The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-12-08

appalling Indian like shouting OF
the hack and omnibus men, a dap
per Acknowledgement fellow with
close-cut hair, tall white hat and
golden mustache, came forward and
greeted her with: "Aw-it's mother, |
believer" She could hardly realize
that it was Harry, he was so finely
gotten up. Then others were shaking
him by the hand; among them julius
Popp effusively, and Yeslit admiringly,
and John Earring disappointedly, with
Absalom walking directly away toward
the mill and dropping but the one
word: "It!' as he went.
In the afternoon Harry was on the
street in a tight-fitting suit of crisis
crossed English cloth, with his high
white hat. rattan cane and long-toed
shoes, when Joel coming in from the
country met him at the store door.
For moment he did not recognize this
very slightly son of his, and when the
young man whipped his cane under his
arm and grasped the father by the
hand, that overpowered person only
stared at him moment with his
mouth open and sat down on d dry
goods box and groaned. The son was
visibly embarrassed by this procedure,
and took off his hat to dry his forehead
with his silk handkerchief, when Joel
saw that his short yellow hair was part
ed in the middle; then he fetched an
other and greater groan and got up
from the dry-goods box and into his
buggy, that stood at the curb, and,
without uttering a word, drove off with
the corners of his big mouth drawn
down and the putfs under his eyes very
dark.
"Jover' said the son, as he watched
his father turn the corner, evidently
| am too flip for the governor" And
he walked away.
Joel thought of John Earring; he
could not keep from contrasting these
two young men who had ridden his
knees when children. The one with every
thing to do and every thing to achieve,
the other never having bad any thing
to do nor any object compelling him
to follow. "She done it; she never would
let him do any thing or be any thing
but a''-and he closed his big jaw
upon the sentence grimly He was
probably thinking of Mrs. Whitney's
indulgent softness with the boy. He
was glum and bitter for some days,
while Mrs. Whitney was in crickety
ecstasy over the return Of her elegant
offspring.
But the big party was coming on
apace, and Joers iron mood died slow
ly into softer humor as he thought
upon his own behavior then and the
benignant warmth to be radiated from
that fine event. Presently the evening
came round, moonless one. but cleal
and Lit up by unnumbered stars, and the
radiant Whitney mansion was palpi
tant with light and life and fragrant
futterings. Every body was there
and the big house murmured and fair.
ly perspired through all its rooms and
halls and closets.
Joel was greatly lifted up in spin
by this popular and palpitating influx
and was everywhere shaking hands
with some seen but an hour before
and welcoming, talking, introducing
joking and exerting himself until quit'
purple. Harry was very erect ant
faultless of cloth and serene and pas
sionless, with his nose held rather high
while his mother played the hostess
with florid dignity and exasperatins
stretchiness of tongue. Mrs. Whitney
talked great deal, there could be NJ
doubt of that, and rather loud, too
perhaps, but doubtless she could b.
consistently forgiven, since well-nigl
every one was talking at a killing pace
John Earling was there; for Joe
would let no one go unlimited, and th'
young man was too magnanimous t.
seem to resent 1t by remaining absent
He was talking little STRANGELY witt
Harry, for something of the old-tim
freedom had departed from between
them. Julius Popp was present, too
and etfervescing under a tremendou
pressure of wit and ideas as ne wen
about upon those infinitely small knee
jumpings of his, with his "Princ'
Albert coat buttoned tight at th'
waist and iaring open atthe breast will
large nosegay in its lapel, and his eye
glasses high on his agitated nose. Yeslit
too, was fine in a sweeping train o
cOrn-colored stuff and unusually pro
life of little ecstatic squeaks. Sh'
talked with distracting rapidity ant
squealed delightedly whenever the sub
ject was changed or any thing hap
pened, and seemed always aching t.
be surprised. Captain Heater, perspir
ing in stiff broadcloth suit, looked a
if, were it not for the cool cross-eyet
Ether's presence, he might at any mo
ment break away in run. Salvo PopI
also, good deal burdened with his slop
ing shoulders and inability to perform
glibly with his tongue. kept about tn
corners, passing now and then wor,
with the still book-keeper and watch
ing the others. He noticed that JOEL
quiet accountant lifted his black eye
toward John EARRING a great man,
times during the evening, and tina
while he was outwardly composed h
seemed to suffer with the incessan
buzz of voices, and he wondered if tn
book-keeper, like himself, was sighin,
within because he was not strong ant
tall and defnite-looking like Johl
EARRING.
| Openstone had never hit upon
freer, grander time. When the joll,
confusion had gone on a short time
John Earring was standing at the in
terror end of the two parlors talking
with Harry, when he saw with surpris,
the old lawyer enter. He was loosel.
dressed and his eyes glanced sbou
under his shaggy brows as he nodde'
his big STOPPING head to right and left
Behind him came the superbly-mOlde'