Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1918-02-01
onsideratiop on your part is crushing

est affectlOn. Then ne set MS ups
sternly and left the house.
What was there left TO live for he
asked himself and could not answer.
He took with him few thousand dol
lars. all that was left of the fortune
he had once possessed. In measure
Il certain relief was realized as he left
the vicinity of his former home. and a
few hours later the city.
Whittier should he go? He had no
relatives. few friends. BY what freak
Of fancy or vague influence of purpose
Arthur Wayne felt himself drawn back
To his native village, he did not seek
to comprehend. All that was left IN
him was old time memories. He reach
ed his bOyhOOd'S home. Like some
restless wrath he wandered about the
little town To find il strange ana
changed. No one recognized him. ana
his spirits were too low to have him
seek Ia remind those who had forgot
ten him of acQuaintanceShip In the
past years.
All the time, however. somehow the
central figure in his mind was girl
he had known thirty years ago. She
had waved him good-by in tears from
the railroad platform the suspicious
day when he had left to seek his for
tune in the great city. How clearly
that fair face returned to his memory!
How lovely it still seemed. after the
lapse of the years, He took Il chair
next to that occupied by the proprietor
of the hotel where he had registered.
the morning after his arrival. He ask
ed him some questions. The replies
made Wayne sadder than before.
He learned that Edna Burrows had
never married. She had died five years
agOne, the good angel of the village.
She had adopted sweet little orphan
her lonely years. and Gladys Martin
now lived in the old home with n maid
en- lady who was boarder.
"A good girl. worthy girl. this
, Gladys" the garrulous hotel keeper
, told Wayne. "And engaged to a model
| of young man. one Bert Whiting,
who is working diligently to accumu-
: late sufficient to support wife,"
II seemed like treading on sacred
ground to Wayne. as he entered the
gateway of the home where he had
first known Edna Burrows. There was
5 the same vine empowered porch. In
5 the garden. grown to a titan now. the
r great beech tree with the rustic bench
beneath which he and Edna had often
sat. A strange peace spread over his
spirit The front door was open. lie
Knocked once. twice. No one respond
ed. Wayne advanced and tapped or
an inside door. No one answered the
summons. He looked into the room
beyond and stood transfixed.
Upon the wall was steel plate
framed portrait Of himself. He recog
nized it as one that had been published
: in a magazine at the time he had beer
elected president of city trade ex
change. Nearby was faded photo
graph of Edna Burrows. as she ha'
\ been when she was Il girl. A fOOtStel
sounded. young girl humming ;
, cheerful tone. came tripping down tn
\ hall. She halted i'm surprise. but said
) II was in the garden and did no
3 hear you knock. VIII you be seated?
and then she started and mutcly gaze,
. from the visitor to the portrait on tn
wall.
Arthur Wayne had no need to tel
Gladys Martin who he was. For owe
, an hour he sat as in n dream. liStenin
to the soul condolences of the swee
= voiced hostess. revealing To him tina
: all through the years he had been t
:: dead Edna Burrows fond. cherishe
link of the past Gladys told Wayn
how her foster mother had kept trac
Of his advancing career in the cit!
rs proud of him. silently worshiping q
the shrine of the love she had neve
confessed.
G Ii was within the week that Arthu
If Wayne grew into Il strange period G
q. coma and restfulness. He visited thi
,r peaceful shrine daily. One day h
~ opened up his plHns. his hopes. 10 til
~ svmpathetic Gladys. He was homeless
i. and lonely. He told her he wished I
. turn over 70 her the littl, remnant {
his fortune. and. when she married
;" tarry with herself and her husband fC
. the rest of his days.
One morning Gladys came into III
" room where Wayne loved to pass h
~ time. She noted that he was facin
10 the picture of her foster mother. an
that there was strange, peacefl
III smile upon his white face. He va
nj dead. The weary soul was ut rest
10 last. She moved to the windows al
n stood there. her emotion OverpOwerir
n her, her eyes blinded with tears. Ami
lie the holy calm of the moment she seen
POI ed TO be conscious of q fluttering Spir
q. filling the room and then vanishing
us some ethereal realm.
A lark came to the windows to fea
st. upon the crumbs scattered there. Su
Ill denly it spread It's wings and scare
IT, aloft. Her gaze followed it. Straigl
ed into the face of the golden sun 1t win
q ed its flight To her mental view Z
soul of the dead man was thus sOariI
ke to a new life The bird became a me
m. speck, was lost in the dense azure, az
20 then-the lark seemed singing at Il
gate of heaven.
". Suez Canal.
vn One Of the greatest engineering pr