The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1899-08-26
1W0MAN5 FLUENCE.

q perfect creature would be, and what
curiosity. No; l like men. Real, &c
tual men. Not ornamental show pieces.
Like me, for instance. How compli.
mentary you are. But the truth is
sha'n't be even ornamental, If circum.
! stances don't change"
I He looked away from Margaret as HI
uttered the last words and began to
make marks with his heel in the sand.
She watched his movements, but hel
mind was following up an engrossing
train Of thought.
Are you going to sit still and allow
your life to map itself?" she asked, aftel
q seconds pause. 1T seems to me you
have an opportunity to make future
for yourself. Why don't you take adj
vantage c. =? I do admire a man VINO
can fight against obstacles, and who
wins for himself a great name and a
high position, not because OF, but In
spite of the accidents of fortune. And
l certainly cannot understand how any
| person with ordinary talents can go
through life with no ambition above
amusement. l grow Disguised with my
SELF"
1T Is just as I expected replied
Brian, erdeavoring to speak lightly.
| LOU TO SlIOHS- Hlnueu.
| Thanks. l consider your remark a
| compliment, though you may not mean
1t as such. l don't admire weak minded
men or women. am glad to have ideas
| OF my own, and not to be swayed by
every passing word. You are laughing
| again. / suppose you consider me vastly
amusing, but think myself vastly nom
| sensical. There is something in the air,
! / a in CHI
| cluded mischievously.
THE company without doubt" he
agreed. Il never pretended to amount
TO much, and know never shall. That
is why never considered 1t worth an
effort"
why not?" she asked quickly, some
instinct prompting her sympathy. you
have SO much before you. 1t Is never
too late to begin, neither is it ever too
early. That sounds like O paradox,
doesn't it? Your profession is an ad,
vantage in itself. 1t is such q noble
one"
"A dogs life when it comes to practice,
ae answered. Il tell you there's lot
Of sentimentality in the world. People
talk about this thing and that thing be-
ting ennobling and elevating, and all
that nonsense, when they know about
as much of it as do Of heaven. Much
good medicine has ever done me. I've
got my diploma. I've logged it all over
Europe, but it hasn't seen the light OF
day for many long month. / know
this don't suit your ideas, but I never
realized the need Of practicing for a
living. l expected to be independent,
and where was the need?"
But now2" questioned Margaret.
"Oh, now, my beloved cousin has
stepped in and I'm as poor as the devil. |
| beg your pardon. The words are
forcible but expressive. The feeling is
wretched, but the experience worse. I'll |
worry along somehow, unless a certain |
event come about. Are you going?"
YES" she returned, half absently |
gathering her things together. Il am
hungry. l think it must be twelve |
o'clock, and here in S'coDset we dine OF |
that questionable hour"
"A barbarous practice, but now that |
you speak of it, begin to feel some in |
ward cravings myself. May walk I'M
der the shadow of your wing?"
Without awaiting her permission he |
possessed himself of her shawl and |
lrudged by her side through the deep
sand to the village.
Turning from one Of the grotesque
little streets, into a more grotesque
Broadway, Margaret found that her ap,
petite had been true guide. 1t was
Twelve o'clock, and all S'conset was 60
Ing to dinner This pleasant duty
B'conset never forgot, it being one OF
the unwritten, yet faithfully observed,
laws of the small town that, whatever
The individuals occupation at the mo-
ment, the stroke Of twelve should find
him ready, and all ideas gave way to the
reality-dinner.
After leaving Margaret Brian found
his own appetite had increased to an
alarming extent, and he very gladly be-
took himself to his unpretentiOus abode
and the meal awaiting him.
He did full justice to the latter, and
ut the same time managed to take in
the history Of Captain Folgers eight
brothers and sisters, all of whom had
reached their eightieth year and were
still in the land Of the living. AS he
showed some skepticism on this latter
point, the Captain proposed a cruise to
town, where the house In which they
were all born should be pointed out to
him. 1t is needless to say Brian was
still unconvinced. He afterward dis
covered that town meant Nantucket,
and cruise was the Captains word for
ride
These old seamen 90 not take kindly
% the expressions of landsmen. They
will greet you with the salutation,
Where are you heading?" instead Of
Where are you going?" They will
sgree to land" milk and vegetables at
your door, and if you happen to be rid
ng with an old captain you may be re-
,uested to shift your seat fore or aft,
)r midship, or to sit to the leewari, as
he case may be. 1t is even said,
hough we are not bound to believe it,
hat when the Whaling industry failed
through the discovery Of coal oil, the
I'D salts, obliged through necessity and
not choice, to take to farming, en-
,ountered much difficulty from the fact
hat their oxen were land animals, and
when commanded to go to port or star
BOARD were too obtuse to obey the order.
Horses were equally trying. Con-
rary to tactics on shipboard, pull on
he port rein made the animal sheer to
BORT, when the old captain was bent on
having him go to starboard.
Under such difficulties blowing was slow
work and farming decidedly discour-
aging experience.
After Brian had disposed Of the
,ouble duty OF eating and listening he
spent some time in walking up and down
he streets of the grim, small village,