St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1888-09-29
AGATHE'S PERFIDY.
4 Ficklo Woman's Wel-Merited
Punishment.

Punishment.
"Are you sure that you will alway'
love me, Agathe"
always. Bertrand"
''You will never regret your choice
my darling? Not even il some mar
richly endowed with worldly good:
comes to seek your favor; are you quite
certain?"
Listen, Bertrand; such a love as
miLe is born not to live but for day
like a gaudy butterfly that gladdens the
eve from sun to sun and is never seen
again; nay, it is enduring as yon.
der rock. pure as the blue ether above;
a love that will only end with death
and perchance not then. know that
you are poor, but what is that to mes
The united lovs Of two beings who are
all in all to each other is wealth
enough. Twill be true to you though
all the world prove falsew
'.And to you, swear it, solemnly
responded Bertrand Argyle as he raised
his hand on high as though he would
pluck one of the cleaning points OF
light that flashed from the blue ether.
above alluded , by Agathe de Reille.
on 70 the west, where the sun but
Just now was but is no more, its after
glow SUITES the cloud wreaths with
varied tints of purple and gold and
ruby red that are reflected upon the
ripping waters of the lake below in
sheeny radiance. CThis is not intended
ms a reflection on the Jews, only on the
lake,. A little to the south of west
the gibbous moon is humping itself.
Gibbous is q good word to use. as few
people know what it means. Yonder,
wearily vending his homeward wend
along the dusty way is a gibbous man.
He. too. is half full. Softly the zephyrs
sigh through the tree tops and the
bows nod drowsily to one another. and
from afar comes the hOrney-handed
voice of the honest granger as he jaws
his hired yeoman. From a neighbor-
ing swamp arises faint. misty. vapor-
Gus fog. thicklv studded with the ran
dom remarks OF q male cow-frOg, de-
livered in low. thrilling. reverberat-
ing voice.
Il could stand here forever listening
to the sounds of nature with you at
my side" remarks Bertrand at the
conclusion of the pause above referred
to.
''Would you not fear catching cold
II you stood here forever?" she asks
at length, shyly, as though fearful that
her words may give offense.
True. my love. l had not thought
Of that"
Bertrand abstractedly inserts one
hand in one of his trousers pockets
and encounters a dime. 1t brings his
thoughts to a practical turn. He
sighs. like man who has been hold
ing his breath while three men are on
bases. two out, and the striker has two
strikes called on him.
"Agathe." he begins. in the low. de-
termined voice Of one who feels his
suspenders giving way and endeavors
to hold on to his pantaloons by sheer
force of will. tomorrow 60 forth to
carve out a fortune for myself and for
you. You will wait for me until l re-
turn with it, will you not. dear?'
Forever; but do you think it will
take you very lOng?"
Il can not say: it may be years, It
may be more or less, but with you to
spur me on know l shall not fail.
And before 60 take this: it is a deed
OF tract Of land in Florida, made out
IN your name 1t may not be of greater
value than some other tracts that have
been handed me from time to time BY |
well-meaning persons. and then again |
1t may. 1t cost me $50; keep it with
my blessing"
''Oh. Bertrand. you are so good"
Don't say any thing about it. please.
! would do even more for you. But |
see, the cleaning now has given way
to gloom of night 'Tis long past sup
per time; am hungry, and so. no
doubt, are you. Allow me now to
guide your footsteps to your home.
even as | hope soon to have the
privilege of guiding them through life"
Thus they faded away in the gather
Ing gloom.
A year. twelve months. has passed
away-a Year freighted with blessings
and vicissitudes and political conven-
tions. and-well. with almost every
thing that constitutes the cargo of a
well-freighted year. on which man
pays the freight to Time. the gen eral
Of the Grand Trunk
line to eternity. But this is only by
he way.
A bearded. bronzed man, attired in
good clothes and air of general
bounds buoyantly up the
sseps leading to tho front door OF
villa. and gives . long,
strong pull at the bell knob.
1t is Bertrand, returned after . years
E0if0 carving at fortune.