The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1895-04-13

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silk mixed and a mantel maker to
cut and haste it. In mine and your
mothers days we didn't have such fine
6xin's."
But society makes more require
ments now than 1t did then, Aunt
Jen1imy."
at don't require paupers to be
dressed in silk mixed no more now
than it did then, and it's lot accordin'
to fitness
''You must not call Satiry pauper
to me, Aunt Mime. You know she sad
respectable bornin', and it's not her
fault that she's poor and an orphan.
When mother and me took her to raise
"a little, slim, big-eyed thing of ten
] promised I'd be IA parent to her,
and amt no cause to regret all I've
done for her, for she's been moro than
q daughter toto mother. She's SO
kind and good that even the cats love
her more than common
. THAT'S cause she gives them their
eatin'. It's Il sinful waste, the plates
of good broken vittels she sets down to
them cats.''
Aunt Mime, I think we can feed
two cats off our tnble scraps without.
gan,e, specially rs the mice would
pretty nigh take us if we didn't keep
EN- AS for Satiry, every brute critter
on the place loves her."
''An' some that amt brute critters
too, I'm guessin'.''
Gabriel colored and gave his aunt a
sidelong glance. She saw, but, pre-
tending not to, went on:
Flows her an Luke Smell gettin' on?
You've trigged her out so fine now 1
reckon he'll be poppin' the question
pretty soon, for fear some of the other
fellows COTS ahead of him; for 1t can't
be gainsafd that S'tiry Ann has plenty
of admirers, but for my part never
could see any beauty in a complexion
of chalk and cheese. Shouldn't wonder
if. she'd make heap of doctors ex-
Pense for the man that marries her."
''Satiry has perfect health, aunt
.'No sign she'll always have; but if
Luke wants to risk it reckon he's
able, an it's none of our ,concern."'>
Gabriel flushed again. and then
turned pale to the tips of his fingers,
all the blood In his being seeming to
surge in one great wave about; his
hsaft; =, ,.,;
Must tell mother you'll be over to-
morrow? She wanted special for you
to GOMEZ
Yes; reckon
Its wonderful how Gabe sticks up
for S'tiry Ann," said the aunt, as she
Looked after the retreating form of her
nephew, I'M faint for nothin' neither
or miss my recl<opin' L wish Luke
would marry her ofhand an get her
out of the way for Idon't want my
children knocked out of the prospect OF
inheritin' the best farm, in the county
by that little white-faced thing. Mems
never too old to make fools of them
selves, an Gabe's only thirty"
Yes, only thirty; that was all, but he
had been called "Old Gabe'' so long
shat the idea of seniority had long
since attached to him. He had not re-
sented the appellation when, in his
teens, it was first applied to him, but
meadow path, it impressed him with a
keen sense of injustice.
Il wonder if Satiry cares anything
out of the common for Luke Smell, -" he
went on thinking. II never thought of
them as anything but friends till Aunt
Mime set me on it to-day. It's plain
she doesn't think of there being any,
thing in me for a young girl to fancy.
/ wonder if she really has a suspicion
of the state of my feelin.s, and what
she'd think if she had. Think me a
fool. I reckon; which 1 s'pose I am
Well, if it's to be Luke, III not stand
IN the way, and most of all, I'll never
y
to me, and it'll be more than death to |
give her up and make no sign, but old
Gabe can do it." |
Wise Aunt Mime! She had counted |
not amiss on the effect her words |
would have on Gabe. Once make him
think that Satira's happiness depended |
On his silence. and he could die and |
mako no sign. For, if she loves Luke,
It would pain her kind little heart to
snow that care thought he; but a
great surge of pain swept his being as
lie thought how in the pienitude of
lis affection he had lavished on his
hearts idol the personal adornrnents
he SO rejeiccd to hcstow, only the soon
+ 10 lose her because of the added at
fractions they gave hey IN the eyes Of
} younger and handsomer rival; but,
lavsng made his reconciliation, it was
he nature Of the man that It te whole.