The Brookhaven leader., 1885-11-05
DROWNED.

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New Orleans Times-D mscrst from Baissacl
Fifty dollars month Is not much OF
q salary; but I had arrived only fort
night before, and had no acquaintances
In the countryi therefore could not
presume to ask for better terms My
two pupils, M. Rabut assured me, were
worry well-behaSe6 children; the girl
was just 10, already young lady; and
the 1O-year old boy was equally apt at
study. After sll I was only required to
give five hours day to tea hing; the
rest OF my time was altogether my own,
to be devoted either TO work or sleep, as
/ pleased. "And, remember" he said,
s.your pavilion Is at such q distance
from the family residence that you can
feel perfectly at home there and per-
fectly quiet. OF course everybody will
treat you with the consideration due to
your position In the household. You
will observe that my poor old mothers
head Is little weak; bat she Is the
kindcst Of sonls" .ss.ss
accept the situation.
0mbreville Is situated on tho heights
of Moka. The mule itself walked quite
cautiously up the ascents, and as was
careful to keep the animal at a walk on
the descents also. came TO the con :iu-
sion that might just as well walk. /
got down. Without troubling himself
further about my wishes, the black who
guided the vehicle soon began to urge
his snimal rapidly along the road,
which made a sharp turn at the bottom
of q long, steep slope. When reached
the turn both vehicle and negro had
disappeared; was all alone. reck-
oned that there was scarcely another
league to travel; and 1t was not quite
o'clock, would be able to be in time
for breakfast. +. -. =, f.s -.
IL was In April. A threatening storm
had been growing ell the day before on
the other side.of Le Pouce summit; on
either side Of the road the trees,
drenched in torrential rain, shook down
showers Of water from the leaves with
every breath Of wind, the water OF tho
bitches to right and left ran with loud
murmur under the shadow OF the high
grass; the air was fresh and all impreg-
mated with sweet smells: the sun still
hung at the edge Of the forest curtain;
II was q delight to walk. From the
bottom OF my heart thanked the In
teiligent black who had imposed this
pleasure upon me, and continued on
my way. s
AS walked on I began TO dream.
reserve for met had not como to II
with any idea Of making fortune
(although q young man OF s5, had ac-
quired enough common sense 10 save
me from such Illusions, but only to earn
o good living, and to lay by enough 70
enable me, when an old man, to return
to Franco and sleep at last under the
shadow of my own village spire.
Meanwhile, after half an hours walk,
/ had reached O point at which three
different roads forked of from the main
one One of them, knew, usust lead
to Ombreyille, but which, I invoked
the Triple Hecate. sat down upon q
rock, and waited.
A negro, passing on the run. pointed
out to me which road to take. Soon l
oaught sight of. tho lofty chimney of the
sugar mjll--then the house itself,
buried In thick grove Of mango-trees;
and as feared being late, quiekened
my step. Under the yerandah, already
crowded, / saw people rushing back and
forward-running and no one noticed
me- rs assembled the front steps except
big fat negress crouching at the en-
trance, who sobbed and cried with re-
Hewed despair nc my coming. There,
ON sofa, at full length, lay a young
girl, almost child Her long bright
hair, all streaming with water, fell over
the back of the sofa, and had dripped
upon the verandah until q little pool had
formed upen the flags She was
whittier than piece OF marble; the vio-
lets of death were on her compressed
lips: her lifeless arms lay rigidly straight
by her side; and NJ. Rabut, on his knees
beside her, was kissing one OF her
hands 20
Drowned, my dear sir, she got
drowned, said good old lady OF about
90 years of age. who came 70 me, hold
ing ont her hand in the friendliest man
ner imaginable. .sBut you must have
walked here;a sho continued you must
be tired; of course you will take some
thingl Myrtiii"
'sMamma. oh. mammal exclaimed NJ.
Rabut, raising his head. on see. be
said to me with sob. '.you see she was
bathing; the river suddenly rose, and
His head fell forward again over the
little white hand, to which his lips
'dyrtil. Myrtils' again cried the good
lady, "bring glass Of Madeira TO the
gentleman. Or perhaps you would pre-
fer something else"
questioned the family. The girl had
not been twenty minutes under water.
And yes they had done nothing had
not even tried TO do ANYTHING.
gave my orders briefly; they were
They had laid her on her back. I
lifted her head GO that it leaned side
ways on the left. Her teeth were
clenched. How cold her lips seemed
when 1 pressed my own upon themi
Tho poor father, senseless with grief,
allowed us to do as we thought best
and the grandmother walked burriedly
to and fro, busy, fnssy, always calling
hyrtil, and declaring the breakfast
will never be ready, and here arc all
tho people coming
And carriage In fact suddenly. drew
up before the front steps Two young
girls descended with . happy burst Of
laughter can see them even now a.
they stopped, looked, turned pale. and
stood there with arms twincd about
each others waists, and eyes big with
| ferror-siIent and motionless
Half an hour had passed. What vas
not that = fiush we saw, mounting to
the coIorless cheeks. OH how fexyent
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