Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1904-10-06
LANDRY'S
LETTER -
By GRACE c. BosTwIcK
lcopyright, loot, by Daily Story Pub. CO..

FELT horribly sorry for Katherine
when Landry died. 1t must have
been an awful blow, for she seemed to
lose every bit of her spirit and went
about pale and istless for months
You see, Landry was fine fellow,
an unusual fellow l don't believe
there was a selfish fiber in the mans
whole makeup. He was essentially
big-hearted and lOyable. Homely in
feature to positive ugliuess, he was
still attractive in appearance. He was
famous in small way as the author
of certain delicate love sketches. very
tender and dainty in sentiment, and so
unlike him as to seem inconsistent
with what we knew of his character.
a right jolly good fellow, with plenty
Of sense and a cheerful lot of brains
under his sandy poll
He and Kit had been engaged for
long time, and | knew that he fairly
worshiped her, though he was very
quiet about it. | felt a mild sort of
envy. for | had never plumbed the
depths of love myself. I'd had my
little affairs, but | always hated my
self during their progress, because |
couldn't really feeI-t was only amused
and entertained, never touched. My
friendship with Kit was the one real
sentiment of my life, for we had been
like brother and sister for ten years
Evcr since she had begun to yearn for
long skirts and put her pig-tails up
into the crown of womanly dignity.
Whenever Landry was away | took
his place at her side. and jolly good
times we had, and many of them.
A few months before Landry's death
Kit semed to change some way. She
took to incoming about for all the
world like a disappointed lover. Lam
dry. too, went into the dumps. He
grew thin and pale and more imper-
sOnai than ever. He was very tender
with Katherine. and so | knew that il
was no lovers quarrel that was wear
Ing on them She sort of chung to him
as though she felt him slipping from
her, and I've sometimes thought since
that she must have had premoniton
OF what was coming.
One morning, on my way home from
an al-night vigil old Damon lost his
head and came a pretty cropper. 1t
wasn't far from home, as luck would
have it, and | managed to get to the
house | was pretty much used up
taking my WEAKNESS and the shaking
up together and my knees shook as if
I'd been officiating at my first opera
ton. AfterWard when Kit came in to
see me, | tried to laugh it off, and
joilied her up.
Landry II be good and jealous if
you don't watch out | told her Il
believe you're in love with me, old
girl" Her face famed a sudden Grim
son over its old pallor, and she looked
AT me sharply. Then | caught her
hand and pulled her down to me.
kissed her. as | always had and for Il
moment she laid her face against my
cheek.
What if you'd been killed." she
whispered. What il you'd been
kIIed?"
You'd still have Landry" | retort-
ed, and Kit slapped me. 1t wasn't the
first time by any means, for you see
we'd been boy and girl together. |
couldn't help seeing that her eyes
looked funny. A new expression. I'd
never seen there beforehand / Won
deTcd
IT was shortly after that poor Landry
came down with typhoid. 1t was hard
case from the start. Sometimes il gets A
grip on man and an NJ. d. can. see
that there's no hope whatever. Thank
goodness, we were all there with him.
Iie wasn't alone as he had been the
greater part of his life-since he |
been little chap, in fact He wasn't
lonely. Sometimes il seemed to me
that he was happier than | had ever
seen him. | felt that ne was glad to
go, and | couldn't understand il. It
broke US all up, every one of us. Tor
we loved the poor fellow.
found her on the yeranda one eve
ming, alone in the soft darkness. /
felt a bit down myself. Things weren't
going very we'll, ana began to think
that ! was moi fitted for a profession
oil life after all I felt too sorry fo-
my patients. | couldn't give a judicial
impcrsOnal sympathy, as a physician
must 10 be- among the ranks of the
successful Every death that came
undcr my notice worked on my mind
to such a degree that It untitled me TO
care FOR the living
She took my hand and held ii tightly
IN 0Jth of her own. | felt sudden