St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1888-03-24

with An expression Of sad disappoint-
ment He he'd been pleadin' with her
to be his wife. an while she did not re-
fuse, she would not give her consent.
She he'd never told him thet she loved
him, but her preference fer him showed
it an it give him hope. No one he'd
ever stirred ther love in her heart afore.
an she struggled hard against yie:din'
to ther feelin'. In her soul she must
hcv ycarned ter be his. but she would
not let him see ther truth.
''She set on her hoss o. silent an
motionless ez a statue. fer long time.
an he looked at her bescechingly, an
with all his passionate love in his eyes.
Suddenly she seemed ter b. possessed
of desire ter test his love. an ter see
how much power she he'd over i'm. To
think war ter act with her. and turnin'
her beautiful face up to his. she says:
"'Do yer really lore me. dear Lukei'
'.Her words an her tones made him
Wild with love fer her.
81 swear BY ther heavens above, I
worship your he cried. catchin' her
arm an dcvourin' her with his lovc-lit
eyes.
Il am goin' ter test yer affection.
she says:
"'rl die fer you. Nancy he replied.
Only tell me how kin prove my love.
''She didn't withdraw her arm. but
looked i'm straight in ther face.
"'You hev boasted thet you ride one
Of the best hOsses in ther Territory
she says; ride i'm across Purgatory,
bring me thet little bunch Of yeller-
jackets over thar. an l will kiss You
an name the day
He was ridin' fine hoss. one he
was Inore'n proud OF. He only waited
ter give her long look. and then be
spurrcd his hoss or'ard.
'.Mcbbe she he'd thought e wouldn't I
try it er thet ther animal wouldn't
jump over; but she war mistaken il she
he'd. Ex he neared ther edge she
seemed ter realize what she war doin'
-sendin' thcr man she loved mnre'n
any bcin' on earth inter horrible dan
ger-an' she called him ter come back.
20. Luke! don't go-
'.But it was too late. The hoss from
Golden Ranch was no common one.
but one Of tho fiery. fearless kind. and
when hs felt the cruel spurs sink inter
his sides he give : wild snor. Of pain
and sprung inter ther air a.fyin' over
Purgatory. safe to ther other side.
Luke plucked ther yellow-jsckets.
kissed 'em an waved 'em to her. an
then remountin' he again urged his
stced ter leap thcr terrible chasm. Hoss
an rider hung fer = mint iu thcr air.
It was awful-it was awful! You kin
hev no idea Of what it war. Felix. Their
hoss failed to clear the chasm this time.
His forefeet struck the edge. an fer y
mint he struggled ter gain a footin'
then his hoofs slipped of ther rocks.
an, with = cry that was almost human,
he fell back-down, down. down, car
rein his rider into the dark an terrible
depths below!
Poor Nancy! Fer long weeks she
laid on her bed with = rackin' fever.
rayin' in delirium. an livin' over an
over again tibet fearful scene She
never was conscious long enough ter
he made ter understand thet her lover
still lived-thet BY falling on ther
body Of his hoss he he'd escaped
alive. though he was terribly
wounded. He never was able ter
leave his bed ter SEQ Nancy. an she
wouldn't hev knowed i'm ef he ned. II
was long months afore ther fever left
her, an then she he'd lost her reason
forever. But ther good Lord took
mercy on her. an afore ther warm
breezes war blowin' again she he'd been
laid hycr ter rest. Thet's her grave.
Felix.
..They call me Old Hopeless an
say I'm crazy. They're not fer wrong.
You've guessed it Fclix-rm Luke
Golden. rode . fine hoss down to
death 1t ther bottom Of Purgstory. fer
Nancy's love. / couldn't set up fer
over q year after ther terrible fall. an
you see how hcv been ever since-a
hunchback. Felix. one Of the wust
lookin' critters on ther face of ther
earth.
1--WE never been back to ther ranch.
They give me some money fer 1t.
don't know how much, an hev
stayed around hyer whar' she used ter
be. I'll die before long. Felix, an they
will bury me hyer st Purgatory. beside
Nancy. Poor Nancyr'-Arthsr @ Gris-
som, iw Yankee Bl01s.