The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-07-14
The Bad
LuckSign
*
BY ALICE E. IVES


asylum"
"Marini," corrected Mrs. BriscOe.
81 call it Marino," snorted Mrs. Clay
with an emphasis on the 20 that was
meant to definitely settle the matter.
"And I'm asking if you've done it.
Il have" answered Mrs. Briscoe
with a slight show Of defiance. My
dreSSmaking has been coming in thick
er and faster; and it stands TO reason
that when Il woman gets to be my age
that trying to do all the house work,
ana your regular business besides, IS
lust about one too many"
"Ycs. that's so. But there are plen-
ty Of girls right here in this village
that would have been glad to come,
and you wouldn't have been taking any
risk"
"NNhat do you mean about taking a
risk" asked Mrs. Briscoe.
"Well, what do you know about her
father or mother? What's bred in the
bone stays long in the flesh"
II know something about her moth
err" said Mrs. Briscoe with mild tri-
umph at being able to get even with
Melissa Clay.
"Well, whatf"
"Her mother came to me, poor,
Dale-looking little thing with that
child just a baby in her arms, asking
for work. 1 couldn't hire her, and
the next thing / heard she was dead,
and the child put into the asylum"
But you never saw the father, and
you'd know by the name he was some
low-down furriner. Like as not she'll
steal from you, or burn the house
down"
Il amt got that kind of opinion of
foreigners" said Mrs. BriscOe. Il
know some that are all right. And
when you get right down to it. you've
got to allow that all our forbears-
yours and mine-were foreigners in
this country"
well, that's too fur back to talk
about" retorted Mrs. Clay with wither-
ing finality. you'd better be on the
lookout fur bad luck"
Mrs. BriscOe seemed to be thinking,
and scarcely to hear the last words.
Its just about fifteen years ago that
girl came to me with that baby. Lisah
was living then, and must say lit
tie thought I'd have to be taking in
sewing, and Shaving for living the
way l have"
"Nobody else did either. Every one
supposed that Ligah BriscOe was a
rich man. 1t was awful queer where
the money went to-"
ut was more than queer" said Mrs.
BriscOe in a creepy, mysterious tone.
"When 'Ligah sold out the store, he
says to me: I'm going to put that
money into bonds. The interest on
'em will be keeping US, while I'm look
ing out for something else And |
SAYS: You'd better take 'em straight
to the bank, and put 'em in a strong
box there And I supposed he had.
'Ligah was awful close-mouthed about
his business, and I never knew just
how much money he had"
"You bet I'd have knOwed," put In
Mrs. Clay with biting decision.
"Mebbe not If you'd had 'Ligah to
deal with. He didn't think 1t was
women's place to NEEDLE with bust
ness. He was dreadful good to me-
and we lived real comfortable, me be-
ing the kind that wasn't always ask
ing for things. Right after he talked
about the bonds, he was took so sud
den with that stroke he couldn't speak
Well, after he died, l supposed the
bonds were in the bank. But they
, never heard of 'em nor nobody else
and that money was never found. II
!, Just sort Of disappeared off the earth
"How mucn was it,"
, "As near as l can reckon, 1t must
, have been about eleven thousand dol
J lars"
\ MY land" cried Mrs. Clay. "Mebbe
, somebody fieeced him.
HE told me they were government
/ bonds and the surest kind"
? Just then slender girl of about
, sixteen entered with her arms full OF
l parcels. She was far from pretty
t Her thin little face was colOrless, ant
her features irregular, but her dark
? hair was thick and shining, and hel
!, large, brown eyes beautiful and ex
q pressive. There was character ant
D distinct personality in every turn Of
!. the thin figure. Mrs. Clay eyed he1
searchingly, then she said without any
preliminaries, and with evident disap
I prevail: you're a foreigner, ain
your
;. "Why, no." answered the girl. :"
was born in this country"
Huh" shifted Mrs. Clay, "you don
look like it!' And with another dis
a approving look, she took her departure
- as it such an awful thing to be {
!. foreignerT asked the girl.
. mo, it amt" said Mrs. Briscoe
a "You needn't mind Mrs. Clay. Sh
a thinks she knows more'n some who'll
g families. But there are times whel
g she don't. That's good match" sh
g went on, holding one of the girls pur
d chases, a spool Of silk, against sam
o pie. "Now hurry up, and get som
q support"
Is Rita's face took on pleased smile
Il and she disappeared into the kitchen
n | II xroc -,,ita uon6arful In har ga