The Opelousas courier., 1893-08-26

6afGn naQ Op0ueu bAO SWdiio"Ou ShAAn1'
No wonder Mariel is sad, knowingthat
her poor, demented father either died
among strangers or is still wandering
about, homeless and friendlesa, always
haunted by his strange halluclnatlon.
always eeeking the 'front.'"
There was o long silence, broken at
length by Robert.
$50 this is her secret trouble" he
+Aaid, pitifully, "and she has borne IL
i've long years? No wonder the Fourth
is a sad anniversary for her. HOr
father is dead. Allie. If he were not
he Wousa have been discovered long
since. A man in his condition could not
long wander about unknown"
"Mariel thinks he will yet return"
said Allie. sfShe keeps his things al
ways in readiness for him, and remains
closely at home that she may be there
to welcome his coming"
Robert lay back in the hammock and
tilted his hat over his eyes in the man
ner of one who desires quiet.
Seeing his l~istless attitude. Allie
went to look at her late roses.
Left to himself, Robert fell into a
long reverie about She wlnsome coun-
try maid whom he had declared 1.-THE
dearest girl he knew" From their
first meeting he had greatly admired
her because of her pleasing, sensible
ways and her devotion to her invalid
mother. Now his thoughts of her
were fraught with a new tenderness,
because of her patiently-endured
trouble and her long, hopeful wait
ing.
s"It is very pathetic" he said,
musingly. "And all the more SO be-
cause there is no probability that the
wanderer will ever return. Her
pathetic waiting must end in disap-
pointment at last. What a pity to
spend her bright young life under this
dark cloud! She should be persuaded
to accept the inevitable, to put away
useless r~epinings and expectations and
enjoy life as a bright young girl
should"
He began to wonder if it were moi
both his duty and his happiness to
persuade heseto do this, and the more
he thought about it the more ardently
did he long to undertake the happy
du4y. Why not begin by inducing he1
to accompany him in the'pony phaeton
to the rustic celebration?
His invitation, though, gladly re-
ceived, was ~regretfully declined.
ST would SO enjoy gdhg!" said
Mariel, wistfully. "But I dare moi
leave home for an entire day. What
if papa were to return a4RRd find me
gomez"
Robert gently but coniidentlyo as
sured her that there wasno probability
of the wanderer returning on that par
ticular day. He then dwelt SO elo'
quently on the duty Of putting away
useless repining and making the best
of life, and so artfully magnifed hi
disappointment if she refused the drive
in the pony phaton, that she could but
accept his invitation.
She was still young and hopeful, des
pite the years of sorrowful waiting fol
! one who came not. Them. too, it wal
SO pleasant to please her handsome city
admirer.
Robert was so charmed with the win,
some country maid, and SO elated with
his first attempt at persuasion, that, al
they bowled merrily along to the cele
bration On the morning of the Fourth,
he resolved to test his influence still
further.
But when he pleaded that Marie
should leave the country cottage, and,
with her mother, come to share hi
city home, he met with asorrowful but
persistent refusal.
Her father had charged her to re
main in the cottage and care for hel
invalid mother, and she must obey.
Moreover, 1t would be dreadful were
he to return and find his house de,
serted. She could not think of mar
riage until the fate of the afflicted
wanderer had been ~ascertained. The
only concession Roberts ardent pro
tests could elicit was permission to re.
new his plea when at last the sad mys-
terry was solved.
This unsatisfactory result of his suit
somewhat married the pleasure of the
drive in the pony pheton.
But Robert found comfort in resolv.
ing to take such an active part in the
search that some clue to the wanderer
would soon be obtained.
To the young all things are possible,
and Robert did not doubt his ability to
accomplish the task he now appointed
himself.
AS for Mariel, she s~ecretely believed
her handsome young lover capable OF
accomplishing any task, however diff
cult.
Arriving at tie scene of festivity,
they resolved to put awayall doubt and
sadness, and derive their share of en-.
joyment from the occasion.
The motley crowd of people, the
music and speeches, and above all their
interest in one another, kept them
busily occupied until the afternoon,
when the old soldiers we're to have q
roll-ca1 by States.
It is surprising how many old sol.
diers are found in every patriotic gath.
ering. Even at this out-of-the-way
prairie celebration were gathered many
Of those who, in other days and in far
distant States, had enlisted. in the ser.
| vice of their country.
At the call Of the bugle they formed
in line, and marched TO the place APP
nointad for the ro11-oaU
They were all rather elderly men
now, and many wore plain citizens