The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1890-02-08
DIR. JOHN AND L.
How Our Little misunderstanding
Was Finally Settled.

HOW Ouf IlCCl0 NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Was Finally Settled.
DR.. John is 90 provoking! He will in
sist that the beginning of it all was my
singing; that my voice was to him as a
beacon in the darkness, and led him to
me, and then the moon came out and
showed him my face, and his heart gave
. thump that sealed his fate.
The idea! say it was all on account
Of thunderstorm. II there hadn't
been storm that spread black darkness
over all the roads he never would have
lost his way, and never would have dis
graced the whole family by sitting out
in the pagoda at almost midnight. And
II there had been no storm never would
have felt like singing; with mother ly-
ing sick in bed up at the house. OF
course, he just insists to tease me be-
cause ! have no more voice than mos
quite. And it is only when there is q
great noise about me that 1 feel as
though could sing in way to make
the clouds send back the echoes.
Now you can side with whichever of
rs you happen TO like best-with me or
my great brown-bearded tyrant. The
only thing for you to know is that we
had never seen each other before. That
/ had been closely confined to my
mothers sick-room all day and so could
not resist the tempting gale that shook
the trees and made the old house trem-
BILE. Wrapping up closely, stole out to
the little pagoda way OF behind the
orchard, and here with the whirling
leaves and the crashing thunder, shouted
out at the top Of my voice, Of all things,
the grand march from THE Prophet"
LA, Ia, la" were my words, and / won't
be certain that the tune was recogniza-
Bile; but, anyhow, just as highly tri-
umphant peal Of thunder and voice
crashed out together, the moon tore q
big black cloud in tatters and threw her
light on . man who stood directly in
front of me. There is nothing at all
heroic about me, but have never been
afraid Of any thing; and he had his back
to the light, 90 could not see his face.
He came forward . step or two and again
" WOAO Al SOs0A 0ot khCcSs
81 beg your pardon" said he. "There
IL nothing to be afraid of. Ny name is
John Brownlow. am q stranger in
these parts and could not find my way
in the dark. / heard your voice, and
guided by it, reached here. viii you be
50 kind as to direct me to Mrs. Brown
lows? All, here come the frs. drops of
rain! 1t is too bad; but am afraid
shall have to beg your permission to stay
here for to-night-unless my mothers
house il not far distant"
1t was long speech for q stranger to
make, but it gave me time to consider.
you are DR.. Brownlow?" l said.
Then you are not such stranger to
me. Your mother is very dear friend
of ours. 1t is impossible for you to find
the way tonight, so, If you will, you
had better stay with us until the morn
ing. o, no, there will be no inconven-
ience whatever"
So we started OF together, and every
now and then would stumble. It was
dreadfully awkward, and for the first
time In my life felt what embarrass-
ment meant.
II think you had better take my arm"
1t was the first word spoken, and we
were halfway to the house. So 1 took
1t and felt moro at ease, and then told
him how ! happened to be out in the
middle of the night. Iexpected him to
be awfully shocked, but he only laughed
and helped mo over big branch that
had fallen across the path.
The rain began to fall in earnest now,
and then-ye shades of proprietyl-I and
. man whom-I had never seen before
started on on solid run. And he dared
to take out Of his pocket great big
table-cloth Of handkerchief, and throw
Ing 1t over my head, calmly knotted two
OF its ends under my chin. OF course, /
was going to be angry, but he just
caught my arm and started of again,
and thore was something so very-well,
almost paternal-about the whole thing
that changed my mind and laughed
instead.
DR.. John insisted ON seeing mother
that worry night and begged that he
might prescribe for her and come to see
hcr. She really needed medical advice,
but had turned deaf car to all my en-
treaties. Mother could not, however.
resist tho kidd, strong man that bent
above her. and consented to his request.
After that. somehow, 1t did not seem to
be 20 very sad to have mother sick, and
took to putting my front hair up in
curi-papers-a perfectly useless piece of
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