Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1913-10-17
CHAPTER VIII.
War Declared.


The April morning was trimming
with golden sunshine when Fran
looked from the window Of her second
story room. Eager for the first morn
ing's view of her new home, she stared
at the half-dozen cottages across the
streets standing back in picket-fenced
yards with screens of trees before
their window-eyes. They showed only
as bits of Misunderstanding, or gleam-
ing fragments of glass, peeping
through the boughs. She thought ev-
erything homelike, neighborly. These
houses seemed to her closer to the
earth than those of New York, or. at
any rate, closer in the sense of broth
erhood. She drew a deep breath OF
pungent April essence and murmured:
What a world to live in!"
Fran had spoken in all sincerity
in declaring that she wanted nothing
but home; and when she went down
to breakfast it was with the expecta-
ton that every member of the family
would pursue his accustomed routine.
undefiected by her presence. She was
willing that they should remain what
they were, just as she expected to
continue without change; however.
not many days passed before she found
herself seeking to modify her sur
roundings. II strange mouse be i'm
prisoaed IN a cage of mice, those al
ready Injured to captivity will seek to
destroy the newcomer. Fran, sudden
ly thrust into the bosom of a family
already fixed in their modes of thought
anG action, found adjustment exceed
ingly difficult.
She did Lot care to mingle with the
people of the village-which was for
tunate, since her laughing in the tent
had scandalized the neighborhood; sho
would have been content never to
cross the boundaries of the homestead,
had it not been for Abbott Ashton.
1t was because of him that she acqui-
esced in the general plan to send her
to school. 1t was on the fifth day of
her stay, following her startling admis-
sion that she had never been to school
day in her life, that unanimous opin-
ion was fused into expressed COM
mand-
"You must go to school,"
Fran thought of the young superin-
tendent, and said she was willing.
When Mr.. Gregory and the secretary
had retired to the library for the days
work, Mira. Gregory told Fran, Il real
ly think. dear, that your dresses are
much too short. You are small, but
your face and manners and even your
voice, sometimes, seem old-quite
old"
Fran showed the gentle lady a soft
docility. WELL" she said. my legs
are there, all the time, you know, and
I'll show just as much of them, or
Just as little, as you please"
Simon Jefferson spoke up-'T like
to see children wear short dresses"
and he looked at this particular child
with approval. That day. she was
really pretty. The triangle had been
broadened to an oval brow, the chin
was held slightly lowered, and there
was something in her general aspect,
possibly due to the arrangement of
folds or coloru-heaven knows what,
for Simon Jefferson was but a poor
male observer-that made a merit Of
her very thinness. The weak heart Of
the burly bachelor tingled with pleas
ure in nice proportions, while his mind
attained the esthetic outlook of clas-
sic age. To be sure, the skirts did
show a good deal Of Fran; very good
they could not show too much.
81 like" Simon persisted, ito see
young girls of fourteen or fifteen.
dressed, so to say, in low necks and
high stockings in-er--in the airy way
such as they are by nature :"
II was hard to express.
"Yes," Fran said impartially, at
pleases others. and It doesn't hurt
me-"
Franz" Mrs. Gregory exclaimed,
gazing helplessly at the girl with
something of child's awe inspired by
venerable years. 1t was q pathetic ap-
peal to a spirit altogether beyond her
comprehension.
= CTo BE CONTINUED)