St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1891-07-18

I
'you know you have been away TO,
some time, old fellow"
Tt did not seem to it in very well;
but he accepted it as an argument, and
said:
''There is something in that, but
don't let people talk about it. / know
he relies upon you and me-"
There was something SO touching in
the reliance of this unknown, that q
glow OF sympathetic affection warmed
my heart, and resolved on the spot
that his confidence should not be mis-
placed. Come what might, the secret
OF that old mans life should never be
betrayed by me. Others might make
| it a subject of club gossip or tea-table
tittle-tattle, but no word of, mine
should add one drop @ th cup of bit
terness that had been pNAeed at his
lips. There are passages ih>e lives
of all of us which we would yHsh to
have buried in oblivion-the thought
less follies of youth. theslnworthy am
bitions of manhood, and the selfish
jealousies of old age; who is there that
can stand up and say there is no epi-
sode in his life he would not have ex-
plunged, forgotten or condoned?
We had turned into restaurant for
a bit of dinner, and those thoughts
passed through my mind as we ate our
fish. My companion pondered sadly
for few seconds, and then, shaking
himself together as though to throw off
an unpleasant train of thought, said:
snow, tell me about yourself, your
wife and family"
Before 1 had time to reflect upon
what might be the result of my dis
closure, blurted out the simple truth:
II have no wife,
He looked intensely surprised, as III
said: sMy dear fellow. am very sorry.
I never heard He paused, inquir-
ingly, and again blurted out:
II never had one.'
A look Of extreme pain spread over
his face as he heard this. He leaned
across the table, and laying his hand on
mine, said, with infinite sympathy: ST
see it all; ought not to have asked you.
Forgive me, old fellow, and forget that
have said these words
gave him a clammy hand and turned
away, lest he should detect the con-
scious guiltiness of my face. had be-
come confirmed in a suspicion that had
been gradually dawning upon my mind,
that had never set eyes upon my host
before that day, and that I had been
carried away by some inexplicable
chance resemblance to some remote ac-
quaintance, and by his own apparent
cordial recognition of myself. There
was no blinking the facts, however.
Everybody that he mentioned was
total stranger to me. while every Incl
dent that mentioned with a view to
mind blank. My sole object now was
to extricate myself from my false posi-
tion without detection. got absolute
ly and hopelessly involved in fable and 1
falsehood, and after having thus lightly
taken away the good name of the sup
posititious mother of my children,
sort OF despair took possession of me,
and a wild desire to avoid exposure or
explanation at any cost.
lent, and my host geniality itself. We
sat late and drank freely, and over our
cups blush TO think of the people I
married, the old friends / buried and
the characters took away. But he
would have news, and what was to
do? Much of my information seemed
to afford him matter for astonishment,
and often he CALCULATED:
''You don't tell me so," as conveyed
some specially startling piece of person
al news.
However, the time for departure came
at last, and my mind was torn with con-
flicting desires to escape detection and
to ascertain his identity.
.sYou'l come and see u.s. he said cor
daily, as we shook hands preliminary
to leaving.
''Yes, certainly" replied; ''but
where are you putting up now?''
"Oh, the same old quarters he re-
turned.
What is the best way to get there?"
asked, as a last and altogether desper-
ate hope.
s'You can't do better than take cab,"
he said; and we parted never to meet |
against James Gazette.
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