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

THE BARRICADE.
The Trouble II Caused tho Opera
tor at Louvilc.
The station agent at Louville sa,
with his feet on the window sill. hands
plunged into his pockets and scowl
upon his face. His eyebrows were
straight. and the scowl brought them
down into a long line across his fore.
head; this. with his heavy nustache,
made him look quite fierce.
Ever and anon he would glance at an
tnofeusive little yellow paper lying on
his desk. Zach time he did so the
scowl grew fierccr. Finally he let his
chair down with a bang. snatched at
the telegram, and, for the fiftieth time,
read:
''SAMUKL W. TurrLE:
The L. & L. manager has appointed Miss
Laura Walcot: as assistant tcicrraphc- At your
station VIII he there on Wednesday.
ID. W. Secretary"
Then he crumpled it up and tossed it
into the waste basket
II won't stand it," he growled.
''They have no right to treat me SO.
Why did ask for al assistant at all?
Idiot"
With this consoling remark he paced
mp and down the large. bare room A
man in the lonely position Of station
agent is apt to contract the habit Of
talking to himself
IA woman" he said. pausing in the
midst of the room and running his
fingers through his hair with inartistic
results. "IIcrc all the time, and no
respite for me! I'd have to keep on
company manners eternally-chairs
on four legs no smoking. couldn't
even whistle, ! suppose. l have an
idea that women always have head
aches!'
He paused and contemplated the sit
uation again 1t was too much.
''lli resign first-' he cried; and im-
mediately tickcd off a message to that
effect
In an hour back came the answer:
Nonsense! Can't let you of. What
has struck you?"
Samuel Tuttle said something, but
right for quite a while, and then .
wicked smile crcpt into his face.
81 believe I'll be ready for Miss VOL
colt when she arrives I'll not be dis
turbed by her presence, either"
This rather enigmatical remark was
explained the next morning, when, in
obedience to orders from Mr.. Tuttle,
two carpenters put in appearance at
the Louviile station. and before noon
had constructed across the middle of
tho large room, where he had held
sway SO long, high board fence of
aGgressively yellow pine.
After their departure Mr.. Tuttle
walked among the shavings with sat-
i<fied air. lie moved all his belongings
to one side of the novel division line.
and for the next two days worked
away, again happy man.
On Thursday morning Laura VOL
cott stepped off the express and came
towards him with good will shining
from her brown eyes She was . hap
nv little thing. who. in her brief strug-
Gle for existence. had learned to make
the best of conditions; SO it was with
q most cheery smile that she unsus-
extended her hand to her
sworn enemy.
To tell the truth, Samuel Tuttlc was
rather taken aback. and felt slightly
ashamed: he had somehow expected
she would know of his autagouistic
feeling. aud met him in q suitably dis
tsnt manner. There was no backing
out, however; SO he led her around to
the door opening into her half of the
room, and said:
This is your Office; you will find
in place" Then. with
stif bow. he retreatcd to his own do
minion, without daring to glance at
her.
She stood still as he retreated, with
\ puzzled expression in her eyes; then
she heard him on the other side, max.
ing q good deal of racket getting set
tied. Finally, . faint blue curl of
smoke rose over the fence.
At this, Miss Wolcutt sat down with
= look of dawning Intelligence. mixed
with hurt expression. upon her pink
and. white face, as she saw tho fence
was n new one. The smile grew IS she
rrasped the situation, until there was
: network of dimples around her
she nodded her head sagely in
the direction Of the fence. and set to
work quietly.
Mr.. Tuttle. for his part wondered
what she was doing to keepso still; the
novelty of the situation perrlexed him
30 that he could not enjoy his solitude
Along in the afternoon his curiosity
made it imperative that he should
consult her about . message, so he
sauntercd around to her door. She
greeted him with the same CHEEKY
smile, appearing utterly oblivious to
any strangeness in the situation. and
gazed straight mp into his
Eyes When there was no longer tie
blightes. pretext for his staying. he
vent back. Somehow his side looked
lorlorn and disorderly. and he awk.
vesdly tried 70 pas il % r!ghtA