The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-05-28
FACULTY..

It was not only because he was the
pioneer of the place, having come
there when the woods were one prl-
meval mass of green, and himself hav-
ing erected the old stone parsonage,
around which the thriving village had
grown with almost incredible rapidity.
It was not that he had preached the
gospel to them for four and-forty years;
It was not that his footsteps had been
instant on every threshold where sick
ness came or sorrow brooded. |
All this had been received as mat
ter of course, and forgotten as soon
as the necessities were past. But it
was because Foxville curiosity was on
the oui vive about Joanna, his grand
child, the sole remaining blossom on
the gnarled old family tree, who was
left quite unproviled for.
IT declare to goodness" said Mrs.
Emmons, II don't know what is to :
become Of that girl"
"She hain't no faculty, "said Sabina
Sexton, the village dressmaker; "and
never had"
"Books possessed no charms for
her!" sighed Miss Dodge, who taught
the Foxville district school. "She al
ways cried over her parsing and rhe-
toric, and I never could make her
understand cube root"
"There's no denyin' that the otd
minister was rs near saint as we
often see in this world" said Mrs.
Luke Lockedge, piously. "But he
hadn't ought to let Joanna run loose
in the woods and fields the way she
did. Why, don't s'pose she ever
made a shirt or fried batch O. fritters
in her life!"
els it true," said Hiss Dodge, peer
ing inquisitively up under her spec
tacle glasses, ''that she is engaged to
your Simon, Mrs. Lockedge?"
Mrs. Lockedge closed her mouth,
shook her head and knitted away until
her needles shone like forked light
ming.
"Simon's like all other young men.
Miss Dodge" said she-'took by a
pretty face and pair O. bright eyes.
Aud they sat on the same bench at
school. And as long as we s'posed
Parson Fox had left property, why,
there wasn't no objection. But there
wasn't nothing-not even a life insur-
ance. So I've talked to Simon, and
made him hear reason. There can't
nobody live on air!"
"But that's ruther hard on Joanna,
amt it," said Mrs. Emmons, with q
little sympathetic wheeze.
"Reason is reason!'' Mrs. Lock
cdge answered. "My Simon will have
property, and the girl he marries must
have suthin' to match it,
So that Joanna Fox, sitting listlessly
in her black dress by the window,
where the scent of June honeysuckle'
! tloated sweetly in, and trying to real
lie that she was alone in the world
had divers and sundry visitors that day
The first was Simon Lockedge, look
Ing as if his errand were somewha
connected with grand larceny.
, Joanna started up, her wan face
, frightening. She was only sixteen
, q brown-h haired, brown-eyed girl.
,, ooh, Simon" she cried, II knew
you would come when you heard!"
( Simon Lockedge wriggled uneasil.
I into seat, instead of advancing t.
! clasp her outstretched hand.
eyes," said he. "Of course it.
very sad, Joanna, and I'm awful,
$ sorry for you. But"
Joanna stood still, her face harden
ing into cold, white mask, her hand
falling to her side.
! eyes," said she. "You were say
ing"
: "It's mother!" guiltily confesse
J. Simon. "a fellow can't 60 against hi
/. own mother, you know. She says it
. all nonsense, our engagement and W
shouldn't have anything to live or
, And So" with final twist, "we'd be-
n ter consider it all over. That's til
{ sense of the matter-now amt il
Joanna?"
She did not answer.
o "I'm awfully sorry, Suffered Simon
+ II always set deal Of store by yoo
8 Joanna"
E "Did you?" she said bitterly. con
: would scarcely have thought it,"
: "And you know, joanna" he adde
l. awkwsrdly, mindful Of his mother
d drill, when poverty comes in at tt
f door, love flies out at the window!"
= Joanna smiled scornfully.
% 1T seems" said she, ''that lo'
!. does not always wait for that"
Q And she turned and walked into Il
l. adjoining apartment; while Simo1
Sinking out Of the door, muttered
himself:
u cts the hardest job O. work tn
l. ever I did in my life. Splitting stum]
IS is nothing to it. But mother says
~ must be done-and mother rules II
> roost in our housew
10 Next came Mrs. Emmons.
is "Joanna, said she, "I'm deep
10 rriovod at this 'ere af1ictiOn that's h