The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-07-03

MEEtjHs \\5\ once more.
~ NsfSsSlSasosM} A5} expect the black
M3SM>@Es1x III berries are be-
Il iESsscYh T%M/G3 ginning to be
b ~ sssss-1sZ ripe; and how
II. .@1 1N>%<ou thick they used
Il to be along that
allw Mrs. Leafy Todd, as she spoke,
E,aned back in her rocking chair on
he vine-shaded piazz: and looked visit
lily across the summer fields.
"Perhaps you could so if you tried,
n:other," said her daughter Penelope,
Hopefully. "You walked as far as the
lump Of sumacs, you know, last
Heck"
n Mrs. Todd shook her head until her
fsiiry black ringlets quivcred. "I've
.siiled since then. Pears strange to me
HAT you don't see it, Penelope. But
HERES considerable Todd to you; you
FONT feel for folks like some"
hi tLa, Leafy, you just spunk up and
Vol Take the short handled dipper
::ssssnd bring home mess of blackberries
|sbr tea. You'll feel sight better for
/" spoke Mrs. Selma Todd, the in
EShlid's sister-in-law, fat, comfortable
hid blunt of speech, as she laid shin
Isag tin dish on the piazza seat at
s1INieafy's hand and disappeared within
Doors, after winking slyly at Penelope,
Tho sat upon the doorstep.
"a Penelope did not respond to the
link; instead, the quicker deepened be-
Tween her brows--a deeper pucker
han it was pleasant to see between
ghteen-year-old brows. Penelope
III4as dutiful and conscientious, and she
Has not so sure as her Aunt Selma that
Nervous prostration was, in her moth
Hrs case, only new fashioned sny-
SlInym for being spleeny.
ME ''Perhaps you'd better wait till I can
s3so with you, mother" she said, anx-
||ssf5usly. CHOW I must go and give lit
IsMe Persis Dowd her music lesson"
EM '.I'm used to waiting" said the in
valid, with bitter patience. II haven't
Ispy real expectation of getting as far
sSs the pasture wall again. That walk
Y Etook last week came near bringing
" numb spell; and I felt consider
4 ble as if I was going to have one just
liter I got up this morning"
ga The pretty pink color drifted out of
eenelope's cheeks. Those numb
goells" were the terror Of her life. Her
Slother was sure they meant heart dis
kAse, and Penelope had thought that
he doctor had looked grave over them.
3GRelope kept watch and ward to
the occurrences which were,
bring them on, such as visit
Old Mrs. Polly Nesbit, who told
q mother that "she looked full
gder'n her mother did at her age,"
y nd eff she was pindlin' she ought
Hot to be surprised, for the Pingrees,
Br mothers folks, want apt to live
be more'n forty-fve."
HaThen there had been fdmb spell
ter the call of Penelope's friends,
pm and Lizzie Mute, from Orinoco.
&enelope couldn't understand why
Mese callers should conduce to numb
Rells, but her mother explained
aguely that there had been some
@ouble about mortgage between the
Mutes and the Todds, in olden times,
I'D that with her constituencies she
lhew she should never be able to bear
HE sight of Mute.
"Cat's foot! Are you as blind as
sfit, Penelope Todd?" was the remark
sflich Aunt Selma had made when
NBje explanation was repeated to her.
lBut Penelope would have felt I'M
ttiful to harbor the least compre-
insion of what Aunt Selma meant.
EsE course Sam Mute was not quite
10 anybody else, and they had
6|n ought good deal of each other ever
Ehce they were children. That was
b way in which Aunt Selma con-
E2Eicted Sam Mute with the numb spells.
8EBrhaps Aunt Selma was, as Penelope's
bther said, triae hard, and lacking
fine feelings. -
Penelope went off heavily burdened
little Persis Dowd's music lesson.
ae wished she could have helped her
|fz4pther, now that the rare impulse
THIS upon her to take a little walk
\ sat might do her good. But every
Hing depended on her music teach
lag, and she must not neglect pupil.
bsrhe invalid lay back with her eyes
|Jk.sed; then she opened them suddenly
h Il looked again wistfully across the
HNinmer fields. She gazed around her
k8stiyely no one. was in sight. She
Use and walked feebly down the steps.
a. Idway she turned and reached back
|{ the dipper. 81 used to be one that
Killed. to have something to 60 for" she
Z Ia to herself.
Y lEt was pleasant to her even to cross
ia stubby field when the grasshoppers
4 Ike thick, aud the locusts shrilled
|IlHnotonously, and the afternoon sun
Hill hot.
II tlIShe raised her hand suddenly to her
|iAHId. GIVE got on Seliny's old shade
H s" she murmured. "Once I
N