The Opelousas courier., 1898-03-05

4 corted to the home Of a kindly bsigh
8 Dor, and Aunt Jane had gone back TO
j, the fourth time to tell her brother-in
law not to forget the ice box on tn
: last load, Sara felt sure that the slow
est of wagons must have reached tn,
| new home.
| The long journey over at last, hel
l feeble attempt at rejoicing was sud
: denly checked at the sight of the var
backed up to the curb with the dining
room furniture strewn over the law1
for companionship.
"Looks like a summer garden" sale
Sara, trying to discover whether the
canary was drowned. "Some one ha6
sense enough to cover the things, any.
way"
A man on the seat stuck something
into a box at his feet and poked his
head around the side.
"We can't git in,"he said in kindly
explanation. "There amt any key
here"
"We took some O. them things out
first" said a man who was sitting de-
jectedly on the tailboard, "and then we
couldn't git 'em back again, SO we left
'em out"
"Leave the bird with me, Sara"
said Aunt Jane rather sharply, "and
go to the Office for the key at once"
Sara started off willingly enough,
though the water was swishing and
squashing in her rubbers, and her
head ached. It was pleasanter to walk
than to stand still-until she remem-
bered where she was going, and then
she wished her aunt had sent one of
the She felt she could not go
into the office again, and cast about
eagerly for q substitute. Across the
street a small boy was strolling along,
kicking out his left foot at each step
to make a loose sole flap back into
place, and idly slashing at puddles
with a switch rs he passed. Sara
hailed him. For the inducement of a
nickel, the youth consented to walk
half a block and deliver a message,
and Sara, somewhat relieved, lowered
her umbrella in the shelter of a
friendly drug store. By the time she
was beginning to wonder what had be-
come of him, the boy returned, Tapping
his foot with renewed energy, and,
planting himself in front of her, piped
up:
"First thing, I want my nickel!"
Sara was in haste, so forbearing to re-
prove him, she paid her debt and de-
manded to know the result of the
errand.
"Feller says he amt never seen me
before, and he's sorry, but some one
he knows is got ter come for the key"
Sara'sface flushed, and she hesitated
a minute. TWAS a choice between an
awkward position and no home. sol
she chose the lesser evil and made her
way to the Office. Alan met her ct the
door.
IT trust you will pardon me,
madam" he said c~ourteously, "for
making you come out in the rain, but
1 believe you see that I could not think
of giving the key of, any house to q
little street gamin."
ssThe key should have been at the
house, said Sara stifay. "Our furni
ture is being ruined, SO I will be obliged
to you if you will give me the key as
quickly as, possible"
Certainly, at once" said Alan, who
seemed to have difficulty in finding it.
"This is it. If you would like it,
madam, I will stop at the house on my
way home to see # there is anything
to be done there"
Sara wondered if she had. ever. told /.
him how much she hated to be called
madam"
''Thank you," she. said coldly. eff
.here..is anything else father will come
or it,, =. (
Alan opened her umbrella for her,
md, with a frigid~ nod, she started
for home, trying to think out
'ome way to explain her delayto the !
Door, forlorn lady awaiting her.
Sara's spirits were at low ebb, and !
here was no prospect of their rising q
gain for many a weary day. For two s
weeks it rained steadily, the canary I
efused to sing, the chimney smoked, ]
he pipes leaked, the plumbers struck,
nd Sara, unable to get away from her 1
disturbing thoughts. "settled" with s
diligence. She had told i
'erself many times before that it was
asy to forget; but now, with little else f
o think OF, she found it was only too b
asy to remember. AS she put things Z
way, or unpacked boxes, she was con- c
OF trying to ,soothe q queer, n
onstant pain by giving free rein to a
er memory. As she laid the sheets
n the linen shelf, she left with them n
no remembrance CT boat rides and
ennis games, Of drives and of dances: A
when she dropped a dinner plate 81
n the kitchen floor, it was because v
he had come in the course Of her a
linking, to wonder if, after all, Alan q
as entirely to blame for the trouble D
had sent him back to the city SO ',
Jon. Of
Finally, the sun shone upon the I
orld again-weakly, to be sure, but tt
ill with enough strength to dry up CO
me OF the puddles on the front steps, I
lough it failed to bring into Sara's
the light that formerly lurked 10
lere. Like the little girl, Sara had Sc
scovered that her doll was stuffed Ii,
18th sawdust, and with the egoism Of
pessimist she imagined it was the 81
lly one ever fashioned in that wise. q
On the first bright day Nj. Matt
nd came home early to take his wife he
+ q drive, and Sara, declining to
them, welcomed an opportunity an
be misarahla hv harsalf Cha .a Il.