St. Landry democrat., 1888-05-26
JUST IN TIME.
And the More Suitable Arrange
ment That Followed.

Rose Perry had been three years il
charge of the school at Cardwell. She
was pretty, but little look of sadness
had crept into her brown eyes, and sht
was not as plump as she had been.
Three years ago Oliver Lowe haG
gone away to sea, and had taken Rose
Perry's promise with him. He was te
''eome back and marry her." and sure
ly he loved her we'll; but after the year
had passed there came no news, no let.
ters, and at last some one told Rose
that the vessel had been lost and that
all on board had perished.
She bore il as best she could, for a
widowed mother and two little sisters
were dependent upon her exertions.
and she could not fold her hands and
lie down to weep; but hope was gone,
and it was SO hard to struggle after
that Four hundred dollars a year was
not much for four people.
''But you needn't go on this way,
child" Mrs. Perry would say some
times. "You know Deacon Dow wants
you to have him. He's rich. He ism t
so plain when you get used to him,
and he's not much older than your
poor pa would be-not much"
The deacon saw Miss Rose home from
meeting; sent her Strawberries; called
often. The mother seemed to implore
her with her big, anxious, blue eyes.
The little girls had no real Sunday
frocks, only calicoes
If Rose should break down, what
would become of them all? Yet she
did not love the deacon. She-did love
Oliver, and she half believed that some
day he would come back, as he did in
her dreams, to life and love and her.
She told her mother so one day. Mrs.
Perry shook her head.
The sea doesn't give up its dead
like that, my DEAR she said, .'and if
Oliver could see you, he'd be glad to
see you comfortable, know. And the
deacon likes the girls and likes me.
Couldn't you try to think of it, Rose?"
WAS ither duty?''
Rose tried to make up her mind. The
deacon was not romantic. He only
asked a good wife. a careful housekeep-
er. Could she not be that? He was
not bad man; he was honest and
kind.
One day she thought of it more than
ever, as she remained in school after
hours with five bad boys, setting next
days copies, and with a butchers bill
in a pressing note in her pocket. She
did not feel as though she could hold
out much longer.
The day was chilly, for it was near
Christmas time; a few sticks Of wood
burnt in the stove; the boys were bad
subjects, obstinate as mules; her head
ached; her mother had cried that morn
ing and wished herself dead; and
Oliver lay at the bottom Of the sea.
The tears gathered in her eyes, and
she, to hide them from the boys, lifted
her desk cover, and just then the door
opened, a clumsy foot crossed the door
sill, and the deacon's voice said, in its
well-known drawl:
.'Wall, now, / want to know. II
reckoned you'd be here yet, and as it s
comm on to snow, and / was passin'
and goin' your way, | thought I'd take
you hum in the gig.'
1t was kind of him and Rose thanked
him and said So
No, it's pleasure. = said the dea-
con. merely. "Who is that? Billy
Chrome fghtin' againP All, you re
worse than Ishmael; your hand is
against everybody. You'll kill some-
body yet and get hung. Martin Rusk,
how are you to get on in this world and |
take your pa place in the store if you
don't study harderP
What's the others in for. grammar
and geographic Tant possible, boys.
You hadn't orter be behind hand ia
them there necessary branches. All Of
you get hum now, and do better to-
morrow.
Come along, Miss Perry. Wen
get hum before it SHOWS.
The deacon was also trustee, and
his word was law. Rose put on her
cloak and hat He pocketed the keys.
The boys went whooping homeward,
and the deacon helped Rose into his |
gig, and away they drove.
The old horse did not hurry himself, |
nor did the deacon try to make him
do so.
Fact was. he said, after . pause,
Il wanted to have spell of talk with |
you, and there's no better chance than
this.
r ,se knew what was coming now,
and muffied her face in her blue veil. |
The deacon locke encouraged.
II want to settle down. he said. |
81 We wanted to for fifteen years, but / |