St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-03-09


''wHERE DID YOU CONE rROM?"
Lieutenant Anterior must feel hon
Orcd, my dear. in the frank avOwal Of
pleasure you have just made"
Il assure you, Miss Holland. 1 can APP
preciste Miss Mays feelings, us !. too.
have l'ecn far from friends and have
longed for the sight of even a dog
from home! And besides Miss May
and are old and privileged friends
arc We noti"
A smile and . nod Of the head was
her answer.
II. too. have known what it is to be
far away in a foreign land, AMI to long
:or the sight Of my own countrymen.
=. such times I used to pour forth my
longing in song. and have sung '.Home.
Sweet Home" until my voice was
choked in s0bs." said Miss Holland,
while a misty vail seemed to fall over
the velv ETY. darkness Of her eyes.
In instant Doug las seemed to be
floating idly on the blue Italian waters.
while from the shore came the sound
of Home. Sweet Home" sung with
thrilling sweetness. 1t was only an
instant, and then he was talking OF
home friends with Miss May Durfree.
while his eyes followed the movements
of the other as she strolled TO the end
Of the little wharf.
Awaiting himself OF his acquaintance
Of the lively May. who was genuinely
glad to see some one from her own
home. Lieutenant Anterior called
shortly after Mt Edgewater Hall and
saw her and her favOrite teacher.
Happy days followed. for he soon
learned to know the hours when his
friends were out for exercise. and rs
often as he dared he joined them. He
also met Miss Holland on different Oc-
casions at various private residences
where the Lieutenant was being lion
lied and where Miss Holland was an
honored guest Her voice thrilled
him rs of yore. and q near acquaint-
ance was but making him a still
stronger captive. And Alice was not
entirely unimpressed. Drawn toward
him at fir It in talking over the scenes
they were both familiar with in for
eign lands, she could not fail. as slime
went on. to sec his devotion and to be
impressed with it. And yet. although
she was learning to watch for his COM
ing. to feel a sense of loneliness when
he left her. she was not wholly en-
thralled. Practical. business woman
that she was, In spite OF her artistic
temperament, she could but feel that
Douglas AthertOn's life was devoid OF
aim. that no great purpose urged him
on to deeds of activity. Possessed OF
ample means Anterior had led an easy
life. stationed with his regiment in
pleasant quarters at Fort X. near
the large city Of Lawrenceburg. Alice
had dreamed of q knight whose life
should be one of earnest endeavOr,
whose spurs were not lightly won. and.
although she was drawn to this one
with the pleading eyes. she would not
give up her long-cherished ideal OF
the here who should claim her as his
own. She had turned indifferently
from many admirers feeling that:
It's - easy 70 be heroes, - TO Sit the idle
slaves
OF Legendary virtue carved upon cur fathers
One Saturday Atherton had per.
suaded Alice to 20 with him for q row
on the lake. For the first time he
felt they were secure from inter
ruption and he meant to tell her Of his
love. The day was perfect and they
rowed far out over the water. Douglas
thought Alice very lovely. as she sal
opposite him, her navy-blue wool dress
relieved by a white polka-dotted hand.
kerchief tied in . nautical fashion
around her throat. her face shaded by
q blue silk umbrella As they rOwed
over the water she sang a barcarOlle,
her voice coming back over the water
in answering echoes.
See that vessel" she cried; ''how
mOtiOnless it lies there far out on the
water"
YES" he answered. glancing at the
limp sails; lit is becalmed. 1t saw II
there this morning"
Does it not remind you OF an aim
less life. dependent on the winds Of cir
cumstance. blown here and there, q.
the case may be?'
mo; rather Of one who takes The
good the gods may give and calmly
enjoys life undisturbed by the deeE
waters that may be surgins beneath
him"
Gould any one do that? Would il b,
possible to live such life? Are we no
placed in this world to be, to do and Il
suffer? Dare We drift with the tiGe?'
Alice. as she spoke. became very earn
est Unconsciously her eyes sough
those of Douglas and seemed to quss
ton his very soul