The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1890-12-25
"But l hardly think"

W - INV A<Ob SA<S AO@SN' s~~S
quiet"
Miss Bette doesy' Ihesitated. There
was a lump in my throat and a singing
in my ears; was deuced1y afraid of the
mad beasts myself, but then she wanted
to 60, SO 1 added: well, perhaps after
al. they may be little quieter soon.
And, Tom, you do-ah-really think
them safer
Certainly I do, and Bet does, too.
She's not a bit afraid That decided me.
tom Jones' spoke with deep solem-
nifty. / knew that moment what they
felt who saw the tumbril ready to bear
them to the hungry knife of the first
revolution-'Tom Jones, will go, OF
course. But, Tom, pray do not use that
horrid abbreviation Of your cousins
name. There are some subjects too
sacred for the proclamation of slangy con-
densation, and your cousins name is"-
Bully! You'll 60 Them interrupted
the irrepressible Boomerang. "Tll wheel
'em round the block and bring 'em IN
cool, you-Bet."
He bounded down the stairs, sprang
into the sleigh, seized the reins, and, as
the men jumped from the horses heads,
was off with furry of snow and
hurrah from the crowd.
1 am not a dab at tho classics, so l will
not say how, having plunged like Cur
thus into this gaping sleigh ride, now
sat like Marius, amid tho ruins Of my
wardrobe. But did tumble all its con-
tents into the middle Of the floor and
then sat among them. hopeless Of cram
ming into my small valise half enough
for this all important Xmas visit! But
she wanted to go! I was to risk my
neck for her sake-by her side. Delicious
thought! So just as the bells again
jingled at the door / jumped upon my
distended portmanteau, sprung the lock,
and answered Tom with yell as wild
as his own.
Now, perhaps should explain that
Tom Jones and had always been chums.
Residents of the same village and chill
dren of intimate friends, we had thumbed
the same algebra, robbed the same Or
chards and been logged by the same
pedagogue. In fact, we had never been
two weeks apart until his appointment
to West Point, five years before, had
separated us. Toms persevering industry
in running bounds to "Cozzens," and his
scarcely been thoroughly rewarded, for
his graduation-third in his class count
ing from the bottom-made him brevet
second lieutenant in the United States
Boomerangs 1t had found me dignifed
but patient lawyer in the incipient me-
tropoEs of Piketon. Happy chance had
thrown Tom at the arsenal near by, and
had introduced his chosen friend to the
family circle of his Uncle Blythe.
There 1 soon became ami de maison.
Mayor Blythe-he was the revered chief
magistrate of Piketon-was a brother
lawyer, and a man Of high social and
literary renown. He had a capitally
chosen library, a warm heart, cele.
brated cook and a rare assortment OF
such wines! And then-hem!-likc Jeph'
than of old, he had lone fair daughter
and no more"
But such q daughter!
Bette Blythe was just turned Of 49,
and the most perfect mold of female form
divine. Of medium height, just plump
enough for perfection of rounded outline
and with the tinieSt models of feet and
hands that ever fell to the lot Of woman
her face was still her chiefest charm
Not regularly beautiful, with scarce {
feature in it that would have been pro
nounced fine under critical analysis, there
was yet an indescribable witchery il
that face. OF in the character reflected by
it, that bound me hand and foot from the
first week knew her. Those rich, darl
oval lines, with heavy bands of GLOSSY
hair, seemed to command, rather thar
ask, a second look. And who could lool
twice and forget?
There was q merry devil In her eye
large, languid and black as sloe-tha
drew a timid mans heart right up int
his throat and kept it kicking there with
forty-horse power. And then the fac,
was but an index of the sprightly bu
sound and well stored mind her father
had seduously cultivated during a Ions
widowerhood. And the steady, tende,
CLEAN that sometimes replaced the mis-
chievous twinkle in those eyes could onl,
have been drawn from the we'll spring O
pure heart.
With the first month Of our acquain
lance I began to believe cared for Bet
tie Blythe; with tho second I believed
loved her, and with the third knew
it for certainty. On the fourth montl
l had told her 1 adored her wildly; ant
for three subsequent ones had como
again and again, to the very threshold
of repetition. Gentle and womanly
she had at first told me gravely-the res
of the face demure, while the eyes danced
q very witches dance to the tune of sup
pressed merriment-that, though W.
were very excellent friends, we were still
almost strangers. I could only acknowl
edge the truth Of what sho said, so
prayed for forgiveness and for hope. Sh
gave the pardon, the pardon gave th
hope, and l wandered on in FOOLS para
disc. But though we became better an.
better friends, though she let me mean
der unchecked through the most exten
sive fields of rhapsody and lay the TALES
flowers of sentiment at her feet, yet tn
first outright word spoke carried up tn
taper forefnger in arch warning, and tn
-1ise lips formed the one word, "Remem
"a not believe Bette Blythe wa
i with me. There was something
6l tauine, too womanly, about he
ling for that.
stoop, I said to mysel
little triumph in tn
he knew to be her
-lor. No! Eithe
u zeal friend