St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1893-06-03

Il
their acquaintance progressed. IL
even owned to himself that she was ',
nice little thing" and he had been
fool in regard to the fence; but i
wouldn't do to give up II was an
noying. though, to be obliged to go on
of one door and In at another to com
municate with her; so. one night afse
she had gone home, he cut . squxr,
hole in the fence. From his table
through this opening he could catcl
feequent glimpses of her brown hca6
as she bent over the telegraph instru
ment: but this does not necessarily
point to any schemirg propensity OF
his part Frequently he caught him
self staring at her steadily; sometime.
she caught him, too. and then they
would both laugh-he. rather confused
| ly, she, merrily.
Gradually she frightened up her hall
and even carpeted it; there were Aow.
ers in the window, and ncw-made
friends frequently dropped In. She
seemed capital entertainer. and Sam.
uel Tuttle watched proceedings with
quiet and envious eve. His half looked
! cheerless. and he felt out IN the cold.
She was as pleasant n ever, but per.
sisted in treating him as = business
acquaintancc; she never laughed and
joxed with him the way she did with
other callers He began to feel ag-
grieved, and his eyebrows were often
drawn down into straight line. much
to her secret enjoyment
IN ronl~1>e~ ~ >.,A . ->A>
in the hateful barricade: after doing it
he felt rather nervous as 70 how she
would take it When she came in she
stopped short for . moment and then
said: ''How nicer
Mr. Tuttle could have blessed her.
The gate stood open the greater part
of the time, and he had full view OF
her; they even conversed at odd
moments. and he began to feel con-
tented with life, and whistled again.
She had no headaches, and surprised
him by singing to herself now and
then. In short. Samuel Tuttlc was b.
coming more and more entangled by
this careless. happy little woman, and
he did not even try to extricate him
self.
But the fence! That monument Of Q
pcrverse moment! Every morning he
groaned when its staring yellow face
met him, and he was daily over
whelned with contrition when Laura
Wolcott's bright face greeted him.
Something had come over her of late;
she did not avoid him. but she was
quieter: sic did not look at him 50
bravely as at first
Samuel Tuttle was worried about Il,
for he could not understand; and Q
dozen times q day he wanted to cross
through the gate and end it all by tell.
ing her his feelings: but he was afraid
she would simply look at the fence and
smile. lie knew he could never endure
it If she should
One day a message came for tho
operator herself. and with little cry
she rose.
Il must 60 home" she said. q he
came to her. "My mother is dying"
lie did not think of anything to say.
and silently helped her on with her
thingA
Thank you." she said. - she
stepped out of the door. her eyes full
of tears
1t was very lonely for Mr.. Tuttle the
week she was away. The Office
seemed dingier than ever. He sat one
day looking through the gate, out Of
sheer force of habit. when an idea
came to him SO suddenly that it took
his breath away. He laid down his PEN
c,l and went outside; presently he came
back with an AK. There were blows
and crashes, till. finally, Samuel Tuttle,
red and perspiring, stood triumphant
amidst the ruins of the long-hated
fence. His spirits rose wonderfully
after that and he could breathe easier;
he was wildly anxious for Monday
morning and Miss Wolcott's return.
He saw her coming down the street.
and rose to meet her. with . great
wave Of tenderness surging over him
as she stepped in the door, . black
robed little figure. She hesitated in
as she looked across the
cleared room to where Samuel Tuttle
stood with q beseeching look in his
eyes. She had not known before how
the fence had wounded her feelings.
and she was suddenly overcome
"Laura!' he cried. 20 Laura" as he
quickly crossed over to the chair into
which she had dropped
She did not rcpulse him. and sobbed
out her pent-up feelings on his shoul.
der.
Il was afraid you could never for.
give my-the fence" he faltered
She began to laugh through her
tears
"Oh. tho fence" she said s'It was
hateful Of you. Samuel, but forgive
you now."-Cotton Woodruff. in Dem.
orcsts Magazine.