The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1920-12-11
and the big day going! It was
enough to make a man restless.

and the big day going! It was
enough to make a man restless.
The forenoon was nearly gone when,
through the trees up the river, he
caught the bright CLINT of the sun upon
oar blades. Even at that distance he
knew the craft-Louie Solomon's long,
white six-oared skiff.
Broom in hand. the Pearlhunter was
making a prodigious dust and clatter
among the chairs and boxes when the
pearl buyer, short and pudgy-Jew
from his shrewd eyes to his fat feet
stepped before the door.
House cleaning, hain'dt it?"
"Oh, just digging myself out"
Standing his broom against the wall.
he stepped outside. He knew Louie
Solomon wefl-whar pearl fisher did
not land Louie Solomon knew him.
| Like two wrestlers on the mat the two
| stood looking each other over-a man
| that wanted to sell something; man
| that wanted to buy it-with the odds
| on the one that could put up the big
| gest bluff. The world could be halved
| just there.
| "Cup by de shpring"
"A gourd."
The two went around the west end
| of the cabin and back to where the
spring boiled out from beneath the
foot of the cliffs. The Jew dipped up
| a gourdful and drank so deep that the
| Pearlhunter knew it was no honest
thirst he quenched. The bar Of the
| Mud Hen was famous along the Wa
| bash.
"Himmel! Dot shpring! Not once
pass Fallen Rock don't shtop undt
drink i'm. I'm campin' here tonight.
I'm last night campin' here, but we
shtruck town late, undt got in mid de
| Boss undt lot Of pearl fishers. Undt
dis morning" He threw up his pudgy
hands, the Jews exclamation point
when words fail. Zach Himmel, de
headt! Undt pokerl All poker play
ers vot see, he's de schlick one!"
1.-THE BossY
"Bossi He don't can see last night
| DE candle. Dot timber buyer. / don't
met him before. Poker! From $23 ne
trim mel"
The eyes of the Pearlhunter drew
together.
Timber! What was he like"
"Oh, so high like your shoulder" ne
said. Light hair, blue eyes-undt
hell on cussin'."
did he wear fancy vest3"
"You know him3"
"Tve seen him."
The pearl buyer took of his hat and
wiped his sleeve across his brow.
II tell him Tn tonight campin' here.
He say mebbe he come down undt GIN
me chance to get 1t back, my $23."
| The Pearlhunter's eyes were still
drawn and thoughtful, though'he made
no comment, but led the way back to
the front of the cabin, as though ne
believed his companion had merely
come ND the hill for drink at the
spring and would now go back to his
skiff. It completely deceived Louie Sol
ONION. for all his craftiness. But, OF
course. he had no means OF knowing
the message the Boss had shouted up
from the boat the night before.
The Pearlhunter stepped inside the
door and picked up his broom. Out OF
the little end Of his eye he saw the
Jew watching him. He made a swipe
with the broom as If to go on with his
sweeping. 1t was close grapple OF
wits. But the lure Of the pearl was
too much for Louie Solomon. he had
to come to 1t at last; and he had to
come square. Taking of his hat, he
looked back over his shoulder and
again drew his sleeve across his brow
i aTm hearin' you picked up blue
one"
The Pearlhunter leaned his broom
against the table and came out upon
the door step.
"Who was telling you?"
"Oh, dey talk. You sell him?"
IF get my price"
Elbow much you want 1t?
give thousand"
The little Jew almost fell over. His
fat hands punched the air full Of ex
clamation points.
"Five t'ousan'i Himmel! You pear
fishers ISIS all alike-all crazy"
"That's my price,"
He stepped back inside the door and
n reached for his broom. The othel
hoped across the door sill and caught
| his arm.
.Himmel! Let 1t go dot broom!
look at your pearl. You should JUMP
in de boat, undt we look him over al
DE bank. But I know he turn out like
DE rest-wort' mebbe five hundred
mebbe no. You pearl fishers ISIS al
crazy. Himmel!"
The Pearlhunter followed In silence
He did not ask how the other knew
the Blue Moon was In the bank, know
ing what river men were when drinl
had loosed their tongues. After day.
and weeks at the clam rakes and thu
mucky watts, with little more than al
occasional grunt between them, thre'
fingers of squirrel" whisky would Sc
their tongues bobbing like cork in {
suck hole.
Louie Solomon carried three rover!
: L