St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-01
interrupted, with loyer-like enthusi.

"Impossible!" the scornful lip
Knocked; you know nothing about il
am simply dying of disgust witt
this miserable little sand hill village
She struck the keys a petulant bang
and faced him. Fancy what a lif,
this is for me, stranded in this socia
desert, with no advantages, no oppor
tunities, nothing!"
What more would you ask?" Littl,
ventured, making a mental review O.
the serried ranks of her adorers.
What more would have? ?" she re
peated; II would have chance *
live in a congenial atmosphere, t.
drink deep and live high while life
lasts. Position in city where the
men are not all miners or gamblers
and the women yesterdays washer
women. And travel" she went on
her eyes flashing and her nostrils di
Mting, "a chance to see the world
hear good music-be myself, perhaps
queen of song in world of music.
lovers and artists. j. Yes, that is all
want, but that must have, and I'm
ready to give my soul in return
for It,"
"But even that can not bring you
happiness Little demonstrated;
there's nothing half SO sweet in
life as loves young Dream and if
you knew, Veronica, how l love
you"
The naughty head went back, the
defiant eyes blazed at him moment
in amazement; then, with burst Of
knocking laughter, she said: "Oh,
my poor friend, you must be crazy.
Let us talk no more about 1t. We
will have little music to dissipate
your sentimental mood" And giving
herself no further trouble about
Little Baltimore, she turned and con-
tinued her song.
Without stopping to say good-by
forever, Little, cut to the quick by
the girls disdain, arose and left. The
sound of her voice still reached him
on the broad tagged steps, and the
echo of "Ditele che l'adoro" was
drowned in the March wind that
surged over the sand dunes and down
the street like a great sob.
After that evening Alfred Little
was no longer prominent figure of
San Francisco's gilded youth. AS.
soon as he could transfer his inter-
ests in the city, he went up to the
mines, and after having tried mining
with but Indifferent success, he sailed
for the Orient. Several years spent
in restless activity started him on
his second quarter-century wiser and
somewhat sobered. In time he re-
turned to his native heath to take up
his life seriously and slip into the
vacancy in the firm made by his
fathers death.
From time to time, Little met old
trends who, like himself, had turned
their backs upon the allurements of
the Golden West, and occasional re-
ports reached him of the ambitious
Of the beautiful Veronica.
She had married fortune as great
as her widest dreams could fancy,
and was queening it to her hearts
content. After number of years
some one else returned with marvel
Gus tales of merchants, wealthy in
Titles time, who had lost every cent
and turned bartender; washerwomen
whose husbands had "struck it rich,''
who were riding in satin-lined car
riages and struggling with their
brogues; music-hall favorites who
had married respectable faro-dealers
and become models of propriety and
leaders of society, and other gossip
Of the mushroom |
growth of the sand-hill city. And
Little realized how well his wound
lad healed when he heard, without a
tremor. the name of the dashing
Veronica connected lightly with that
If soulful tenor. It had been at |
irst against his will that he had |
.ome to admit there were still many
women in the world, or many voices.
either, that, while lacking the depth
ind penetrative power of the one that
lad first awakened him, were sweeter
md more tender; and many eyes less
flashing and fiery, perhaps, but
.learer and more steady.
It was long after this consciousness
lad forced itself upon him that the
business of the firm required his
again on the Western Coast.
The run across the continent was
low accomplished in few days, and
he thriving, prosperous city had
lothing but the name in common
With the miserable little sand-hill
illage" he hal left decade before.
Reyisiting the only half-familiar
Genes of his youth brought with it
feeling as of revisiting the earth
fter having lain centuries dead. The
Id plaza was one of the least changed
pots in the city, and it was there
hat Little always turned his wander.
ag steps. During the day it, too, was
INVADED by the bustling crowds, but
nth the nightfall came some of the
Id familiar figures, as of the ghosts
+ the pioneers. The gas-jets fared
ITO their heavily bearded faces and
izarre costumes, and the old babel
{ strange tongues fell upon his ears,
nd sometimes even the tinkle of a
uitar, accompanied by husky
oice, almost completed the illusion
hat he was again in the days Of