The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-10-06


at from the distance it seemed not I'M
like some huge white flower, treckled
with brown and streaked with green
that newly blossomed on the prairie
edge. To the eye long fed upon the
NOISY softened outlines of the Old, tne
town perhaps were product to hght,
" leave beside the way, but at the eno
Of all that might be said about 1t IN
derision or defense, the fact would yet
remain that Openstone was 1alr TO
those who built it, and an amazing
evidence of energy and zest. 1t, per-
hans. and thousands more that SIT upon
the Ian of this great West, could not
be matched in all the world
life for pleasant homes, when measured
by it's length of years. Like magic
product It had burst the soil In one
swift night and lowered, and even at
it's Towering seemed more beautiful! TO
MANY than it's older sisters, sitting
amono the far-off hills the sun had
crossed to kiss it. But, after all, the
souls real windows are in the heart,
and those who wrought in Openstone
and loved its breezy newness miSn1
through affection overrate It, ana III
the end repent them that they were not
silent. For doubtless it was much as
other villages-a mart in some sort Oh
little spites and puerile ends, OF many
not unholy hopes and humane deeds.
Indeed. five thousand lives could hard
" follow on the heels of separate pur-
poses within one murmuring hive and
never clash together in its paths. Much
wholesome, well-conditioned blood
there was in Openstone. and in the
main the machinery OF its body WORKED
with smoothness and dlspatch; YET
there were veins of evil blood and spots
diseased that brought commissions in
the end. Quite hidden were these poi
soned places at the first, and in truth
: were never over-patent to the careless
eve; but left unpruned they grew, and
sapped and shook the region bitterly.
The heart of Openstone consisted OF
a spacious square, and at the heart OF
that courthouse webbed about with
naples and leafy park. To north
! and south and east and west, the streets
S ran out with rows of shade trees to the
$ fields, save at the western quarter where
d thew broke against the river, but leapet
q over at two points by bridges ant
n wound away among the trees and farm
II steads, won with speeches. labor iron
IL the wood.
l. Beside the river stretched the muf
y muring mills, fanked by the dam, tina
le backed its still and polished water
e. half league to northward among, tn
n plums and willows, and everywher
Us was thrift and seeming plenty. Joe
d, Whitney owned the largest mill upo
III the stream; huge white building tu
" of little dusty windows and low ur
OF ceasing whirr. Here he came at diver
~ times to direct the labors of the mel
III who moved about among the endle'
v belts and pipes and tittering hopper
e. in the powdery seml-light' 1901 1
" ing strange and misty: b.
u in the main he kept at his big sto
ef upon the square; and here the ne;
10 morning after John Earnings inte
us view. while Joel was rather slowly ru1
re ming his fingers up row of figures
ID, his ledger, Absalom Heater burst
no upon him something like a shoe
It, They've fred" he well-nigh yelle
,or Joel jumped, and, turning with an
ms gry wrinkle in his forehead, demande
al :'Fired what, you rattlehead?'
,n "Fired on Sumter, Sumtus,
n no sometime! I'm goin'!' and out
went.
~. Joel Whitney turned on his ste
and said, very emphatically: 1T
:. a. deucer' Then he laughed. Next
put on his nat, and was putting on
coat to 90 out when Absalom re-enter
nut with such velocity that he struck
at capacious person of Joel amidshll
hn who shut his arms instinctively abe
hn him, and together they sat down hea
';ssh " upon the floor. ''Fm goin' to
nId married." cried Absalom, raking
"' nose along Joel's vest buttons as tt
ov scrambled up.
nav "Thunder and lightnin'! are J
crazy?" said Joel, glazing at him.
mo- They've fired! I'm goin' in the mo
per in! Got to get married tonight pan
red: Absalom, catching up some THU
ex- about the room that belonged to /
bow and flying out much as it he were S
tare from a mortar.
hen Joel looked about MIN LOT nioin'
M both ruff1ed and confused; then
good nature had its way and he
that down and laughed. He was ac'
,oks toned to Absalom's impetuous man
Joel of doing things, but since that pers
Veil. ing youth had begun to enter
do uuieter kingdom of manhood, this
lence of his had in a measure 81
it'll itself; but in periods of great mon
and excitement Absalom' vigor
pro- clearly undated, and Joel WhitI
ink thinking of it, broke into fresh +
YOUR laughter. He had not we'll done 81
YOU ing whenJulius Popp came busting
that Julius Popp, lawyer, was the ia
of Ether Popp; he was also posse
be- of daughter younger than
into christened Yeslit, a son, too, OF
hing. fewer summers was of his loins,
desk him he had proudly christened Sa
zical Whether or not this latter name
king naturally to the chlid' since ~ -
turn Pcpp saluted him as his real tirst-b
having no previous male issue
sprang from julius inordinate
me. for swollen glittering words, could
perhaps be definately set down.
@ for all events, Mrs. Popp was of &c
er 90 unassuming turn and whatever
II the ness lurked about her children
their names one felt instinctively
not fallen from their sire. That mere
any person was of medium height,
| ,NN nc