Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-08-10
The words were simple. but they

The words were simple. but they
conveyed world of love.
It was pleasure to her. could see.
to talk Of her brother Telesphore and
his prosperity. With no intention ofo
boasting, she dwelt-w with pride on his
house that had a hall down the cen
ter (this seemed extraordinary to
her). More than that. her sister-in-
law kept q servant!
When at 1asteI told her ''good-by'
she had gained an interest for me.
''Carcasonne-"
It was three years later when next
saw Miss Celestine. Her mother was
dead and she had come to live with
her brothers family.
Although was only spending a few
days in Pointe des Arbres, I intended
to look up my old acquaintance, but
before had time to do so met her
one morning as was on my way to
the post Office.
She was rolling a baby carriage
while two cross-looking children
tugged at her skirts and in voluble
French demanded her attention. She
was just in front q the gaudy little
house-the door stood open and I
caught a glimpse of the much-talked-
of hall, while mentally decided that
Nine. Telesphore had now virtually
two servants!
It seemed to me that Miss Ce1estine
looked much older than when I had
last seen her and gray threads were
beginning to show in her heavy black
hair. Her eyes had tired, dark lines
beneath them as if she was often
weary. but had no time to indulge
in moments of repose.
wondered If her ''Carcasonne" had
been all that she dreamed it to be.
or if the present ever drifted away
and in thought she was back again
in the little Acadian hamlet tending
her flowers and chickens!
AS we stood chatting on the brick
pavement, a buggy came rafting
down the street.
When one tarries awhile in Pointe
des .Arbres, one catches the spirit of
the place and looks with real interest
upon the most trivial occurrences.
The affairs of ones neighbors there
| possess an, unparalleled importance;
thus I turned instinctively to catch
a glimpse of the occupants of the buggy.
The man would have attracted at
| tention anywhere. With his deep-set
dark eyes and singularly classic fea-
lures, he seemed a type of the early
| picturesque Acadian, and i could not
help thinking what magnificent hero
| of Longfellow's poem 'Evangeline" he
would have made.
1 noticed little about the woman at
his side. except that she was of a
massive style of good looks and
seemed much overdressed.
'Who is that man." L asked Miss
Celestine, seeing that they had ex-
changed bows.
.''Thet," she said. slowly, sis Achille
Rodrigue, and that is his wife with
him."
''Achille RODRIGUEZ" I repeated to
myself. Why, that was the man I
had heard several people discussing
but the evening before as sat on
the hotel porch. They seemed to be
much impressed by the fact that
after ID years of answering devotion
to one woman, he had startled every
one by marrying a widow who had
long been keenly alive to the worldly
advantages of such a match.
No one seemed to know exactly why
he and his first love had never mar
ried. Some one suggested that the
| girl had sacrificed herself to the sell
fishness of her mother, but whatever
it was, Achille Rodrigue had shown
constancy which his associates at
first regarded with surprise, but aft
erwards learned to accept as part of
his nature.
His marriage lately. therefore, &C.
easioned no small establishment, and
there were many theories advanced
on the subject.
Theophile, the blacksmith, who
seemed to know Achille Rodrigue
l better than the others did, asserted
loudly that Achilles great, strong
heart had been touched by the Wild
ows open devotion to him and that
he had married her out of pity, per
haps wishing to bring into some
other life the brightness his own
lacked.
/ Apart from the speakers, sitting in
the gray dusk on the hotel porch, ]
listened idly to the bits of converse
ton which hoated to me on the even
ing air. Ny thoughts drifted from
Achille to the girl he had loved in
those other days. I wondered what
had been her fate, whether she had
married some one else, or whether
she still remembered. A mere speech.
lation on my part, since I never ex
pectad to see either Achille or his
first love!
YES" I said, recalling myself sud
| denly and turning tn Miss Ce1esfine