St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1893-08-26
THE PRICE OF SUCCESS.

lnL f1lU[ vi OUUUL0O.
There was din of carpenters tools
and the rasping of painters scraper OIL
the west wing of the house when Mrs.
Hunter Stopped in the midst of her work
and shaded her eyes from the glaring
rays of the spring sun. Besides being a
little nearsighted, overwork with the
needle by lamplight had made her eyes
weak. Facial neuralgia had left indeli-
BILE marks of suffering and nervous ir-
ritableness stamped on the thin outlines
of the pinched face, and the entire mus
cular system twitched sympathetically
with the blinking eyes. The sound of
work on the west wing of the large
country house had attracted her atten-
ton, and she gazed as earnestly at the
workmen as if this constituted her sole
purpose in life.
Far away in the distance the hazy out
lines of the hills rose up majestically in
the bright spring sunlight, wooded to
the summit of their bold heads with the
green verdure of another seasons leafy
growth. Long stretches of flower
decked fields, shaded with fruit and Or
namental trees, sloped down from the
hills to the closely cropped lawn sur
rounding the old mansion. In the clean
swept yard clumps of early roses were
opening their buds to the mild, balmy
air, and sweet honeysuckle vines were
twining their delicate tendrils over ar
bors and trellis- works.
Mrs. Hunters eyes passed by all Of
these sights. aud saw only the dark side
to the Who'e scene. She turned from
her position near the front yard, and
walked back to the hot kitchen with
her quick, nervous tread. A girl with
flushed cheeks and an old calico dress
on was bending over sideboard scrub
bling the knives and forks. She did
not hear her mothers footsteps, and
Mrs. Hunter remained quiet moment.
gazing at the bent form. When she
spoke it was in a quick, sharp and I'M
modulated voice.
"'Mandy, what are the men doin' On
the west wing9"
The girl s arted at the sudden utter
ruption in her work; but she replied
without looking around:
81 don't know, mother, unless they're
fttin' it up fur-fur" -
eur what!'
81 heard Father say as how he 'spected
boarders from the city this summer"
"Boatuers ~
Mrs Hunter emphasized the word, but
made no further comment for some time.
She was looking straight ahead at her
daughter, but Mandy did not heed the
steady gaze. She kept on in her hard,
humdrum, daily work
"When did you hear Father say this:'
Mrs. Hunter always addressed her hus,
band rs Father.
Day before yesterday" replied the
girl.
"Why didn't you tell me before 2" the
WORKOUT woman continued, asking her
questions pointedly.
81 thought how it might worry
you, Mother, and'-
Il see." interrupted Mrs. Hunter.
She became quiet again, gazing this
time out Of the window. 1t was an I'M
usual thing for Mrs. Hunter to remain
idle even for Il few minutes, and MANDY
grew nervous and restless at the change.
She scrubbed away at the knives more
vigorously, and ventured several low re-
marks about the grease and dirt, but her
mother did not notice her.
Mandy, haven't we work enough?'
the little woman inquired, in peculiar
voice.
eyes, Mother, we have more
than
Her eyes looked around the room, at
the dirty dishes, untidy furniture, I'M
snendt d clothes, and articles needing at
tending to that had been slowed away in
every hook and corner
"Then what would we do with board
ers?"
II don't KNOW" the girl replied, in
the same weak, monotonous voice, ''un-
less-unless-we cared for 'em as VIC do
fur other things"
"Mandy, | amt liI1in' city boarders,
an specially them that Father will bring
out here. They're too igh-futin' an
stuck up. We amt goin' to work fur
'em neither"
''But, Mother, how"
"Nevcr mind how-we amt goin'
TO-"
Mrs. Hunter jerked her words out with !
decided air, and then, picking up the
drying towel, she b,gan to wipe the
knives and forks with quick, def mo-
tions. Neither worker spoke for long
time, and the blight spring morning
waned into the calm, peaceful afternoon; |
but the labors of the two pairs of |
busy hands were not finished until long
after darkness had settled over the |
earth.
John Hunter returned from his work
on the large farm, and repaired to his
study, where he spent the greater part |
of the afternoon and evening in consult
ing books and diagrams. He was a
strong, well-formed, and handsome man
OF his age, with a large, massive brow,
and hard, determined mouth. The
few iron-gray hairs and prominent wrin-
kles of his face were in perfect harmony
with the rest of his appearance. He was
a self made, successful man and one who
had met and overcome many difficulties
in life. The very adversities which he
had encountered were the secrets OF his
success; but they had also formed
character as hard, stern, and relentless as
the rock ribs of his billy land. Ambitiel
to accumulate money led him on to en-
rich his mind with knowledge, not for
the pleasure which it could afford, but
for the higher reach of power aud wealth
which it would inevitably bring.
His spacious, well-cultivated fields
yielded him no greater joy than
his well filled library, stocked with
all of the valuable books which he
needed. In this comfortable room he