husband
of yours has got to go to work, and
I'm goin' to see that he does. I've been
needin' help on the place for long