The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-01-04

WITHIN lew uohsho VI |
when Marian was quite chiid anu
I a lad little more than 20.
After graduating from - univer-
sity. | studied law, and at the time
Of which l write-thanks to an I'M
usual amount of influence, my dear
fathers name enabled me to COM
mand, and my own dogged perseVer-
ance-was fast acquiring large Gil
entage and quite an enviaoie repu'a'
ton.
II was toward the end OF the Sec
opd summer after her return tnat we
first became acquainted with DICK.
He came in one evening with our
friend and neighbor, George Morris
who had several times expressed de-
sire to introduce him to u.s.
An unusually handsome fellow ne
was, with strong. weh knit hgure
and pleasant, II somewhat restless
dark eyes; and though, as we came 10
know him better, he developed some
strange but rather irritating ecceh-
tricities of character, he was In the
main true hearted and generous spir-
tied.
From the first evening of their ac-
ouaintance, his admiration for my
beautiful sister was apparent; and ne
soon become one of our most ire
Quent and welcome visitors.
OF Dicks antecedents l knew notn-
ing then. He never spoke Of his past,
and what knowledge ! have OF his
life before we knew him, came to me
long afterward unsought. On one &C.
cAsion / confess my curiosity was
aroused. and i most sincerely wished
he could have been more communica-
tive about himself.
l have said chat Dick possessed
some irritating and singular traits OF
character. One of them was a most
violent antipathy to cats an antip-
athy SO intense and morbid, that 1t
seemed an instinct, and was beyond
his control.
It was but week before the end.
when, one afternoon, having taken a
longer tramp than usual 1--WE were
fond of walking and many and many
a mile have we trudged together),
and feeling rather tired of the glare
and brightness of the hot June day.
we were beginning to long intensely
for drink of water and cool place
to rest. We looked for a spring, but
could find none. Our search brought
us to a little cottage nestled among
some naples and almost covered with
honeysuckles. The very place for q
tired man to rest and be refreshed
I'VE will go in here and ask fol
some water I suggested, and Dick
offering no objections, / knocked al
the door. 1t was quickly opened by 8
kindly smiling old woman, who, wher
she heard what we wanted, hospitabl,
ushered us in to the darkened parlol
and babe US be seated until she re
turned with some refreshments.
Dick threw himself on the sofa
while seated myself at the opel
window. Presently from the mex
room, whittier she had gone, presum
edly to prepare the promised repas'
We heard our kind old hostess say:
PUSSY, pussy"
Meow" came plaintively from TN
other room; and before l could intel
pose Dick sprang madly through tn
half open door. There was a shriel
an agonized cry, anc as l reached tn
doorway / saw Dick. now utterly b.
side himself with passion, fling cat
lifeless body from him and, in spite
the angry remonstrance of the old VI
man, and my own stern and indignaI
protests, take from a box nearby
kitten, and mercilessly kill it befol
GUS eyes. All this was done in an i
slant. My feelings Of horror and r
greet at this exhibition of ungovernab
passion. as well as for the poor o
woman's evident grief at the loss
her pets, battles description. Overcon
BY anger and indignation at his co
duct, ! sprang upon Dick. Graspil
him by the throat, cried, "Y'
brute." and struck him-struck hi
twice. He offered no resistance, b
stood looking at me with an expire
sion Of mingled reproach, sadness al
shame. Then he hurriedly left {
house.
We buried the well beloved cat Al
its kitten under grapevine in {
garden. ! dug the grave, and at t
poor old lady's request left lit
mound to mark the spot. This Gel
mony completed, walked sadly hon
bordering on the strange infatuati
OF my friend Dick.
As neared the house / saw Mari
seated on the piazza, looking cool a
lovely In her white dress.
Back again, Roger?" she erie
where's Dick? He went with "
didn't he?"
Then I told her what had happen'
IL. .1..i.-.