The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1899-01-28
A CURE OF HEARTS
By Virginia Ysaman Remniiz.
Copyright. IN
nUsK was settling down about IL

nUSK was settling down about the
IL farm and Mrs. Conway was alone
on the front piazza, looking anxiously
down the road. As she stood in the
fading light, tall and erect, there was q
suggestion of power in her presence
beneficent, quiet power, upon which
one might lean securely.
There was distant rumble, and pres
emily wagon drew slowly in sight.
There they are!" the woman ex.
claimed aloud. 81 wonder what she's
like after all these years."
When the wagon stopped al the
mounting block Mrs. Conway ran down
the piazza steps, while her son sprang
out and extended hand to the girl
on the seat.
"My dear Miss Merton! am SO glad
to see YOU"
Dear Mrs. Conway! But you used to
call me Effie."
"You were little girl then"
''But am Effie still.'
When she stood in the lamp light,
however, Mrs. Conway realized that
time had wrought great change.
This young woman's beautiful, weary
face was strangely unlike that CT the
laughing child whose pranks and gem
ius for fun had enlivened the farm eight
summers ago. The girl. however,
looked up at Mrs. Conway with perfect
satisfaction. "You are just the same"
she said. II told mother that you and
your fried chicken were the only things
longed for"
Mrs. Conway laughed. "And have
some fried chicken waiting for you
now" she answered.
While her guest was at supper Mrs.
Conway, without appearing to watch
her, OWNED the truth nearly enough.
The girl was tired, tired at heart, and,
temporarily, at least, tired of life.
Mrs. Merton, coming to see whether
the farm and its mistress were still as
she remembered them, had said her
daughter was worn out with the gave
ties of the town; but her thought was:
THE wholesome influence of this wom-
en- ought to help Effie get over that
unfortunate infatuation of hers
That night before Miss Merton went
to bed she opened her trunk and took
out photograph enshrined IL. an ex-
quisite Florentine frame, and sat for
some time looking at the pictured face
"a long, thin. face It was, with eyes
rather close together, weak mouth
and a prominent nose.
As Effie Merton looked at the pic.
lure her gray-blue eyes grew sad and
shadowy under their black lashcs and |
when she had laid it away she stood |
by the mirror few moments studying
her own face as intently as she had |
been studying that of Stuart Armitage.
The light of her candle fared up, bring |
ing out a glory of thick golden |
hair turned back from white face.
the fairness of which was emphasized |
by heavy black brows and lashes. The
long, soft lines of her nightdress half
shaped themselves to the curves of an
exquisite figure, But the girl only
sighed as she looked. To her thought |
all this undeniable beauty was wasted
since it was forbidden the only eyes
for whose admiration she craved.
Miss Merton's first night at the farm
house was one of restful sleep, and she
awoke to the sensation that something
pleasant had happened The strange
surroundings upon which she opened
her eyes, the singing of the birds with
but her open window, and the clatter
Of the pans to an accompaniment of dis
tant lowing, seemed all part of some de-
ightful change.
Mrs. Conway was surprised when the
>itchen door opened aud her young
,uest smiled in upon her.
We'll. you down already. Did we
wake you with The clatter?"
I'M indeed Ruf slanf % ~valI ~ 1