St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1890-09-13

lilo - soda. ct tho little store kept b.
the French lady two streets away, when
who. Of all people in the world. should
walk In but Dick. his loins Rfrdled With
the inevitable black sash and his head
adorned with the cute straw hat She
was 20 astonished that the racquet fell
to the floor with . clatter, and Is she
and Dick both stopped at once to pick it
up their heads bumped together vilely.
Both spologized profusely, Of course.
Dick had rather guilty look when he
faced his friends 1t dinner IN hour or SO
later. When the four were seated ON
the porch in the twilight he bowed with
great politeness At the girl across the
way.
'Who's your red-haired fricndT in
quired Tom, surlily.
"A young lady know" was the in
different response. IS Dick thrummed
carelessly on his mandolin.
"rake care" mouthed the other three
in unison, seeming treason. And then
the regular evening concert proceeded.
Nv.
The four friends had . box 1t the Au-
ditorium for one of the Strauss concerts,
and Tom found his gaze wander every
now and then to the face OF statuesque
beauty who sat in the parquet next to >
girl with red hair. He was certain he
had seen her somewhere, but could not
quite decide where. She wore . fluffy
white gown with wonderful pulled
shoulders, and he was forced to confess
that she was provokingly pretty. In the
foyer, during the intermission, he
strayed away and found . friend who
introduced him. He was little sur
prised to find that she was spending .
vacation at the homo Of the girl with
red hair who lived opposite to him.
Both young ladies were very inQuisitive
as to how he and his companions got
along in their bachelors hall, but he
parted their questions with the adroit-
ness of an old stager. 1t was with diff
fculty. however. that he dragged him
self away and lined his friends in the
long room near tho cafe where more or
less inviting liquids are dispensed. 1t
may readily DO surmised. however. that
he made no revelations as to events &C.
curing in the interim.
That night just before the vassar
girl dropped of to sleep. she whispered
to the red-haired girl: ''You see, dear.
I was the first to get An introduction to
one Of your dudes. after all"
Nonsense. DEAR" croned the red.
haired girl. with . suggestion Of tri-
umph in her drowsy tones. 81 have
been on excellent terms with the little
one with the sash for over . week"
Silence.
Somehow or other . sort Of cloud
hung over the house where the four
young men dwelt There were fewer
evenings spent by the four together.
and . tinge Of restraint seemed to have
fallen over the party. Harry and Jack.
two of the handsomest and best
behaved boys in the world, who had
hitherto been the life and soul Of the
quartette. spent . good many evenings
out IS the summer wore on, and when
they did stay At home were less CHEEKY
and light-hearted than formerly. They
smoked necessarily and assisted very
little in the conversation.
by the merest accident one afternoon
''Tot," returning from . slashing tennis
tourney 1T the park. saw Harry, all
about whom Dick, Of course, had told
her. emerging from the house Of ono of
her friends three blocks below her own
home. She hid behind her terrier until
the youth had passed from sight and
then bounced in on the aforesaid friend,
. pleasing miss with pair Of wicked.
black eyes.
"How long have you known him?"
was the fair callers greeting.
Without detailing the conversation it
may be stated that the black-eyed
beauty confessed to . six-weeks' &C
quaintance with the departed one. and
from that the talk grew very confiden-
tia;.
s.Bur do you know, Tot" said the |
little hostess, - the red-haired girl |
rose to 60. 'that there's something |
queer about that boy. II ever . fellow |
loved me"-the black eyes glistened-
he does. but he seems to have some
thing ON his mind Tot, am ashamed
10 say it, but he has sworn he loves me |
10 death. and has never let fall so much
IS hint about marriage. And moro
han that, his friend Jack. who lives |
With him, goes about with lilly here,
ny next-door neighbor, and she says he
lcts in precisely the same way"
During this speech Tots gray eyes
had been growing bigger and bigger,
while each particular red hair shone
With added brilliancy. "Maud," she
Iasped, another of those dudes-the
,ne with the black sash-is in love with
ne. and his actions are precisely those
vou have described in the other two.
There is . mystery here, and wen un-
avel it. Come up to my house Satur-
lay night and bring Tillie with you"
The black-eyed one agreed and they
,arted.
sDick," demanded the red-haired
Iirl. do you love me or do you not?"
They were standing in . sequestered
pot in South Park ON the scorching
afternoon. The young man
umbled nervously 1T his sash. "Y0u
NOW do. Tot" he observed, meekly.
.'Then." answered the red-haired girl
will you marry me?"
A piteOus look came into Dicks face.
T|I-I-" he stammered and could get
70 further.
"You monster. you!" calculated the
ed-headed girl, in white heat Of pas
ion. "You would have me . woman
corned. would you? You say you love
10 Yex Bah! / asked you to marry
,e for blum, 20 I did. Marry moth.
M. You're . milksop, . dude. You