St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-06-21

a holy benediction. Immediate,
her thoughts went back to that far
Off day of long ago, when this same
hair was heavy and brown and hi
had kissed her.
Then his voice recalled her to the
present and she heard him say:
"You can never know how GLAD
you have made me by saying that
for there is no woman in the worlc
whose opinion I value more. Still
in all my doubt this winter I have
often feared that it would be wrong
for me to take unto me a wife. ]
have maybe only a very few years
yet to live" he added, looking at he1
appealingly. And again she answered
softly:
1--WE may hope that your years may
be many. Besides, even the few
years will DO very dear TOTO your
wife,"
He was standing back Of her chair
now, with one hand so near that she
felt it's touch on her hair.
DO you think" he pleaded almost
in whisper, that she loves me?''
do you love her?" came the reply,
with touch of coquetry never alb
sent from the feminine heart.
Better than all else in the world
came the brave rejoinder; "better,
1 sometimes think, than the world
| to come"
"Then," and she closed her eyes
to hide the happiness in them, ''then
l may confess that she loves you,
better, far better than she ever be-
fore thought it possible for anyone
to love-
The major sprang from his place
behind her, and, Selling her hands,
cried joyful]y:
"Oh, my dear Miss Hetty, how do
you know? Has she told you?
When? Tell me just what she said,
so that I may be the happiest, proud
est man on EARTH"
All the light burned out of Miss
Hetty's face, leaving only the ashes
of hopeless despair. Then she asked:
''She? Who?"
''Why, Kittie Harper, of course.
You surely know that I meant her?"
Kittie Harper, the gayest little
black-eyed debutante that had
danced that season and the foremost
of the flattering coquettes that had
practiced their budding blandish-
ments on the gallant old major.
''Yes, of course, knew, but you
see I wanted to make you confess"
she replied at last, with a laugh that
would have wakened any more sane
man. Then she went frantically on
in reply to the unsuspicious mans
eager questions.
mo, she never really told me-but
but know when woman loves"
All this time the elated major was
putting on his coat and gloves, and
at last he asked, with return Of his
old-time courtliness:
II want to thank you, Miss Hetty,
for you have done me the greatest
favor woman ever did man. 1t is old
fashioned now, know, but both of
us are old enough to remember, are
wv AAoos "ASA . 6NAtASAA0h SAo"Su
his respect and homage to a lady by
kissing her hand?"
Without word she extended her
poor, trembling little hand and he
laid his lips reverently to her cold
fingers. But she could keep in no
longer, and the startled major heard
first stifled sigh, then a moan, and
at last great, cruel sob rose to her
pale, quivering lips and Miss Hetty
had betrayed herself. !
Maj. Doane staggered back and
his face grew terribly white.
Il beg your forgiveness a thou
sand times, madam he said at last
in a strange, low voice, 81 never
dreamed until this instant
But Miss Hetty sat bolt upright in
her high-backed chair, clutching the
carved lion heads on its arms, and
raised to him her poor, hurt eyes,
wild with desperate appeal.
''Will you please go, Maj. Doane?
And as for dreaming-you are mis-
taken; for there is nothing to
dream" Then she rose from her
deep chair, still holding the lions
heads till her nails bit into the hard
polish, and said:
"And please tell-Kitty that Miss
Hetty sends her-her blessing"
He closed the door behind him as
gently as though there were some
one dead in the little brown cottage.
,hn CHI How "a ho1 |
lied to low, even glow when Miss
Hetty finally stirred from the high
packed chair and took from its place
he dear little painting Of the dead
owner of the house which now shell
erred her. Propping it up on the
ow table in front of her, she set the
toilets beneath, and then knelt be-
ore it, bending her tired little head
o her qnivering hands. The last en-
,er on the fire turned black, the
light in the rosy-shaded lamp burned
over and lower and finally fickered
nut. The servants up at the big
rouse felt no apprehension at the
of it's mistress, as
he had told them she would spend
he night with friend further down
he block. The hours tcrept on, the
torn racked the little brown cot 1
age, and dawn revealed the crooked
Id steps drifted high with snow.
They found her that morning with !
he dim light falling icily on her tiny
raw face. Just above was the can T..
as with the other dead eyes and
ps, but there was no CLEAN like
1orning glories in the sweet, pa
hetic. fragrant loneliness of the vio- 6
ITS on which the silent Woman's