St. Landry democrat., 1886-01-16
would both sell and 90 elsewhere and

And thus all were cOmIOfGeu ny sno
thought that Lucy's marriage, when 1t
should occur, would, instead OF sepa-
rating her from her parents. reunlte
them all with Erastus, and it 10 prop
able that for these three days the III
mates of the shanty upon the mount
ain side were as happy as it often falls
to the lot of people to be.
Certainly John Parsons was happy,
Lucy and Erastus wandered about the
place. and through the gulch and up
the mountain side together.
Together they went for the cows, as
Lucy had done alone the night Erastus
came.
Erastus helped Mr.. Parsons sprout the
grape-vines, and Lucy helped Erastus;
and if occasionally, as they worked TO,
gether at vine, their hands met and
their fingers intertwined it was no more
than the tender rendrils of the vine they
were trimming did.
If. as they walked hand in hand over
| the mountain, or sat to rest in some
quiet nook, his lips sought hers anu
drank deep OF loves nectar, they only
followed the example of the birds that
near them billed and cooed, and talked
| of where their next years nest should
| be-
And have not you, dear reader, done
| the same? Then have you not known
the sweetest and the best thing that
life has to give?
| | will not describe the parting, when
at last the DAY and the hour came, and
| the roam horse stood ready to be
mounted atthe door.
There is enough of sadness and sui
fering in this true story without dwell
ing upon the parting of those loving
hearts.
1t was noon when Erastus started on
his return; it was night on the fourth
day when he led the roam into his stall
at the Slough and ate supper with Mr.
| and Mrs. johnson, to whom he frankly
told the purpose and result of his visit,
and from whom he received hearty con-
gratulations.
The next morning he went back to
work on the ditch, and if his compan-
ions were ready with their jokes, he was
in far too good humor with the world
and all things in it to be offended at
what he knew was kindly meant
For months he worked early and late
at the ditch, and when it had been
completed, and the water, in its slow
seeping through the soil, had rendered
it capable of sustaining vegetable life,
he began planting trees and vines, ana
breaking the soil for future crops. When
the wear closed he found his place be.
ginning to look quite like living.
He had intended going again to visit
Lucy and her parents at this time, but
his place still lacked dwelling and
the little it would cost to make the jour
} ney would aid just that much towards
; buyinp the material towards the cottage
which he had planned, and he finally
decided not to go, but instead to take
: his team and work month for the
rancher who had pastured his colts dur
ing two dry seasons; and thus. instead
of spending what little he had, obtain
enough more to enable him to get the
material to begin building with.
, When this was done he procured the
assistance of neighbor who had few
carpenters tools and some knowledge
: of the trade, and together they framed
and sided up the cottage.
Then he worked at night to finish 1t
Often when thus engaged, after
,, hard DAYS work in the field. would he
take from his pocket one of Lucy's
). letters, and sitting upon the work
bench or a saw-horse, re-read the line;
he already knew by heart, or lose him
, self in dreams which those lines gave
. rise to; then, rousing himself, take uE
his tools and work far into the night
that the cottage might be the sooner
completed and the face and form which
, he nows saw only in dreams be eve
= present with him in reality.
:, At last the cottage was finished ant
? ready for occupancy.
d A plain cottage it was; not unlike th'
! one on the mountain side, only littl'
longer, and wider, and higher.
! There were two rooms below AM
$ one above, and there was a little porcl
over the front door-not long or broad
= but sufficient to shade the room from
the sun little and give relief from tn
bare and inhospitable look whicl
dwelling without any projection
always has.
t He meant to add larger structure il
Y front in a few years, when his ranc
{ should be fully irrigated and in cultiva
ton, and SO reproduce the cottage i
): the foothills in accordance with til
t plans he had laid the night he sler
e under the stars on his hastily mad
v visit the time he won Lucy's consent t
:. be his wife; but for this he must wa
j. yet awhile.
And so, with heart filled with hop
9 and courage, and running over wit
v affection for her who was to return wit
: him as his bride, be took long loo
about the cottage, and going out, care
% fully closed the door behind him that