The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1905-02-10
By Nak~E:Az TCgxz1e

~
The February air was full of pei
fume and damp breeziness. Clouds
purple as the hyacinths about t.
bloom, scurried up and On-swiftIy. /
bunch Of belated leaves. crisp and dry
III the great oak over the office" jus
across the lawn from the Great House
Kept up noise enough for a good,
forest.
Gen. Pelham stood at the Office win
/ dow and listened to the crisp futter
ing Of the few dry leaves overhead
ANY hour and all weathers the gen
eral might be seen looking out that
open window to the grave on the lawn
where wild grass and duets grew.
The grave always seemed fresh and
new to the general, though to the rest
OF the world it was forty years old.
This afternoon his eyes tried to
avoid it, though custom kept them con,
stantly turning toward it.
"A man should employ the best
means" the general unused aloud, the
best of means. Yes" he unused, every
resource should be used for the pres
ent and for those in it"
Now the present always came and
went from the general before he rec
Ognized the guest, hOwbeit he was
always politely aCQuieSCent at a
chance introduction. For himself, his
heart beat in the past. For his grand
children his thoughts bore all on the
future.
This widow LamOnt" general
walked with the light, alert tread of
the military man back and forth from
the window to his stout plantation
homemade desk-"seems a cheerful
soul; woman of parts; very pretty
wit. Doubtless very pleasant eyes be-
mind her glasses-ahem. A woman of
wealth, Of great wealth."
He handled the letters laid out on
his desk, letters showing a very pretty
wit.
"JOscelyn Pelham'-he stopped
short in his walking to and fro. and
addressed himself in stern arraign-
ment-'do | find you a seeker after
paItry lucre? Do | find you marring
mans finest sensibili;ies--"
But what are the antique sensibiI-
tiles of age against the pressing ne
cessities of youth and the present?
"But-thOse chiIdren-Edith, SO like
her"-an involuntary turn to the open
window-"her grandchild-they are
her grandchildren as we'll as
mine"
Grandchildren. For that golden
haired darling Of the twenty years out
under the bluets.
Lamont? lamont" unused the gen
eral. Il recall no statesman, no great
deeds-ahem!- connected with that
Wealth, even great
wealth without-somewhat of promi-
nence-a name of honorable repute-
perhaps is not by the discerning
deemed wholly sufficient"
The Old general, Strengthened to his
full height.
"The Observation-Disclosures
not be all upon one side. Expediency!
Faugh! Miserable words
Let a name, widely and creditably
With that he reached to the row of
above his desk. He
chose out that stout leather volume
XVII; "Pag-Pug."
Turning the leaves midway, read
ng: Pelham, Joscelyn, Gen. B. 1S-
.ahemD Led famous charge, etc.
neutrality-suspicious. military achieve |
rents, etc"
Replacing the volume-"A line
hree lines-only. But, then-who to-
lay has three lines in the American
Universal? Many better man, per-
laps. has not True! Every resource
or them-for her grandchildren as
veil as mine.
And tonight she comes, the widow
to visit us here at Prairie
.odge. And tomorrow unless-per-
aps-the foreclosure of Prairie
edges mortgage will be advertised.
very resource"
He touched up his white hair and
lustache before the tiny mirror that
ing on the Office wall, and stepped
ghtly across from the office to the
ouse.
"And so, Edith" the old man seated
imself stiffiy, but elegantly, near the
wood blazes, land so the
'idow Lamont is to come this even
lg''"
THE widow Lamont, as we and the
'orld have long called her." with a
pple of laughter, lis already here,