The Opelousas courier., 1892-02-20
A SADDUCEE.
BY EVA WILDER M'GLAssoN.

as usual, much the worse OF their brles
occupancy.
81 shall take it on myself to cut the
| grass and mend the front shutter, = said
Brother Boone Hinson, as he drove past,
and saw golden-rod shameiessly Haunting
itself among the knee-high weeds in the
scrap of a yard.
It was Shaker land clear to the Ken
lucky River, two miles away, and an inch
of unkempt sward was a grievous offence
got to be tolerated.
q 'tIt is always this way with tenants
sighed Brother Boone. 81 wish we didn't
have to rent out our unused houses to
worlds people," He sighed again, cast
ing an austere eye on the toll-gate house.
a low-browed dwelling which sat scowl-
ing by the green Way-side.
The girl who had come a few months
ago to live with her aunt, Mrs. Meeks,
the toll-gate keeper, looked alphabetically
at Brother Boone as she swung the pole
over his mules head.
"a wording" considered the young
man, returning her glance with disap.
prevail, and getting a new idea of
wickedness from the curling fluff of red
hair over her big eyes. The mule went
a little sideways as his driver turned en-
phatically from the Jezebel in the door,
way, her black gown edged at the neck
with a wisp of Grape.
"Always Shakers!" she thought, fol-
lowing him with weary eyes. II wish
some one else would pass by just now
and then"
She kept OF looking at Brother Boone.
He was "a part of it all, q portion of the
deadly tranquility which pervaded the
whole secluded settlement, even to this
outskirt nook where Mrs. Meeks lived.
The stone walls of the severe Shaker
houses just to the southwark seemed to
Mrs. Meeks's niece like tombs. Centre
House, gray and ponderous, weighed
her heart down every time her glance
struck through the intervening stretch
of meadow. There was nothing to hear,
nothing to see, except now and then
of fine evenings, when SOM of the Har.
rodsburg young people dashed by in
light buggies-mere tieeting %glimpses of
gayety, which only stung Nora to a re-
~membrance of the city. She was new
to country ways, and in the midst of the
wild freshness of the unbuilded earth
she pined for the fret Of the town, the
rush of traffic, the smoke, the clamor
of humanity.
sslt wasn't clean, of course. in Cincin-
natl, but | loved it," said Nora.
"ShoWs how little sense you got,n
commented her aunt. feeling i'll repaid
for giving her brothers child a home.
stYou'd of been in a fine fix if I hadn't
taken you in when your paw died-not
q cent in the world except what tho
furniture out of three rooms brought.
/ don't know what you'd of done, so ]
don't"
81 could have stood in a store" said
Nora.
"Yes, you could!p satirically agreed
Mrs. Meeks. II know how you'd of
stood in a store. You wouldn't have
lasted a month. You amt none too
robust, noWay. hope you're grateful
to me for bringing you to a good home,
where you dcn't have to do a living
thing except tend the toll e and look
after the children a little, and do the
washing, and such"
Eyes, Aunt Molly
"They amt a many widow women
would a. done it," complacently added
Mrs. Meeks. aAnd me with four of nv
own to raise" She sighed heavily. She
was a large, limp woman, laylshly en-
dowed save in the single item of teeth.
Her thin blond hair was always slipping
down.
1T would be pretty if you pinned il
closer, " advised Nora.
"Don't matter none,v reasoned Mrs.
.'sharp plows Is mighty little
use when you got no land to turn. i
look to marry again, noway. A
man d think twice with all these young
ines. And there's nothing around here
but Shakers, and they amt tht
marrying kind
"WhY2n asked Nora.
against the laws. Don't waste no
words on um, Nora, when you turn the
pole for UNI. The women are right soft.
but the men wouldn't take of
heir hats to a lady to save their lives.
That there Brother Boone is the worst OF
Ill UNI. Hes too straitlaced to i've
81 liked his looks best Of ALL re.
iected Nora.
He was SO unlike the young men in
own, who wore narrow shoes and had
watch chains dTaped across their vests.
ind were collared and crayatted within
n inch of their lives. Brother Boone
lad broad shoulders squarely outlined
Under his blue cotton coat, and his dust
'olored hair curied up under the wide.
immed hat lie wore.
he looked strong and wholesome and
IaPpy, and Jet he was a Shaker, and had
lved always in these quiet uplands
where nothing ever happened.
Shakers wondered Nora; etpeonIe
don love or marry or have any.
hing in their lives but work and PRAYER.
)h, / eouIdn'tln
She vaguely conjectured what these
TRANCE beings thought Of when spring
afae about. and fields were fringed with
fiid fowers DID the moonlight arouse
& strange imagery id themg Could
hey look nnmoved on the skv when
tars stole dilnly ont one By one, spatter.
lg the night with silver dustS She
iudaered. Better this weary life, with
four little cousins forever Juggling at
ae,s skirts and all the work to do. than
share in the emptiness over yonder
here Centre House was.
She begun 70 wonder il Brother Boone