Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1891-04-04


/ ly surpassed herself-the crawfsh
bisque had been perfection itself, the
river shrimp, boiled in red-pepper
water, was still a fine delight TO be re
membered, au reste it had been
round table with only the friends she
liked best-men old enough to appre-
ciate a good dinner, and women pretty
enough to almost distract ones atten-
ton from the menu.
| Mon dieu," madam was wont to
say, with shrug OF her shapely shout
ders, lone is imbicile to invite boys to
dine, they only eat, and a dinner with
out a pretty woman is meat without
grace"
Coffee and flask OF amber liauor
had been served out on the gallery as
we sat watching night come across the
water. The sweet south wind lifted
the veil of moss on the trees, and in
the dusk we could see the white-sailed
schooners, like phantom ships, coming
in or going out. Some one lit a cigar
cite and laughed softly-the servant
comming out TO remove the coffee-cups
had seen the pale crescent Of the new
moon through the tree-tops and had
stopped to cross herself to ward of
the bad luck such misfortune was
sure to bring. 1t was such familiar
mingling OF the Christian symbol with
heather superstition that we scarcely
noticed it until the doctor said:
''Do you know that is one of abe
most interesting psychological prob
lens in the world-how far nature
and heredity have been overcome
by education and civilization"
and then speaking almost
as if to himself, and lighting one CT
gazette from the ashes OF another, the
doctor told this story to Illustrate his
point:
~ hardly remember when or where |
first met Loyette," he said, SIT was so
many years ago. But when think Of
her | always see a tall, dark, little
woman with clear olive skin, with
black hair hidden under a gay tignon
and eyes with such a tawny light in
them-such flashes OF passion, OF love
or hate-it made you think OF a sum
mer night when the soft darkness is
cleft in twain by sudden CLEANS OF
lightning.
You would have noted all these
things il you had known her, but what
you would have remembered longest
would have been a curious impression
OF strength and power in her, repressed
and dormant perhaps, but you instinct
lively felt that the slim, straight figure
could spring on an enemy out Of adoor-
way like a tiger on its prey, and that
the long sinewy fingers had a grip like
steel. You had only to note the thin
line OF the quivering nostril and the
quick light that leaped into the eye to
know that she was creature of fierce
passions, under which she shook and
writhed like reed in storm.
"You may have seen many another
quadroon like Loyette in the lower
part of New Orleans, walking with
their peculiarly free and swinging step
along the banquette, or making
picturesque bits of color among the
fruits and bizarre wares OF the French
market, or better still, you may have
seen them in the old st. Louis cathe-
dral PROSTATE before the altar oil
Our Blessed Lady, with all the passion
in their half-savage blood died out
before the calm gaze of infinite purity
Fand their tempest-tossed souls at rest
for a moment on the bosom Of God. y
The doctor paused q moment, and
then he went ON:
As have said | hardly remember
how or when first knew Loyette.
have faint recollection of my father
who was a sugar planter on the TechC
dying, OF being carried faint and grief
sick to my guardians house in New
! Orleans, OF exchanging the light and
! freedom Of the country for darkened
rooms, OF hot and narrow streets ir
| place OF wavingcane, and then darkness
closed in about me and / knew nc
more. They told me afterwaTd wai
very illfor weeks, but at last when that
: mysterious voyaging OF mind and sou
J over unknown seas which we call delir
ium, was over, and like q half-wreckeC
bark had drifted into port again, til,
first thing ] remember consciously was
Loyette. She was standing at tn,
window, as | saw her so often in othel
yteiIS-tttltt SJdbut54u6 bDu Sui b5 l
carved in bronze. / stirred softly
and seeing was awake and rational
she came swiftly to me.
: En-, mon bebe, she said softly, blu
8 it is you who should burn candle Il
| the saints. 1t is the grace OF lie boz
Dieu, or else it would be in the GENE
taire st. Louis you would wake
In my weakened state did no
greately care, but curiosity was begin
ming to stir in my numbed brain.
} "'And YOU asked, who are you?
9 ooh she answered, with shrup
q 'as for me, / am Loyette, your nurse
/. Now, sleep, sleep, and she held to m,
!, lips draught INTERESTINGLY swal
lowed; but even as drifted of int
inconsistencies was haunted by tt
o dark, sad face that bent above me.
$ ain the days OF convalescene, whel
d / tossed from side to side OF the grea
teatered bed lonely enough woutd