The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1902-08-30
). 4 Psychological Problem.

There is one more place that
mast visit before | return to Los
Angeles, and that is Vernon. | do not
know why 1t is, but feel as if could
1ot. 60 away without making a flying
visit there. Uncle and aunt are old
fDnlkswill. not care very much about
feainS me. And yet feel irresistibly
drawn there IfTime could draw back
.stsns years; if those who are gone
,s6Ald return; if l knew that Mabel
MJdktis was watching for my coming,
and that she would smile a welcome
to me, then l could understand this
feverish longing to go to that dreary
town. But-time will not roll back,
and Mabel Is gone forever A visit to
Vernon will be but to revive all the
old pain, and will have more Of Bit
terness than sweetness in it. Still
cannot stay away"
The speaker was Claude Murray,
ealsthe person addressed was himself.
He was q fine looking fellow about
thirtf years of age, and bore the ap-
peafaice Of successful man. Ten
years. previous to the time our story
opens, he had gone to California, and
by prudent investments and still more
prudent sales had accumulated quite
little fortune during the boom"
period in Los Angeles.
How slow the train ran! Would
they never reach Vernon? All, here
vas Holbrook. Only five miles more!
HIS pulses were bounding, his heart
.opt,traveled the train. t
Vern0n!" Claude caught up his
grip and stepped out of the rear end
q the car to the depot platform,
where no one waited to meet him. The
station agent was busy at the upper
end OF the platform, the loungers
AQQd about the depot, one or two fel-
ow passengers were being greeted by
their friends. He only was alone, and
dusk was falling. .-
HR Saoeds at tie fower end OF the
kFq md looked about him. The
kpSistM gmainly Of two long
- HhbuEcs facing each other from
opposite. sides of the railroad tracks.
Lights were beginning to gleam
irom the windows, but none of them
were fos him. He gazed across at the
gig house. on a side street, under the
socust trees. There was no light in
the windows and the place looked
gloomy and deserted.
A sense Of homesickness came over
alm. and he wished he had not come
~ turned hastily away, and started
none the track toward his uncfe's
nome. but~his steps Jagged. 1t was
alth feelinetof relief that he turned
m3 MS uncIe's gate. He was sur
pfisea to find how glad the old couple
ysfeto see him, and how eager to hear
u MS life and fortunes in the far
Aiss4e ~ 5s. f@e "a.
s@1ad times~were talked over, old
Maends recalled. This. one had died,
vat one had moved away, such and
ssch ones wefe married.
Had he heard. that Mabel Curtis
nad married after they moved west?"
An! had he not carried the bitter
anossedge aabout with. him since he
naa@ssad sshe announcement in paper
nN years previous!. % ~
4 4ss did not tell them SO. Why
sncnid he? Nor did he tell them that
ae had merely come back to torture
himself by looking on the old familiar
plaees.' and dreaming over the old |
s.eeNpream for few brief days.
8id he think so much about
nel VS. itsonly because the familiar
- ought back old memories SO
l9yIM .yvsH 49, 'ggis 5s
ne remembered: an argument which.
'ney mad held insthe. olden times over
verse from fdpper's .Proyerbial
Inliosophy which they had. read to-
kssnes So Mind acts on mind tho