St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1894-03-17

SAA'N@ A~> ~~A.~A"
the rest of the surface Of the country,
there was always bare spot nearthe
school house; and, for that very reason
tie children hurried away to more
favored localities, and the road was de-
serted.
/ do not know that the weather was
particularly charming that afternoon
in fact believe disagreeable east
wind was blowing but to this infatu-
ated young couple it seemed as if they
were drinking into their lungs the
balmy breath of the Hesperides.
'sThis is the last stroll we shall have
together for many q day, Wanda am
going abroad"
"Abroad!" Wanda says, with fool
ish trembling.
eyes, and for your sake"
''Eor mine-impossible.
SIT is strange, is it not? But none the
less true. You see Mr.. Hardcastle and
/ have been on more familiar terms
than men in our relative positions
usually are, and in the course of our
talks have told him your history"
sOh, Harry"
"Yes, dear, and he--like the big
hearted, glorious fellow he is-has set
his mind on unraveling the mystery
which surrounds your birth. !"
"Mr. Hardcastle has done this?"
''Oh, you must not be surprised. /
think he saw how interested i was
about everything that concerned you.
and"
$50, on, Harry"
''And, well, perhaps partly for my
sake, he has determined to ferret out
everything; and, with this view, is send
ing me to England to play detective"
'tHow good, how kind" Tears were
in her voice.
SIS he not2 So, my dear, you see we
must not waste the moments. | have
really come down here to gather all
possible details of your early life. Try
hard, Wanda, and think Of anything
that might be useful to me"
II know what you mean-you want
me to remember scenes and circum-
stances prior to my arrival In New
York"
Exactly"
'sAnd that I cannot do, for oh, how
often have racked my brain to coniure
up the past. You see, was such lit
tie thing"
"Still," Harry urged, s.you were old
enough to have impressions, and have
read in books that the incidentsof child
hood, though for years forgotten, will
suddenly fash on the memory ii some
associating circumstance presents it
self"
'.Ah, that is strange, Harry, and in
duces me to tell you of an occurrence
which happened the other day."
''Say on, and remember that in q case
like this nothing is too Insignificant.
swell. then, poor Mr.. Arundel was at
his worst, and that executive servant OF
his, old Bladon, was standing at the top
of the stairs watching the doctor de-
scend. for he had just left the sick mans
chamber, and he shook his fist at the
retreating figure Of the medical man
and muttcrcd: 'Nowt but book learnin'.
and precious little O that, Ishould say.
Oh, for twenty-four hours of Nurse
Marty and her herbsn Nurse Marty!
The words sounded so familiar that
knew they struck chord IN my memory,
and sat in my chamber and thought.
Suddenly it seemed to me as though |
saw vision Of woman's face-a sweet,
sad face, which smiled on me-the face
of an elderly woman, Harry. who yet
did not look old, for oil her snow-white
hair and furrowed forehead. But the
most extraordinary thing about her app
pearance was patch OF black silk she
wore over her left eye. 1t was very abb
surd of me to conjure up such an appar-
ition, but
ssNo, no, am convinced 1t was .
reminiscence, Harry interposed- But
had you no other day-dreams9
ayes, my imagination pictured an
old stone house covered with ivy and .
great porch in front Of it, reaching all
most TO it's roof. What was SO odd
about it, was that there was q flight OF
steps, which led to the porch. whose
floor was on level with that OF the
second story OF the house.
ssStranse. indeed; but they built
many such houses in England In Queen
Elizabeth's days"
In England? An, Harry, then you
do attach Importance to my vision9"
.tof course do. Now try Il you
cannot think of something more to tell
me-"
Z ssNo, have told you all. Harry, 3
Wanda said. with o dreamy wonder an1
her eyes. ------.--.----....s-:s..1sss! y i!