Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1901-06-07
Mr.. Justin
TdIledu'S Sc cret
BY Matt Grim.

first met him. She had moved into the
house that day, and, being early at the
dinner table, eyed each newcomer with
mixture of curiosity and hope, al.
ways seeking the ideal friend. No ideal
could be evolved from that common
place multitude, she quickly decided
when the old man entered. He at
tracted her attention instantly, for
snowy hair lay in thick waves upon
his head, and a pair of fine black eyes
looked out from under heavily marked
white brows. He was slight Of figure,
and his skin was wrinkled and yellow
as parchment.
He sat down at Judith's left hand,
making a fine courteous bow to those
about the table as he did so; then he
drew a paper from his pocket and be-
gan reading. 1t was New Orleans
paper, and Judith felt little thrill of
pleasure. Could he, too, be from Louis
lana? She was tempted to ask him,
for her two years in New York had not
made her so much of a cosmopolitan
that she felt indifferent to even n
chance meeting with some one from
her old home. But she held her peace.
For several days they met at dinner,
and Judith's interest in the silent, lone
ly old man deepened. There was some
thing pathetic, even appealing in the
reserve holding him aloof from the
coarser people around him. From the
landlady she learned that he was only
table boarder.
Where does he live?" she inquired.
That I don't know" rePhe@ the
brisk little woman. 1.-TWO years ago
he came to me and / saw that he was
a gentleman. I am quick now in rec
ognizing the lady or gentleman, so l
asked him no questions. Re only takes
his dinners here, and he pays his bills
and makes no complaints; no, never
OF his occupation or personal history
judith could find out nothing. She had
no family ties herself, and reasoned
! that her interest in the old man sprang
from sympathy. Then she had known
some Valleaus once, when a child, "A
boy and his mother, who lived in a re-
mote parish She had played with the
boy during one summer when yellow
| fever ragged in New Orleans, and she
had been sent away. Perhaps this old
man might have once known them, too
might, in fact, he relative.
One evening he heard her tell an in
quisitive neighbor that she came from
the south. His eyes kindled with i'm
terest, and a slight color tinged his
uallow face.
"The south?" he questioned eagerly
"Did 1 understand you to say the
south?"
Eyes, Louisianian."
as it possible? Why--why, that is
my native state"
81 am from New Orleans"
"And so am L." beaming upon her
with genial glance, his reserve melt
ing like magic. Il felt attracted to you
from the first, and your voice charmed
me-"
They talked eagerly, Judith delight
ed that the ice had at last been broken.
The old mans face appeared ami
mated. the glow of his eyes giving a
! NNiAdih JNuAhiul ~ Ia CSal'h ~ MS lCd-
lures.
How long have you been here?" he
inquired, at length.
1.-TWO years"
"And have been here for more than
] 20" He sighed audibly, and for a
j moment his face gloomed over. ayes"
he repeated, half to himself, more
than 20 years"
Judith listened amazed. Twenty
years meant nearly all her life, and
to think he had spent that length of
time in New York and still remained so
distinctly provincial.
$50 long? You must love New
York;"
Love it? Iloathe it," he exclaimed.
with sudden, passionate energy. at
is so big, so noisy and dirty, and so
unfriendly."
"But fascinating and full of all ac-
tivities, intellectual and otherwise"
ut may be for the young, but give
me New Orleans. Think of the repose.
its beauty, its old houses, its fine
gardens, with their roses, magnolias
and oleanders, the very air breathing
/ fragrance and romance"
His eyes kindled again with an
evanescent glow, his voice dropped to
low, dreamy tone.
But it is here one finds the market
for romance" Judith argued, practi-
cally,
IL found none for mine" he replied.
struggling his shoulders.
The acquaintance between them pro-
crossed rapidly, although for weeks
they met only at the dinner table. He
always went away the moment the
meal was concluded, vanishing mys-
teriously into some realm unknown TO
Judith. He lived somewhere down be-
low Washington square, she knew, for
she watched him from her window one
night.
When he discovered that she was
alone in the world he seemed to con
stitute himself her protector and adj