St. Landry democrat., 1885-12-12
been taught we're those OF one commits

stoned to speak for God and Christ.
Again she heard the sermon in
which all men were commanded to &C.
cept their lot, whatever it might be, as
from the hand of the Most High, who
gave to each of His creatures, as to
Him seemed best, of the goods of this
world; heard, mingled with much 0fsym-
pathy for the impoverished and the out
cast and the sinful, the poor hidden to
be content with the condition in life to
which it had pleased God in His wisdom
to call them; and was dumbly con-
scious of feeling surprised at herself,
and, may be, trifie frightened at dar-
ingsto wonder for the first time in her
Life if God ever authorized anybody to
say such things in His name; ii, indeed,
It was not blasphemy to tell the poor,
who were made poor by being robbed,
and the rich, who were made rich by
the robbery, that such was Gods will,
and bidding them to be content in the
condition in which they were thus
placed.
She recalled the talks which she and
John had during the days Of their
courtship and after their marriage.
What plans they had laid; how hopeful
they had been of the future; how pros
porous they had meant to be; and how
much pleasure they had taken in think
ing of the good they would do, and OF
the quiet old age they were to spend
together after the hurry of life was over
and their children settled comfortably
near them, receiving and entitled to the
respect and esteem of their neighbors.
They had worked hard: they had
been honest; they had reared their chill
dren to be worthy members of society;
they had done &ll they knew how to do
to make the world better for their hav-
ing lived in it; and now, their home
lost, their children scattered, she sat by
the bedside of her crippled child at mid
night, waiting for the return of her hus-
band, with a great fear at her heart that
he, too, had been swallowed up by the
terrible flood.
The moan which inYoluntarily es-
capped her lips as her mind returned to
the present awoke Johnny; but seeing
his mother sitting by his side he did moi
cry or speak, but lay quietly gazing into
her face for a time and then his quick
hearing caught sound which had es.
capped the duller ear of his mother, and
"a look, half of inquiry, half of fear,
passed over his face, but still he did not
speak.
Again the sound, and now his mother
hears it, too-the neighing Of a horse
upon the winding bluff road back of the
house; then an answering neigh from
the hill pasture, and both know that the
husband and father has returned.
Hurrying to the door, Mrs Parsons
heard the pasture bars let down; heard
the short whinny of recognition and
welcome which the horses exchanged
as the home-comer entered the field,
then heard the barn door open as the
rider went to hang up his saddle; the1
the footsteps turned towards the house,
and a. moment later John Parsons
weary and. covered with mud, but SOUND
of limb, entered and bending dowr
kissed wife and child.
II s'poseg you an Johnny hey beer
worried most to death about me
Marty he said, shut / couldn't very
well help it; leastWise I thought it bes
to do as done. "
Eyes, dear, we have been fearful tina
something had happened you. Did yoI
meet with an accident, or what was thu
matter? know you must be tired ant
hungry, whatever it was, and I'll have
cup of tea for you just as soon as thu
kettle boils again. 1t won't take but /;
moment; if was boiling oAly q little bi
ago"
o''Wall, you see when got to town
concluded 4togask around an see if
could hear of place for rent or to sci
on time, an after inquirin' a spell
heard of a claim, mostly wo't hless, bu
with enough good land 70 make alvin
on, that was for sale or trade, fifteer
miles further back in the mountains
an as, ei come home first I'd hev tt
90 right back agin tomorrow, if | tool
a look at the place at all, l concluded
to 90 right on an see it, hopins to ge
home, though, afore it was so late. Blu
when I got back to town it was almos
dark already, an neither me nor TN
horse had ct bite since mornin', an
was Jest obleeged to stop an let thu
animal rest a couple of hours Tha
gave me q dark ride home, an tn
roads is purity bad over the hills sine
the rains come. What time O. night i
itP Nigh on to midnight, I reckon. =
THE clock struck twelve some tim
since, replied Mrs Parsons Blu
what about the place? Is there an.
house on it, or an orchard, or any
thing9 And what does the man asl
for it?''
There's q bit of shanty. on it, re
| turned her husband, aan' q few scat
term grape vines, an a dozen or tw'
peach and pear trees. The place j
well up on the mountain an is of Q
the main road, an sort o. lonesom
ike; leastwise, I'm afeared 'twoul'