The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-03-25

L U.s. AAC
| could feel myself blush furiously, for
though Cousin Hugh and l werewolf,
it is hard tosay what we were; but this
unlucky speech of mine was certainly
the first word of love that had passed
between us.
Twas glad to so down on my knees
to the little fellow leaping about me to
escape the eyes of the big fellow stand
ing over me, for | felt sure there was
a laugh in them.
when your dog is as honest as you
are, Kitty" said Hugh, Il may per-
haps begin to love him as"
As | do?" answered. my dog and
| springing down the steps together
gayly. II wouldn't advise you to; evil
communications corrupt good manners,
to quote still another proverbs: and my
Artful Dodger may teach me as much
as l have failed in teaching him, poor
boy!"
AT that rate, it is as well / am TAX
ing you both to a poor quarter of the
city" said Hugh. And indeed | felt
that the dog might help to cheer the
little crippled lad he was taking me
to see.
1t was not the first time DR.. Hugh
had carried me off to see some patient
of his. Elizabeth had a malicious
way of limiting that he had me on pro-
baton as a model doctors wife. But
Cousin Hugh and | had been comrades
eve since ! could remember; and
when | was out of reach of Eliza
hat he Sh IVY, fnnrY1n fko,, ,rar -&1l~-.
anything to remind me that we had not
been boys together, instead of girl and
boy.
The one step from the sublime to the
ridiculous is d short one in my neigh
borhood, and we had taken it in a turn
round the corner from the stately ter
raced street where was my home. The
absurd little boxes in which the people
here were housed might be an improve
ment on the great tenements of other
cities, but to take them seriously as
homes vas rather difficult. THAT one
yonder is a mere geranium pot said
|, nodding with a gesture towards a
tiny red bo~w-window filled with those
great red and green plants,
Of course. there was "dreSSmakinr'
on tie modest placard on the door; and,
equally of course, there was the
dressmaker's small, pale face at the
window, where the ford round
punches of blossoms seemed to have
drained all life and color from her.
ut is a case of Rappaccinl's daughter
reversed" said /. INSTEAD of giving
her their bloom the flowers have taken
all hers to themselves. / never see a
big, coarse, hcdge-row like that one
without knowing there is a fading lily
of a oma behind it stitching and
stitching her heart out. Can not you
make an excuse, DIR. Hugh? Mistake
the house, or something, and let us
knock and see if my faded lily won't
come out??''
just then the door opened; the dress
maker was letting out a customer.
Who or what that was l never needed,
for from where we stood over the way
my dog dashed across, up the low
steps, and was fawning on the little
woman in a transport of joy.
She did not stoop to meet those eager
caresses; those sharp little canine cries
of delighted recognition had no re-
Spouse. Only, as we came up, she made
a hurried, cropping movement for the
handle of the door as if She would have
shut it in u faces. Hugh was too
quick for her. He stepped in across the
threshold. where she stood leaning
pale and quivering against the wall.
sklEn nyua ~ 70 ~,.-al-1- 3 L. III
ito make some explanation. OF course,
the dog is yours"
She made a hasty motion of disclaim-
err; but Hugh vent on:
"Of course, the cog is yours; we have
had him SO long i'll our keeping because
he was found one night last winter, and
this lady kindly let him come indoors
with her ont of the bitter weather.
But we have no idea of keeping the
little fellow from you. unless, indeed,
you would care to part with him"
This last tentatively. for it had not es-
capped Hugh any NOR than it had me
that as between dog and mistress the
affection was certainly all on one side.
Fhe little woman-girl she was rather
had reiterated, sinking down on the
steep box-stairs that almost filled up
the entry. The dog did not feel him
self repulsed, as we did; but fell. dog
fashion, to kissing the worn hands
with which she covered her face. 1t
was in that same instant that we heard
a child's cry. She let her hands fall to-
gether, the wedding ring flashed out
on the worn finger, and then, for the
first time noticing me, with a swift
sign she led the way into the back
room.
The baby was just waking in his
cradle. She turned her white face
round on US in the doorway, as she
dropped down or her knees beside him.
The dog vents shifting about the cradle,
rGund and round o. Il ho ao1ld net .a