St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1894-07-21

Office. MrS Gray was usually busy.
and the two young people would sit In
the dusky little parlor before coal fire.
Ferris did most of the talking. Mar
guerite listening with 4 sort Of awe to
had read al those great books that ono
heard about.
To please him. she tried to read
Dickens, beginning with the Tale OF
Two Cities" and though hopelessly
confused by the interminable line Of
characters and English humor. had un-
derstood enough to cry heartily over
Sydney Cartons brave death and Dr.
Manette's sufferingA
She told him the story Of her life ono
afternoon. upon confession that the
late Mr.. Gray had not taken him into
confidence concerning home matters.
She told him Of her fathers business
difficulties and death, her mothers ef-
forts to support herself. and then her
own happy discovery that she could
made . living on the stage. OF the
trials, hardships and repu ls,veness of .
chorus girls existence, she spoke little
Whenever he had . night OF he went
to the opera with her. and knew she
sang better for his being there After
the show he sometimes invited her
mother and herself to supper; but 70
these suppers the widow could never
be induced to consent Even Ferris
friendship for Gray pere, did not make
it proper.
So life went on for three montha
Winter passed, and the coal fire was no
longer needed. Marguerite and Ferris
began to plan Sunday excursions for
the summer months
About this time capital and labor re-
vived their long standing feud, and the
famous Homestead riots" began.
Ferris WIS sent by the Planet to the
seat Of the disturbance. In company
with . special artist He was to leave
New York on Monday morning. and
Sunday evening he called on the Grays
to say good-by.
Mrs Gray was out. but he found
Marguerite sitting before the open fire
He spoke to Marguerite Of his graft
tude for her friendship to him during
the past months, and said more than
he had meant to But the look in her
eyes did not tend TO make him regret
what he had said.
The Planet for the next few days
contained graphic. cleverly-written &C.
counts of the strike; then another and
less facile style became apparent, -
though some one else had been detailed
in place of the first writer. This was
the case. for Ferris was in . Pittsburgh
hospital. his wrist shattered by . spent
ball Inflammation set in, and he did
not leave the hospital Tor six weeks
On his return to New York he
learned that ''Semiramis" had gone on
the road and Marguerite with it A
presidents wife lay dying at IN Adj
rondack summer resort, and the Planet
sent Ferris to write 1t up Shortly
after his return from the Adirondack
he was sent to report congress, and
consequently saw little of New Yort
that winter.
Before going he called at the Grays
hat, only to learn that they had given
it up the month before The young
lady. the janitor said, had left her new
address in case anyone asked for them.
but that had been lost Marguerite
was in town at the time of this call.
but WAS singing In another company.
After Ferris went to Homestead shA
had written to the address he gave hex;
but rs he was in hospital 1T the tine
the letter did not reach him. Then the
company went on the road, and the fiat
was given up. After the careful direc-
tions left with the janitor she thought
it odd that Ferris never wrote, but sup
posed he was busy; and invariably
ended such reflections by falling into
day dreams based on his words of that
last evening. Even II they did not rec
each other for . few months. he should
dnd how true she could be, and how
she would try to make hersef worthy
TO be the wife Of % brilliant man.
Accordingly all her spare salary went
toward tie purchase Of books she had
heard him praise. Dickens, Swinburne,
Thackeray, Balzac, Emerson and =
host more authors were rsli9iously
studied regardless of any connection.
Late into the night she would read,
after . hot days dusty travel and .
long evenings singing 1t some one
night stand.
There was . French girl in the chorus
whom she paid to give her French les
sons This naw teacher lost her tenn
per 1t the many blunders, and laughed
ut the ridiculous accent of her Amer
lean pupil. Tut for this Marguerite