St. Tammany farmer., 1906-09-29
~
HER THREE SUITORS
By GERALDINE KEMP


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seph B. Bowles.)
Courtney encountered few folk on his
pleasant road to the farm. A couple
of farmers rosy-cheeked child and
an old woman were chiefly those VINO
crossed his path. The old men bade
him good evening; the little girl smllsd
at him, and the old woman as sne
passed let fall with a clatter the
bundle of sticks she had been gather
| ing in the wood She Was very bent,
very cray, and very wrinE1ed; her face
encircled in a big rusty black poke
bonnet. She was muttering and moan
ing strange things to he.sef as Dan
Courtney passed her by.
/ But as her mutterings grew more We
hemenl, he halted, threw her a coin
and $, passed on again. s.-s..s-
Had he glanced round at the Old
withered poke-bonneted woman, he
| would have seen that tear had glis-
tened in her eye.
Il am very tired" she mumbled,
'and the bundle is SO heavy"
Permit me to carry it for you" said
voice, some minutes later in her ear.
Walden, for it was he, stopped and,
Notwithstanding her protestat1ons,
raised the bundle to his shoulder.
where do you live?" asked Waldon.
keeping pace with her feeble steps.
Near the wood" came the high
pitched, sing-song reply. Near the
wood"
"You are too old to work"
BREAD must be baked and fires must
be made.'
do you live alone?
Granddaughter Mary lives with me
now
Granddaughter Mary ought to as
sist you to gather the fuel for your
dre''
Mays young and goes a-sweet-
heartin'."
when you were young did you go a.
sweetheartin'?
She nodded assent and hobbled more
briskly forward.
"Show me where your home u.s." he
said. Il should like to inform your
granddaughter Mary that it would be
more profitable to her il she cared less
for her sweetheart and more for her
grandmother.
""Twould be little use," quoth the
grandmother. "She's young and it's but
nat'ral.'
Natural to be thoughtless?" queried
the prince. Have you ever been out
of Dovedale?"
She shook her head.
Then Doyedale is your world" He
drew a long, long breath, as though
the idea was sitting.
-Four walls and bread to eat, q hus-
band, ard children to rear cried she.
What more do a woman want?"
'.And you have been happy?"
Never SO happy as now!" exclaimed
a clear, ringing voice, and before Wal
don could recover from his astonish-
ment the old dame, with truly mar
vclous agility, had ~vanished-whither
he could not say.
"Phrygia!" called Waldon, flinging
the sticks into hedge and following
the narrow side path Phrygia must
have taken. At the end of the path
was a small wicker gate, and passing
through it Waldon came unexpected.
ly upon a low, thatched, rose-coyered
cottage.
After waiting several minutes the
door opened and some one came swift
" towards him. No other, indeed, than
Phrygia-no longer wrinkled, old and
bent; but in her most captivating OF
summer attire; the simplest of hats
upon Ter bronze-gold hair, and the
daintiest OF blue ribbons around her
slender waist.
Miss Dean" exclaimed Waldon,
bowling low, when will you cease to
be everything that is bewildering and
enchanting?"
Mr.. Waldon," answered Phrygia,
with a responding obeisance, when
will you learn to be anything but chiv-
alrous and manly? What have you
done with my kindling wood?"
Il threw It away to follow you"
ITO follow me?''
ITO the end of the world" he added,
earn estly.
She coquetted moment with her
ribbons and laces.
me. Courtney must have arrived at
the farm by now" she said. 81 hope
Lavinia will entertain him nicely.
Shall we not go to Sweet Briar,s too?'
Waldon hesitated. sss
ION one condition." he said.
(which is-?"
"That Dan Courtney returns to town
this evening with Harry Bond"
as that what Harry intends to dot"
demanded she.
'.Is he not wise man"
Very" she acquiesced. why do
you not return also?" @
Il lack his wisdom truly, but can
not" VII
'.But II It Is my wish?''
IF 1t is your wish," he said, Il
obey" and he turned quickly on his
heel.
Indeed, 1t Is not my wish" she
cried. "Stay, Mr.. Waldon. and come
with me to Sweet Briar Farm. Mr..
Bond may be wise: Mr.. Courtney de-
termined, but you-you are chivalrous.
am content with what have seen.
Will you stay?"
Silently he bent to kiss her OUT
stretched hands, and they passed from
the little cottage into the sunlight to-
gether.