The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-06-09
A Simple
Romance
By
GEORGE ELMER COBB
Copyright. by W. G. Chapman

Julian FlOrac, bachelor, rotund, |
genial and with good, kind heart, was
made the lucky recipient of very fair
sized fortune at the age of thirty-tWo. |
through the demise Of a half-uncle in |
France.
Florac took his good luck reasonably. |
For ten years he had well fulfilled ms
duties Of a department manager in Il |
great city store. He had lived frugally |
and had saved something, for radiant
Ideal had been always his. Somewhere
In the far past he had seen in reality
| or in some book a picture Of Deautllui
| country home. The memory became
an actually with him. He had dreamed
| over and over and over again what he
would do if he ever had fifty thousand
| dollars. Now he had double that.
Forthwith he proceeded to place his
| long cherished plan into execution.
1.-THE site is the first consideration,
| FlOrac advised the agent in whose
hands he placed the commission. III
must be on an elevated spot, river
winding like silver thread In and out
among forests and hills. The view, my
friend, must be superb. There must be
space Of ten acres at least. The
building can come later. Find me my
ideal location and environment at any
cost, not too near to the city, not too
far away am not an aristocrat, but
the baronial castle idea prevails with
| me-grandeur. eXcluSiveneSS, majesty.
"Got Just what you want" announced
the glib broker q month later. Ever
heard of Hurricane HillT'
Florac shook his head in negation,
but expectantly.
"You will go wild when you see it,
predicted the agent, which Florac did.
What he had dreamed of he at length
viewed-a lofty plateau of moderate
proportions, surrounded by crags, Wa
terwayS, cascades and a clear view OF
twenty-five miles in any direction.
Belongs to a man named TraSk-
Abel Trask," explained the agent. He
has lived in that old house for nearly
half century. Wife died; he has an
only daughter, times hard and poor,
and she has developed into quite a
singer. 1t nearly breaks the old mans
heart to sell the place, but he is bent
on giving his daughter tirst-class mu-
steal education"
"Close with him at once" directed
FIorac eagerly. The old vine-cOvered
house is picturesque. 1t shall remain,
if only for its antiquity. Those trees
and shrubs must not be disturbed. |
shall build more to the head of the val
ley. All a rare spot, truly! l shall
be very content
But FlOrac was not content He took
great pleasure at the first in seeing his
ideas carried out as to the house. Then
there was a spell when his interest was
> centered on furnishing it.
. THE complete article, just as
dreamed" declared Florac with great
} satisfaction, but within a month his
: lonely environment began to pail OIL
3 him.
5 I'm missing cOmpaniOnship-that Is
4 itv he decided, and forthwith for si1
months there was not'a weekend tina
he did not have some one of his former
friends as guests. They were merel!
acquaintances, however. They partool
8 of his meals. they borrowed money O.
him, they were not truly friends.
: Florac had engaged a poor oil
3 couple, pioneers in the neighbOrhoOd
to act as caretaker and housekeeper
: They did their duty well. One da,
Florac for the first time passe'
through the apartment given over eS
~ clusively to Mrs. Dodd. His ey
CHANGED to light upon framed photo
graph on the mantel.
rs that the young lady [ once me
e here, the daughter of Mr.. Trask, fro1
- ~ whom l purchased this placer" b
), asked.
"Yes, sir, that is Miss Eleanor" a:
:, scented the housekeeper. "Oh, sir, sh
.. is a sweet, lovable girl! She nurse
- Mr.. Dodd through a dangerous Hines
and helped US in many ways when "
~ were poor and out of work.
"Do you ever hear from her now
~ inquired Florac-any new subject
- break the monotony of his dull exis
ence wes of interest. Besides, he ha
- never entirely forgotten the girl /
,u had seen but once when he closed tt
an purchase of Hurricane Hill.
- Yes, Mrs. Dodd had heard that Il
~ Trasks had gone to the city and tn
re Eleanor was studying music. AS
Of her success as professional, howeve
she knew little. All, how Mr.. Ira:
would delight in seeing the old place
1t had been to them haven of beau
g and the one great thought of the o
~ man had been to be able some tin
to build home, such as he and Flea
hs or had planned out time and agai
There was the unused end of the h
expanse-that would dol
Miss Eleanor told me before S
ns went away, SIR said Mrs. Dodd, 9Th
Of when she had made fortune wi
no that sweet voice of hers, she was goi
of to buy over there and build the hor
he that was the dream of her dear {
on father. Why, then you'd be neiG
Ike bors!" smiled the voluble gossip, "a
reg they are the kind to appreciate, l C
all tell you, SIR
Lch Now the dream of fame and wea
me Of the Trasks in the city had not co.
ort rte Eleanor had the musical