The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1917-04-19
se2eSSse. nv ". G. Chapman.)

s~,Ss,. by W. G. Chapman1
-. core !" exclaimed Bessie
J oO' With bitter emphasis; I've
i'r.s ss nike a slave, and done the pes.
s0is ''S to keep up the interest on that
IOuId IA ~ mortgage, and just because
lOInS -, 80 get III and lose that TWO
! s % and N can't come right up to . the
see. ..s With the money we get ,hLS
sralI tnIe letter from that old skin
sntl' so,,ohIv nrctty. with
.,'ssp slInts in her hair and blue ni eyes
s.s .s and deeply shaded they always
so .a one of spring yiOiets hidden
rn,D' .-oss So when she gave vent
D y. ,.;eyance the rest of the family
y Lshlv sympathized. The family
D a.ossted solely of her mother, h tp
e ssr sister Jane and herself. In
F ~ so.e they seemed to have very
W W. grounds for sympathy BESSIE
~ hookkeeper in a mercantile
:" n the small town and the bread
I've S..s, of the family. Jane, just OUT
. !. ,ss grammar school, was learning
y =. mIliIpery trade, and beginning 10
little. while the mother kept
:. name. sewed. mended and did the
.s'usaud.and-one things that unseIh'h
-, do. but which are never
s..,sa m TO their account. George
S-,ssep. the husband and father had
..r.y,sd this life about three years
S ..sr,ously. leaving nothing much but
handsome gold watch and diamond
..rds which had been sold by the
,dOv TO pay the Doctors bill and fu-
-, s,penses. The deceased had In
=. ,outh sown a too-plenuful crop OF
,n oats which had estranged him
..n nj, elder brother Jared and had
s0ls,ed his energies TO the extent OF
r,ber uniting him for efficient serv-
!. IN the battle of life. True. he
.ned bis salary, but he never got a
,l.e and the mortgage which his
mother held on the little home had
pyer been paid of. Jared Turkeen
Ma always been referred to by the
,unser brother as that old screw"
.uIser," or "skinfint," and the fact
ma, he took interest on his mortgage
As almost a criminal proceeding. so 1t
ms NOT strange that the family had
oue TO regard him as grasping, inhu-
nan monster. He did not attend his
kvthers wedding, and had lived in
luxrala much of the time, so Mrs.
fvrseen and the daughters had never
sen him. She had written 10 the law
ws Office where the interest was sent,
md informed Mr.. Jared Turkeen of his
kvthers death, but had never received
much as the courtesy of reply, so
4 vas not strange that there seemed
bbe good and sufficient grounds for
be unpleasant reputation of the terri
Ne Nj. Turkeen.
After Bessie had given vent to the
emphatic protest with which this story
gens little Mrs. Turkeen looked up
hun her sewing In q troubled, help
In way.
Tdont know what we're to do, I'm
afs' she sighed.
Suppose you write and explain
Anr to him." ventured Jane.
YES, lot Of good that would do,
When he wouldn't even answer moth
ss letter about his own brothers
dath." retorted Bessie.
Well, suppose the next thing he'll
uk In on US, and foreclose," said
Jane.
Perhaps added the mother, in the
sne helpless way.
In always seeing him coming in"
vent on Jane; "a great, fat, pompOus
li1ie with red face and new clothes"
And q hard mouth, and whiskers,
mo creaky shoes and q cane" added
ne elder sister. "Yes, dream of him,
in wake up so glad 1t isn't so. oh.
wish somebody would deliver us from
Uncle Turkeen."
\ suppose" yentured Jane, rather
uadS Tom would help make out
ae payment If we'd ask him."
VI course. But do you suppose I'd
nm know? Not on your life I"
Bessie spoke with heat and finality.
we hao been engaged to Tom Barrett
" some months, but as he was only
ueik ID the house where she was
lpoyed, they were both waiting for
Nae' financial conditions before mar
qMs Barrett was an industrious,
NssO'e young fellow, well liked by his
rV!ers, and very much in love with
@ pretty bookkeeper.
M outlook for the three women
- certainly rather gloomy, when to
lie Ae matters worse, a strange man,
-. - ne prototype Of james night
s came to the front gate. He took
! 'aa survey of the house, then came
s@ the door.
% e saw him from the window.
n. NJ Gomez she cried.
.r mats eomer asked her mother.
ma mat old beast, Turkeenr
0'Aer two women started up in