St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1886-09-25

ttHu tHt'H was thtIspitau w iooA Va
sudden recognition and pleased sur
prise at sight of Ralph Calender. who
took his hat off respectfully.
''Why. do YOU know her?" asked
Retta. amazed.
II find | do. She and my sister
Sally became great friends two years
ago at Ncwport-or was it Nahant?
And Miss Porter spent the holidays at
our house the next winter. l thought
it must be she, when You described
her"
Ralph Calender paused and gazed
rcflectively at the ground. He was re-
calling that gay holiday season when
Rose Porter and his sister were the
bellies of their set. He could have
counted his friends by the hundred.
and now "Poverty does make
a difference" he thought, bitter
lv. All who had it in their power to
aid him had turned the cold shoulder.
He was simply poor man seeking EN-
plovment. and he felt at odds with the
world. Rhetta, grown suddenly shy,
pulled away the dead leaves from a
pink root and said nothing: Newport.
Nahant. And people like the Porters
for intimcte friends! 1t seemed to re-
move Ralph far from her quiet, even
life. and to set him where she had no
part.
The basket phaeton was now seen
returning down the street with its
pretty occupant. who stopped her ponies
opposite the cottage with such an evil
dent intention to speak to Ralph Cal
lender that he at once went out OF the
garden and stood in the road at her
side Rhctta saw them shake hands in
the most friendly manner, heard Roses
musica, laughter and sweet voice,
though she could not distinguish the
words: and in a few moments more, to
her surprise. Ralph stepped into the
phaeton, sat down by Rose, took the
rcins i'm his hands, and drove rapidly
away. with a backward glance and
smile. which to Rhet;a seemed to say:
..She is an old friend, you see"'
But when he did not come home to
dinner she thought it strange. Her
father and Aunt Dorcas made no com
ment, for Ralph had often been absent
at that hour when seeking for employ
ment Rhetta did not m cntion that he
drove away with Rose Porter, but a
neighbor. who had watched them,
came in during the afternoon and spoke
Of it with great interest. Aunt Dorcas
at once felt Il great interest too, and
Rhetta found it so trying to listen to
their remarks and surmises that she
slipped out of the house to her garden,
and did hard wedding in her flower
beds for two hours without spar;ng her
self. But she heard every step that
passed by on the sidewalk. and knew
that Ralph Calender did not come.
The afternoon waned restleSslv away.
He would surely come back by supper
time; and Rhetta, in fresh gown.
with pansics ut her belt, hummed little
songs as she moved about setting the
table for Aunt Dorcas.
Il wouldn't put on that dish of
honey" said Aunt Dorcas-''not till
you see whether he's coming"
80. he'll come" said Rhetta: but she
stopped singing.
Mr.. Wood came in, washed his face
ard hands at the sink, and sat down in
his place at the table. Aunt Dorcas
passed him 4 cup of tea.
"Where's Callender?" he asked,
looking around.
WHY. haven't YOU heard?" said
Aunt Dorcas. "He drove off with Rose
Porter. and we haven't caught sight of
him since.
.sThe Porters are old friends of his"
said Rhetta. flushing up.
Hum! hum,' muttered her father,
as he drank his tea from the saucer, in
which he had cooled it.
Aunt Dorcas now questioned the girl
as to all she knew about this old friend
ship. and at the close said, with An air
of one who meant to do her duty by all,
no matter how mercilessiy, "Well,
like as not they'll make a match of it.
Birds of feather flock together"
Supper was over. cleared away, and
all the dishes washed. but still Ralph
Calender did not come. As it grew
dark, Mr.. Wood strolled off to chat
with the neighbors, and Aunt Dorcas.
putting on her bonnet and black silk
shawl. went to the weekly v prayermeet-
ing. Rhetta. left free from comment,
went up into her little garden, and
leaned against the pium-tree. with 3
strange dull pain gnawing at her heart.
1t seemed like days and weeks since
Ralph drove away with smiling, pretty
Rose Porter And she herself hal be-
GUN to think of him as somehow her
own. That very morning. under that
very tree. there hal been in his looks
and in his tone touches of tenderness
that had filled her heart with subtle
happiness. But now it was all over:
in an instant she had lost him. Rose
Porter had taken him away. and though
| he might come back, he would never.
never be the same Ralph again. She
felt a girlish certainty of thai. The
little bright dream was over. At first
she did not blame Rose. Very prob
| ably she had loved him two years ago,
and had been influenced to give him up
| on account of his poverty. and now.
regretting the step had come to reclaim
him.
well. l can take my turn. and give
him up too" thought Rhetta. with
great hot tears springing to her eyes.
..Only / can never drive after him and
bring him back in phaeton.
And at that she threw herself upon
the dewy grass and wept unrestrained-
IL. She was too young to be capable
of the terrible. fearless sorrow with
| which an older woman may meet be-
reavement and heart-break. She only
knew that every thing had changed
since morning. that Ralph had gone
away. and she was very. very wretched,
and that no one must know of it. The
hre-flies flashed in the grass. the flow
ers were heavy with dew, the air was