The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1877-03-15


somely by the recipient, and-then left
IN his room tc wither and die; for of
course he could not travel home look
ing like an animated horticultural show
he gravely said. -.r'
The Prince was to study law, but be-
fore ne commenced he was going abroad
for year. He should winter in Paris.
he informed me, and show the inhabit
ants OF that benighted city how to en-
joy life. ND.:..-. a : -. -.
"Yes," said !, "and you will come
home sort of conglomeration of En-
glish fop, 6lase Frenchman, German
student, and Italian count. You will
wear your hair parted in the middle,
your mustache waxed; you viii sport
an eye-glass, you will carry one or two
scars on your face as souvenirs of Held
elberg, you will have grown stout from
guzzling beer, you will shrug your
shoulders and say MA foi!' and, worst
OF all, you will have a French wife"
How we shouted over the absurd pic
ture had drawn, and how. often |
thought of it years after that!
The Prince amused himself that sum-
mer by "'doing'' several watering
places, at each of which he created
great havoc among the beaa se1e. He
had an almost indescribable way of
playing at love; a certain chivalrous
tenderness of manner, certain i'm
ploring love-me look in his brown eyes
that took amazingly well. His rooms
were filled with trophies, scalp-strings,
souvenirs, mementnes, and all the other
brtc-G- brdc of Irritation. ,...+ ..- .....-,
In September Charlie sailed for Eu-
rope. A crowd of friends saw him off,
several pairs of red lips bade him bon
uoyage, several pairs of beautiful eyes
glistened rather suspiciously, several
pairs of white hands waved him fare
well. I remember how bright and
debennatre he looked as he stood on the
deck waving his goodbye, and the ship
slowly dropped down the bay, and SO
l lost sight of the bonny Prince. y
Letters came back telling of his safe
arrival, Of delightful trip through
England, Scotland, and the Emerald
Isle; then letters from Paris speaking
in glowing terms of that city; then they
ceased. heard through his mother
that he went in the following spring to
Germany and the Tyrol, and at the
close of summer to the Danube. Then
he wrote that he should remain abroad
another year and should winter in
Rome. staYhlt E.Liat WIE
During his absence great changes had
come to me. Mother died, father lost
his property, and I, obeying a lifelong
inclination and conquering the dread Of
public opinion, went upon the stage.
made my debut in New York, and a
tickle public approved me. became a
favorite, then star. I gave myself up
wholly and conscientiously to my pro-
fession. l loved it, and it alone. To
the first intoxicating thrills of success
succeeded the consciousness of the i'm
portance of my work and the resolve to
labor faithfully in its discharge. And
so months went by and another yearroll-
ed away and still another. The memory
of my boy y-friend had faded almost inn
perceptibly, and had come to be as a
pleasant dream, when one night, as /
was playing in the role of Lady Gag
Spankcr in crowded New York Thea
ter, by some strange impulse I raised
my eyes to one of the boxes, and there,
looking down at me with his old sweet
smile, was Charlie Howard. And,
strange as it seems to me now, recall
that at that very moment there flashed
into my mind picture of jolly, laugh.
ing, teasing, tantalizing boy, rolling
cigarettes and advising me to control
my tempe better. .,... .r.t..s; a4,i ..
| 81. oil of& <bn
tain fell for the last time l sent for him
to come to me. He was not so much
changed in appearance. His hair was
not parted in the middle, his mustache
was not waxed, he had no shrug of the
shoulders; he was only browner and
bigger and older and had rather a tired
| look in his eyes. saw him often fol
several weeks, and remarked his quiet
subdued manner, subtle vein of sad
ness, sort OF intense repressed emo
ton, which seemed to underlie all hi
said or did. Occasionally as l stealth
| lily watched him | saw .far-away
dreamy look in his eyes which woulc
deepen and deepen until it was actua
pain, and the sensitive mouth voule
culver like woman's, and from these
symptoms I sagely concluded that h'
must be in love. F,7... .sp 'ostGf Z
OF course was consumed with curl
osity, but would not ask him, fol
Charlie had always given me his con
!, 6dence of his own accord. and I would
not urge it now And so l waited
hoping it would come, and my patience
was rewarded. - ''-'i
had gone to quiet town on thu
sea-shore to rest for few weeks, ant
was surprised one day after dinner OF
receiving Charles card. He had com,