St. Landry democrat., 1893-01-21
THAT POOR STICK.

1t was when they were homeward
bound, in mid-Atlantic, that Mary Den
ming first began to doubt. She had been
so happy in, her love; for ever since child
hood Major Herbert Knox had been her
hero. His ten years seniority had only
served to shield him from the criticism
Of companionship Her judgment was
thus nurtured by inference, not by knowl-
edge, and the Ma ;jr's gallant bearing had
been an agreeable stimulant. So, when
he had met the Dcnnings in Switzerland
and one night while the lake was proud
ly saying, "See the moon is here. where
my love should be, within my throbbing
| BOSOM and the outline of the Matter
horn against the horizon was like a mono
18th to Truth, Mary's heart had leaped
a mighty Amen to the "yes' that her
tremulous lips had lisped as the Major
had pressed her to him, and had told in
his simple manly way how futile life was
to him without her, and how he had fol-
lowed her from their distant home to
confess his need. Joyous indeed had
been Mary, when the next morning, at
! the breakfast table, her father through
one of his milestone jokes had revealed
| the truth to their party. And when Joe
| Palmer, after having coughed violently
| and upset his coffee, had shambled hasti-
" from the room, she had laughed with
the others at the Majors remark that
Joe's mother had shown more faith than
prudence in at length loosing her apron
strings.
And Joe Palmer had rushed up to his
quarters and behind bolted doors had
stamped up and down the floor in q rage
which found no expression until he had
paused before the pier glass and had
studied his tall. angular, uncouth form,
his long white face, with fierce eyes, con
trastiug comically with sensitive lips, his
shirt front bcdabblcd. and his clothing
so evidently intended for some other
man, and then he too had laughed. Not
a very pleasant laugh, either, for a young
MAJ. to utter who possessed health and
wealth and intelligence, and whose wei
fare was the only and constant solicitudc
of widowed mother. Yet it was this
very concern which Joe now blamed as
he looked back over his life. He knew
his ncigllo55'ses eps azperennial jest among
deprived him of the harsh discipikifh9e !
which makes boys manly, and had gained |
for him the nane of a mo!lycoddc, He
remembered that while Herbert Knox
had dashed by on horseback, he had
been trunded by his nurse; that even |
while little Mary Denning had climbed |
fences and trees and had gathered flowers
through the fields, he had not dared to
stray from the graveled walk. He re-
allied that while those who should have
been his comrades had grown up with
purposes and responsibilities which breed
self-reliance, he had been tended even
unto early manhood within the dollhouse
OF maternal anxiety. Was it wonder
that when shame had released him he
should seem different from ether Young
men, he who Lad never run O. race. nor
played ball, nor fought quarrel to n
bloody end2 Was it a wonder that he
was strange and ditfident and awkward.
when the only ways that he had been
taught were those ways that every one.
including himself, despiscd2
Was it, indeed, any wonder that his
thrifty, energetic townspeoplc, finding
him so unlike themselves, should rcle.
gate him to the limbo of ne'er-do-wells
under the sufficient accusation of being
poor stick: They little knew that he
lad darling purposes, ambitions buried. :
out buried In his heart; that he longed I
o De an influential, powerful man among {
men, commanding respect, forcing com +
oilance with his views. They little knew I
hat he dreamed of home which should ;
,e the happiest home in all Aberdeen. e
lnce the Queen of its women should +
heir rel gn. They deemed him hunk of Y
boy, the spoiled child of a doting 5
mother, who, if he developed acuteness Y
nough to take care of the wealth which ,
urely would be his, would surpass f.
indy interest Il
An unhappy life, filled with reverics e
hat never were realized, with regrets t.
hat always had cause. How could he d
ope,. how could he act when everything 81
e said and did resulted in jeer? And O.
ct he had believed that Mary Denning tt
new him, was able to discern intention b
aWkwardness and beneath uncouth- W
ess to see tender. sympathetic heart. W
nd SO when she had gone to Europe 10
18th her people he had overcome the w
arful opportunities of his mother, find M
g shame in so facile a victory, and had
med their party in Switzerland, being Of
lerated, so he felt, as harmless crea2 fir
re, out OF respect for oldt intima III
es ar
Alas for the wild hopes of the journey ju
lther! On his arrival he had found SC
aJor Herbert Knox in full possession Of nv
field. What was there for him to do M
cept to accept the inevitable and take
place as camp follower in the pres dc
ce of such conqueror For the alb
ajor had always been the beau ideal Of liL
possibilities to poor Joe. Handsome.
lletic, graceful, his bearing merited n,
title which local militia had given
n. A fine, manly-appearing fellow. re;
l,y, carrying his straight six feet of do
'wn and sinew as deity as a Court Ms