The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1905-03-03
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* By S. RHETT ROMAN. -
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r HE grinding season was over and
l Allen Duncan went back to his
blowing.
He had gone pathetically up and
down, back and forth, all day long,
making burrows long and even, his
strong young muscles and the Drawn
and strength Of % years, confessed
fatigue as the sun slowly dipped and
disappeared behind a belt OF forest
stretch Of bare, brown cornfield, now
being plowed and planted for another
crop.
OF medium height, but athletic and
finely developed, his face and hands
tanned by sun and wind several shades
gray eyes, keen and obseryant and
with IN air of self-reliant, decision
stamped on his well-cut features, Allen
Duncan was a figure not to be over
looked.
Reaching the end Of the last furroH'
on its side and began to unhitch the
jaded animal, whistling softly.
Whistling softly he turned towards
a small cottage half a mile away, set
among a clump of trees, from whose
chimney a faint smoke was curling in
winter day.
A shade Of depressed sadness or anX-
iety, which was an ordinary visitor to
a face otherwise youthful and hope
full, gave Allen an air of matured gray
it, unusual for man Of his years.
Drawing his plow under the Drotec-
tiOn Of small shed. built for that PR
pose, by the roadside. Allen led his
horse slowly towards the COTTAGE
"A young girl stood waiting for him
in the open doorway, watching his
approach.
Hurry up. How late you are. Sup
per has been ready for you the last
half hour DO como as soon as you
have stabbed Plowboy. Dent be long,
there's a DEAR
She ran indoors. singing Gayly, and
Allen. with an ansW nring smile and a
tie garden gate and went towards a
small stable in tho rear.
AurOre, his sister was seven wears
Younger than Allen. she had been IA
lored with uncommon beauty, and had
also a Winsomcness which fascinated
everybody, and particularly the old
Acadian woman. Madame Francois.
who was the only servant Of the small
household
Allen Duncan had been father and
mother, brother and guardian to
Aurore ever since the sad day they
were left alone to face the world s
hardships and cruelties. forlOrn
youth and beautiful child
Fate WAS certainly most cruel to
those two Allen. resisting advice and
suggestions (much cheaper commodi-
ties than help packed trunk with
-AurOre and his personal belongings
and leaving the big house now no
longer theirs, took Aurore to a dis
tant parish to live with a maiden
aunt, whose temper left something to
be desired and whose ecccntricities
were many.
Allen made arrangements with her
by which his struggling work in the
garden paid Tor Aururc's and his sup
port
But he kept on studying in the even
ings under the direction of old Father
Perrier, the gentle parish priest. who
soon grew deeply attached to the
brown-eyed. lovely child. and her de-
termined Woodworking brother, Allen
Duncan.
A few years later Miss Hortense's
ill-humors and crotchrts came to ar
end as all things must, and her cot
1age and its furnishings were left by
her to her nephew and niece.
Aurore missed her sorely, then came
a busy little housekeeper and a cleye,
daily maid.
She began to sell butter and cream
cheese to the Fordyce family, rich
owners of the field Allen plowed and
planted, and the nearest neighDors tic
the little gray cottage IN the banks
OF the bayou
Allen came in and sat down to sup
p>r and listened atstrActedir to All
-ore's gay chat OF the days doinss.
Tie S1ay hen had lost three If her
brood OF yellow chickens; she, -Au-
rore had sold the fresh bu:,er she ha :,
intended keeping for quite high price
TO Mrs. Fordyce's Eousekeeper, who
came and persuaded her to give it up
Nine. FRANCHISE had sent her grandson
10 gather basket full of pecan nuts
from the tree il the orchard. They
l,sc remended the curtains and the old
blue flannel shirt. and Aurore had set
cat 4 border OF violets around the
Lo"ar bed il front OF the hou@a