St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1901-12-14

Will explain as soon as can. Will
you trust and forgive me, till then:
Your jim"
This note he copied five consecu-
tive times and addressed as many
envelopes-one to each Of the women
he had insulted by asking to become
his wife. Then he rang for Perkins.
CDR. Luther is out? Very well, !
am going, too. Here are seven letters
to be delivered by messenger. Call
them after I am gone. Twill be back
some timew Then, with a last
look about him; he rushed out into
the street, determined to end his ex-
istence in the river. But inside of
five minutes he found himself being
admitted into the Stearne home, with
no purpose in his overweight mind
but confession.
And confess he did, holding back
nothing, excusing nothing.
Miserable fool that I am" he said
as he finished, 81 cannot refrain from
telling you, Louise, that it is you and
you alone whom I truly love-. I do
not expect you to believe me, but ]
must say it, and then
Jim paused, struck dumb, for the,
4
pretty, dark-haired girl was laughing
softly.
s<Dear boy" she cried, as he rose to
his feet excitedly, Stset your mind at
rest, for all this that you have been
telling me never happened. You
were sick last night, yes, but the
soothing draught that Dir. Luther
prepared for you worked strangely,
he told me, and you fell into sleep
from which he could not arouse you.
He came last night and made your
apologies, and so, we did not 60. ]
was not sorry"
'sThen I have dreamed it ALP" cried
Jim.
eyes," she answered, blush creep
ing into her pretty face.
"All except that I love you," whis-
pered jim, quickly seeing his advan-
tage, .Louise, dearest deserve
nothing, but beggars were ever choos-
ers. I love you, as you must know
now-tell me- am not dreaming
tell me there is HOPPE"
.'There is-if you can stop those
six letters you wrote before you came
here,'' said Miss Stearne, as she put
both hands in his. E'Were they real
or imaginary, dear?"
'Have those messengers come YETI"
demanded Mr.. Newcomb as he burst
into his rooms few moments later
and was confronted by the astonished
Perkins.
<sThe first one is 'ere now, sir" re.
piled the well trained servant.
"Shall II
@EThrow him out the window! Give
me those letters-all ski" cried his
master. Il will murder you, Per-
kins, if any one Of them is delivered. |
Here into the fire they go! Now,
send the boys off-give them a tip,
kick them out anything. Perkins!
Perkins, | say! I won't be home to
dinner. Put out my evening clothes.
| have an important engage mean,
an important meeting, that will keep |
me all afternoon" His face went red |
as he stumbled over the half-fnished |
word that brought unhappy recollec-
lions Of a bad dream back to him
'tNow, note to Luther" he added to
s1ahd then to the florist and |
the jeweler."
Once again he threw himself down
before his desk, but in very different
frame Of mind. As he wrote he
hummed an air from new opera and
smiled to himself.
Mark, you outcast," he began,
the next time you mix a sleeping
lraught for me, you will swallow it
yourself at the point Of my pistol, and
hen die by the same weapon!
ought never to forgive you, but I will
,ave to, temporarily, for / have no
me else to acta as best man, two months
rom to-day"
This designed .Jim, and, slipping
in an envelope, leftit beside the pic
ure Of the handsome girl on DR..
4uther's dresser.
Then he ran down stairs, jumped
nto the cab and drove off down the
treet, still singing cheerily to him
ELF, but leaving Perkins shaking his
cad with amused surprise.