St. Tammany farmer., 1901-08-10

large and languorous. It wa. to<
warm for the ladies - even Ole
Billy went to sleep. But Hectic,
Pryn felt to his inmost being that he
was painting the picture he had al.
ways hoped to paint, something that
was human, truly typical of a phase
OF life, vivid and beautiful. It is
needless to say that Mamie was de-
lighted with the picture. 1t seemed
to her that she had awakened from a
dream. She saw herself as she was
she felt raised above groveling, actu-
al existence. She forgot her hard
life, her roug red hands, her re.
sponsiDility. Hector Pryn liked to
talk to her, to hear her crude opin-
ions, her naive comments. Then he
made some extraordinary discover
les. Despite her hard work and
wages, despite her constant endeav-
or, Nan was a perpetual pauper.
Miss Lily had to watch her to
keep her from going ragged. AS
for the boy, Louis, he was curly
haired scarecrow who was strictly
forbidden the front yard because of
his dilapidated appearance.
"But her money" gasped Hector,
"what does she do with it?"
"She has a horde of relatives" :"
replied Miss Lily, calmly, "and
some of them are always in want or
sick and dying. You have never
heard the name she goes by, have
you? forgot to tell you, we're so
used to it. She's known far and near
as 'True-Hearted Man,"
"Tm going to buy you a new gown
and some ribbons and hat for the
county fair, Mamie" said the artist,
as he was working industriously the
next afternoon. miss Lily shall
choose them and is going to fix up
Louis SO he will not be a disgrace to
Bonneair. And you must not give
those clothes away"
Law now, Mr.. Hector!" smiled
Mamie.
II want to see you in neat gown
like other women" went on Hector;
II believe you would astonish us.
Why do you give everything to 9TH
ers?
And Nannie's color deepened a
great deal as she returned the true
answer:
"Law now, Mr.. Hector, I just can't
The household at Bonneair entered
with zest into Mr.. Pryn's plan of fix
ing Mamie up for the county fair.
Miss Lily and her daughter made the
purchases and impressed their maids
into the making of a simple lawn
gown, and the trimming of straw
hat. But not one of them were pre-
pared for the entire transmutation
the simple costume effected. It was,
as the young Mr.. Pryn said, almost
It changed healthy and
attractive country woman into pos
tive beauty. Even Hector Pryn shud-
dered at her possibilities. But it did
not at all change her manner. The
boy sitting beside the
driver of the servants wagon kept
the helm that would ever steer that
beauty straight away"
But again and again as the artist
looked that day over the motley
throng gathered in the fair grounds,
he saw the truth. That servant at
Bonneair was beautiful, calmly, allur-
ingly beautiful. Transplantea else
where she would learn the old lesson
Of wha. woman's fascination could do
In the world. l
One morning the doctor from the
county town was summoned to Bonne-
air. And when he had been fifteen |
minutes in the room, he locked the |
door and bade the black people out
side to ride for another doctor as fast |
as horse could go. When Miss Lily
demanded entrance and explanation |
he told her to stay in her room and |
keep Mrs. Pryn away. When she in
sisted he slipped under the door q
lard that had been dipped in carbolic
acid.
'sMr. 'Pryn has the smallpox"
Miss Lily and Mrs. Pryn fled bag
md baggage by the next train.
All day the doctors gave their mes
,ages through crevices in the door
md were without food or aid. A
luddled group Of black folk stood in
he rear house lot. But in the late
afternoon firm step came along the
and woman's voice called:
"Open the door, doctor. It's Nan
Jamie Watts. come to help. have
lad the smallpox"
The doctor opened the door in her
air, calm face.
II believe you're lying" he said.
"Yo' can't prove hit. had hitNwhen
warn't knee high to er grasshopper.
IN comm in, anyway"
And that is why Hector Pryn owed
lis life. to her nursing, her untiring,
owing care. And it was not until he
vas almost convalescent that she
roke down and her place was taken
y a colored man from Lexington.
he doctor evaded his questions.
Jamie was tired out, needed rest,
tc. But the sick man knew, and it
ept him anxious and weak. One day
he doctor told him she was out of
" |