The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1894-10-20
SNAKE IN THE GRASS.
I detest Celia.

We were 30 happy till sho carao to
stay with Jacks people and told rle l
was spelling him. OF course it was no
business of hers If I were-she admitted
tl,at-ont she was go fond OF nlo th.:
she felt s,so must speak, being older and
more experienced than ], aid iraplore
me - remember that it wasn'G only my
lover ! was spelling, bat my fatGro hus-
band, snd II I let him have lis OWE
way in everything now I shoa'd never
be able &c lave mino by and by when
we were r,E;rittl.
So,.uci:,:as Iuaalrc'cd 81 tho Homes,
dance last n.,-4.l.
] hardly know what it was about il
the .ir-. !5et.}nc2, but it grew and grew
until Is SINE | to RIO there was nothing
we w4rea't o,~crciiug about, and Jack
was ses-4 sEloty in earnest Though
we had j'ea. engaged for three weeks,
I'd lni1sa II; lad j. in him to be so
angry. An. OF course l lost my head
and ct 10y, too-really angry-and
said aorrii things, aud-and-I told
him fieat cry engagement was broken
off, asal tte.s r1ust DO al end Of every
thing hotv7uaa us. alld-and-Jack took
me a5 ray word. I Never thought Of his
doing that.
"As you please" be said, speaking
quietly atl &C . Sudden. Wovera in the
cons ~~TetrrTs, and the dance music in
tho drawing room must have drowned
the sound of our voices half a dozen
yard. away "You wish our engagement
to end, Eaad? So be it. Your letters
shall be returned to you tomorrow, and
/ will at orce leave you free to resume
your iiir.a.icn with Frank Horne"
"But-J 4ck'---
His face Vas set and white. He never
even locked at me. Tho music ceased.
Celia and cevaral other dancers strolled
into the conservatory, and he left me.
Yes, he went away and danced with
other girls. and he never spoke one
wort to re or anne near mo again the
whole evening.
Harki Sulne ono is crossing the hall.
Surely J..le won't DO go foolish as to
show any ono il here Eowi
In another moment MFR. Dayton is
announced, ind Jack himself stands De-
fore ne.
"Jaelr' I started to ,ny feet, and all
his treasured documents fall rustling to
the floor, lat / never think CT them.
Who thinks Ct lovo letters in the pres
enc Of the writer? Jack is here, my
Jack. and
But is he indeed E1y Jack?
The first glance at his face recalls mo
to myself and reminds me that he is no
longer my Jack, or Jack at all to me.
l told him | wished our engagement to
end, and Ee remembered it evidently,
though l for Il brief moment have for
gotten. Oh, J..ck-Jack!
He Waits TIL the servant has left tho
room, then takes ii small racket from
the breast pocket of his coat and turns
to me.
This mus be my apology for dis
tnrbing you," he says very formally.
Il thought I had better bring it myself,
in case of accident"
For meg' I speak vaguely aud
without offering to take it. I want to
gain time.
"Yes-your letters. I have no right
to thom now"
"How-how beautifully You have
packed tlleml"
He turns away, with an Impatient
gesture, aud lays them on the table.
Il need not Gctain you any longer,
now my errand is done, he says quiet
~.
"Bat-there is something else. Oh,
you forgot!' as he looks at me question
lngly. lyon have returned my letters
promptly enough chow can I thank you
for such promptness:9, but you forget
your own. AS yen say, l have TX right
to them now"
"You wish me to take thems Very
well!'
But do not wish him to take them.
Anything but that. l want to postpone
the moment of parting. That is all.
will You be good enough to fetch
them?''
"They are here On the floor. Will you
be good enough to help me pick them
up?"
He does SO without q word. Together
we stoop and collect them. Together
we lay them on the table. Together for
the last time!
bring paper and string and proceed
to pack them up, while he watches me
In silence.
VI fea1 this viii not be such a neat
parcel ~ yours" / say, speaking as
steadily - ! a and bending ver the