Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1892-02-12


Rachel, who always accompanied me,
being detained indoors by bad attack
OF neuralgia. / had done all could to
make her comfortable and she had
dropped into a doze before | started
have said ! was alone; but ! should
not have used that expression, for had
a companion whose society was a great
comfort to me. / forgot to mention
one very agreeable adjunct of the es-
tablishment at Greystone which | had
found there on my arrival; it was a
beautiful greyhound, Jupiter by name.
He had been the pet dog of Mr..
Laurence's cousin, who had made his
home with my husbands mother until
her death, five years previously. This
young man, Wayne Goodwin by name,
had been abroad ever since, so had
never seen him. He had sent me a
letter of coincidence when informed by
the lawyer of my husbands death and
the will making him possible legatee.
On this particular morning, warmly
wrapped up in furs, l walked along,
Jupiter bounding at my side, until we
reached a wood, whose tall trees, their
topmost branches swaying in the wind,
looked like giant skeletons waving
aloft their skinny arms As we passed,
noticed the animal gave start as if
alarmed. ] laid my hand tenderly on
his long nose, while | looked down at
him reassuringly. Then l glanced
about to see whether could detect any
reason for his fright, and | noticed
stranger coming toward us. He was a
good-loolSing man, well dressed, and
newcomers were not an everyday oc-
currence in our vicinity; but should
probably not have given him a second
thought, had it not been for Jupiter's
strange conduct. The animal gazcd at
the approaching figure few moments,
long and earnestly; then made two or
three leaps forward, and, before l
could recover from my establishment,
was licking his hand, barking, and in
canine fashion expressing unmstaka-
BILE pleasure at the meeting
was completely puzzled; for the
stranger, after returning Jupiter's af
fectionate greeting with interest, gave
me rapid glance, lifted his hat and
went on his way without word of ex-
PLANTATION. With some difficulty, re-
strained the dog from following him,
and, burning with indignation at the
mans behavior, which seemed to me as
peculiar as the four footed creatures, |
continued my walk cut my prone
made short, however, as soon as
thought it was compatible with my
dignity to do so, and FASTENED to see
Rachel. l found her much improved
so | poured out my curious narrative
without pause. When l had finished
she merely smiled and made no COM
ment. Almost the only irritating
thing about Rachel was her lack of
curiosity.
Curiosity, like all emotions of the
human mind, dies from lack of food:
so, hearing nothing more of the object
of Jupiter's interest, l soon ceased to
think about him.
Two or three weekssafter my encoun-
ter, Rachel and ] took walk together
We went in the direction of the village,
as my cousin had an errand there, and,
on our way, we passed the graveyard
on hill back of the church, where all
Mr. Laurence's family were buried.
Before we reached our destination,
grew tired for l was not feeling very
WELL and Rachel insisted upon my
: turning back, declaring that she did
not mind walking the remainder of the
distance alone. l obeyed her, though
rather reluctantly, and bent my steps
in the direction of home.
1t was dull gray day early in Febru-
, airy. The sky was overspread with clouds
/ and the air was full of unshed moisture,
, making it chill and heavy felt cheer
, less enough, and, when l found myself
near the graveyard again, my feet
t turned toward it almost instinctively
On this particular day, the place, with
J its silence and gloom and the white
stones marking all that was left Of
/ many generations once young and gay
: like myself seemed in consonance with
t my mood, / climbed the hill. entered
: the churchyard, and picked my way
. among the graves, until / reached the
t spot in which all the dead and gone
Laurences for more than century haC
oeen buried. A tall marble shat
marked my husbands last resting
place, and, as l stood by it, sudder
sense of the unsatisfactoriness of life
a came over me. Was there never to bt
q any of that fullness of joy of which
a had dreamed, but only the calm resig
I nation that my Cousin Rachel assured
y me was the best thing in this world
, With the restlessness of youth, | re
G belled, and two hot tears fell on IN,
a hus bands grave-tears of selfish repin
= ing far more than of real grief. Glanc
a ing up at this moment l saw a man ap
;. preaching l had been standing in tn
q shadow of a yew tree, and he evdentl,
:, had not noticed me until that moment
for he started perceptibly as our eye
!, met. l started, too, for the strange
y was no other than the person to whom
Jupiter had shown such friendly recog
y milton. There was moments paus
" of embarrassment, then the gentleman
T lifted his hat and apologized for hi
appearance.
q II beg your pardon, madam" h
=. said. 81 had no intention of intruding
q but did not see that anyone was her
- until this instant"
: mo apologies are necessary l an
d swered, hastily. 81 did not mean +
d remain here, at any rate" And befor
# he could say anything to prevent me
IT bowed and walked rapidly away.
t. AS went heard him uttering NOR
" apologies and disclaimers at my goin
away, but paid no heed l could nc
~ help wondering who he was, though
" and had curiosity enough to look bac
| i ......l.-.l IL. - L u