Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1892-05-07

know where she 4. Upe.airs crying
for him that's gone. Blue-blue as she |
can be. HIN! I'm blest that my past
don't sorrow me, nor my future either.
There it is now! Million minute!
Gold-hecled shoes! Keep It up!"
Abby spoke OF wealth with rich>ex.
aggeration. Her ideal Independence
was simply freedom from debt. She
had ono desire that ruled her lifc-and
that, to possess a home. Tho knowl-
edge that her landlord might, on u
lapse in payment, tnrn her out, rode her
as a sense of infericsisy. Her material
credit. But to own the ground she
walked on, that was to wear gold
heeled shoes. Every step left the inn
press OF wealth's equality. All her eff
forts, then, were directed to the reduc-
ton OF the insufferable mortgage that
threatened her home.
She laborcd hard in e>Nry channel
| known to single countrywomen. Sho
picked and sold berries. She gathered
and cured swcethag. She had patch
/ of garden with many herbs in it. and
others she gathered wild and dried in
buhches for the druggists and medicine
makers. She stitched boots when that
seldom work offered. She knit AND
sewed She did not know an idle mo-
| ment the year round.
BY years Of patient toll Abby had re-
duced the amount of the mortgage to
one hundred dollars. And one night,
when she looked at her handbook and
counted the days receipts, she found
enough to cancel the debt. 1t was
matter of verifcation only, for she
knew to a cent the state of her finances.
Pardonably she wcpt little that her
work was accomplished. The goal was
reached she had set and beyond which
she had not before locked. Now she
was brought face to face with blank
ness. Whittier should she wander
through it, and what should she strive
for? She asked herself these questions,
for it was borne in upon her that the
old desire was thing of ties past, be-
ing gratified, and that she must dis
cover a new one. Through anticipa-
ton. her hope had mirrored brightly,
but now she found it's reverse side dull;
and with the disappointment mingled n
bitter surprise that it was so.
The widow broke in upon this con-
iured-up sadness with real living sorrow
of her own. She was crying. and all
Abby's heart-tenderness went out to
/ her at once, for the widow was proud
| little woman. and had kept her gricfs
' at home until now, fairly driven for
| consolation to Abbys kindly arms. And
, there she lay and sobbcd her story
D how Jim had been placed under bonds
l and had broken them, and could not
= pay and must go away to some prison.
n Little by little she laid bare the trial
c of desolate years, and Abby listened
+ sympathetically.
c Jim could get away said the
a widow, The would go into the navy. as
o his father did. Jim always wanted to
but I couldn't let him go: he is all
q have. He can do nothing else. and
n would not let him go. 1 was so seltsi
/. Il kept him against his leaning--ant
e now he must go to prison. 1t is judi,
h ment on me-"
e And Abby consoled her distress ant
n lulled her to rest as gently as she woul'
e a grieving child
" The next day Abby strobe down tin
white road to the village and drew al
~ her money from the bank. The cashie
=. joked her upon extravaganza.
9 Going to buy gold hccled shoes now
es Ably"
ot She looked up smiling Eyes. m
- gold-heeled shoes. Took long time t
. pay for them. didn't it?''
~ Il wish we might all get them if
20 would make us look as happy rs you d
h. now" said he.
u, Abby marched from the bank int
ss the presence of the town officials 81
ID ting on Jim Bankers case. The cor
ne stable was there ready to conduct hii
co to the state reformatory.
~ What will it cost to get Jim off?
nv she demanded.
Nv ..One hundred dollars" said the clerl
nv Abby counted the amount ON tn
ID table. while all the room stared. Conn
Jim" said she.
nv Jim came from his consta bile -guarde
corner. and followed her out. He w;
a. amazed. His malodorous career ha
&c not brought him many acts of kindne'
~. Mt the townspeoples hands. "Wh'
Ct does this mean, Miss Abby?' he sal
as huskily.
~ She smiled at him reassuringly. 'Ju
"a this, Jim--gold-heeled shoes. An