The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1893-09-23
VOLUME T..
Copyright, 1891
by the Author.
7HE little ranch
looked.solitary
enough, set by

u enough, set ny
itself on the great level prairie. Some
how. its isolation struck the rider ap-
preaching it with a new sense of the
loneliness of these westerns wilds He
was young man, with a sunbrowned
face, light brown beard, and long
wavy hair of the same color, tangled
by the rising breeze intoa Svavy. pic
turesquc confusion under the shade OF
his broad -brimmed, gray felt hat. The
rest of his costume-a gray beIted |
jacket and breaches, with the revolver
at his belt-gave him q sort OF guerrilla
aspect far from unbecominF. But his |
features were Enthusiastically English.
est and kindly Notwithstanding their
somewhat Respondent expression. and
some traces Of a ''hard life"
Ned Carcw, in short, was type OF
many a young English an driven into
the perilous influences of a wild, rough
life, partly through his own fault,
partly through that of others. just
then he was undergoing one of those
occasional spells Of bomesickness.
generally associated with ssch days OF
cnervating heat, when the great plain
seemed to pant. almost breathiess'
under the suns untempcrcd glare
AS he drew near the ranch for which
he was bound, his eye was caught by a
sight unseen for years-that of y grace
full figure in an English riding ha bit
a sight associated with some OF the
pleasantcst and most painful memories
of his life. The lady sat her horse
well, as he could sec at a glance. VINO
could she be? On the former occasion
when he had visited tho ranch, on BUSH
ness with its inmates, these were two
young men, living in rough bachelor
way. He had not heard of the mar
riasc of either. and he had not dreamed
of meeting a lady now. AS he watched
her ride up to the door his glance
strayed critically over his dusty attire.
He even thought of turning away to
seek the nearest village. But curiosity
prevailed over this newborn shyncss.
As he fastened his horse near the
house, his quick eye noticed that
handsome elderly lady. who sat at an
open window knitting, turned to call
to some one within. At the open door
he was met by tall girl, whom he
recognized at once as a lady, despite the
linen apron which completely cnvelopcd
her dress, and the partially rolled-uP
sleeves which betol<ened some house
hold occupation. She had a dignificd
bearing, finely-proportioncd figure
in which he thought he recognized that
of the fair rider, nobly nodded
features, with the combination of dark
hair and soft blue eyes which suggest
ed an Irish type of beauty. With a
clear complexion, slightly flushed with
exercise, Ned Care>v thought she looked
like q princess In d1SRuASc.
notwithstanding his present rough
life and associations, Ned Carevv had
not lost the instructive bearing OF ar
English gentleman; and this the young
lady seemed in her turn to recognize az
she explained that her brother, MIR
Percival, was out on the prairie bn
would soon return, while his former
comrade had left tho ranch some tims
before AS she spoke, she courteously
showed the way into little sitting
room, which with it's simple extempor
lied furniture, had SO homelii<e and re
fined an air that Carew's Hcimweh wa
intensified; and he surveyed the Httl
feminine adornments, the water-colo
sketches, the books, and Qast but no
lcast) the elderly lady who gave him s.
kind a greeting, with the relish of
man whose domestic instincts had gon
Miss Percival, leaving her mother t
talk to the stranger, quietly went O.
with her preparations for the evenin
meal, in the course OF which she mite
in and out, setting the tea-table in
dainty way in which he had not seen
crockery was of the plainest, the fin
white table-cloth and the gracefully Al
ranged wild flowers would have set O.
q less appetizing meal than that pre-
pared by Miss Percival's deft fingers
Very soon young Percival appeared
with a hearty wSlCOhc-1OC, Cucs
solitudes, q new acquaintance speedi]
becomes a friend. Carew gladly a
cepted his hosts invitation to go to h
room, and explained his business viii
getting rid of tho dust of his rid
When he returned he looked more Iii
his own self than he had done Il
months; his forehead-the shaggy loci
brushed out of the way-leaving
English fairness to contrast with II
emOrowned shade below, and his who
appearance more in keeping with
mellow English voice and gentleman
bearing
Miss Percival had laid aside her apr
and appeared in plain but very t
coming dark blue dress of some tn
material set of with a dainty little CT
lar that might have come fresh fro
Regent street Seated at the hospital
tea-table, Carew soon found his unusu
shyness disappearing under the inn
ence of the ladies, gentle courtesy, t
it seemed as if some baleful spell h
been suddenly broken, and he cor
think and talk more like his old self
happier days
When they rose from the table Carr
strolled over to the book shelves whe
among few favorite books, were
volume of Sophocles and one OF two
percivnl's old college classics. Alms
mechanically. he took ono down
opened it with the sense of greeting
old acquain lance; and Pcrcival and