The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1881-01-08
figuratively put nv foot into it and lost

my story.
IL think anyone must have fallen in
| love with her, but could never get De-
mark to see it. never cared for any
one before or since. was COM
pletely-but what's the use of talking
of that. l met her every morning.
She always looked straight ahead and
never seemed to know that she passed
the same two fellows every day. Where
did she live? What did she do? One
night in December as 1 came up late
from the store | was astOnished to see
my young LADY, called her mine
standing at desk in a counting room.
Her hat and cloak were flung on the
desk beside her and she was evidently
just ready to leave. The loveliest little
frown was on her brow, and the figures
evidently wouldn't add up right. The
lamp-lighs shown on her face and it
never lOoked so handsome before. L
stood before the window and gazed
there in rapt admiration and, / may
say, alteration. / tell you, John, /
don't believe that people nowadays
know what it is"
"Well, did she come outp"
"Of course she did," said Single
mann little GROSSLY, land equally of
course followed her at distance, and
saw where she lived. She walked
straight on and did not seem a bit
afraid. She seemed to set her lips
closely together, draw her cloak around
her and walked swiftly to her destina-
ton. Several times l determined to
speak to her, but had neither courage
nor excuse. Denmark, said /, when 1
reached my room, wake up and l
shook
"Singlemann," said 1, II am not De-
mark. There is no use in shaking me-"
81 beg your pardon" continued Sim
glemann, releasing his grip on my
shoulder. Il don't think you care
much about what 4 am saying, though.
What interest can you have"
"Now don't fly off on q tangent in
that manner. OF course L want to know
how it turned out. What did you say
to Demark?n
Nothing that night. You can't
waken Denmark when he once gets to
sleep. Why, one time when we were
boarding down on Jefferson Avenue q
fire broke out about two o'clock in the
morning and ="
swell, but about this girlp'
40, yes; next morning unfolded my
plan to Denmark. 1t was the day before
Christmas. l told him all about my
discovery of where she was employed.
Now" said l, "she's anxious to get the
accounts Strengthened out before the
end of the years.
Evidently says Denmark.
"Well, very likely she'll be there
late tonight; now we'll follow her-you
on the opposite side of the street and 1
on the same side of the street she is,
and you cross over and speak to her
and try to make her take your arm,
then she'll scream and I'll rush up and
rescue her, and of course, see her home
and get acquainted"
Rather an ancient DEVICE" I re-
marked.
"Perhaps it is now" said Single
man in an irritated manner. Young
men of the present day are up to almost
anything, but never heard of it before;
of course, it was silly guess know
that without being told of it. but now
adays people think
"No they don't, Singlemann; go on
with what you were saying. Denmark
consented Of courseP'
mo, he didn't; that is, not at first.
He got indignant at having all the dis
grace of the operation and none of the
pleasure, but l explained to him that he
didn't care a cent for the girl, while
was madly in love with her, and con-
juring him by all the ties of friendship,
he at last reluctantly consented. You
see, Denmark never cared anything
about girls, or such as that; he
was all business. 1 have often said to
him, iokingly, of course, that l believed
" Singlemann-go on with that dia-
bolical plot OF yours, and never mind
Denmark. know him well enough"
"Of course you do. Well, all the way
down to the store where she worked,
Denmark was saying what mean thing
it was for two young men to conspire
to Brighten the life out of girl on the
dark streets of city. We got there at
last, and she was at her desk. All! John,
when picture how she stood there.
but that's no matter. l thought she
would never come Quit seemed ages.
never could have stood it.. only it kept
all my attention getting Denmark to stick
to his promise, for he wanted to back
out now that we were at the spot You
know Denmark is the very soul of honor.
Why, when Beat & Embezzle failed,
you know, we needn't have paid a cent,
for they held no"
" Singleman, do you remember that
know the whole particulars of that fail
ureP''
Certainly. That's fact. forgot
that. Well, Denmark wanted to go home
again. and begged me to release him
from his promise, but l wouldn't and
he stuck to his contract like mamie
always does, you know. Well, just as
the city hall bell struck eleven"
80, oh! Singlemann-keep straight
now. Why, man, the city hall was not
built them"