St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-05-24

was startled by the breaking of twig
he thought it only some frightened
hare. The step was very light, indeed
Thus, all unknown to himself, those
calm eyes had pierced through the alb.
| surdly rough husk of cynicism, and
/ saw beneath a kernel OF manhood SO
true, so tender, so pure, that, in hel
heart of hearts, she made q resolve,
which, out of consideration for her,
will leave the reader to surmise.
Ill.
One early autumn MONDAY, John and
Meggy were stumbling slowly down the
road that led to the orchard gate OF
Glen Nook.
AS they approached short turn in
the road, tree that came staggering
from tho ak, and fell with a crash, so
startled the drowsy mare that she
swung swiftly about, hurting her rider
with great violence, to the ground.
The worn and sineWy hands of the
woodman were as gentle as women's,
as they bore the bruised form iuto the
sunny east chamber of the Lester
home.
For days he lay as unconscious be-
meath the snowy counterpart as if it had
been his shroud; but at last the patient
watchers were awarded by twitching
Of the emaciated face and the slow up
lifting of the heavy eyelids.
AS the softened. but still keen eyes
of the invalid peered through the tan
gled sage-brush of eye brows, they
looked into the quiet, speaking depths
of eyes, aglow with at least passion
ate. if not more tender interest.
But, if the eyes gave suspicion of
the hearts secret, the lips did not; for
they only said: spur mon," and this
so coolly that John looked again at the
dark eyes; but they were speaking no
longer.
Now | will not betray the confidence
OF the little woman by disclosing her re-
solve, which almost startled herself;
but | will tell you her strategic plan of
action. It was very simple, /" trivial, -
the reader may say. Merely the subduing
OF his stubborn viii (Which she Justly
impeached as a high-handed tyrant),
and this not so much to her own will as
to his better and truer nature.
Did she succeed Let us see.
You will remember, my dear, for
charity's sake, that he and she, and the
sense OF the proprieties of both were
naively Scotch.
On the morning after his recovery of
consciousness, Jeanie came into his
room and, as she arranged the flowers
OF fresh bouquet she had gathered,
said:
Ye maun tax some parritch, noo."
Maun!' thought John, each sep
arate bristle of his misogyny erect.
~ dinna wush ony parritch,' he
growled.
Dime yep thought Jeanie. II
said ye maun." But she would not ar
que, this little woman. She only said,
with the sweetest air of Difference
. Win We hae it Warrum or eauld?"
81 Wilma"
With a most artless, pre-engaged !
manner she arose, saying:
II guess ye had better hae it war
As the door closed softly behind her,
John buried his head in the pillow,
nuttering: Sic wee bit saucy
3odie.''
Soon the door opened and Jeanne APP
'eared, quietly stirring a dainty bowl Of
parritch y
Turning to the male attendant
Vatty, who did not seem to do much
Use than to sit on the edge of his char
nd bob his weak eyes at the sick man
: she said:
81 eeft the mon up gentle. =
In few moments John found him
elf bolstered upright in bed, with the
ook of protest on his rugged face shad-
Dg almost into one of duplication
Moo tax yer parritch, that's q guild
lon,"
',Ieanie. woman, dinna I tell ye'-
But the bowlWas in his lap, the spoon
q his hand, and she was humming her