St. Landry democrat., 1894-01-06

c only In Indian settlement and some n
Y groes. The climate is bad-it is We
holland there are marshes Just bclo'
1t is four days journey at the very bcs
1 and mails are week in coming aud =
, ing. I'm afraid you will have the few
/ at Oncc.n
} Il am not afraid,' said Cory.
, shall have fever if | stay here, my dol
friend. You are good as gold [
Inc, but | can't stand idlcncss. For hca,
ems sake, let me go.'
And so he went.
Out into the Nills - impenc!r ubl,
beautiful, silent, tropical wil,ls. And h
Went faithfully to work and bccam
happy with new hope He did no
tahe the fever. He got fairly started b
the following midsummer. That is, wha
was midsummer ut home, for it was al
ways midsummer in this new country
But he had never ceased to reckon by tn
seasons Of the far North. And BY mid
summer he wrote to Lydia Post
After he had written he counted tht
days. A week to take the letter to til,
port. A fortnight more allowing ful
delay Of the steamer to sail as he had TX
pcctcd-for it TO reach the United States
In three weeks Lydia would have it. In
three weeks more he would have her re-
ply. He knew that his fingers would
tremblc SO that he could hardly open it.
Alas, the six weeks had passed, and
yet another and another. And no reply
And as another month dIiftcu along and
November was begun, Cory began to
give up hope. Had she not received his
letter? Had she noc cared 10 reply?
Was he lost to her even to little Lydia
of whose faith he had dreamed in
darkest hours:
Sadly he realized one evening that it
was the 10th of November, Just a year
since he had left home. A day or two
later he fell i'll. 1t was not from the
climate, not from the heat. The planta-
ton was not as deadly as Vargas Varra
had believed. But it was the swapping
of his last hopc-his hope of Lydia 1t
was more Of a low nervous fever. And
he could not rise from his bed any more.
And he did not care if death came.
There was no doctor near; there were u
few simple remedies on the shelves Of
his cana hut, but he hardly cared to take
them.
One night his fever was higher much
he ravcd Of Lydia to the
Indian woman who sat beside him and
the negro servant who liked him we'll.
The next day he was conscious again
out very week. He felt as if he could
EASILY slip away. And he asked tie
negro 10 send to the post a certain letter
hat was going to the United States,
thousands Of miles away. Hardly had he
lone giving his few, feeble instructions
when some Of the Indian boys came hurry
ng in to tell him that Il canoe had come
Up the river with people, white, tall, and
lady, with many bundles and other
hiEgs. a beautiful young lady. Cory
wondered vaguely until a shadow fell
pon the threshold-and moment later,
5 if an angel dawn;ne from heaven,
vida stood beside him aud bent to take
i'm into her arms.
II knew" she sobbed softly, and in
or tears his face felt as cool and re-
Teshcd and joy lighted Us Il rose in the
ummcr rain. Il knew THAI you would !
g i'll. And would not writc-for |
as almost ready to fetch YOU. For | |
new YOU would not come back alone.
md | had been working and saving The |
honey for months only lew weeks |
ere lacking. So | would not write -
ut came. And Your uncle asks You to
orgive and forget: For it was Mason
no stole the moncv-with lIannah's
clip. And SO you will 20 back with me"
"Lyt'la." lie whispered. chow could
III come to this pI"cc--thousan,s of
lies through all these Gangcrs-bv
nd and sea ana sea and land Am /
Lydia ? Have YOU come all
lis way alone Ihroug h all these strange
avs p
DO You think, she sobbcd, edo you
ink there is any road too long, too
nd fora woman to travel if the one she
YES is at the end p
mo road" said Cory, softly. But
III knew | loved you-even before my
ttcr-anl then YOU knew it again.
nj you took wings and flew to me.
Id SO we shall 80 back together, dear.
IT,
Another shallow crossed the threshold.
lilo Vargas Nerea, also on his way to
d Cory, having heard of his illness,
d met with Lydia at the port and had
me with her in sailboat and canoe.
, had dlscrcctIy remained outside the
unit! after the meeting Of the low
Not many days later there was we'd
~ at the capital. Cory and Lydia
re married by the American Minister,
1 Julio Vargas Nerea stood sponsor to
: bride. 1t was Thursday and Thanks -,
ing Day.