The Opelousas courier., 1893-03-04

|Mw pod was a farmer,
hence Sarah Marpod was a farmers wife;
both hard working, unsophisticated
people, conscientiously pursuing the
straight path of life, while, on the other
hand, a little keener insight into human
nature and its motives might have
shielded them from many a blow, and
materially aided their right economy.
In spite of hard work they advanced
slowly in the acquisition of home COM
forts. Disappointments and misfortunes
accumulated with pitiful rapidlty and
iroze the fountains of domestic happi.
ness. Before marriage the happiest of
couples, they looked with sanguine hope
to the future, not expecting great re-
wards, but trusting in Providence and
loving each other ferventiy.
They never had 9 lovers quarrel and
the idea of post-nuptial disagresments
davned not upon their youthful imagi-
nation. A comfortable home, content
ment and love was all they barga1ned
for; all they sought, and surely fate
might yield this to any n who means
well and thinks honorably.
Thus they thought, and thus they ex-
pected it would be, but the path of life
runs continually into the dark. What
jagged rocks may pierce the feet Of the
traveller on this highway no n can fore
tell. We can only judge by the light of
the past, and to people of limited x
perience this light is q line so narrow as
not to reveal the rocks and thorns on
either side.
Luke Marpod was simple, honest aud
narrow-minded. Mrs. Marpod was
was simple, honest and narrow-minded
also, and perhaps the trouble lay in this
very uniformity of tastes and tempera-
ment.
Luke's little farm was mcrtgaged at
the outset, and the few hundred dollars
that Sarah received from her father
disappeared in a ~twinkling and left no
trace or footprint. Their first season
was a bad one; crops were a general tail
ure and weeds and creditors arose on
every side.
The neighbors, who always liked
Luke's conscientious good nature, began
to look askance at him, for they SAT- the
tables turned, and, paradoxical as it may
appear, found it much more convenient
to be Luke's creditor than his debtor.
As time passed without lettering their
condition and creditors became impor-
~tunate, Luke and Sarah took to brooding
over their troubles and occasionally find
ing fault with the ways and means oil the
other. which might never have led to
anything serious had the second years
crop proved a good one and helped TO
make up for the deficiencies of the first.
This, however, was NOT the case, for,
whereas, the year before the drought had
baked the soil and scorched the growing
blades Of wheat and rye, the second year
it began to rain in April-a very good
representation, everybody thought, of
a bountiful harvest, but Pluvus, having
other aims in view, refused to recognize
limits and give the farmers time to pillow
and sow. Through April, May and June
the rain poured down necessarily, day
after dsy, until at last all hopes were
abandoned and the Marpods entered
upon their second year of infelicity.
Luke, who began to think that the
cause of all his troubles lay in his mar
rage, was rash enough one day to hint
the same. and received a retort from his
spouse that reused his latent dignity of
marital lordship. Words were ex-
changed, and the result of their first pro-
nounced disagreement erded by Luke's
slamming the door behind him, and GO
ing hastily across the lot after the cows.
That night he whipped the dog for let
ting the brindle heifer escape through
the bars into the cornield, had trouble
with the same member of the bovine
genius at milking time, and rose wrath.
fully to his feet after extricating the
cows hoof from the milk pail. to swear
an unn1istakable oath for the 6rst time
in his life. Then be best the animal and
made such a hubbub that Sarah came ii
hot haste to demonstrate on his brutality.
"Shut up, mind your business, will
YOUR shouted Luke. as he hurled the
milking stool after the COW and chased
her around the yard.
The same evening Mrs. Marpod, con.
doing over the loss OF milk, gave vent
to her indignation at her other halls
carelessness, and the quarrel was Re.
neWed with vigor.
These first storm clouds in the do
nestle atmosphere soon cleared away.
but each had discovered the Others lack
Of infallibility, and accordingly, while
Luke lost q little Of manly pride, Sarah
lost also in gentleness OF disposition.
For more than q month all went wen.
but ~aggrayating things will happen. e.
during harvest time when
and movers are constantly get
ting out Of repair. Luke n day went
g cut wheat in = field from which every
ard stump had been carefully |
sradieated. The SKY was lowering and
wished to finish before i storm.
Around and around the field went the
horse, faster and faster fell the grain be.
lore the sickle. Luke's blood was
warming with hope. when auddenly.
mash-ohunk-chunk vent the ma
'hine and the horses were ierkad vio-
emily Lack upon their launches. The
,g cast iron scat hurled Luke clear
gnM@NM 49, N4@Y@4~ L.- 49, AI4@4A