The Opelousas courier., 1899-03-18

appear. Half-past Ave, SIX, half-past
six-still no Jonas. At quarter OF
seven Clarissa was frightened. Dim
forebodings tuggeds at her heart-striugs
till they vibrated dismally.
CPL go hunt Jonas up" she said
briskly, shutting her ears to the sound.
cts just as likely as not he's fallen
sound asleep somewhere. He's get
ting real old, Jonas is"
She went through the porch and
carriage house and then with quick
ened steps up to the barn. II was a
new trip, up over the stony path, for
Clarissa, aud the stones hurt her feet.
'For the land of goo lness' sake!'
she cried shrilly at the barn door.
The flowers in the windows-row on
row of them-danced dizzily before
her eyes. In Clarissa kemp's and
Clarissa Collins life she had never
been SO astonished.
One of the windows was raised a
. little, and the breeze crept in and set
IL the bright flowers nodding, friend
lyoSise, at her.
Nav on row, shelf o. shelf-for the
land',S goodness sal 4 But how cozy
and ENmeLsvrcEf1y looked! How
pleasant The weathesed old barn
looked!
Then Clarissa went in. AS long as
she lived-and the Collinses came of
a long-lived race she never forgot
the things she saw that afternoon iii
Jonas kemp's barn. The strip of car
pet by one of the windows. the broken
chairs set about Alwildy's mothers
spinning wheel, the light of the sur
through the geranium leaves and, dim
ly, on the haymows behind and on all
the cobwebs and cobwebs-and Jonas
there, asleep. Clarissa saw them all.
She saw them over and over again till
she died.
"Jonas!" she called softly, after a
minute or two. "Jonas, it's supper
time-Jonas!"
She went up to him and prodded his
shoulder with her thimbled finger
Clarissa nearly always wore her
thimble, to have it "handy."
"Jonas!'
She tilted his dropping old face
toward her and the light. It was
twisted and white.
ooh, he's got a stroke-Jonas!-
Jonas! hes got a stroke!' Clarissa
wildly.
Jonas opened his eyes and looked
at her III an u~nacquainted, troubled
way.
otis pleasant-out here" he mur-
INJURED thickIy. "The plants-don't
take 'em away!'
"Jonas, dear Jonas, you must get
right up and come into the house with
meme, Clarissy, Jonas. Don t You
know Clarissy?'
81 know somebody-Alwildy,"
Jonas, trying to smile with
ais twisted lips. One arm hung limp
beside him, and he touched it curious
y with his other hand.
sit doesn't belong to me-" he said.
After a little while his mind grew
quite clear again, and then he pleaded
stay with his flowers.
couldn't I lay in bed out here, Cla-
he asked timidly. "Jest till T
eel better? The plants III miss me-
IN I like it out here-I like it out
lere-like it out here"
Again and again he mumbled it
yistfully.
The tune Clarissa's heart-strings
wailing almost broke her heart.
She got help at a neighbours, and
hey took Jonas home. He was doz-
ng all the way. It was almost a day
ater when Jonas fully awoke.
"Ain't it -pleasant-ont here in
he barn, Clarissy?" he whispered,
II like it out here-don't
ou?"
eyes," Clarissa said brightly. II
it out here Jonas"
The accompanied shelves had back
heir old tenants and new tenants,
DIV upon row. The windows opposite -.
onas' bed were full of geraniums and
ay purple and red fuchsias, and tho
actus was there that Alwilda had \
wed. Her mothers spinning wheel !
TODD on a strip of carpeting near 6
How pleasant it looked "out =
lere!" How the sunshine filtered .
the %geranium leaves and made !
traceries on the wall. A sprig 1
the sun leaves lay across Clarissa's .
zee, and Jonas smiled at it like a !
leased child. |
"Clarissy," he whispered eagerly, {
we stay out here always? + !
ke it out here"
Clarissa's eyes fell on a tiny litter
dry leaves under a window.
eyes, JONAS" she smiled, Eyes,
ell stay out here always. I like it,
"-CountrY Gantleman. =