Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-05-18
| SMOKY MOUNTAINS
BY SUSAN r. CLAGETT.

less curiosity as ne sat upon the pat
form of the South Carolina station. He
was sick. therefore miserable in mind
and body, and he had come South be-
cause it seemed the only thing to do.
Now he was waiting for the team that
would carry him into the pines on the
slope of Old Smoky.
He raised him head. A mule stood
near by, Hopping his ears and lazily
twitching bushy tail. In front of him
was young girl, very little girl. who
said:
"Guess 1 came for you, but thought
you was to be lady,"
"Why?" Marshall asked.
II don't know, 'cept that Julie
guessed it from your letter, you wrote
SO ladylike. l don't believe she'd have
taken you IL she'd known you was a
man."
ANY special reason why she
shouldn't" he asked.
Maybe" was the noncommrtal an
swer, but now you're here we'd better
start" She looked about with L en-
eyes. Il wonder where that station
mans gone an put your trunk?'
'I'm sitting on it. But how are we
to get it into the wagon. The agents
gone and haven't the strength of a
kitten"
She looked at him refiectively. You
are kinder peaked, but you jes' leave
things to me. l can manage. by
pushing it toward the edge an backin'
Bet to the platform. You jes' git in an
sit down an you needn't feel skeered
Of the mule. Bet knows when to be-
have herself"
Two weeks later, with MOllie's help,
he walked to n bench in the shade Of
a big oak and there faced a dilemma.
He had sensed something wrong as he
lay in bed during those first days. but
had been too listless to ask questions.
Now Mollie told him that their granny
had died in the spring and with her
death the little pension she had re-
ceived had ceased. Julie had seen his
advertisement In an old newspaper
and thought they might as well take
a boarder, as they needed money.
But" MOllie ended. simply, I'VE
thought you was lady, and now all
the folks is talkin'."
what can l do, Molliew Tom
asked. desperately. "Tm not well
enough to go away"
me an jules been talkin' an we
thought you might go up the noun
tain to Jim Hawn's old cabin. He's
gone, but there's. bed, an me an
Julie can fill bag with pine needles
for a mattress, an Julie can cook you
something to eat an can tote 1t to
you. You can be real cOmft'ble up
there, an we don't neither of US want
you to CO." she finished. wistfully.
"And don't want to co." Marshall
answered. IF you and Julie can fix 1t
that way I'm satisfied. But will tell
You what to do. Get someone to bring
me a chair or two and some other
things from the village, IL am to set
up housekeeping. And there is some
thing else" He drew the child close
to him. II heard you say you felt real
bad because you couldn't go to the
district school,. Wouldn't you like me
to teach you? 1t would be something
for me to do, and you could come
to me in your spare time. I'm pretty
sure you will learn more with me
than in that schoOlhouse two miles
away. What do you say to my planT
Breathless, but with shining eyes,
MOllie looked at him, yet all she said
was: won't Julie be glad? She cried
because couldn't CO."
1t .was settled after Marshall had
his talk with the older sister, and
that same night, after q ride up the
mountain upon the bare back of old
Bet, he slept upon a bed Of fragrant
pine needles in the forsaken cabin.
Ten days later In the comforting
knowledge Of returning strength he
found work ready at his hand.
Julie was the last to come. She was
an entirely unknown quantity, al
though for a month or more she had
cared for his material needs. Mollie
had always been the go-between, but
one evening Julie climbed the path to
his cabin, an Ofiicial-looking paper In
her hand. This she handed him ask
ing IL he could tell her what was writ
ten upon the yellowing sheets. His
first glance told him the writing was
French.
"Have you any idea what is written
here who your parents werer he
asked, touching the paper.
She shook her head. Granny told
me to keep 1t; that I might need 1t
some day."
~ will write this out In English"
he said. After a moments thought he
asked: do you know anything Of
French historyT
"A little" she told him."
Then you will understand when I
tell you your people were among the
Huguenots that were driven out of
France years ago. Many Of them set
tied in the CaroIinas, but as time
passed there was no one to teach them,
the children grew up In ignorance Of
their ancestors, and of all else, for the
matter Of that. This paper tells me
that your great-great-sreat-gra
was Alphonse d'Armand and that his
wife was Julie de Guesclin. 1t would
seem that you are named after her."
II would like to read that just as 1t
Is writtens Do you think I could
learnt" she asked eagerly. But Julie
had taught Tom something more won