The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1875-01-22

all tben, turning quietly around, he walk
,re oslt.
lis "What do you think Of them ?"
lis a&ked rather anxiously, as I followe
Oh hsm to the door.
nd Wouldn't suit" said he, and SO
he went away. was little put out, 20
lis MAY be sure
I'd S"Ill take my corporal oath OF that,
te remarked I.
D. i"But not SO much as you think
Ig either, sir" said NY landlady, "for
y cbuld not help feeling sorry for him
But yet I own, when at the very sam
hpur the first day of the next ye-"
s"New Years, next year u
icon the very day, hour, minute
n second, the same knock, the same looI
t i4 my face, the same inspection of The
d room, the same gaze at the young lady'e
], cpair, and the same answer Wouldn't
9 sait' The next year.
t s"My dear madam how long is that
aso?"
=" Well matter of twenty years. -
? II was glad it was no worse, for mis-
. giving had come over me, and my i'm
| aSination was losing itself in the dis
t$nce of the past.
"The next year," continued my land
lady, and the next, and the next, and
TIE next, and the next, was as like as
cauld be. Sometimes the parlor was
lES; bat it was always just the same
be would see it, as it might do for an
osher time ; and the dodgers being out
hS did see it, and still it wouldn't suit.
At last one New Years happ ened t
hp out myself, not thinking it was the
ypung mans hour, and my as the
thought struck me when coming home,
IL gave me such turn I felt as if I
hadn't done right. But it was of no
Consequence to him; he only stared
tFice as long when the door opened and
ha saw strange face. But he went in |
agl the same, looked at everything, as
uSual-' wouldn't suitl' At all these |
visits of inspection his stay was always
o. the same length of time to minute,
apd when he went away found-for I
dSsd watch him onee-he went straight
tp the railroad depot.
I" Well, sir, you may think, as years
rplled on, that saw some difference in
the young mans appearance. But be
didn't grow a bit older. His hair
changed, but his face was like granite
ssone. His pace became slower; but
fSr that, he only came the sooner, SO
tAat he might have the same time to
lpok and get back to the depot for the
rsext train.
Then he seemed to tremble little
u his walk, but he had now cane to /
Heep him stiff and upright; and he still |
lpoked as if he was a-measuring the |
Pavement, only taking more pains about c
il. Icannot think what it was that made '
isle care SO much about that old young r
flan, for ! never in my life exchanged b
faore words with him than you have t
Eeard. But once when the clock was v
Issst, and he hadn't made his appearance I
It the hour, sat quaking in my chair Il
Ssnd growing SO nervous felt as If L Il
should fly, and when the knock came I d
sbarted up with scream. But this b
gas after We had been we'll nigh score Il
# years accustomed to each other. b
Earlier I was sometimes cross that Of
sas when we hardly had any lodgers, Il
ind the parlor never would suit. But
3 was all one to him. He didn't mind
ne pin-not even when, being in
'articularly good humor, asked him :,
o stay and share my not very sumptu- = 2,
'us dinner. He just looks as usual, as !
there was nobody in the world but
imself. was SO nettled that thought !,
i repeating the invitation and point !,
ng to the young ladies chair but ii .,
7as bad thought, and am glad now .,
hat kept it down. He grew more
nd more intirm until, at last, one New il
ears he came and went in carriage, a1
lthongh he would not make use of the -,
oachee's arm either in getting in or
ut. I had q sore heart and dim eye or
boxing arter him. Ii
The next year, you may be sure, /
Tas at my post as usual but when he sic
anne near the house, 7 Was SO fgety M
nd nervous that could not sit down, as
ut kept going from the parler window
the door, and looking at the clock. wi
The clock struck and there was no in,
mock. Poor old young mani In ten jul
linutes more there was the postmans i'm
mock, and 7 took the letter he gave me fri
ito the pafIor -slow and desolate like.
he girl was ont ne had hardly any do
'dgers things Rero very blue indeed; tai
If dinner was almost failure; / was sh,
re cast down. But business is bus
ess, and / opened the letter, which bu
rs no doubt about the apartments, for tal
never got any other kind? q /
g This time It was from country at
rney, telling me OF that death and ct
ause in the viii leaving two thousand me
liars to me. for my trouble in show
& the lodgings that wouldn't suit. ] PEI
Il you was took all of heap. The yo1
lole twenty years seemed TO be upon pal
7 brain. The yonng mantle young
ay--the meeting be couldn't stand tie
II