The Opelousas courier., 1891-07-04

.'Qht nothin-at least nothin' more'I
common" he answered with a sigh.
which seemed TO come from the bottom
Of his heart.
"Nothing more than commonw ex
Canned mother. "Why, | thought YOU
were always we'll"
"Ah, no." he replied. | amt never
we'll. don't never complain, but you
tee--l'm consumpted."
"No," exclaimed mother incredulous-
y.
eyes, | came out here for my health,
but faint done no good. Doctor tells
me that n lung is all gone, and the
other started. Yes. I don't expect to
live long, but what's the difference. |
don't amount to nothin', and I'm sure no
body'd care if died tonight
/ did not dare look at him, but Ifelt
the reproachtul glance, and heard the pro-
found sigh w!>;ch heaved up from his re-
naming lung.
After awhile he took his leave, first
saying goodnight to mother, then turn
ing to me and asking very stitfly if he
could ''speak with me a minute" ]
stepped out into the door yard, and
walked a few steps with him, when he
turned and said:
"Miss May and his thin lips q~uivered
SO that | was frightened, for I felt sure
he going to cry, 81 hope you amt Of
Tended at what said to you tonight. I
reckon | amt SO good lookin' as some O.
the town ~fellers, an / hain't good enough
for you anyhow, an jest thought I'd
tell you that | won't come over here to
bother you any more"
"Oh, you must not feel like that" l
exclaimed, panied at his evident distress.
II am not at all offended, and you must
come and see us just the same. Mother
would feel very bad if you should de.
sert u.s."
ssOh, shucksl" no shifted. "You1
mother don't think nothin' O me-"
"Indeed she does, | exclaimed smll-
ing inwardly, as l caught a certain mean
ing in his tone. 'tShe often speaks of
your many klndnesses to us. So, Alfred,
let us just forget that little conversation
down the road, and be good friends and
neighbors as before"
"Ail right" he answered a little abb
sentlv, I thought, and then started at
once toward home.
"What in the world ais the mani" ex.
claimed mother, as | entered the house,
stand what did he want2"
"Well," l explained, stthe man is in
love. Wants to come to see me regular"
Goodness knows he comes regular
enough, but what do you mean?"
"Why, you see, he wants to come
sparkling, set up Sunday nights, in the
good, old fashioned way" Mother laid
her head back and laughed, while
Johnny rolled upon the floor in the ex-
tremity Of feeling.
"And what did youtell him." mother
asked.
"Well, really mother, he looked so
miserable and so disappointed when !
told him l had no time for beaux, that
to comfort him, l told him that You
thought a great deal of him, and that he
must com and see US just the same"
sMayt" interrupted mother sternly,
but it was my turn TO laugh.
The next Monday morning as / was
vending my way across the prairie to-
ward my humble temple of knowledge,
I espied an iron rod standing straight in
the ground, to which was attached, like
a flaming 81 gnal a gorgeous red silk hand
kerchief. l looked at it wonderingly and
finally concluded that the rod must have
fallen from some passing farm wagon,
and as the handkerchief was uncom-
monty handsome, | thought there would
be no harm in appropriating it, and was
proceeding to unfasten it when | heard a
shout, and, looking up I saw the form of
a man coming through the tall grass, but
as yet at quite a distance.
"Halio," came the voice; IT say, little
girl, let that alone will You please" His
long strides were bringing hun alarming
ly near, and, frightened / hastily threw
the handkerchief upon its standard and
hurried on, feeling as if | had been caught
in the act of stealing.
After | had reached a safe distance !
east a glance back and saw with astonish-
ment, the stranger, standing with eyes
bent to some instrument which looked
for all the world like a photographers
camera, evidently trying to get a focus
at some object.
".Goodnessm / exclaimed, mentally.
HE is trying to get my photograph"
and hurried on, more frightened and
puzzled than ever. He was handsome
and young, that much | had made sure
of. He looked very romantic, too. in
his high topped boots, gray flannel shirt
and cowboy hat, and after awhile ven
tured to look back again, not knowing,
though, but that | might be turned to a
pillar Of salt or something else. He. was
just striding out Of sight over the hill
toward Jul house, carrying that queer
tripod on his shoulder, while the
gay handkerchief fiuttered in his hand.
at once it dawned upon me. He was
q surveyor. Those instruments he car
ried were surveying tools, and he was
probably engaged in locating section cor
ners, or in laying a line for some new
branch of road.
The little episode was IN my mind all
day, and the voice, half command, half
request, and altogether fatherly in its ex-
preston Of little GIRL rang in my ears
above the monotonous hum Of the school
room, and ! was glad when the day was
aud could go home and talk il
over with mother, for in our isolated
ives any little, unusual ripple made a
welcome diversion.
/ reached the home, warm and tired.
With hat and dinner nail dangling on