The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-04-24
SONG WITHOUT WORDS.
RY JosEPH 5. RoGERs.

There is a disconsolate air about her
as she sits near the window, looking out
upon the broad expanse of prairie COW
cred with deep snow.
She is dressed in a tightly-ftting trav-
cling suit of gray broadcloth, with a
high collar of dark, rough cloth. Her
hat is a dainty little makeup of black
velvet and graceful feathers. A small
cluster of white lace, peeping out from
beneath the crown, lends a soft light to
her calm c~ountenance and deepens the
shade of her dark auburn hair. Her
wistful eyes are of such a deep, intense
blue tAat in certain lights they seem al
most black.
She has thrown her sealskin cloak on
the seat in front of her, where also rests
her satchel. By her side lies a novel
open-wise; and on the window sill a
bunch of violets.
She is Thoughtful, and the dismal land
ecape she gazes upon serve neither to
dampen nor reanimate her spirits, for
abe sees it not; and it is all one to her
whether the train be snowbound or
speeding swiftly on toward it's destina-
4ion. Her mind is filed with other
images and impressions. The gay sea-
son which Lent had just ended SO cruel
ly-its balls and its theaters, it's teas
and receptions-these hold her
thoughts. Her conquests, her social
friumphs-the homage she has won
from men and the envy she has evoked
from the women-are the subject of the
many pictures that fit before her mind.
And the deepest and keenest of all is the
thought that now she is leaving all
these, homeward bound, where there
awaits her-sackcloth and ashes, and
fasting and prayer. What a changed
She languidly signs and turns from the
window. She picks up the novel, me-
chemically reads q page, and then be-
gins staring blankly at the last line, for
the sound of the "twostep'' rings in her
ears and the whirl of the dance is before
her again.
lie boards the train at Helena. As he
passes up the aisle he casts a careless
glance at the form of the young lady,
who, with a dainty handkerchief across
her face, had long since fallen asleep.
He shrugs his shoulders and passes on
TO the seat directly in front of his fair
slumberer. Here, after the porter has
deposited his luggage, he begins to
make himself comfortable. He removes
his great coat, hangs his hat on the rack,
draws a paper from his pocket, sits
down, and begins thinking.
SWELL, here I am at last. 1t will be a
deuced long time before I'll see any
of the girls of Helena again. 1 wonder
what this one behind me looks like?
Not much for beauty, I'll wager; other
wise she wouldn't have covered up her
face. Girls r queer creatures any
way. Now. Wen see what the news is"
He stretches himself out in the seat,
opens his paper, and begins reading
just as the young lady awakes with a
start. She snatches the handkerchief
from her eyes and looks about her in a
half dazed fashion. Seeing the top of
the newcomers head, she wonders
where he came from. Then, consulting
her watch:
Half past Gwoi All, 1 understand;
we must have passed through Helena
while l was asleep. How stupid Of me!
He boarded the train there, / suppose.
I wonder what he looks like. Horrid
Of him to show nothing but the top of
his head above the top of that seat. /
do know something about palmistry,
but phrenology, pshaw! He's keeping
mighty still; I wonder if he's gone to
sleep. No; there's the corner of a paper.
He's reading-reading all about the
brutal prize fight, I'm sure; men are
such horrid creatures!"
She picks up the novel and turns the
1eaves languidly.
He rests the paper IN his knee and
Assumes a listening attitude.
"Humphi awake at last, and reading
that yellow-covered literature I saw Oh
the seat by her side. The Duchess, OF
Sarah Grandl Sweet stories, so full Of
feeling and pathos,' they say
He clasps his hands behind his head
She lowers the novel and
swell, there's an addition. They ar,
right large-naiIs well kept-gentle'
manly instinct. Einger-ends square
determination. Large knuckles-man.
nal labor. Pshaw! how in the world
am I to tell anything about him from
lis nails and his knuckles? How stupid
Of me to sleep 80 long!"
She removes her hat and smoothes
back her hair.
II look q fright I'm SUI There
hes stirringi"
She seizes the novel and Immediately
becomes absorbed.
he sits up. "Tantalizingl I've just
cot to see what she looks like, that's