St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-01-31

Hartley, of Philadelphia. Dear old
Hartley! How well the chemist re.
membered him! Hadn't something
happened to John Hartley?
They had mandolins and guitars.
They wandered through the rein
cry, then passed out and all sat down
on log of wood under the cane shed
and sang choruses, ''Annie Laurie
and "Way Down Upon the Suwanee
RIVER Aurore leading.
Then soEae one said she must sing
them serenade, because the nigh,
was SO glorious. So Aurore sang.
How very beautiful it was! He sat
near her. 1t was growing cold. He
drew her fur-lined coat around hel
throat, and fastened it and was
clumsy and slow about it, because
some of her perfumed laces got
caught, and she laughed, and began
to button it herself.
Why, yes, he held her hands, OF
course. And the music, and the de-
light of having her there in this glo'
riously unexpected fashion, MAIDS
him lose his head and plunge into all
the wild absurdities which had been
gathering in heart and brain all
these past months.
No one knew better than the chem.
ist himself how ridiculous it was fol
man struggling to get foothold
on rung of life's ladder in the hope
of climbing up to prosperity, infiu'
ence and ambition gra tified, to pour
out his tale of passion and devotion
into the ears of great heiress who
was engaged to Tom Catherwood.
He realized the absurdity of the
proceeding, and said SO. .t
What was it she answered? etc
repeat it all to her year later, whe
he had accomplished great things
and held his future in his grasp?
OF course, she was joking, and
turned it off that way, and would not
take his wild speech seriously, SO as
not to spoil their gay evening with
sentimental nonsense.
By what right could he, whose only
possessions were pompous old name,
some long dead and gone ancestors,
a tumble-do rookery and few
acres, which poverty prevented him
from cultivating, to lay bare his secret
to those dancing gray eyes-those
wonderful eyes. in whose depth man
could so easily lose his soul?
John Hartley's banjo was inspiring
1t led them on a fantastic "cake walk
from the torch-lit cane shed around
the refinery to coy room in the
corner of the big building near the
entrance door, the superintendent
office, where there was table and
punch bowl and glasses.
All, it was merry evening; one to
be ever rem embered!
The chemist, looking into Aurore's
glowing face and great honest eyes,
forgot everything but wild hope and
AMBITION of which she was the center.
And when the hours had fed by, aud
they went reluctantly to the door to
say goodnight, and Aurore jumped in
the trap, while he folded a rug over her
gown and held her firm. small hands
in his before she drew on her gloves,
and again murmured foolish things.
and she did not check him. but gave
him a slow. sweet smile, which would
always linger in brain and memory,
so long as his heart beat, the horizon
of his life seemed to widen out into
infinitudes of blissful possibilities!
There seemed to be some confusion!
What were these troublous years do
ing here? What was all this sorrow,
this unhappiness, this anguish? What
had they to do with him and Aurore?
Who was it who came between them?
And what was the wearing grief which
drew line on his face and save deeper
look to Aurore's great, pl oud eyes?
The field hands were putting cane
on the carrier. the lamps were far
ing under the can shed, the creaking
and rumble of the rollers was audible,
and they were all sitting on log sing.
ing "Way Down Upon the Suwanee
River" once more. N s
He was close to Aurore's dear side.
because a sweet scent of the violets
came to him from her hair and laces,
and the moonlight fell full on her face,
as she turned it toward him. He saw
the soft glow rise and mount as she
listened, but her sweet, brave eyes
never left his as she gave him that
ineffable smile, which contained SO
great promise. .-arz g.
How could he ever forget it? He had
treasured it through those hideous
years, those years of deepest unhap-
piness, and the latest recollection to
fade would surely be that look on
Aurore's face as she turned and looked
up at him. "
.How do you do? We've come to
see you," Aurore's mellow voice said.
"You've come back, sweetheart?
How good of you! How heavenly
good! Now, you must never leave me!
Never! For all time and eternity you
must" .
"Mr. Thompson said must give you
these samples, sir. He would like to
know if the lining is all right. Had
a heap of trouble with that juice. It's
old Boudreau's cane, and it's green as
grass"
The chemist sprang up, pushed back
his wooden chair, lit his spirit lamp,
and began to test the juice of Bou,
dreau's cane.
The man went out, and the first faint
streak of dawn was reddening the east
ern sky.
The laboratory had grown cold, for
the fire had died out. The chemist