St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-04-19

| for matrimony; he remembered that he
had spent forty excellent years with
out wife, and, notwithstanding that
he was now widower, he could not
1 conscientiously say that he felt his state
to be SO very unhappy.
Susan the cook, respectable and staid,
would, he felt sure, manage his house
hold properly. and if it proved that she
should give way to extravagance, as
people seemed to say, Mr.. Binney fan
| cied be could better put up with that
evil than with too much of the econo-
my from which he had suffered already.
So all the hopes that on the death of
Mrs. Binney, Joe and Sally and the
Brendons had cherished for Miss Bright
were ruthIessly dashed to the ground.
Evidently Aunt B. was not 10 have a
successor.
'.If we could but have got her there
as housekeeper, said two of these
arch-conspirators, ''the rest would have
been easy But though they returned
to the attack several times, no good
came of il. Mr.. Binney shared in their
regret at the loss of Miss Bright's pu-
pills, wondered as they did what would
become her, and, his visitors gone, to
make his sympathy apparent, he sat
down and wrote kind little note with
a check for 910 folded within it.
tHe's an old stupid, = said Sally. sand
now she is going away altogether, ever
so far for Miss Bright had had an
other piece of news to tell. An old pu-
pill of early days had been recently left
| awidow; her health was as delicate as
| her heart was kind, and when she made
| the proposition that Miss Bright should
come and spend the remainder of her
days with her it was not entirely of her
own comfort she had been thinking.
Miss Bright had readily accepted her
offer, and she had written to tell Sally
that the next week she should come up
| and see them.
| She could only stay few hours with
them when she came. The farewell
visit was to be paid later. e'But 1 think, y
she said as she was going,''I win call
on my way home and say goodbye to
Mr.. Binney in case mightn not have an
other opportunity. =
3d., said Sally, and away she
went.
Mr.. Binney was at home He had
not been quite well lately; nothing
more than a cold, but it had kept him
a prisoner. To-day he might have
gone out, but he had not felt inclined
to, end he gallantly said he was glad to
be il, as he should have been sorry in
deed to have missed seeing Miss
Bright.
''And so you are really going to leave
u.s." he said, and almost regretfully,
too. ''Well, you will be very much
missed. don't know what the Bren-
dons' will do.
They will not miss me more than I
shall them,' ard the brave little
woman made an effort that her voice
should not sound shaky; ''but you know,
Mr.. Binney, am not growing younger,
NO" he said. ''That is true. Twas
saying the same to myself Of myself
only to-day
Eyes, only with men it does not seem
to matter, but with women the thought |
always comes with little shudder. that |
when we get old and want quiet and
rest and a comfortable armchair by the
fire there is doubt whether we shall be /
able to get Them
Mr.. Binney did not answer. and fear
ing she was saying too much about her
own feelings she altered her tone, which |
had been little sad, and went on in her
usual cheerful way: 'sBut then / ought /
to feel SO thankful that this opening
has been made for me- told them that /
| knew something would come; it has
always done 50; | have always been so
lucky.
Its your happy disposition makes
you say SO, my dear Miss Bright; a
cheerful spirit shortens the longest day.
I wish I could follow your example. I
often feel condemned at nv want OF
contentment-ef gratitude, I ought TO
say"
But that Miss Bright would not al
low; she reminded Mr.. Binney of the
many kind actions he had done, and in
her own quiet way thanked him for the
thoughtful present he had sent to her.
No, no, no, now you must not speak
OF that, Mr.. Binney hastily interrupt
ed her; and to give turn to the con-
versation he said she 'tmust have some
tea" and ringing to order il, he hoped
she couldstay,
Well, yes, she. thought she could
spare time for that indeed, to be plain,
She was not in such very great hurry. T
The fact had been that Joe had an un-
holiday; and she saw that, only
Tor her being there. he had come home
% go out somewhere with Sally.
so hope the little fib I told will be |
forgiven me, for when said that was
wanted at home, although it was quite /
rue perhaps, need not but for that ]
nave left quite SO early. But it was so
nee OF Joe to come home. I do love to {