St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1896-11-14
naade faIntlnovensnt wlth her hand


waves. straight. to the cottage window.
The night wiaI had softened into a
warm breeze. It came waited in.
mingEng with the salt of the sea--with
the scent Of the flowers in the little gar
den below.
! s4Nelliess big, sad eyes took in all the
beauty of the morning, then they
gently closed.
h SO Nellie Thurgood, Tom Thurgood's
young wife, died, and was buried in the
little churchyard by the sea, apd the
tide came in and the tide went out.
through the long summer days and
nights, and peaceful order reigped il
the little cottage, for Hepzibah was
notable housekeeper;4 and Tom. was
grateful to her in a duh, impersonal
way. His heart was buried in a newly
made grave on the cliff side. and moth
ing. seemed real to him but that.
Hepzibah watched him from under
her white eyelashes, and kept silent;
bpt his pipe was 4 IVA rs read5ys for hfnt
when he came Indoors, and his favrritet
food siInmered ON the hob.
sffepzibah's hair greW@brighter as the
| days went on; her checks had a comelyi
flush; she began to take thought of her
dress. She bought a blue ginghan
gown in the village, and muslin band,
| kerchief for her neck. Her voice took.
| softer note, she began to sing about.
| her work sss efksRaT asssP
But Tom would sit in the churchyard
i7fhrough the long summer twilights.
and when he came in to his supper his
| feet dragged YEARLY, and his eyes were
dull with misery.
"You should not grieve so,' said Hep.
zibah. softly, one night after supper
She was knitting in the freight; hex
head was bent over her work.
Tom woke as from dream; he looked
sat her with y nseeipg yes
"Ah, it's we'd to say that to man
| whose heart is brealaing!''
His voice grew husky, he turned
away his headato The fire.
But you shouldn't ggrieve as one
| without hope. Time must soften things
bit-you have your life before you. !
/ Tom laughed q short, bitter laugh,
not good to hear.
h ..Sheswas all I 'had-zIny Nellie. The
apple of my eye. What goods life to
me now? Such pretty ways she had,
too," hekwent on musingly; 'ssnch hlog-
! ing, tender wa sys--s - ssssss
Hepzibah's needle flashed in the fire.
Tight.
.There2are other women in the world
as fond as Nellie" she said, softly, with
her eyes on her knitting.
There was a long silence in the room.
The fire fiickered; ciuder fell on the
hearth. Hepzibah could hear her heart
throbs; she slowly lifted her eyes to
the mans face.
He was not looking at her at all. but
at china shepherdess upon the little
/ table against the wall. H is eyes were
troubled, he was trying to remember.
"My Nellie did not keep that on there.
No, it was on the mantlepiece, here
that she had IT,"
i He brought the ornament over, dust
ing it with his handkerchief.
| ''We must keep the things as she lefi
them, Hepzibah," he said. But Hep
zibah had slipped uttof the door into
the summer darkness.
i She, rested her arms on the little gate
and stood looking far out to sea. He,
| face shone white and ghostly in the
dilnness. She shivered in the warn
air.,
you dead woman--you Nellie" she
| whispered, tensely. "why win you not
1 give him up to me? You have YOU
i Jack, You do not want him-and I-oh
my God!"
sIS{ q great fearless sob icholed her; th,
shimmerfng waves mocked her; hel
| face hardened. Ss*sKE
why should not tell him! shall
Edo yollno harm. Howscan one hurt tht
dead! You are asleep in the church
yard; and love hint tell you lov,
zlHm!'' go 81 = sSesss $50 @aT @Tazs Z
4 The man was sitting. smoking mood
ify, gazing into the glowing fire, Whe1
Hepzibah glided in and stood behind hi
chair. rs Ia
atom, I can't bear that you shoule
4 grieve so. She wasn't worthy of lov,
like yours"
a. lie el9ZlDall! set'f
/ 81 have thought you ought Il
know she faltered. "heeause can
bear to see you spoilin' your life .foj
love of her--her who did not love you a
all, but Lack"
woman! what do you mean? Wha
lies are you telling me?"
Its true. Don't you remember he.
calling out about the letters the nigh
she died? She gave me packet
Jacks letters to her.
ssMy God! Give them mteme!"
You must not mind so much, Tom
4 "The letters!"
/ Hepzibah laid thep packet on the table
and crept away up the staircase to he
room. 'ss& 3
The still hours passed by. Nigh
waned, but Hepzibah. wild-eyed ant
i numb, crouehed by the bed, strainins
her ears for any sound from below.
An hour before dawn came the ,soun'
= of chair scraping on the tagged floor
then drawers were opened and shut
,I his footsteps echoed to and fro. The
silence and the scratching Of q pen.
1t grew unbearable. Disheveled
& wan, fearful, she scrept down the stair
and peered in. lt.5sss.s
Tom Thurgood sat at the table. writ
ing by the dim candle light. He hadct
his rough pilots coat; a bundle tie
9 in "a red haaiak efehief rested besid
81 him. He rose and came towards her.
lsssIs m going ayyav4Abaeis to sea agssin,