The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1903-07-17

Half rising and still strummine
lightly with her left hand, she nodded
indifferently, and said: ''Oh, it's yot
again, is it?'
Taking the ouposts at dash, Little
Baltimore answered: Yes, it is
and more fortunate than had dared
to hope, finding you alone"
"Aud mere unfortunate than you
suspected, because 1 am in most
| disagreeable mood" the girl an
swercd, ungraciously.
Impossible" Little Baltimore
interrupted, with lover-like enthusi-
/ asm.
| Impossible" the scornful lips
Knocked; you know nothing about it.
/ am simply dying of disgust with
this miserable little sand-hill village"
She struck the keys petulant bang,
and faced him. Fancy what life
this is for me. stranded in this social
desert, with no advantages, no oppor-
tunities, nothing!"
| What more would you ask?" Little
ventured, making a mental review of
the serried ranks of her adorers.
"What more would 1 have?" she re-
peated; II would have a chance to
live in congenial atmosphere, to
drink deep and live high while life
lasts. Position in a 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-
lating, "a chance to see the world,
hear good music-be myself, perhaps,
queen of song in a world of music
lovers and artists. Yes, that is all
l 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 MS talk no more about it, 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 radoro" was
drowned in the March wind that
surged over the sand dunes and down
the street like great sob.
After that evening Alfred Little
was no longer a 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 |
in restless ACTIVITY srartcu
his second quarter-century wiser and
somewhat sobered. In time he re-
ud tIEn- hoo the ss~A~~
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
marriage 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 ha0 '.struck it rich,"
who were riding in satin-ined car
riages and struggling with their
brogues; music-han favorites who
had married respectable faro-dealers
and become models Of propriety and
leaders of society, and other gossip
Characteristic of the mushroom
growth of the sand-hill city. And
Little realized how well his wound |
had healed when he heard, without a |
tremor. the name of the dashing
Veronica connected lightly with that
of a soulful tenor. 1t had been at
first against his will that he had
come to admit there were still many
women in the world, or many voices.
either, that, while lacking the depth
and penetrative power of the one that
had first awakened him, were,sweeter
and more tender; and many eyes less
flashing and fiery, perhaps. but
clearer and more steady.
1t was long after this consciousness
had forced itself upon him that the
business of the firm required his
presence again on the Western Coast.
The run across the continent was
now accomplished in few days, and
the thriving, prosperous city had
nothing but the name in common
with the miserable little sand-hill
village" he hal left q decade before.
Revisiting the only half-familiar
scenes of his youth brought with it
feeling as Of revisiting the earth
after having lain centuries dead. The