The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-09-15

this shook their heads with dark and
ominous looks, for the rein too had
been found in the dead mans grasp
torn clean from the bride bit. So the
day passed and ended in fruitless rum
ors; the morrow dawned, and ali the
region babbled with the mystery. But
neither the whispering wood, FLASHED
with the summers blood, nor the SOL
emn river thanked by the quiet mead
ows, nor yet the unpolluted rill that
came across the place of death as clear
as stream of sounding air, gave up
the dreadful secret. When the sun
hung midway between noon and night,
they buried John Earring under the
three oaks upon the grassy ridge, look
ing downward to the dwelling, and
away over the billowing hills, the riv-
er and the rolling meads. This was
the wife's request; and it seemed in
some degree fitting, since as
old Jade growled in home
ly phrase, with something like
gathering rain beneath his shaggy eye
brows, He lived above 'em all; he
wus white, sur, plumb to the heart.
Up there's where he belongs' True,
too, and surprising indeed, it was, with
what CELEBRITY and energy his virtues
were exhumed by the whole commune
ty directly upon the event of his own
interment. Perhaps the pitiful man
ner of his taking off in some sense eff
fected this unusual flow of charity-as
in truth it seems upon second consider
alton, the reputation of every man is
largely corrected and purified through
the same channel-yet, being fairly
scrutinized his honor seemed without
a flaw, and the manner of his life emil
nently upright and decent, virtues in
deed impossible to overrate in the
commentator of mortal graces.
That Elizabeth Earring should notice
human visage among all the faces
that crowded the hillside, or that she
should hear aught of the burial service,
save the falling earth upon her hus-
bands coffin, or even that she should
feel the kind hands that led her
homeward was not strange, so grief
benumbed were all her faculties. Her
fine life seemed wholly wrecked, with
such shock had this measureless sor-
row fallen among its tender cords.
The heart, so sweet harp, and that
infinitely delicate instrument, her
mind, seemed Jared from their exquis-
lite poise by this awful stroke, and rem
dered incapable Of their old-time har-
monies. Next morn she lay among
her pillows too weak to rise, and wan
as marsh vapor. When they brought
the leaping child faint flame lit up
her face, much as the gray light of the
sky, falling through a cloud-rift, fleets
across the world but does not move it,
Some inward impulse it seemed that
surged into the pale face, but was all
too weak to ripple it with smile; or
mayhap, memory, seeming old to
her and long forgotten, but which in
truth was of the child's face but three
days previous, such an eternity had
sorrow pressed into this narrow gulf
of time. Through score of days
she lay quite motionless and spent;
the physician came and went, old Jade
and Grandam Eric watched, the quick
feet OF Hettie went to and fro, and out
under the apple-trees the perspiring Alb
SALON. in perpetual hush played har-
lequin to the growing babe. Then on
morning in the mellow October
weather, when the late larks and rob-
ms were calling about the fields, and
the wind came out of the woods
like bath of some ethereal liquor, she
opened her eyes with a glimmering
look of reason in them, and they
brought the child. At sight of him a
tilmy smile went over her face, and she
essayed to stretch out her hands, but
her strength was insufficient. 'What is
it9" she whispered. And the doctor
said very gently: "You have been i'll,
do not mind and laid the child be-
side her, cheek to cheek. She turned
her head little and kissed the child,
and feebly lifted her eyes and whis-
pered again: "Where is John?n
"He has gone away" said the doctor.
"Will he come soon?" she queried.
Not soon," answered he.
"Then can not l 90 to him?'
eyes, tomorrow, perhaps and he
turned his face away. Then the thin
blue eyelids closed and she murmured,
contentedly: Eyes, l will 60 to-mor-
row. I know he will want me- And
when the morrow came, the spirit that
made her beautiful had gone softly out
the gateway of this vast schooling
place, and John Earnings history had
begun.