Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1908-02-07
DIVORCED.

R2S5SS252S1SG 5151S2S2S1S2S7S
Among the dust of the road still
altering in the rays of the setting
am the evening mail coach passed.
the old vehicle jolting about and the
bills jingling on the little white
horses. Then Claudine appeared at
The door OF the little white bTuse.
with her hand over her eyes and
Der elbow high in the air, she stood
motionless in sharp relief against the
dark background of the interi;.r. The
Young woman's robust chest vas in
aated with impatient, joyous, expec-
ntion: and the blood rising kinder her
brown skin frightened her black eyes
and impaired a still deeper redness
10 her laughing lips that contrasted
with the shining whit5pess of her
teeth.
In the distance thu sun, sinking
ever lower, fastened its dying rays
upon the feecy TOYS of the wooded
hIIlsides, imprintinZ upon the dark
green of the old oaks points Of light
that quivered against the blue hori-
non; but nearer, large ray, piercing
the verdure, developed, as with a
last and tardy raress, the rounded
summit Of a naked hillock, whose
slopes, dying at the turn in the road,
presented In The shadow long, dull
gray stretch of plowed land.t
Claudine knew that beneath these
slopes, over which resounded in the
stiffness of the evening the sonorous
voices Of tie laborers urging on their
oxen, lay immense quarries corroding
the earth and extending on and on
Infinitely, seeming, with their but
tressed galleries, like the suddenly
cleared-up ruins of some buried city;
and taither her thoughts went, in
search of her husband.
She saw him, young like herself
and rery handsome. perched on some
high scaffolding. toiling at the top
OF the quarry, in the trembling light
Of lamps, that looked like stars, amid
the continual and monotonous drip
ping Of the waters; but now his labor
ended, he descended and arranged his
toolsi then very quickly, thinking Of
her and impatient for her kisses, he
came through the dark passages
where the trucks had dug ruts in the
mud
Quarrymen wearing gaudy sashes.
with jackets thrown over their should
ers, were beginning to appear in a
series Of groups along the white
roae. Their voices rose, sometimes
In song-voice vibrating like waves of
sunlight and as rough as the sur
rounding country.
lncessantly the procession length
ensd.
pne by one Claudine recognized
ihs sunburnt faces as they grew
MORE and more distinct. But her man
did not yet appear and suddenly, as
spe was examining with her sharpest
lvok the farthest groups on the hill
slde, whose contour seemed to sink,
cloud OF dust shot up high and en-
crmous, casting vast shadow.
The quarrymen stopped short in
ne road; then they ran back and at
ue same time. with a settling of
sh the neighboring territory, tire
mendous explosion burst out like a
peal Oh thunder and rolled through the
valley. The quarry had fallen in.
ciaudine uttered cry and fell upon
me road with arms outstretched.
Under the ground. full of crevices
md covered with fallen houses that
spread their broken red-tiled roofs
o'er the ruins like a mantle. quarry
men we're buried, at inaccessible and
hopeless depths: and near the foot
the hill, at point where the en-.
slneers were trying to pierce a gal
Wy Ciaudine in crouching posture,
WIN wild look on her face and re-
suslns to bulge. awaited her man.
ror days she remained there. I'M
eDie 70 believe in disaster and I'M
wiling to be consoled, her eyes fixed
oosunately upon the gallery which
uey were opening.
But the work caused fresh settings
" the soil, and then water flowed
.n'o the gallery. and they were Obliged
stop their labors.
linen gloomily she climbed the hill
~ the top the workmen were now
ooring shaft. She .crouched down
near them, watching the piston go IN
~ down with continuous, mechan.
~ movement, the dull shocks OF
.nicn, occurring at regular intervals
sue.ed her and filed her with sooth-
.1s hopes. But the steel screws be.
saa 70 break off in the fiinty strata,
sAa then they penetrated into the
.sncs which began to roll down con,
lsany filling up the shaft.
nasgard and grim, the workmen
s'sted for a time, but soon they
e" down their tools in despair and
se band dispersed. Claudine was left
'he upon the rayaged ground amid
~ results Of the abortive labors,
oAel inert. feeling only one de-
e within her-the wish that she
wers dead.
enudine." whispered Voice neal
sa' recognized one Of the quarry