The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-01-25


tlen never seen one MloiF' lily
tnend
ne HrlVer LOOKS S"lkS ht put ni3
broad hand up to screen his eyes amt
takes long look at the strangely NOV
ing oblect.
Ma Iol, 1t IS then woman WhO mas
the nature OF a crab; She walks WITH
one sue only.
WI hen does tins Volture start 10r y
-| says voice ,,.,.
lhe driver starts and takes OH ms
hat to an unmstakable kngllShmah; ne
has spoken those few words WIN very
little accent, 1t IS true, but then there j.
no mlstakIng the kngllSh aspect OF ms
tace, his figure; al!d the DaGga&" Whlch
4 gamln Is Wlleenhg up. Ill Il p'CfF""
from shady street opposite
lmneG!atel%' ~ SleuI-lt lhe ser
wee OF m Slclr.' llere the dllEer pulls
OF ms hat agalll'
Ihe kngllSiman Is Il pleaSantI,Io looking
man about tMrty years oId' WIN d mas
SlVG and yet hlSh forehead, a severe ere
straight nose, anu earnest; ueell,Set "i"H
eyes; ltdoes not signify about the shape
OF the mouth Wheh one wears S9'cil II
long taM1ty heard as t3iS Mr' Martin
does: For his name IS Mmtlh-7Martln
tmg-b0X' ana Martin ON an"thGr clalnpe'l
books or plate. >.
He stands and sees ms baggage DIS
posed OF With quiet detcrmlnAtlon ne
does not worry or Midget, put lie cheeks
the reckless h4n0llng OF me gamln ana
the lelSlIrely daWdIlng OF the conduct
or:
The driver meantme gives look To
his horses, ana then before ne mounts
his high perch he glances up the road
to see what has become OF the 0Id Wo-
man. Beh0ld her! very rcd Ill the lace
as much tace as can 6c seen under Il
yellow kercmet-.Panung and gaSpln2
for breath, but with Il cherry smile OF
gladneSs round her parted lips, c0urte-
sylng close beside INN. -.
- what IS 1t then' my mother -
1t Is as the driver has SAD; the Olo
woman moves her right side near t.
him, and draws the other side after 1t
with an effort.
B0nlOur, N Sl0r. You go TO w.
Is 1t not SO?
But yes, my mother, the letters arc
painted pa large enQaugn. ne e,,Ie PolInts ot &c
the lnSCnptlOn III naming scarlet letters
on the black body of the yoiture.
+ NJ sleur, am the mother OF jacques
OurJac2quees-Who has been badlyWound
ed III the last battle. G0l know,
there has been perhaps another battle
since. have tlayele4 Tor tour days
m'sleur,, from !rOcllu, nave no money
to. spend on VO!tIlres but L nave tins
m Sleur' II II VIII pay tOr my journey L
O-;,Tr ~, She holds up a halt-1ran'
piece. me QrlVer, scratches MS noad
|
and a half Tor the coupe, ma mere.
Here he pauses and looks at the ben
mother OF jacques she looks up at nm
Her tace Is stili RED. Inc blaze on
mas been scorched theFeon Dy, miles o
toll along the barren ROAD. She cannO
turn pale. She does not cry or SOD, bll
Il sudden drop spreads over the Whol
cOuntChahce the GHeGFy me tnat i;ll
SpaIkllnS III those dark OIu eyes mas 0e
parted. -. =.
Inc Ehglsl1m2n hStehS 2ttenqEely
Beng q man, ne hstens q. the END.
BUT my gOOd mother," says the uIlV
Gr,, you may not thlnk II 10 LOOK az me
but TOO nave son nShClhS th0Se ac
curscq FTuSslahS' anu Ior my son sax
| you slla,I rue part OF Iie way I
o.
lie opens the door OF the lnterIe;u1
Coachcr'' thG EnglISilman, touchc
INN on tne shoulder, take the coup
tor myself, anu TINS gooq woman ca
travel with me. prefer her company.
Ilus last III answer TO a Shrug OF dep
reGauOn ;;1 ff0m inc drIVer;; j.,
Inc c0nductor opens the door OF Tn
coupe. Inc Engllshman takes or III
nat 10 tne courtesylng olq woman, an
waits till sue takes her place. Then ~ b
gets, Ill the drlVeT mounts the box IN
conductor waves ms nand toward IN IN
shop-WlndoW OF Mule SOPHIE. III
Vo!turc lurc1eS, creaks, ana WITH niue
nolSe OF raCtIln& over the round stone
OF the place ana an occasional crack G
the DRYERS whip mlngllng with III
sharp adJtlratl0nS to MS horscs' the Xt
two country roads.
Has your son been long in the army
The Engllshman has settled hmse
comfortably IN ms corner, and there
plenty room tor the mOther or Jacqut
to follow ms example, but she sits Q
the edge OF the cushioned seat as if ST
were unused to luXurles. 1t may b
, that her heart is too full to be able
think Of comfort, or aught relating
self.
She turns round and looks at he
questioner; her eyes glisten while |
speaks: but no, m'sleur, he is m
, Youngest, and he has said-my Jacque
did-that he will never leave his mott
er. But what will you? he was all
had to give, and when this war came
was not likely he would he passed owe
J He is a fine boy, m'sleur, is my Jacque
ah,. and SO were the Othersw 81
) sighed and broke off abruptly"
; "Have you other children? There
patient sweetness in the wrinkle
: face, such ,ming!ling OF sorrow al
5 hope in the glistening dark eyes, tn
) the Englishman is stirred out OF h
10 fT,T1y vCAl