St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-07-16
MARTHA
Copyright, 1904, 81 Dsiiy storv Prh r.. ,
ELLA ESSEX DON Lazy

Copyright 1904, 81 Deily storv Pnh co -
rs time you was gettin' over that
! 1oolishness, now Marthy. You're
"as1ln' the best years OF your life wait
IN lur man that may be 4lready mar
REQ. You could "a had your pick and
cnolce OF any round here. You ain't
heard nothin' from him fur a long time
have you?''
Martha shrank from her mothers
sharp words, for they were but echoes
OF her own thoughts. She bent lower
over her work, and pretended to be busy
= With refractory thread while she an
sWered in a. low, constrained voice: 'No.
mother
Il thought 1t would be so, and told
you SO. He didn't want no common
country girl like you He wants girl
that don't spoil her pretty hands with
work. You throwed away good
chance when you refused Lem Willis;
he's got good farm, and would make
any gal good husband. Now, that
Craig Teller"
Mother, mother!" cried Martha in
sharp, panied tones, cant you find
something more interesting to talk
about? Mr.. Craig's movements cannot
possibly interest US; we live in one world
and he in another. AS for Lem Willis
well, he is good enough, in his way,
and If it will please you to know it, the
chance is not entirely lost, and prom
ised to think it over"
All the afternoon while Martha sat
plying her needle, her thoughts had been
busy with this subject.
She left the window and drawing a
chair close to the fire, sat gazing into
the glowing embers. The freight rose
and fell fitfully while her thoughts
strayed far back into the shadowy
past. She thought of the time when she
had come to Seaview to teach the vii
lage school, a small red schoolhouse by
the roadside-and the pupils came for
distance of two miles and more.
The day had been sultry, and after
dismissing the noisy urchins, she had
sought shady brook and stopped over
to battle her heated brow. She recalled
the timely arrival of q tall, handsome
stranger just as she was making fu-
tile attempt to rescue her sun hat as 1t
floated away on the current OF the
stream. &E
That was their first acquaintance.
Mortimer Craig spent three months at
Seaview. Every morning Martha awoke
with the happy thought that to-day she
would see him, speak to him and gaze
into his glorious dark eyes. Never be-
fore had the flowers seemed SO beauti-
full, the trees SO green, and the songs of
the birds so sweet. The song in her heart
filled the world with melody.
Then one evening, when the sunset
was nearly over, and the air was sweet
with the scent of flowers and shrubs,
they left their boat down the river that
they might walk back along shaded
path. He had paused before her, taking
both her hands In his, and told her OF
his love. She had lain in his arms while
she shyly confessed her love for him.
Then he went away.
Not until year had passed and the
first frost Of October had again fired
the wood with gorgeous splendor Of de-
cay. did Martha lose hope of ever seeing
her truant lover, and her heart grew
sick with.hope deferred.
etWell?"
The front door had just closed on Lem
Willis and Martha turned to face her
mother who had just entered from the
kitchen.
sYou didn't send him away again did
you?"
mo. mother. told him would marry
him whenever he was ready, and hate
myself for It. don't love him and
aever will. Oh, hate myself hate
him. and hate the world-everything."
"Marthy, Marthy-wh-" Half the
last word was lost in the bang of the
door which, after hastily snatching a
wrap from the rack, Martha had
slammed behind her, leaving her mother
in stupefed wonder.
Martha sped along the street, not car
ing whitheronly to be hlone-alone
with her miserable thoughts.
Martial" They stood facing each
other in the uncertain twilight. Martha
found her eyes riveted on the stranger.
vet no sound escaped her pale lips. A
Ghost. conjured by her disordered mind,
stood before her, and fright sealed her
Tins. Then as she realized it was no
ghost. but flesh and blood mantle
man who had thrown her and her love
astde-pride came to her rescue and
lent her strength and speech. Martha
nut out her hand in a friendly manner,
at the same time saying: How do you
do. Mr.. Craig? Your sudden appearance
startled me for the moment and IL
hadn't heard OF your return to Seaview."
Mortimer Craig stood with his hands
in his pockets, not offering to touch her
outstretched hand. Martha found her
ewes attracted to his in a way she hall
resented yet could not resist. He fas-
tened his dark eyes upon her and re-
rarded her steadily for moment.
$50! While compassioned your
dull. monotonous life, you found amuse-
rnent and occupation-the old thrilling
game we all play at more or less" he
looked SO stern and cold Martha almost
feared him, but she could be brave; he
should not see how his desertion had
wounded her. ]
81 don't understand what you mean;
and you have no right whatever to use
that tone to me.
"You know very well what mean. |
oilo II tn vnI1f c0n. /