St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1905-01-28
The Silence @>l
of EernWOOd. [
Observation-Disclosures
By ALICE NORES SAULEI.

By ALICE NORES SAULEI [
S0oOcOcOoOo0o0S
THE Clifford station was crowded
! like every other small town thu
arrival Of the passenger train was tn
supreme recreation Of it's Inhabitants
Vehicles Of every description lined eacl
Side OF che platform, whatever the cir
cumstances; not so with population
that the weather alone at times cru
ely disappointed. But neither weather
nor circumstances ever prevented ths
presence OF man who for severa
years almost every day stood in the
same place, in the same unobtrusiyt
position; and most curious did it seem
Tor he was apparently uncdncerned
Still, close observer might readily
see that while no muscle moved, his
oeep-set eyes searched each haltins
car;then as they slowly again moved
away, gradually increasing their speed
and the shrill whistle rent the even
ing air, something of its dreariness
Tell upon this mans soul as he re-
traced his steps homeward. At times
some few would meet him on his way
lack to his suburban villa, and as he
quietly blew upward the smoke of his
cigar his apparent insouciance would
bring forth the remark: Here comes
the colonel from his evening STROLL
Colonel Hunt was of medium height;
his square shoulders, erect carriage
and energetic countenance, even to the
curve of his grey mustache, revealed
the officer. Years before, while fight
ing the Indians, a wound about the
eyes caused him to retire with modest
income. At 40 he was married to a
gifted woman, who was ambitious and
abreast ofeall new ideas. The married
state soon became to her one of dull
monotony; ipasmuch as Mr. Hunts
complete retirement from public life
had been a keen disappointment to
her. She was not prepared to appre-
ciate the quiet waters in which her
bark was moored, nor the change in
her husband brought about through
inevitable circumstances as well as
through her vagaries. The little inter-
est shown by him in the great move
ments in her world exasperated her
to degree. This gradually brought on
state OF mind and Of things that
eventually destroyed all hope of hap
piness between them
One day after weeks Of silence. grow
ing more painful every day, Colonel
Hunt with enforced calm advised his
wife to realize her dream and leave
for the great city where, Of all others,
social problems were ever questions
at issue, and he added sarcastically:
Il must be in touch with the times,
II not educated to follow the trend of
thought; the new idea seems this:
not so much OF home, but good men
without it. You desire to
provide for yourself; I will see to that,
consider all settled
This ambition which caused such a
painful arrangement between two be-
ings eminently fitted to understand
one another, seemed to have warped
Mrs. Hunts generous nature. Frank to
D fault, she had become strangely Sc
cretive. Col. Hunt had been keen1y
alive to the mystery which pervaded
his home, and when what he feared
had come at last he felt no surprise. |
He had long been aware that his wife |
,arried on a secret correspondence with |
some one, but Helen remained coldly |
and with the easy Dig |
pity that characterized the man, her
husband left her free.
Strange to relate, Helen did not re-
,lize her husbands. anguish or the
,ride which made him withhold Gny
expression of regret. Besides his dis
in her, the thought that
lie could not interest her or fill her
ife CALLED him into stern silence.
After her departure his carriage be-
anne more erect, his mouth more
irm. Those Who wondered learned
hat she had at last decided to cultf-
,ate her wonderful voice; he was sup.
,osed to see her at times, which he
,ever did.
Five years had gone by. The old
ervant still attended to the lonely
rome, which was still closed but for a
ew windows. THE Colonel was al
Ways inpenetrahle, as could be expected
f supremely proud nature. AS the
hadows Of the evening deepened he
would stroll back from the station to
he outskirts ct the picturesque town
owards tbs quaint house nesting
mong the cA,ss and wrapped in gloomy
Hence. One evening the moon had
isen upon silver cloud that doomed
ID from great mountains of blackness,
he shadows Of the stately trees
exquisite traceries upon the
ward; the fragrance from the wealth
{ flowers brought back such memories
8 almost to overpower him. Here
1as winding path, rustic seat and
able where she had sat and read;
trough yon archway. formed by two
lender olives and trailing roses, could
e seen a huge marble Ease; beyond
Ias stone bench where. years ago !
Jhen seeking her, he would find her {