The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1899-02-18
snow. wen talk"

"Well, you see. Jane is an odd woman
"a very odd woman"
"Not at all; Jane is a sensible crea-
.ture. Why doesn't she like me?"
'.She doesn't object to you personal
ly."
"rhen she dislikes me theoretically"
IF YOU mean lists because she
didn't know you before we were mar
ried, and because she doesn't know
your maiden name-may be you're
right"
"Would that weigh with a woman
like Jane?"
BLESS YOU, yes. Why we've lived here
nearly a hundred years, and we've al
ways married decent wenches, all Oh
EN- well known in these parts, and
suppose she thinks"
Il suppose sh. thinks you've not mar
ried a decent wench?"
"Why, lass, they've only got to look
at you to see you're something better
than the others. No disrespect to
them"
Joseph, have you ever-any-doubt
--yourself?"
aMe? No, no; never;" and he left
| the churn and went towards her.
go back!" she cried, warningly; and
he obeyed.
"Joseph, when you first met met
| is not so very long ago, only a few
weeks-I was poor, friendless and
homeless"
He nodded.
81 had always imagined that men be-
haved we'll to lonely, helpless women. l
was wrong, Joseph. You are man
apart-a superior being"
Joseph blushed with pride and pleas
ure.
an fact, you are real. true man.
Now, you know life--at least you
know something of tho woodland as
YOU chose to behave in an extraordi-
nary Quixotic way"
"D;d I?''
sand marry me. Tell mellow do
you find me after ten weeks acquaint-
ance?"
Perfect. You are good, hard
working woman. You learn more in a
day than the lasses about here could
learn in six months. You manage well.
You don't chatter. you don't rove, you
don't fool, and-you love me-.
She bent over and kissed him again.
81 believe l do. Now / will tell you
how / came to be in destitute con-
dition at the station that night"
at doesn't matter if you'd rather
not"
81 will not, if you stop churning."
He went on turning. She wiped care
fully into the intricacies of the compli
Gated cow-head pattern.
81 didn't like my life. 1t was diff
ferent 10 this--very different; and
didn't like what the future had in store
for me. 1t would have been all gayety
all uselessness. had schemes by which
10 benefit mankind, and l thought To
begin with women. l left my home
my people would only miss me from
one point of view; they would no
grieve for me. wanted very much Il
do some really good work, but miscal
> culated everything; my strength, m.
knowledge, my money. 1t was all
miserable failure. still want to work
but l want to do it to please mysel
and my surroundings. Mankind goe
/, right out of my calculations hereafter
what / saw of it hurt me, robbed me
I insuited me and landed me in the stu
5 alton from which you extracted me
Dc you, can you, understand
NO, no; 1 don't understand, but
Ibelieve you. Do surroundings mea
! me-this house-this life? Can yo
put up with it?"
"Oh, yesl" she whispered, leaning he
. check against his. Il want peace.
: want to be taken care of. l WASH
made to regenerate mankind, or revolt
tionize the world. 1t didn't take m
long to find that out. It's only IL week
to-day since left my home"
"Tm afraid I'm interrupting," sal
loud voice, and large woma
bounced in. "Heslop, / want to tai
/. to you about the calves"
"Wife, this is Mrs. Norton--our neal
!. est neighbor."
; The girl bowed and came forward.
= The woman did not look at her, br
rushed Immediately into prices. ST.
was evidently in an uncomfortab
frame of mind. and, though she poin
L eddy excluded Heslop's wife from til
conversation, she was not satisfied wit
=. her performance. She presently WEI
:, off with Heslop to inspect somethin
% in another part Of the farm.
This must not go on. Joseph is u
,x comfortable. / must manage to cle'
- up matters soon. Ireally wish it WASH
r necessary. shan't be half so happy
and she began to sing.
~ Jane came in for some milk.
= "You don't seem to mind, ma an"
~ Jane couldn't for the life of her he
calling her INA am" and that made h.