St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1893-12-02


and Maude realized suddenly that sh
had not done wisely to come: Car
had not forgotten; Carr had not for
given her,
A grove of half stuntcd trees partially
hid a low, snug looking farm house
which stood in the centre of one of thos'
immense and fruitful wheat farms which
are the back bone and sinew of Northern
prosperity. The warm, sweet welcome
of the mistress of the farm was blesscC
relief, after the uEsociablc evenings ride
and the two young women passed chat
tering under the vinc-hung portals Of the
hol :, while Carr, with curious glance
at the recumbent bicycle. of mingled
contempt and interest, lifted it from the
wagon and carried it under the shelter
of the wide veranda.
"And have you and Carr made
frionds2' said Carr's sister, as she af
fectionately surveyed the fair little
traveller.
eve have ridden fifty miles in armed
neutrality" said Maude, incisively. COZ
Lizzie, it was perfectly awful. Carr
hates the sight of me; how could YOU
send him after mc?'
Lizzie Dunlop laughed, and then
sighed. 'ile's just as much in love with
you as ever, you innocentn' she whis-
percd, and while Maule raised a protest
ing hand she added coaxingIy: Say,
Maudie dear, won't you ever come to
care for him.
"Lizzie," cried the girl, in dismay, "if
! I'd thought YOU were going to talk to me
like this, I'd never have come"
Lizzie Dunlop patted the small lady's
shoulder soothingly. "There, there,
little icebcrg,' She said, "let it all
be buried! It's forgotten. You shall
never be worried about it again. You
arc here to enjoy every moment of your
holiday, and to tell me the news of civ
| illzatjon, and to take hides across the
prairie. What blessing we have a
decent road for the vclocipede-I beg
pardon-bicycle! You must have lots
of grit to mount that scary machine :;
and-ohl Maudc! How can you want
to be a surgeon2 l should die if | saw
a man cut up and mangled; but you are
a marvel.
The Northwest farm life was some
what lonely, after the crowded Univer
sity class-rooms, the city hustle, and the
odds and ends of amusement which had
been tucked into the few vacant corners
of Maude Mannering's busy life during
the last three years. Carr had been one
of those odds and ends. Their acQuaint-
ance had begun at water-par. y, flour
i>hed, like Jonah's gourd, at carpet
dance, and borne the fruit of an i'm
passioned declaration after the wedding
of Carrs sister, at which Maude and her
sutton had been maid of honor and
groomsman.
1t had died a sudden death when
Maude's pretty lips formed the disas
trous monosyllable "No"' as the two
tied up boxes of wedding cake for the
bridal guests. Carr had received his
refusal silently, and Immediately left
the town. His precipitate wooing had
made little impression upon his sisters
student friend, for when that sister had
asked Maude to come and visit 'the
happiest couple in Amcrica.' that post
script Of four works, added in an after
thought of honesty. had seemed of
trivial importance. But now, Carr wa7
behaving atrociously. When Lizzie and
her husband were present, he was
gcniality pcrsonifed, his brown eyes
twrkIed, and his laugh rang clear;
when Lizzie, with transparent diplo-
macy, pleaded delicate health. and /
retired ca:Iy, or with pretty wifcly de-
mands drew her husband aside, and
left the young people az tetf-otcte, Carr
knitted his brows in an ugly ;rown, aud .
sat, stood. or stlolled in gloomy silence.
Maude began to feel a sense of guilt
and responsibility looming over her.
She longed to do something to quit her !
self of the reproaches Of her discarded
lover
When Bertram rode far afeld, and
when the reapers came, and the harvest
was gathered in its fair abundance. :
Maude went beside the farmer for
miles along the beaten wagon track !
on the dainty little bicycle which Carr
Of. She could not say
how this disapproval bccime known !
to her, but she felt it ard resented it in .
silence.
Meantime, holidays were waning, the .
August moon, called by the Indians,
Moon OF Harvest, Was at the full, the |
land Yves :oaped and cleared. the endless .
stretches Of prairie spread on every side
to the horizon, and the meagre foliage
Of the North began to turn COPPER and
brown as autumn came on aDacc. One
balmy afternoon, Bertram drove awav i
10 a neighboring homestead, Il tri1e Of .
two score miles distant. to see about
buying some stock. Lizzie was deep in
'amlric and lace and tiny paper patterns
Auntie, who had come from the South
for the winter, sat knitting on the We
-anda, Maude was oliug her wheel. and
Carr and the small emf grant boy were
king up odds and ends about the barns
Suddenly loud call from the emigrant
10Y sent Maude fl wing to the great barn,
only stopping to whisper to Aunt;c,
Don't brighten, Lizzie. I'll see what's
he matter"
The matter was serious enough. Carr
ay on the barn floor, beside broken
adder, and it did not require the eye Of
surgeon to discover that the limb
which was doubled Under him was frac.
ured.
"Oh dear, oh dear" said the young
ady, you've gone and broken bone!
is good thing that I know how to set
t. wonder could we carry YOU in? I
lon't believe we ever could. Now, San
~, run to the veranda, and tell the old
adv to come to the kitchen door, don't
ay anything but that. mind, and don't
.oggle in that idictic manner. Poor
jarr, am so sorry Don't try to move
ill Sandy comes back. Halo, Auntie.
ere's Carr with sprained ankle;
that's for Ti7zin's benefit y tell Tjiz7ia