The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1922-05-06

1
| ut-they-they'll come if"
NO, they won't come. We've tried
II over an over again; you know we
save. Hannah Jane herself said that
If anythin' serious came up it would
be dif'rent. Well, I'm goin' ter have
somethin serious come upl"
| But. Harriet"
| Now, Thaddeus," begged the woman
almost crying, you must help me. dear
I've thought II all out. an it's easy as
can be. / shan't tell any lies. of course
! cut my finger today. didn't IT,
"Why-yes-I believe So" he nc
knowleged dazedly; but what has
| that to do"
That's the accident Thaddeus.
You're ter send two kilograms ut once
one ter Jehiel. an one ter Hannah
Jane. The kilograms will say: Acct
dent to your mother. Funeral Satvr-
day afternoon. Come Mt once That's
jest ten words"
Now, that's all true. amt it?" she
asked anxiously. "The accident Is this
cut. The 'fun'ral' Is old Mis- Went
worth's, ! heard terday that they
couldn't have 1t until Saturday. so
that'll give us plenty of time ter get
the folks here. | needn't say whose
fun'ral IT is that's goin' ter be on Sat
urday, Thaddeus want yer ter hitch
M an drive over ter Hopkinsvlle ter
send the kilograms. The mans new
over there. an won't know yer. You
couldn't send 'em from here, of
course
Thaddeus Clayton never knew Just
how he allowed himself to be per-
suaded to take his part in this "crazy
scheme" as he termed 1t, but per-
suaded he certainly was.
It was a miserable time for Thad-
deus. then. First, there was TINT hur-
ried drive to Hopkinsville Though
the day was warm he fairly shivered
rs he handed those two fateful tele-
Then there was the homeward trip,
during which, like the guilty thing he
was. he cast furtive gances from side
to side.
Even home itself came to he mis-
cry. for the sweeping and the busting
and the baking and the brewing which
he encountered there left him no place
to call his own, so that he lost his pa
thence Mt last and moaned:
Seems ter me. Harriet, you're a
pretty lively corpse"
His wife smiled, and flushed a little.
There, there, dear! Don't fret.
Jest think how glad we'll be ter see
'em J" she exclaimed.
Harriet was blissfully happy. Both
the children had promptly responded
to the kilograms, and were now on
their way. Hannah Jane, with her
husband and two children. were ex-
pected on Friday evening; but Jehiel
and his wife and boy could not possibly
get In until early on the following
All this brought scant Joy to Thad-
deus. There was always hanging over
him the dread horror Of what he had
done, and the fearful questioning as
to how it was all going to end.
Friday came, hut telegram Mt the
last moment told Of trains delayed and
missed. Hannah would
not reach home until $40 the next
So it was with four-seated
rarryall that Thaddeus Clayton started
For the station on Saturday morning to
meet both Of his children and their
The ride home was silent one;
nut once inside the house, Jehlel and
Jane, amid storm Of sobs
and cries, besieged their father with
questions
The family were all in the darkened
sitting room-all indeed. save Harriet,
who sat in solitary state in the cham.
Der above, her face pale and her heart |
beating almost to suffocation. It had
been arranged that she was not to be
seen until some sort Of explanation
rad been given.
Father, what was it7' sobbed Han
,ah Jane. "How did It happenw
1T must have been so sudden" fall |
erred Jehiel. 1T cut me up COM
,letely."
II can't ever forgive myself"
noaned Hannah Jane Historically.
She wanted us to come East, and I |
Twas my selfishness-'twas
.asier to stay where I was and now
low"
"We'be been brutes, rather" cut in
Tehiel, with shake in his voice; "all
# us. / never thought never
can-can we see
lerr'
In the chamber above, woman
prang to her feet. Harriet had quite
orgotten the stove-pipe hole to the
DOM below, and every sob and moan
nd wailing cry had been woofully dis
met to her ears. With streaming eyes
nd quivering lips she hurried down
he stairs and threw open the sitting
DOM door.
"Jehiell Hannah Jane! I'm here,
light here-alive !" she cried. can
we been a wicked. wicked woman!
ever thought how bad I was goin ter
make you feel. l truly never, never
i'd. Twas only myself wanted yer
o. Oh. children. children. I've been
o wicked--so awful wickedl'
Jehiel and Hannah Jane were steady
{ head and strong Of heart, and JOY,
is said, never kills; otherwise, the