The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1907-11-02
Fanny's Stranger.
BY HERO STRONG.

The very day Of F'anny's departure
Mrs. Ames received Earle's letter. and
when she had read il. she executed a
pas de seul which would have done
credit to 4 French dancing master.
"Glorious." she cried: things could
MT have happened more to my liking.
III write TO Cousin Martha. this very
day, and get her en- my side; and 50,
Miss Fanny we shall see you Mrs
Earle Rochefort yet. in spite Of your
self. For | know he will fail in love
with you. if he meets you, and DON
believe you can help falling in love
with him."
Aunt Hildred capered around the
room so sayly that the staid old cat
fed under the sofa to recover her
equanimity. and the very canary in
the cage stopped his singing and con-
templated his mistress in silent awe.
The letter to Cousin Martha was
written and dispatched. and Aunt Hill
dred felt willing to await the course
Of events She felt moderately sure
that all would be just as she wished it.
Fanny Shawmut looked very pretty
in her dark blue travelling suit, and
her coquettish round hat. with its
white feather. as she took her seat in
the cars the morning she began he
journey to Derby.
More than one gentleman looked
wistfully at The unoccupied seat beside
her, but she spread out her skirts in
way that lady travellers have, and
put her muff On the cushions, and
none Of them were bold enough to ask
her if the seat were engaged.
The car filled up rapidly, and pres
entity young man in heavy ulster
paused beside her, and asked the
question she had been expecting some
body would be impairment enough to
ask
She had great mind to tell him
she preferred sitting alone. but he had
taken up the muff and made himself
comfortable before she had quite made
up her mind to be so impolite. Then
she looked at him, and was obliged to
confess to herself that she had never
seen finer face Its clear blue eyes
and blond hair and mustache just
suited Fanny's taste, for her own hair
and eyes were black. and her lips and
cheeks were glowing like the heart
of cleft pomegranite. And, of course.
she liked blonde man best-indeed,
how could she help it?
They became very social. and talked
of great many things. They vowed
that they both liked the same authors,
and this, of itself, is a wonderfully
strong bond Of sympathy. BY and by
they wandered to religion. and then
to politics, and on both subjects their
opinions agreed. After that it was
plain sailing
A furious snowstorm set 1t. for it
was in New England, and the month
was January. and the wind blew a
gale from the northeast; but our
young friends were SO much occupied
in getting acquainted that snowstorms
were of no account whatever
Night was coming on, too. for the
days in January are very short, you
know-and the train was just enter
ing upon the 20 mile stretch known as
Brownslow's Common. and there were
not half dozen dwellings from one
end Of this desolate waste to the 9TH
er.
Fanny began to feel very nervous.
She wondered what she should have
done without this gentleman who oc-
cupied the seat with her. and VINO
wrapped his travelling shawl round
her SO carefully. and insisted on sit
ting next the window, to keep off the
cold draught of air.
Fanny thought that if only Mr..
Earle Rochefort. of whom Aunt Hill
dred prated SO much, had been like
this interesting stranger, how easily
she could have stayed at Elmwood.
and married him, and made Aunt Hill
dred happy.
The storm increased, the drifts be-
came more and more formidable, and
at last the engine gave a plunge for
ward, which shook most of the pas
sengers out of their seats, and democrat
lied things generally.
They were off the track, and no
more progress could be 1A.de that
night.