The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-09-15
and m;soiyinps They knew this flick.

and misgivings. They knew this flick
ering sunlit season must, from the un-
derlying fitness of events, prove but a
transient gladness. No natural claim
was theirs; the child to them was but
rosy accident, a gift of sorrow, whose
solace needs must prove ephemeral.
Still, to them the dimpled waif was
not unlike some magic flower, picked
up after storm in the gray winter of
their lives, with power to make old
blood seem new. Their pleasure in the
child was softened, too, and touched
with something like religious care,
since its well-loved parent-piant and
place were so mournfully wrecked and
lost. Upin the little chamber,as white
and clean as lime and soap could make
it, old Nora slept beside the
child; and Jade deserving his couch
below with the first note of the lark,
would softly ascend the stairs and peep
at the two slcepers with their silver
heads upon one common pillow, and
slip chuckling down again into the
little kitchen and set the coffee-p pot to
boil, then 90 out to dig about his few
rich acres in the dawn. Coming back
when the sun began to look kindly
over the hills. and the house being
scented with the coffee's fragrant
steam, he would wake the sleepcrs if
not yet astir and the nights fast would
be broken cheerily. Much child-like
satisfaction too, the old gardener gave
himself in those soft indian-days of
autumn, by carving many and most
Undesirable wooden wonders for the
babbling babe with that pruning knife
of his, which for razor-like keenncss of
edge and general uncomeliness of out
line had perhaps no rival in that region.
Under one of the six great apple-trees
that made the orchard, he would sit and
white by the hour, content to shape
these harmless baubles, and watch the
child at play among the scented shaw
ings, tossing now and then lazy word
and glance to Grandam Erie, sitting
just inside the open doorway in that an
gular but easy seat, the well-sagged,
splint-bottomed chair. Very placidly
would Grandam Eric smoke upon
these mellow afternoons; her caps
frill trimming her creased but pleasant
face, her handkerchief crossed upon
her breast, and leaning forward in her
lap with life's Indian summer mirrored
in her eyes, she looked the picture of
contented peace. Something touching
this would the aged whittier murmur
III his beard by times, the slight unc-
ton of these little rumbles being in
deed the chief convcyer of expression.
For old Jade was chary of Inscriptions
of praise to things of either earth or
Heaven, and when most deeply stirred
by love or pride or satisfaction, as i'll
these furtive chances at old Nora, his
words were prone to quit his
lips reluctantly. He had a quiet
pleasure in her smoking, too,
which, since he affected to despise
the comforting weed, it was his habit to
disguise. But few things gave him great
er case, in truth, OF put him in more
forbearing humor with the world, than
the placid picture of his dear old spouse,
as with great content she burned the
soft intoxicant.
So the days went forward dreamily;
old Nora caring for the child with live
ly pleasure OF smoking in benignant
quietude, and the ancient gardener
turning the fat autumnal vegetables
out of their loamy beds, or under his
favorite fruit-tree whiting out wooden
toys of divers kinds and most unut-
terable shapes Ever and anon
these happy INDECENT hours would suf-
fer an eclipse from the never-resting
Absalom. Scarce day went by un-
hallowed of his presence. Across the
meadows he would come upon the run,
with his ragged hat-rim tapping and
tuft or two of hair stickin g up through
the crown, and larks and insects flying
before him for their lives. In at tho
gateway he would enter, not
unlike small and sweating
tempest, race up and down the garden
walks and round the house and in at
the doorway. No human eye had ever
caught him motionless, or seen him
yet without his grimy knee pans being
visible, with other more or less COM
promising wears and rents. At least if
such discovery had ever yet been made
the rare phenomenon had gone some-
how unrecorded. That he lay still
while sleeping was also problematical.
Those entitled to most credence had
been heard to say, indeed. that most OF
his hours of slumber were occupied in
turning hand-springs in his dreams, and
fighting off imaginary bears; and that
the dawn seldom found him save with
his head against the foot-board of his
bed, with quilts and blankets twisted in
ropes of divers sizes across him. Also
that he removed his scanty clothing at
one Grip twas said, and dressed him.
self again when he arose with almost
equal swiftness and was off. That his
ebultions too were dispatched with
like celebrity and haste, the manner of
their ministrations consisting alone in
dashing the hands together in the
water and smashing them in circle
round the face, and dabbing a towel
once thereon, leaving a rather doubtful
photograph upon the linen.
Something was said, too, touching his
aptitude in appeasing hunger with ra-
pidity and Indifference, and some one,
though not remembered of what sex or
cast or nationality, had also added that
Absalom Heater contained the making
Of true American. Whether or not
this last was to be construed as infor-
praise, aspersion or prophecy,
Of course, since who the speaker was
IS not a matter Of record, could never
De determined. At all events. when
ever the kind old pair deserted the ex-
lbCrant Absalom racinr toward them