The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1886-09-11


She half dragged her along to the
entrance and assisted her to a seat
" \ on do not know what sort of a
creature you are feeding" Rose said
with forced laugh when the chicken
broth Beatrice had ordered had revived
her little You had better leave me
before some of your fine friends"
Hush y Beatrice implored with a
white shocked face. Drink your tpa
1T VIII give you courage You are
going with me to my room"
Rosa looked incrcdulous. GIN not
mean enough to disgrace YOU after YOU
have fed me" she said.
on are going" beatrice repeated
firmly, and partly from force of habit.
Rose sGccunbed to the determination
OF her old friend and entered a street
car with her.
The imprisoned breath of the flowers
floated to meet them as Beatrice opened
the door of her room ard drew Rose
inside. lttouched the cheek and lip of
the ontcaat tendtriy and c!uug softly to
her faded garments. I'VE will drown
their Voices Beatrice thought rrimlv.
The light from the street revealed the
shadowy furniture and giinted on
@ildetl picture frames. Rose shrank
within herself in the atmosphere of
purity. Please don't light the gas
Just yet" she pleaded. shrinking into
q corner. What made you bring me
here, anyway? I'm not fit to breathe
the same air as YOU"
Rose. you trust me-" Beatrice spoke
with quick. sharp infection that the
other did not understand. She pro-
ceeded more gently. Do you think
me SO forgetiul, un@rateful? Was
there any question about breathing the
same air when Your motner sent you
with food and medicine when we were
all down with the smallpox? | lie
awake now sometimes thinking of
these dreadful days and nights and
father lying dead and not a soul out
side your family who would venture
near our lonesome house over the
river.
Beatrice's voice faltered with the
recollection Of her childhoOdS misery
III her Nova Scotia home
"Oh. Rose you have done nothing
that can cancel your claim on me-" she
said earnestly.
She sat down beside the unhappy girl
and removed her hat and cloak with
sympathetic touch Rose flung away
her hand.
Il can't bear it, she cried "You
bring back the past. l seem to be run
ming again Wit, you barefoot over the
brown old pasture. afte- the cows at
sundOWn with the wind blowing in our
faces from the deep gully in the woods
where the river hid itself You make
NE feel the deep difference between us
now, and that can never get back
those innocent days
Beatrice's heart ached at the spec
tacle of abiect dispair.
"What happened? Won't you tell
me-" she said soothingly She had
heard strange whispers about Rose, but
had given them little credit
Il can't make you understand" Rose
said, hopnlessly. You would have to
go through tie same experience. met
him when came to New York three
years ago" Her voice broke. Il loved
him. | could have been true to him
lifetime Iie~reN tired of me. began
to fade With worrying. He complained
that was dull and spiritless He left
me entirely | didn't care then what
became of me. | have been getting
lower and lower ever since, and now
I'm dying"
Beatrice stroked the thin hands that
clasped and unclasped nervously. My
poor sister, she whispered. with an un-
dercurrent of meaning Rose did not
perceive.
Il tell you you wouldn't touch me if
YOU knew me as am" Rose reiterated
Think " what it must be" she went on.
rapidly. to fall SO low that a careSS
from one good and noble hurts worse
than blow"
Was it the still. small whisper within
the soul of Beatrice, who maketh
them to differ" that filled her with
overlooking tenderness for the wretched
girl.
She sprang up at the sound of ap-
preaching footsteps. II must light the