The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-12-01

Maun was sleeping; like some dark
poppy floating on the deep of dreams.
men ne went Oh thinking how her
beautiful movement was a portion of
the lovely and eternal motion of the
worlds, much as a sea-dropis portion
OF the undulating ocean, when sudden
~ he came face to face with the still
book-keeper, who gave frightened,
fearful exclamation as their faces
glanced in the moonlight and passed
into shadow.
John Earring went onward turning
over in his mind the silent and curious
life OF this black-eyed man. What
was the mystery that clung about him?
What indefinable disease was it that
led upon him? Some secret, cancer
GUS grief, perhaps, or some gall-like
disappointment that was lasting his
whole life through. He knew that
Joels book-keeper was respected, and
left alone. What else of praise, or
blame. or wonderment was whispered
about he had heard but little of,
since, from work and study, his
ears had not been much open to
| sAAS -OSo'P VI lONu LII III,
neither OF these men, the one just in
the doorway of manhood, the other
well rearw ard in that many-aisled edi-
hce, had seen much of each other or
the society of Openstone. The Younger
had kept under roof and close 70 his
books; the elder at his work, or gliding
about in perpetual quiet, and both de-
Ginning all social overtures, until they
had become well ignored by the
starched and ribboned tiutterers of the
town. The gay moths, however, that
glanced about and displayed their
wings in the social Examinations of
| Openstone were not over-many, for
the mass of Openstone folk, like the
denizens of most thriving Western
towns, were digging industriously after
a certain unholy root, that saint and
sinner, be it recorded with a blush,
quite equally in these modern days,
seem to feel a gnawing need of. Yet
doubtless more than one strange and
instructive history was in progress in
Openstone under its ordinary and I'M
alluring surface, as, indeed, there is
wherever the many-colored bubble of
life is blown.
On the next evening but one John
Earling, feeling the hand of the hot
August day laid heavily upon him,
went to walk when the sun was set
ting, and found that mis- feet went very
willingly toward the old attorney S
house. Often during that day the
form of Maun had come softly into his
fancy, giving his thoughts q pleasant
taste, and now he went forward with
a kind of yearning to see her come to-
ward him. The beauty of her move
ment had got for itself within him q
half unconscious thirst, which, with
J him, as the poise of dainty head, the
turn of cheek or chin, the music of g
voice, the lift of fathomless eyes, had
singly charmed many a single sense
before, and had at last taken the whole
heart in the net of love.
| That John Earling should come tc
love-whether healthfully or not de
pending, Of course, upon the worthi
ness of the one beloved-this girl, OF
indeed almost any decent woman
young or old, if brought into sympa
thetic contact with him, seems proba
BILE, Judging by human experience. Fol
! it is a fact-and often as sorry as deatl
, than it is not given man to stay tn,
!, sproxtings OF the seeds of love wher
the dew falls and the sunshine comes
nor to prevent its eager tendrils from
! Unfolding oft unworthy and unhapp.
things. But Maun Woodman was ;
beauteous object; lissome, sensuous
airy, Indian-footed and innocent
What fault were there in loving her!
None, perhaps, save this, that whateye
worship was springing up in John Earl
ing for this girl was rather of her bod,
than her soul. At first he was no
leven conscious of this, and only dimly
) at the last. so fully fed was his beauty
: flowing eye with the colors and tn
l.curves that made her.
When he came to the lawyers tina
evening, she was lying in hammock
Lunder some trees that shaded lawr
at the northern end of the house. He
| ewes were closed and the flexible arm
, was stretched out under her cheel
and curved over her head with he
fingers tapping upon her hair to
!, droning tune she was humming. Sh
: did not at first perceive him, but a
the sound of his foot upon the gravele'
;, path, she sprang up and came to NEE
. him with a certain bounding, cage
= movement that gave John Earring
sweep of feeling. But she stoppe'
. when she had come nearly to him ant
: drew the back of her hand across he
. brow in a hesitating way, as she locke
up at him and murmured salutatlon
then she came forward again, some
thing like soft quick wind, an
: caught him by the hand and held it
they went up to the porch.
:, John Earring felt an impulse flas
! across him to fling her hand from him
her action seemed so unmaidenly, bu
. she seemed so eager and glad and in
. nocent, and the clasp of her hand fe]
: so sweet, he could not until they cam
g to be seated. Then they fell to talkin
. of something touching their relativ
/ isolation, and the young man let ia
q something covering the fact OF nj
: knowing little entertainment beyon
copying briefs and unraveling prot
j, bemns in law books, with an occasions
peep into pIeasanter volumes, when .sh
. said, with deprecating shrug: "Ho,
do YOU endure it? can't understand
= | know. for dislike books so, at leas
A hard ones"
q John Earring looked at her curiously
: then he said: II suppose that it is
f natural enough feeling, since there al
l