The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1874-01-07

me- u and best of women,
whom I loved 9d1te as we'll as I could
have done my Own Notwithstanding at
the yard-gate. Through the dusk, I
could see that a ragged, uncleanly-look-
ing old fellow was at the gate, and [
could hear their conversation. He was
asking the privilege of staying all night,
and she was evidently hesitating, I
knew why she was doing so. Within
twenty-four hours our home would be
full of visitors, attracted by the wedding
and Christmas festivities; and how
could she allow that uncleanly tramp to
contaminate one of her snowy white
and immaculate beds-perhaps infect
whole chamber.
I heard that doubt in her voice, and [
echoed it-God forgive me! I was SO
much younger then, aud so much less
aware Of the scares which crimes and
follies make on our natures as well as
our lives Sometimes I think our love
and our happiness make us for the mo-
ment harder and more selfish, just as at
other moments they soften and refine
us. was so happy, just then, I think,
that the world was nothing to me.
Above all, wanted no strangers, and
certainly no dirty strangers, mingllng
with the family and nay great Joy.
The man was pleading even after the
refusal, to be allowed to stay and I
heard him, in voice that sounded
foreign and eutlandish, though he was
speaking good English enough, saying
| something about "Holdane.
"Pshaw neither, you have debated
long enough with that old straggler !"
7 said. Gle knows about Holdane,
and no doubt can easily find his way
there. Send him on, and come in out
| Of the cold, with your bare head and no
{" d man, you hear what
nv US my mother, thus
go weakened, by my
anythina =
. IN the barn p
/ snssaz = unfortunate recol-
Iaetion session of me. Twice,
vitl,in eeding winter, some
neighf,ors n had been burned,
through FIRE alleged to have been acci-
dentallv communicated by old tramps
and beagars, who had taken up their
lodeings In barns, and there, as sup
posed, lighted their dangerous pipes
though. of course, no one really knew
bnt that either of the fires had occurred
otherwise. However, at this suggestion,
| T took the matter into my own hands,
thinking, at the moment, that my father
would not allow such a thing.
"No. old man." said, "you cannot
sleep in the barn. You have heard
what my mother said; We have no room
for YOU, Go on, before it gets later
and colder.
The old fellow turned and went his
wav: but I remember catching glimpse
Of his atmost white hair, by the light
from t.ie house window, and hearing
him say, as he wrapped his poor clothes
abou ra
"si cold
q, = since, except
that safz 0 to punish, or that
| He had other and heavier penalties for
me, wly 1 was never struck dead at the
p,onHqt or that gross act Of cruelty. ]
only d " that 1 allowed him to go
away ani that I dimly saw his tattered
ragsA lsappaar against the white snow
up the hi I'd leading to Holdane,
(which pla sast do myself the Jus
lee to say. at I had at the moment nc
doubt of his reaching, the hour being
soaearly.
r. sfs.n-moth' ed the house, as
-, move and I followed
rafoens a scarcely been
rninutas She said, looking
her own and, troubled way
Lkl,r ~va dir
IS et letting the poor ole
Tiso knows what may hap
i 1nswered, "think Q