The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1895-03-09
INibu0aux 5tutu,e\.
MYSTERIOUS EYES,.

colonel mad celebrated the dying of tho
old year in true Jagsonian style and
started for home when the infant 1885
was only three hours old, carrying a
load that was heavy even for SO expert
a vehicle as the Jagson anatomy. Then
the surprise came. When the old boy
appeared later in the day and took his
usual seat alongside tho old guard, a
tcmblcr Of "straighto was 1T once
brought. All the others raised their
glasses, inu"muret: Happy NNew Year,"
sinking the last syllable into the glasses
as they quatfed the rare Old brew. and
hen looked at Issson. There SAT the
veteran, hat his hand had rot touched
the glass. Silently he reached forth, and
taking u tt. ADLER full Of water ho slow
~ drank. CONSERVATION bat feebly x
presses the feelings Of tho old guard.
.Jasson drinking water, ard that, toe.
on New Years day! What had hap
percd::
Eager inquiries hrecsht 10 satisfse-
ton to anxious friends.
Mo; I've Tot sworn CT said jag
sen.
Never going to trinl- any more
asked the CID guard il ct.oegs.
II may" replied tho hero e ANY e
tCsslo with old red eye.
Sick "eain came from the chorus.
No" came from hetweea the COLO
lsel's tightly compressed lips, and With
i curt Coed day!' lie strola ln;.Jss9is-
ally froo. the &c
This ac.ioa brought dismav. The cid
guards: ran,,s were already depicted.
Only four how rondczvoused daily. and
Jagson's detection meant more 70 tho
survivors THAI can well be understood
by outsiders.
Nevertheless. despite all tia efforts Of
entreaty anG sol5eitous inquiry, the colo
mel remained 4 total ahstailer. He am
daily to join his coinrssies. to gossip and
swap stories, but never once did he be-
tray, by word or sign, the reason that
led him to abjure the wine when it was
red or the bowl when 1t was flowing.
Thus affairs ran on. The Old Guard
was troubled, aid Colonel Jasson look
ed worried and acted like a man ever
burdened with serious thought and 4
iCtp uiltiIitttl tlcOLtGI. liz ltt>t tlj.sO
Colonel Jaeson was caught IL the finan-
cial stringency induced General Soake
to take his wife into his confidence.
With that tact and intuition that are
wonan's chief charm she went at ouco
to call Oh Mrs. JassoB, and with the
usual result-she g3t the root Of tro
trouble in snort order. Mrs. Jagson was
positively radiant. The colonel was al
ways sober, the household allowance had
been increased, the table bore more deti-
cacies of the season., her wardrobe and
bonnets were new, and Mrs. Jagson Ee-
gan to think that the declining years Of
her married state would be happier than
the earlier period,
"And how did it all come about?:''
quoth Mrs. Soake. Now, Mrs. Jagson
knew that Ms. Soake had suffered from
the same rivalry that she herself had
endured, and that soft pity to which
~femininity is SO prone swept Over her,
and she gave the Of the reforms-
ton away to her friend.
"You know, my dear Mrs. Soake, "
began Mrs. Jagson, the colonel came
home just before daylight Oh New Years
morning and was not quite himself.
The conviviality had proved too much
for his equilibrium, but after much
fumbling he got the door opened and
came up stairs as softly as circumstances
would permit. Contrary to my usual
custom, l had put the light in his room
entirely out. He seemed unable to ind
a match and evidently tried to go to
bed in the dark. Faint ~rumblirgs and
mutterings caught my attention, then 4
, wild roar. | rushed III TO find him on
the floor grasping at the carpet. When
the gas was lighted, he became quiet,
went to bed, and l left him in the dark
again.
"a second time he called and asked
me to sit With him in the light. | did
SO until he fell asleep. The next morn
ing he felt that some explanation was
due, | suppose. and told he that bright
spots like twinlling eyes had peered at
him from the floor about the bed, and
when he tried to grab one nothing was
there. You may be assured Colonel Jag
son was badly frightened at the effects
of his overinaulgence, and from that
day to this lie has not tasted liquor OF
any kind"
"But the explanation, my dear Mrs.
J~agsonn' cried the excited Mrs. Soake.
well, You must keep it secret. Il
the truth he found out, the colonel
might so haeh to drinking again. 1t
was this way: You see, I'd been HAVING
the colonel's room cleaned and faneied,
only fancied, you know, that the BED
might have some Of those little pests