The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-07-21

VI utoIey TO DuY things to
make herself look pretty the coming
season IN the eyes of the summer guests
who boarded at her aunt's COSY home
at Old Orchard.
we give an extract from a letter writ
ten by Lottie to Ella three months
later: ''A0
Don't you think, Ella, gentleman
came yesterday and took aunt's front
chamber, two hightsup; and if he didn't
come out to-day In a white lace hat
just like those we trimmed last sprino
even to the purple satin tips and pink
iining! MY fingers are itching to get
noia OF 1t; butof course it is absurd to
1hlnk that, among the thousands of lace
mats sold, he should buy the one with
my silly note in it. should feel pretty
cheap to have him get hold of it. He
mas the keenest pair of blue eyes ever
saw-not bit dreamy, like the ideal
artlst who was to wear it, and he's aw-
fully old-thirty at least; so, of course.
couldn't fall in love with him. Aunt
thinks he's handsome. l don't. He
goes sketehing every day and has some
lovely pictures in his room"
=
'Well. how do you like them?''
Re- Lottie darted a startled, guilty glance
at Carl Clayton as he came softly up the
carpeted stairway and caught her
standing peeping through his half open
door at the pictures placed round the
room In different positions. Bold ma
rlne sketches, most of them green. white
capped waves, amid which fearless
bathers plunged, dark tempests and
tossing ships, golden sunsets over a
mirror like sea.
+" You need not feel so shy" he said,
giving her a queer glance from beneath
the shadow of the ARTIST hat that
had been torrnenting her for weeks. Il
like to have my sketches admired.
Please step inside; have particular
one to show you.'
Lottie followed him shyly as he threw
the door wide open, but somehow she
could not meet the keen, blue ewes that
always made her heart futter, whv, she
did not understand. From a remote
corner he took a large mounted canvas
and held it before her for moment.
with his eyes fixed upon her face, then
turned it round suddenly. There was
her own face, sweet and lovely, with
the brown hair rippling over the low
white brow, dainty flush upon the soft
oval cheek.
The dainty flush deeped until a Grim
son tide overspread her face. The first
swift, pleasurable surprise that bright
ened her soft brown eyes made Carl
Clayton's heart leap with delight. Her
Lit face was study.
so, Mr.. Claytonr' she faltered, in
sweet, girlish confusion. '.I-I-did
not think you-you had painted me.''
.'But / have you see." Then their
eyes met moment. but something in
his hand made her want to get away
from him. She murmured something
about her aunt wanting her, and stole
off to her room.
ssWhat a little fool I am! How nv
cheeks burn; and my heart is all in
iutter,'' she thought, 81 wonder how
he came to paint my picture. Iwonder
if l ever looked as well as that" glanc-
ing in the mirror, which gave an affirm
ative answer.
:. A shy little bird after all,n Clayton
thought, as he put away the picture,
!" but I'll cage her YETI
: But he did not find it SO easy a matter.
He asked her to walk with him, but she
had some pretext for refusing. She
made point of evading him every
where, and never again ventured near
his door.
He watched his chance one day when
she went out for lonely ramble along
the shore. She grew tired after while
and climbed to nice seat on some
rocks, where she could look out upon
the billowy waters rejecting the after
noon sunlight. He had followed at
safe distance, and now came upon her
suddenly.
"Why. Mr.. Clayton she said, in
surprise, rising to her feet, while the
blood rushed to her face.
He placed his hand on her shoulder
and gently forced her back to her seat,
taking his place by her side. a.
"What makes you avoid nae. Lottie?'
Her head dropped lower Her fin
gers traced a confused pattern on the
rocks. but she did not answer.
He put his hand beneath her chin and
compelled ner eyes TO meet bis, only Tor
q moment. They travelled up to the
brim of the Artist hat, then futtered
and fell again.
.'Lottie, love you. Won't you be
my little wifep'' in tone that sent a
thousand eddying pulsations over her.
I But who of womankind is too unso-
for coquetry? 1t comes by
intuition to all of Ewes daughters.
She lifted her eyes to his, brimful of
laughter. g do not love you," she
said, and snatching away her hand from
his. she sprang off the rock and was
away before he could recover from his
surprise.
Before long he followed the same
path home with a curious expression in
his deep, handsome eyes.
She did not appear at the table until
he had left it for the next two DAYS.
On the third afternoon, as he was step
ping down the front stairway, he caught
q glimpse of her, gliding into the cool,
darkened parlor. The house was very
quiet. Ten minutes later he opened
the door softly and closed it after him.
She started up from the sofa with lit
tie cry as she saw who had cornered
her