Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1872-08-03
HOW TOM FELL n LOVE
BY A. F. HILL.

Hlitlu
And vet he had never fallen in love.
He had seen great many girls that
he liked-in fact, he "liked EN- al"
aS he was wont to express it-but he
had never yet encountered the one
whom, according to his views, Nature
had fitted for him.
Well, there waa ;lhiple time set.
He was only twenty four.
One bt'antiiul day i'll May he got an
afternoons leave of absence from the
store in which lie was 4 clerk, and
took street car for home, Is he had
promised to take his sister odt Ii the
cothlry to see their aunt.
He occiihied 2 seat IN one corner of
the car, and directly opposite him,
reading a letter, sat he noticed 1t
iu,ne,iiateiy-ome OF the lovcliest crea-
lures that he OF anybody else bad eyer
seen.
She--but it is no use to attempt to
describe her.
TOMS heart gave one extra throh.
1t happened that, just lis lie had fairly
caught sight of her beautiful face, size
finished the page she was reading, and
involuntarily looked np--with "a pair
of such eyes land their glances met.
1t was but FIR an instant--a mere
fraction of secOnd-but 1t wis long
enough, to to fix those eyes on Toms
heart foreyet. tie had always be-
lieved in love AT first sight. twas no
| iGnger belief nOw-it was certainty.
Yes, already TON Martin was in
love with the beautiful stnnger. Al
ready he began to torture himself with
the thought that he might never see
FER again-inight never know her
namc-neyer have the privilege of
speaking to her; and telling her his
'ove-that; III aiiy event, her heart
might even now DC anothers
But hi tie midst of these paiiiful re
fiections the Fates Seemed to favor
him. Willie The unconscious object 0i
bis admiration intsiitly read second
page e her letter, she, without per,
ceiving it, let the envelope fall in her
lap, right side up, and Toms keen eye
at once deciphered the address.
Yes, the full address. street
ard nunber-iIid-oi,, JOY lit was in
| a feminine hand. II was ne love let
ter, then, from a hated rival, ht
thought; for SO suddenly had the
passion taken possession of him thai
he already felt Jealous tang at the
| thought Of riyal-already felt that
somehow he had sort of claim on the
charming girl. Romantic fellow
Ii was with eager, tsterish eyes thai
he read the address on the tell tale en
velope. He ielt that he was taking Z
liberty, and he looked about him Il
see if he was observed, but TO his won
Ger NOT another passenger in tie Cal
was paying the slightest attention
either to him or the marvellous beauty
in the opposite corner.
Mentally pr5lUuncing them set o
unappreciative churls, for not seeming
| to be affected by such an unusual de
gree of beauty as should have beef
palpable 20 all, he proceeded TO STAMP
her address on his brain. 1t was
Miss Jennie Wright, No. 800 Marl
| Street, Bless the dear, distinc
clrirograph of her fenhale friend there
could be no mistake about it.
The beauty was still in the car wh-I
Tom left it, and he stood at the stree
corner, by lamp post, and gazet
wistfully after the rumbling vehicle a
long as it was IN sight.
! "T love herr he said 70 himself, a
he walked home. f9
he walked on slowly, gazing et III
curbstone, alid presently repeated:
"Ilove her, Tiove her-not for he
surpassing beauty alone, b'it for th
pure soul that shines unmistakabl,
from her eyes. Miss Jennie Wright
No. 800 Mark Street.
All that afternoon, during The pleas
ant trip to the country in compan
with his own sweet sister-bnt h
thought hervery plain-Tom was me
rose and gloomy.
"What's the matter, Tom r aske
the sister. "po you not feel we'll "