St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1895-03-09

Of faith was an addit6onal wonder and
delight, and she was quite persuaded
that there was no girl IL. the world so
fully and undeservedly happy rs she
was
Two letters for you, mother" said
Content. coming in one morning. ''and
. great big one for me. don't know
the writing"
She tore it open, and presently Mrs.
Weston, absorbed in her own letters,
was aroused by an exclams ton of dis
may. She looked up to see Content
stariIR at the letter with a.face of alb
solute horror.
My dear child. what is it?" she
cried.
Read it." said Content shivering.
'tFrom James & Jennings?" said
Mrs. Weston, taking the letter. rs
it really Uncle An.ony's lawyers, Con-
tente WhN is it possible? A later
will discovered-the property to be d.
vided between you and the dogs
home Ny child, what is this?'
Il suppose it's just that" came in a
mufilesl voice from Content She was
crying bitterly, with her face buried
in the sofa cushion. 'Oh, motherl
must have it? Cant we write and
say that the dogs home may keep it?"
Content are you mad? What do
you mean?"
Its Tom," moalled Content lam
sure he was going to say something to
me last night, but somehow he could
never manage it. and he will never
speak now. Mother. would it be very
wicked not to tell anybody about the
money ut present? Surely it wouldn't
be diffican to keep it a secret about
this new will for timeo"
And deceive Tom? My dear Con-
tent! And what about the explana-
ton and confessing the truth? Would
he respect you, or could you respect
yourself? If Tom really loves you. he
won't let your money keep you and
him apart"
Another man might not, but Tom
WILL" persisted Content You will
see. mother"
And Mrs. Weston did see. Edith
came in after breakfast and, after
learning the news, carried il home,
and Tom came no more.
Il don't want to hurry yos< DEAR"
said Mrs. Weston one day, ''but don't
you feel that we ought to be thinking
of leaving this place? There is Uncle
Antony's house standing empty and
waiting for us. and your presence is
make these final arrangements"
''Yes. l suppose we must CO." said
Content, moving abruptly to the win
dow.
She stood for some minutes looking
out, and then turned and said. in a
tone of strong resolutions: Give me
this one afternoon, mother. am GO
ing to do something dreadful"
MY dear child!" demonstrated her
mother.
lyon sec," continued Content,
Fred wouldn't marry me because
was pocs, and now Tom won't marsy
me because l am rich, so l must do
myself"
do be careful, dear
Yes. mother. will. ] have thought
it all over. and l don't think it would
be right to leave things like this. l
love Com, and l am sure he loves me-
parted us, could bear it; but this
money!
Later in the afternoon, Tom Barn
ard, coming back through the fields
from long round, caught sight of
some one on the wooden bridge that
crossed the stream The slight figure
leaned over the hand-rail and the
fluffy golden curls were unmistakable,
and Tom'sheart began to beat tumultu-
ously. lie had carefully kept out of
Contents way since the news of her
fortune had come, and he had hoped
that she might depart
without his having to bid her farewell.
He made a IRENE ndous effort to ap-
pear cool and nnconcerned, but his
voice shook when he began to speak.
''How do you do, Hiss Weston? It's
IA nice day for a walk, isn't it?'
It was damp, dismal afternoon.
and the observation was therefore
appropriate. Content. who
had been dropping stones into the wa
ter, turned round suddenly with
wildly beating heart and q very white
face.
1T rained this morning." was the
only thing she could find to say; but
the sight of her face had changed the
current of Toms thoughts.
81 say, do hope you haven't been
i'll" he said. hurriedly. "You ought to
have change. But you are going
away, aren't you?"
Yes we are going away" said Con-
tent. Il don't care much for the vii
lage now. Everything is so different
"You mean that you find the people
behave differently to you because OF
your money!" he asked.
Eyes, horribly different" said Con-
tent, energetically, throwing stone
down the stream as far as it would go. |
Edith will be awfully lonely with
out you," he said. 1T has always |
been joke in our house that she
cared less for any of US than for Sweet |
Content"
"Oh, please don't use that name any
more!' cried Content. Il am going to |
change, and be called Gloriana. The |
other is not applicable. I'm not con-
tented at all"
but you have every-advantage,"
pursued Tom. awkwardly, his hungry
eyes fixed upon her averted face.
Il haven't" she flashed out II
wish was living in the old times,
when men were brave and things were
nice"
"And men are not brave now?" he |
asked, as cheersully as he could.
Brave? No. cried Content, turn
ing an indignant face upon him.
They are afraid of what people will
say, and they let the thought of that
ruin a girls life"