St. Landry democrat., 1881-10-08

"Trauny listened to every word,
and when he stopped she dropped be-
fore hin, like dead And in all the
years since you cant get a word but
the words YOU We heard day or words
like them. At first tried to take away
every thing that would remind her OF
Walter, but then she grew wild, and
screamed and cried like she was mad;
and the doctor said I should make her
so, and she must just be let alone.
"Thlrteen years ago. You wonder
I am here, and III tell you how. 1t
had all gone together-all | had or
cared for but Trannv. | took in sew
ing. ! nursed. l did all my hand
could find to do, but what was it? And
then Midnight had rheumatic fever,
and there was nobody to help, for we
were all poor and distressed together
And one day when | sat in the door,
looking at everything gone to ruin, and
wondering who | could 60 to for some
corn-meal to keep us from starving.
this man--I mean Siienus, my husband
came up. He was poor white, its
true, but better than most. and had
had little place, and my husband had
been good to him. And he said, and
tears running down his face:
'.Mrs. Moore. rve watched you an
done what | could; butt reckon now
there amt but one way. You're all
dyin here together, an | can't hev it.
I've got a place just left me up neal
Hamlet an there 5 enough for u, all to
be comfortable: an I've always said
there wasn't lady in North Caro- ina
could come nigh YOU nor Miss tyranny;
an feel SO now Marry me an you
sha mt be troubled by me. l don't
want nothin' but to take care O you,
an make things easier. | ain t voul
ekal-I dom look to be-but reckon
| kin keep you comfortable
1T didn't seem to make any differ
ence | was stupid with trouble, and
the next day l married him. He's a
common man, and [ was raised u lady.
He drinks too much-you can see it
plain--but there isn't 4 gentleman in
Virginia there isn't one in all the
South-that could be kinder or more
faithful All my old life is dead. am
content here. He made this place for
tyranny. He's always hoping she IL
come out of it, and ALWAYS planning
some way to bring her out. He said
this morning you looked sonehow as il
YOU could do somethin', an I'd better
take YOU in. But you can t. No one
can but God, and His time seems slow.
But | can wait. We are all going home
together some time-His time.
! A whistle sounded
Train readv!n a brakeman shouted.
! In moment the deep sun bonnet hid
the tears that had slowly gathered and
fallen She bent over Tranny for an
instant, then opened the door and we
passed out without word.
s. If you're ever this way again. 81
lenus said, ''you must stop and see u.s.
Mrs. Moore, she'll be glad"
Twelve years wife though she might
be, the old title was still in force. ST.
lenus' face had gained new dignity. l
could not smile. With the faint scent
of the orange blossoms still about us |
j turned away, looking for q moment, as
the train steamed slowly of, at the low
house hidden soon from sight, and Won
dering if any story as tragic lay shut in
between the narrow walls OF other
| homes all about.
Any life. no matter how common
place, holds its pathos and power, the
soul in it making it forever infinitely
precious, but for the most the story re-
mains untold, the soul meantime all ig-
norant of its own meaning and OF life;
and SO Silenus, lost in the North Caro-
lima woods, and dragging through the
long days in which small incident will
ever come, will hardly know, on this
side, his own quality, though quite
fixed, once for all, as to that OF the
women for whom he cares. Christian