St. Landry democrat., 1884-10-04
NO TRESPASsING

It was painted in very black letters
On a very white board. He who ran
could read, and Ruth Bennett was only
walking very fast when she came on it.
But she knew it by heart already. For
the last month she had read it every
day, and every day meekly turned into
the dusty road and made the long de-
tour needed to get past Mr.. Hale 8
grounds and into his next neighbor' s..
Five minutes walk through that beau
-tifuI park would have brought her to
Mrs. Alexander's hedge, and saved q
modicum of strength and temper sorely
needed for her trials as day gOVerness
to the three little Alexanders. But she
had never ventured on the liberty,
though she had wanted to every day,
and the impulse had grown greater
since she had asked Mrs. Alexander il
was cutie impossible.
.'There's never soul about, and it 8
an eighth of mile certainly to the
house. I don't believe any ono would
ever see me, and if they did, I could
tell them I was your goVerness. For
it seemed to the young girl sufficient
distinction to be that to Mrs. Rufus
Alexander, leading lady of the pretty
town where her summer home was To-
Gated.
al would not venture if were you, :"
Mrs. Alexander answered, kindly. She
was always kind to her governesses,
despite her wealth and her MayHower
blood, and she had special liking for
for this bright-faced, eager girl. "Mr.
Hale is very particular. He is new
conner here, and disposed to make every
one respect his rights. 1t had been
on the lady's lips to call him paryenu
but she would not throw scorn at her
neighbor before her governess.
"Why, Miss Bennett, Harry Alex
sander had added, as she turned away,
''do you know that last summer his
gardener ordered my mother off the
grounds? Of course Mr.. Hale excused
it afterward- --said the man had his or
ders to make no discrimination; but
fancy-1ny mothern' and HarrY's &C
cent was more than the words.
Little Miss Bennett bowed her head
before the rights of a good democrat
who had made all his money in the last
twenty years, and was therefore more
saristocratic and exclusive than an En-
glish nobleman would have been with
respect to his possessions. Half the
village would have been grateful had
Mr.. Hale allowed foot-path to tray
,erse his splendid park; but Of course an
American can not make concessions to
the lower classes, and he stood on his
rights and dignities. But to-day Ruth
paused. She was late for her lessons
Il 4, ~, Inct
es to the pretty new dress she wore,
and there was a thunderstorm coming.
Should she run the risk of offending
Mrs. Alexander and spelling her dress,
or should she trespass? No one was in
sight as she looked about, and a near
,er roll Of thunder helped her to de-
,cision. She stepped through the little
gate which all these days had Knocked
her with its invitation to forbidden
ground, and hurried across the lawn,
In the distance she could see the state
" house, the leaping fountains anC
bright flowers. She kept her eye or
that, fearing some servant on the
watch. She never looked the othe1
way, and so, when step suddenly came
beside her, she started in conscience
smitten guilt.
'.Are You aware, madam" clear-cu
voice caid, ''that you are on private
grounds?''
She looked up. A stout, bald mar
stood beside her, q man whom her pro
phetic soul assured her was Mr.. Hale
He had deigned to touch his hat, bu
not out of respect for her, she was sure
He saluted rather his own dignity anc
sense of the proprieties. He had
pompous air, as of one who feared hi
simple personality was not impressive
enough, and the neat perfection of hi