St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1909-08-28

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down the hill road, but for once she
gave no heed to old Dollys struggles.
Only when she came to Trimmer's
gate did she sit up with something of
her wonted vigor, and grasDing the
lines systematically in her hand, she
drove to the door with an energy born
of grim determination
There was grimness too in the ST.
lence in which she followed her hos
pitable hostess into the presence of
the assembled family circle. She
looked around at the welcoming faces
a moment before speaking, then, still
standing rigidly in the middle of the
floor, she spoke her lesson without
answering the chorus of greetings.
| Il come to give you bid" she said.
"A party!" cried Ella, delightedly,
| ing at her:
"Tain't party. It's a weddin'"
MY soul!" calculated Mrs Trim
mer in amazement. II never thought
to see a weddin' at your house."
It's my own weddin'," said Lide Ann,
stolidly, the words bringing new
gasp from her listeners. She waited
moment, her brown hands clenching
themselves desperately, then she sat
down and her voice deepened a little
from its hard, tense tone.
you all know the store Sarah Belle
sets by weddin's," she said; "she
cares more for 'em than for any livin'
thing, and has ever since she could
walk. She's always marrying her
dolls and she's got whole boxful O.
Weddin' notices that she got me to
cut out of different papers for her.
Awhile back her Uncle Joseph sent
ner some magazines, and in one of
tnem was picture of a girl standin'
beside grave, with minister holdin'
out his hand over her head. Well. I
read that story to Sarah Belle, and 1t
was all about girl that was engaged
to marry soldier out in India some
where's, only he died while she was
on her way over to him. When she
found out he was dead she insisted on
standln' beside his grave and goin'
over the marriage service sot she
could call herself his widow. That
story took such holt o. Sarah Belle
that she amt thought of another
thing since, and dwellin' on it put it |
IN her head that had to get married |
sot we could have a weddin' in our
house. She's that set on it don't
care back out, for DR. Wall told me |
this winter that Sarah Bellies heart is
gettin' weaker all the time and that
any sudden sheck, like a fright or a
disappointment, might kill her right |
on A tremor crept into the hard
voice. but she choked it back and
went on without stopping:
"So't I've concluded to do Just s she
wants me to. 'Tain't much, anyhow"
with sudden defiance, "for me as has
health and strength, to play a little
game Tor Sarah Belle, that hasn't any
thing or anybody in the world but
me-"
But how-what man are you goin'
TO marry" cried Jenny, and Lide Ann
sWailoWed hard before replying:
faint real man at all I'll
wouldn't want man around cluttar,n,
up sarah Bellies dolls and flowers,
ana maybe interferin' with her ideas,
she don't care anything about that
part OF 1t. It was the picture that
TOOK her eye AMIN to be married
beside grave, same's the girl in the
story"
"Oh my-how awful" breathad
Eila' but Lide Ann turned on her
fercely:
"Tain't awful at all, Ella Trim.
mer, she said. "'F I got to he mar
rled at all, I'd heap rather take a
man that's dead and done for than
one that's Twin and uncertain. rye
cnose my own cousin" she went IN
after a pause, "Mattha Miller Potta,~,
tnat was killed in the war. I feel
tnat I've some right to him because
lie was pas full cousin and my mother
nursed him till he died after he got
wounded. He never went after anv
girl that l heard of, SO won't feel as
u was takin' somebody else's place
nate to marry man that wanted
some other girl. Besides, it's tho 1
same name" 1
NO one spoke, and Lide Ann. her {
energy suddenly failing now that her
tale was told, rose heavily to 90.
Are you goin' to have a big din.
ner?" then asked Ella with sudden
interest. 0A0en {
I'm goin' to have everything a we'd
I'm calls for while I'm about IT," an. :
swered Lfde Ann, grfmly, and with
farewell as abrupt as her entrance
had been she was gone.
think it's nigh sin for Lide Ann
o humor Sarah Belle the wav sbo Z Z
loes' began Ella, Indignantly: ~ =
'hought it was bad enough when she
lseo up the whole seasons apples IN
'uy that pink silk dress, but that
wasn't half as bad as this crazy NO. :
Jon" D' AO- t
Victor Trimmer, who had beep 1oz-
ng after the departing buggy WITH
Ter: L
I wouldn't call it crazy If was r
'ou, sister," he said. 81 think lid Z
Ann Potter has the best heart that
.ver beat"
The goodness of Lide AIMS heart Il
vas generally admitted in the neigh u
'orhood, but even Victor felt uneasilv :,
hat there were few who would view .
Ter present undertaking as leniently o
IS ne, despite the fact that her WAYS
WITH her sister had long ago gained
acceptance.
Sarah Belle had never been like il
,thar foIkc n,,Iioo4oI,- sz.