The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1904-02-13

| nO Ieiio" WOIh. LSO.- at all Una
stun to be put away" ooh, bothel
your aunt snapped John. Who:
he young lady?" Peter grinned ant
jumped out of arms length, as he
retorted: "You are not the first one
TO ask that She's Minna van Haraen
and her father owns more land and
more sheep than any one in the Free
State. But She is hard to please, il
mat $ what you are thinking about
At this Johns heart sank. What
chance had he? A storekeeper and a
foreigner. But this did not prevent
MIN from thinking by day and dream.
ing by night OF those grey eyes, and
that smile which might have meant
| so much. Then would recur the
thought: "She is an heiress; what can
| | do?'
i Under this discipline John became
as disagreeable as was possible for
such wholesome fellow to be, until
one day his friend Dirck Maritz, de-
clared him an unsociable dog and
asked him what allied him. Then out
came his story Of the unattainable
fair one. Dirck was sympathetic,
though much amused well, you
have got it bad" he remarked, but |
think | can help you. What do you
say to riding out with me tomorrow
evening? 1t IS only twenty miles.
Van Haaren and | came up together
in the great trek. n introduce you
to his house, you will be. as one of
u.s."
The prospect Of seeing hts adored
one acted like charm upon John.
and the next evening saw the friend.
ly Afrikander and the lovesick Eng
lishman riding toward the Van Haaren
homei tead. The sun had set when
they rAached the "werf' and greeted
Veldkornet. Mynheer van Haaren,
whom they found seated upon the
broad stone .stoep" of his big brick
house. smoking in the peaceful still
ness of the velvety cool twilight of
upland South Africa.
ne in Dirck. old friend.' he
cried as the visitors dismounted and
gave over their horses to the native
servants. who is he?" he added.
pointing with his pipe to John. Mar
itz presented him, adding a low
spoken sentences, whereat the Beers
manner changed and grasping Johns
hand, he exclaimed heartily: Come
along and have some supper: my wife
has mentioned you" Johns heart
leaped.
The evening NEAR was spread in a
great square room. Seated majesti-
cally before huge coffee urn. which
Missed above q pan of live charcoal,
was Tante van Haaren. and at her
slde-oh, re.-stood Minna.
Such a demure maiden she looked
as. with downcast eyes, she gave
John her band in the conventional
greeting. But she started with
quick blush as her father said in a
low tone: Wife, Dirck Maritz in
troduces the young man" And she
slipped away into an inner room for
a few minutes.
The dignified hausfrau filled the
cups with coffee, which Minna-a
Hebe G. the eepfolds-handed
around. To John that cup was nee
tar; and when his devouring eyes at |
length caught hers, her ingenious !
blush Intoxicated him.
His spirits rose. To the simple !
Beers his little anecdotes were the
cream of wit: and by the time the |
meal was ended, both the old people |
loved him. Good, good-for an Eng
ishman'-cbuckled mynheer once
and again
Then. somehow. somewhere, John |
'ound himself seated beside his girl,
lpon the great wooden settle which.
covered by two great lion skins.
stretched it's comfortable length in
he ingle-nook.
One by one the others had slip
,ed away. and a significant candle
burned upon a side table.
1t seemed almost a dream Yester-
lay so far away. today so near-per-
nitted to take to her, even.
The maiden, however. made no ef-
ort to entertain him, but with down
asst eyes answered his every remark
With hesitating "yes" or whisper
d no" till poor John, fearing his
dvances were unwelcome, sadly
aid:
Good night, Miss Van Haaren,
ear am keeping you too late"
All. then. indeed, the girl was
moved. Lifting up those great grey
yes, she said: But the candle
urns yeti" John had. however.
ot been long enough in the Free
tate to understand, 50 he rose and
marched somewhat sulkily to the room
utting out upon the stoep, to which
e and Dirck had been shown earlier
4 the evening as their guest cham
or. There, sunk in the depths of a
feather bed, beside the
noring Dirck, he smothered his dis
ppointment.
The sun was but peeping when they
'ere called to "early coffee" There
orcoc uare STANDING fed prOpned