St. Landry democrat., 1894-01-06
TWO TH8ukSGIvIuGS.
BY CECIL CHARLES.

road. The blaze of the tropical SUI
produced upon him a strange sensation
1t did not blind him; on the contrary, il
seemed to stimulate his faculties Or was
it wholly the varied atmosphere as be
climbed higher and higher? No, it was
the sun, he decided. The atmosphere
was partly responsible, but the sun--thc
| tropical SUN seemed to show him con
stantIy new, strange sights, somewhat
even as the tropical night sky with its
thousand new stars, had divulgcd new
secrets to his maryelng senses.
SO he trudgcd under his small pack
over the mountain to reach the capital.
Meeting him, one would have hardly
suspected him to be down on his luck -
as ne he'd but lately declared. Tall,
good looking, well dressed, barely thirty
years of age, Cory Dickinson looked like
the son of a rich man out on a pleasure
tramp--not like self-cxiled evader of
the law seeking an unknown field in
remote Central American republic
But that was what Cory Dickinson
was doing.
As be plodded along the dusty road in
the afternoon splendor, his Thoughts
wandered far away from bis actual sur
roundings. He lost sight of the distant,
dreamy peaks, the still bollows, the in
tense emerald hucs of foliage the trick
ling, musical mountain streams and saw
only the small New England town
whence he hal lately fled, late Autumn
sombre, staid, matter of fact and Sun
day Observing. He saw his late home,
bis stern-faced uncle, his invalid aunt,
Mason, the hired man, with his grim
scowl, aid Hannah the servant girl
Mason's face and HaDnahs stood out
particularly clear and obnoxious. Mason |
had rcjoiced at his trouble, revcn"efuI !
of the day when Cory had come upon
him piutal'y kicking the poor old family !
horse, and struck him smart blow with !
bis umbrella. Mason hal never for
gotten that blow nor the way in which !
Cory had Threatened him if he ever ILL., !
treated the animal again. Hannah, too,
had been oycrjoycd at his disgrace; she
was Mason's sweetheart
Then, all at once, there came another
tacc thai Cory could only see in thick
blur o(-somcthing like mist. The face
OF little Lydia Post, the school teacher,
the only one of those who knew, who be- i
lieved in him.
lie had to dash something away from
his eyes as he strobe on.
Late In the afternoon he came to the
first outskirts of the town and entered
small roadside dwelling. He could
speak no Spanish; the woman with her
numerous children clinging to her could
speak no English. But she looked at
him with generous eyes and made him sit
down on the best seat in the poor room.
tic made motion of drinking and said s
"Aqua 2" For he had not {
paused to drink at the last mountain !
t'eam, fearing night might ovcrtakc Il
I'M on the way. She brought water !,
quickly, and when he would have risen, s
made signs for him to wait, that she t
night prepare food for him. lie drew {
ut the last bit of money left him-less +
han dollar, for he had little remaining +
'hen he left the steamer at the port +
ut she waved it away and made him see 5
hat she desired no pay. S
The humble food of the country was +,
cry good, he thought. He had had Fl
othing but biscuit since early morn- i
lg. lie ate the eggs and black beans 7
nd tortillas and drank the black coffee A
lat had grown end blossomcd out few f,
lies away as if they were the choicest v
AS he sat eating he wondered T
ha, they were doing at home; it was o
ielr supper time, and it was bleak Il
ltumn day-a late November day, al ii
ost the last Of the month. Something q
sc in his throat, lump like, and he made "
'ste to finish, fearful of breaking down. h,
ne woman would take 10 pay; he h;
anked her over aud over in words that ST
e could not comprehend, but with hi
oks that she surely read, and continued er
his way. But continuing on, he found eli
at this was but small villag and that an
ere were yet some few miles to traverse 70
fore he came to the capital. pr
The upland scenery seemed less sh
angc to him now, but for the queer, c.
" houses, with the heavy tile roofs. an
could almost have fancicd himself w
ok in the States. Only, all at once, TO
twilight had turned to marsh gloom
he remembered that he was very far tn
from home-under the quator--with nc
pl1cc to lay his head. or,
He sat down by the roadside, utterly ms
laustcd, Il cannot go any further ha
| dead tired" he murmured exhaust pr,
y. He leaned his head back against a I
ind of stone wall that seemed to pro- lar
t property of some sort, possibly de- Blu
ted country house. 1t had been get as
g chilly since shutdown, but the ground Io
dry. He began to undo his pack to wo
Q out the blanket. He spread it out
dropped his weary head upon it. He do
lid have fallen asleep at that instant, emf
that he was startled by the chatter TOW
horses hoofs that seemed to ride up POI
side.
'Ola!" said voice, and other words off
t he could not understand. no
lie sat up and spoke with appealing dol
lures in the clear starlight. :
No speak Spanish; I American" fall
he rider dismounted. her
American, are you2" He spoke with 4
Oily any accent, a tall, tine-lookins Die
ow, not quite middle-agcd. "Just VIII
we'd? But why do you lie on the I'd,
und9 It's not good. You'll have T
ar. You're not acclimated." it v
DRY was on his feet. new
This is providential, he cried. eff cap
knew sir, how terrible it is to be pas
nb--unabe to ask for anything. I've MOI
come up from the port--walked up a sa
a the end Of the railroad line." upl
A pretty long walk don't wonder Var
feel it. And it'sa good five miles On 8