The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-01-01

me. You OugnC TO marry prdCOiOo''
man, some one to steady you, not a
poevry-writing fellow OF the same
kind"
Aurore made one OF her faint, lazy
protests.
cecil works, maman; he keeps up
the old place nicely. 1t is only IN
leisure hours that he writes poetry
and plays on the VIOLIN"
"Well it stands to reason" Miss
Maria went on, chat if he spends
any time in the twenty-four doing
such things rs that, he must think OF
them the rest OF the day. At any
rate, l feel that l did perfectly right
to forbid him to come here. When
you are twenty-five you can do as
you please, but till then must do
what is my duty.
~ shall be an old woman at twenty
five," Aurore said languidly. ave
are not like you Northerners. But
we will not discuss the matter, NAM
an. What is to be will be, and for
one am content to let things drift, |
have said nothing to you about your
putting poor Cecil out OF doors; but
it was hard-hearted and not very
reasonable"
Miss Maria turned away. The
thoughts under her auburn curls,
dressed in an old-fashioned manner
and streaked with gray, were not
happy ones. She was endeavoring to
perform certain quite abnormal duties
at the instigation of the Puritan
conscience, backed up by her Puritan
obstinacy. o
Cecil Nettoyer was precisely the ge-
nus OF young man abhorrent to her
soul. His warm, almost caressing,
manner, his love OF music, his pictur-
esque dress, all represented to her a
combination OF weakness and wicked
ness. She could not and would not
see that he had practical purpose I'M
der all this ornament, and refused to
give him the credit for his proftably
managed plantation.
1.-THE place runs ITSELF" she was
wont TO observe, unwilling to feel that,
though he played Chopin in the even
ing, his knowledge OF sugar planting
was in no way lessoned by his knowl'
edge of music. He pleaded guilty to
reading Daudet through many amorn,
ing hour on his front veranda; but nc
man upon the Mississippi was better
served than Cecil Nettoyer, or had
more perfectly the grasp OF his own
affairs.
He had a complacent philosophy Of
his own, and the sense OF humor gen.
orally observed in men OF strong will
power.
"All things come to those who wait, D
he was wont to observe to himself
"even Miss Maria"
Tildie was gathering blackberries by
the fence which separated their plan
tation from Nettoyers. Her basket
was partly full, her yellow sunbonnet
hung on a neighboring bramble, and
each indivIdualbraid had assumed the
strictly perpendicular.
Presently her name was called, and
Mr.. Nettoyer's countenance appeared
on the other side of the fence. Now
this young man was q weakness o.
Tildie's. He was her sole embodiment
OF the hero OF romance, although she
did not in good truth know that there
wassuch an article anywhere. Human
nature, even when it happens to be cot
fee-colored, Graves instinctively for the
ideal.
81 am going away to Memphis on
the 7 o'clock boat, TIldie," Cecil SAID
~ would like to see Miss Aurore and
tell her goodby. What will she be do,
ing from 3 o'clock until 81"
Tildie reflected.
"Miss Mira, she been a-mekin' her
read to her pretty regler fer the las
two weeks"
Cecil saw that the case was hopeless
The expression on his face touched
Tildie. The African cunning and the
Causasian admiration stirred within
her.
"Lemme think. Mr.. Cecil Her NAV
are powerful mean to Miss Aurore
bout you. Thar amt no sense in it.
| done say so to Miss Mira mo- times
than one Mr. Cecil Nettoyer he amt
no lazy man; he puts the right value
on hisself. There amt no niger that
dares ter play off on him, and he don't
have no fooling round him"
"What does she say?" Mr.. Nettoyer
queried, with an amused smile.
ooh, she tell me ter tend to my own
business, but Miss Mira do lissen ter
me-, She low kin pleaseher better'n
anybody on de place"
"Well, goodby, Tildie, he said turn.
ing away, but she called him back.
"Mr. Cecil" she exclaimed, "you
come round ter our house this after.
noon. Come about 4 o'clock, walkin
kinder easy and natural-like round to
the little gallery in the east side
where Miss Aurore sits in tn after.
moons. 1 gwine tend to Miss Mira
"Why, Tildie," he asked, "what
would you do2 You'd have to kill
Miss Maria to get her off guard"
BLESS yo' soul, Mr.. Cecil, Wouldn't
hut hair of Miss M'ria's head. She
are awful good ter me, Miss Mira are
She are a 'sot in her mind pussoni
but she don mean no harm to no,
body. She worry over Miss Aurore
like ole hen with one duck"
Then Tildie rose to height OF met.
aphor which astonished her auditor
and herself.
eyes, Marse Cecil, she worry like q
ole hen with one duck, and you is the
water. Miss Aurore she gwine go like