St. Tammany farmer., 1906-08-11

UlILeus
He, on the other hand, kept his 1air
delicacy of look, and was somewhat
frail OF health, which made another
reason for my mothers loving him,
since she blamed herself that excessive
grief for my father had weakened the
unborn child.
/ was lonely till my cousin Joan
came. Her mother, Dame Winchester,
was my mothers sister, and now both
were widowed. Therefore they thought
well OF housing their grief under one
roof.
But these are childish things, and let
me on to the time OF the great war.
My mother was dead before. those
evil days befell, or else she had died
of them, perhaps, as many loyal lady
did. And even atsthe last, dear soul.
she left barbed wound in my heart,
for, said she to me. in those last pre-
cious hours while we yet kept her:
Roger, my son. do you love your cou-
sin Joan?
Il know not, dearest" said l., and
redeemed, even at that moment, for l
was a. call0w, rough lad, and would
have been ashamed to think upon love.
She laid her thin hand on mine, and
I thought she would have kissed me,
for we had drawn closer during her
illness, but what she said was:
Listen. Roget. II Aymer loves her.
too, as l fear he does, let Aymer wed
her. You will forget. You will go out
In the world among other men and
will see other ladies to love. You are
strong and valiant, my son; he is gen.
love-"
did not discreditably, and for my
part in certain exploits came to be
known as Mad Mainwaring."
But, alack! those glories were well
over. and here was l. a ragged cavalier.
with but my horse. my sword and my
little dog And ere | joined some gay
friends OF mine, who were making war
in another fashion, q great hunger
came upon me to look upon the home
of my childhood, to see that which
! had renounced, and visit once again
my mothers grave.
turned my face westward, there
fore. and rode night and day.. till the
watery sunset Of a spring evening
showed me Kings Beeches, with its
turrets and chimneys black against the
sky.
The window was open and some one
was singing, a ripe voice, which was
slow to recognize as that of my tro-
ther Aymer.
With the song went the thin music
Of spinet. hoisted myself by my
hands on the window SILL, yet, ere I
had looked within, knew what /
should see.
My brother, dressed soberly, yet with
richness, leant by the sptnet which my
cousin Joan was playing.
Several years had gone, and some
thing almost matronly had come upon
my cousins beauty, something SO noble
and 50 tender that must swear .or-
ever no woman's beauty were perfect
lacking that The waves OF her chest
nut hair were rolled away from the
pure outline OF her face. could see
her little ears and the full, milky
throat below the golden head.
For an instant feasted on her beau
ty. Then my eyes wandered to my
brother. He looked less slight than of
old, but his Apollo grace and fairness.
which I used to think unbecomins a
man. had not deserted him.
The whole scene was SO peaceful. 50
full of home, that 1t made his heart
ache who had doomed himself to be
homeless. And then a thought came
to me that sent the blood surging to
my head. Why, 1t was a home scene
I looked upon, and this pair, with their
happy Quietude, were no lovers except
welded ones!
i had willed It so, or the dead had
willed 1t for me; yet ! turned to the
night with an oath on my lips and
despair in my heart, for never until
then, think, had realized my love
for my cousin. And SO, swearing /
would not come again. lest worse be-
fall, / strobe on to the dell IN the wood.
where my Saladin paved the ground,
and neighed the way / had taken.
We, gentlemen of the road, drop out
Of the world we once knew, as much
as II we were dead.
Two years did Tom Selby, Dick La
vader and myself lead the highway
mans life. and If said it had not
things to recommend It should err.
There came a night rode alone, as
fate would have 1t, and was scarce
thinking Of business, but leant by
wayside galloWs In the shadow OF q
wood and mused as was my wont on
the wherefore men were born into the
world, only to leave 1t with not hope
fulfilled.
Then, far away In the moonlight.
saw a great coach coming toward me.
There were four horses. ridden by
positions. 50 much could see. 90 It
was at least flve to one against me. but
1t consorted with my desperate mood
to take the coach single-handed.
Now saw the vantage the woods
gave me, and were these fellows as
great towards AZ I have often proved
such varlsts to be. the enterprise were
safe enough. Therefore 40 tho coach
rolled beneath the hangman's tree.
stepped ont and crying, yield, knaves.
% me ana my men!" I hourished my
pistols IN the face Of the hrst man.
n 3a. -. . - II