The Opelousas courier., 1886-02-20
AMY's HERO.

A dissatisfied expression vas on Amy
CAROLS countenance as she sat listening
to her lover, John Wentworth. She had
been sindolently dreaming over Tenny-
oi's poems all the afternoon, and her
real seemed prosaic compared with ideals.
The shimmering moonlight and the soft
zephyrs, perfumed with the breath of
June roses and lilies, failed to cast their
usual glamour.
There was an upheaval in her soul.
Her nature clamored for q life removed
from the commonplace, untarnished by
the actualities of labor, and filed with
romance and luxury. The babhle and
childish laughter floating up from the
miners cottages struck d~iscordantly upon
her ear. What romance and poetry was
there among those women, absorbed in
household cares, and those griny, hard
handed menu True, those men some
times met terrors in the mines, but they
meditated no more upon them than oxen,
and stolidly plodded onin the acc for
bread. Why could not she have been
born a princess, instead Of the daughter
of the mine superintendent, without rank
and without wealth, though comfortably
arcumstanced2
And what was her lover but an honest,
Woodworking, mining engineera He
looked quite picturesque, tanning him
self in the moonlight, but he had never
performed q heroic deed, never went on
chivalrous quests, nor battled for the
fair. She. wanted d hero-lover-chival-
rous, knight1y, daring; and he was only
y neatly-dressed, intelligent, every day
sort of q man, whose greatest ambition
was to succeed in his business and to
make a cosy home for his Amy. How
could she listen patiently to his relation
Of his plans and of the prospects of the
mine, while visions of Sir Launeelot and
Sir Galahad haunted herr
She was sensible little girl, and did not
trouble her lover with her dissatisfied
thoughts; but there was an Indifference
in her manner and q petulance IN her tone
that be noticed and felt.
fanny, what Is the matter2' be asked
anxiously.
Nothing she answered freezingly.
Af that moment Mr.. Carroll called in
an excited tone,
Wentworth, come quickly there's q
FIRE In the miners row
Wentworth hastily ran down the
steps, and the two men strobe toward the
fire. Amy went to al opposite room,
Wheretshe found her mother gazing at the
rapidly increasing fanes.
Amy, LET US gosthere, she said; per
haps we may be Of ON aid tothe suffer
ars.
They found nearly all the villagers
gathered around the fire, . few squares
distant. Men were carrying furniture
but Of the burning building and dashing
water upon the neighboring houses: Mrs,
Carroll and Amy FASTENED to join the
group standing around the mistress Of ths
cottage, sitting with ! babe il her arms
and two frightened children clinging te
her skirts.
3sThey can't save the house, explained
The woman to Mrs. Carroll, hut they're
gsttin' most of the things out. They car.
ried nanny out first Of alI,' glancina
a~ffectionately at her old, bed -riddef
mother
Eyes, 4 chimed the invalid, my BOY
and Mr. Wentworth carried me but easy
Is i baby
Any's eyes kindled, but something
n,oekingly whispered, NO heroism i
that, for there was not The least danger. ]
Nevertheless, she watched her lovers COO
and energetic movements with adrnira
ton, andAgave little heed 10 the disjoint
6d chat around her.
AtIength the building was pronounced
unsafe to enter, and the men slowly edgee
toward the group Of women.
Aany, yon herea' exclaimed Went
worth, seeing Her there TOR tie first time
81 came with mothar, I she replied
cordially,
We've got most the things out,
cried the owner, cheerily, d bis wife
4 'Tisn't much matter bout the old shan
iii. iii have To build 4 new house
leetle sooner, Il aH. a sudden pallol
flashed over his sWarthy face, and h
shouted, sGood heavenst there's half
hundred cask Of powder II the pantry
clear forgot Bun foF your lives
Il sriek II terror sounded men AM
women saatched MP their children .
some hosisehoA treasure, and ran u 4
directions frightened md bsNildsred
a et