St. Landry democrat., 1888-11-10

apology for the writer's neglect caasee
by his absence on business, and pro
ceeded in glowing terms to describe
the pleasure her letter had given him
He had singled it out from many hun.
dreds received $50 he wrotel for the
truth and earnestness revealed ir
every line. In her he was sure of find.
ing a congenial spirit, and hencenrth
his life would be bound pp II her let
ters.
Ihers we're many more pages filled
With similar phrases, with lofty sound.
! ing passages from the poets, and senti,
, mental repinings over the destiny that
had so long separated them. But to
Jessies unsophistlcated heart every
word was as prerious as gold, It was
the one perfect letter ever written; re-
storing it to its envelope she resumed
her homeward walk, hardly conscious
that the way was long and the heat
oppressive.
| That evening, when Rodney Leare
made one of his customary unceremo-
NOUS calls, he could not but perceive
that there was u new barrier between
them Jessie sat silent and absent
minded and gave he Reed to his witt
ests allles' Finding her in such an UNI
ara1able mood, he at once directed his
| Conversation to her father, when, max
ing some triding excuse, she arose and
left the room to return 10 fiore that
evening. After perusing Hugh Man
nering's tenderly set words and smooth
ly flowing phrases she could not pa
tlently endure the c]ashing discordance
OF her sometime lovers rougher speech.
Rodney waited patiently awhile for her
return, and at last took HE ,o5aave in as
much Of fret ne lis sunny nature al
lowed him to indulge in.
| Autumn came, and the mellow DAYS
and golden evenings were imbued for
Jessie Crofton with The glory Ii! and spl lem
dor OF loves young dream. Never had
the hand of she Great Artist tinted the
woods and hills with such gorgeous
dyes; never did such vail of beauty
overhang the dells; never did lakelets
lie in such a dream of peace, Earth
was new Eden, and reversing the an
clent order Of things, a new Eve await
ed the coming of her Adam; and it
dimmed not the brightness OF her glory
| that the one friend of her lifetime, dis
heartened by her frequent rebuffs,
troubled her no longer with his pres
ence. Rodney Leare, grown a triae
silent and sad, striving to eenq,ser d
love which his better Judgment as
sured him woulds never bring him con-
tentment or peace, went his own way;
and If sometimes his strong hand
Warded the heavier burdens of life from
her weaker shoulders, she was still un-
recognizing and unthankful.
In the late fall the little household of the
Croftons was surprised by the receipt of
letter from an almost forgotten cousin
OF the family, whom the tide of fortune
had, driven into the little harbor of
Glen Haven. The letter contained an
earnest request that Cousin Joe or some
OF his family should pay the writer
visit. Only by the strongest force of
will could Jessie retain her calmness
until in family conclaye it had been de- |
cided that she should be the fortunate
one to accept the invitation. Her father
could not spare the time, and Aunt
Ruth was only too glad of little re-
spite from the niece's fault-fnding
and general discomfort; and SO the
succeeding week found her safely
ensconsed on the stage coach, her face
bright with anticipation, en- route for
Glen Haven-and Hugh Mannering.
There is something inexpressibly sad
in the utter ruin of a young life's first
romance However unstable the foun-
dalton, it was reared In touching faith
and purity of purpose. Happy the soul
that
Rising on its wreck at last,
To something nobler may attain
Anxious to surprise her correspond
emit, in the letter mailed the day before
her departure Jessie had given no hint
of her intended visit to Glen Haven, I
and the earlier part of her journey was
whiled away in happy dreams OF their
meeting.
Towards noon the sky became over
cast, the wind rose in fury, and few {
lakes, the vanguard of the forces the E
Frost King held in reserve, came flying |
through the air. As the wind became t
colder and keener, Jessie was aroused {
rom her happy dreams by sudden t
neuralgia in her face, which continued i
o grow worse and worse, until by the G
ime she arrived at her journeys end +
he was almost frantic with pain. Civ /
ng the driver her cousins address, b
With directions concerning her baggage, t
he stopped at the first apothecarys a
hop to obtain an opiate. S
The low building which bore on it's
ront in huge gilt letters the sign v
Drugs & MEDICINES, boasted also a n
mailer one, PosT-OFFIcE; and as Jessie g
cached the door, a man carrying a s.
undle of letters brushed past her. She +;
rev back with an instructive feeling of Ii
isgust. To her sensitive soul there p
as something inexpressibly loathsome o
! his presence. His shabby black suit o
as soiled and torn, his face was coarse ri
nd sensual, and the bold blue eyes, IL
semed to stab her with their insulting tt
are. I'll
Striving to conquer her repugnance,
essie lowered her veil, and, following h
i'm into the store, AVE her order to CT
Re clerk in subdued voice, and while VI
was preparing the medicine cast de