The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-01-01

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perfume Of wild flowers, blew back her
massive hair from her queenly brow
until the scene seemed to be celestial,
and she an inhabitant Of celestial re.
gions. just then she caught sight OF
me, as I looked at her almost en-.
trauced, and spoke something in low
tone to her companion. What it was
[ never knew, but they both looked at
Inc on instant, and then the air rang
with their laughter, and I heard him
say something about presumption and
impudence, and guessed what it was.
It was hard to be thus tortured simply
for no other reason than because Ihad
q heart and could not control its i'm
pulses, and when I look back on that
time it seems to me like some terrible
dream.
Misfortunes, they say, never como
singly, and they always come, too,
when we least expect them. My mother
suddenly sickened and died, and I was
thus left alone q wretched outcast on
the earth. As I stood over her grave
it seemed to me that I had buried
every hope, I determined to leave
that spot where I had seen so much
misery. I cared very little where
went. Anywhere far away from there.
General Linton paid me what little he
owed me, and I struck out for the far
West. Railroads and steamboats, were
not half as numerous then as they are
now, and even if they had been was
too poor to avail myself of their adj
vantage I walked therefore, many a
weary mile, until after several days of
travel I found myself at the outskirts
of growing city. Here I stopped be-
cause I thought 1had gone far enough,
and for the best Of all reasons, because
my money had given out. I had to
do something. A large mansion with
beautiful grounds stood before me. I
applied to the owner for labor. He
said he was very much in need of a
gardener, but did not like to employ
me without references.
After hesitating for while, how
ever, he concluded to engage me for q
month, and if he liked me he would
engage me permanently, he said, I
found out in short time that he was
alawyer Of extensive practice, immense
~ wealthy, and lived at his ease. I
followed out the rule I had adopted
through life to be honest and industri-
GUS under all circumstances, and at
the end Of the month my employer,
whose name was Parker, sent for me,
he said, to pay me my months wages.
He then surprised me by asking me if
1 could read and write. told him I
could, thanks to indefatigable energy
and perseverance at the little cabin on
General Linton's farm, during the
long winter evenings when the labors
OF the day were over. I had required
the rudiments Of a frst.rate English
education. My employer then told
me that during the past month he had
observed me closely, and that he be-
lleved me to be an honest man. IT
will tell you something more" said
he, "that I have discovered. You are
young man of extraordinary intel]i-
gence. Gardening is not your proper
avocation. I am doing an extensive
practice of the law, and I need some
one to stay in my Office. know of
no one who is better suited than
you. With your application and in
dustry, within one year from now you
may be admitted to the bar. You must
consent to become my student"
[ didn't know exactly how it was, but
suddenly Judge Parker and the table
seemed to become inverted, and the
room went whirling around, and then
we all seemed flying off through the
air, like Aladdin's castle, and the
next thing I knew I was sobbing, with
my nead upon the table.
He didn't say anything until I had
regained my composure, and then I
told him all. What hard time I had
had through life, and how this had
been the only light that had ever
shown on my dark pathway. Tears
sprang into the old mans eyes as I
told him, but he said I must never de-
spair, and he was certain I would
come out victorious.
I went into Judge Parker's office.
and I studied hard, and at the end of
the year, as he predicted, I obtained
my license to practice law. He then
asked me what I intended doing. I
told him that I intended to go of to
some rising place and grow up with it,
"and if I ever do anything" said I,
remember that you are the man that
made me-
He said that I should do no such
thing. He was getting old, he said,
and was unable to attend properly to
a great deal of his business, and he
wanted me to stay and assist him.
"You must be my partner" said he,
with share of the profits"
Again the room seemed turning
around and around, but this time I
managed to retain my feelings, and