St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1893-01-07

| SAaHtS S4ud4ltduC6 was not 20 De q
spised. He handed her his card. ST
looked at the name, raised her brow
slightly, dropped the card into her hant
bag, and then, looking squarely at hin
said:
"My name is Vincent"
He called her Miss Vincent at a vel
tuTe. She dill not correct him, and the
fell to discussing the points Of intercs
On the WY.
It was delightful drive, and neitle
regretted the circumstance that brough
them together. They dined at the sam
table, finished up the sights in the after
noon, and getting in rather late, too
supper tete-a-tete in corner Of the de
serted dining-room. That evening til
rooms were cleared for ball. He me
| her at the door as she was about to ente
the ballroom.
She wore dress of black lace with
sleeveless corsage that displayed pair 0
| superb arms and smooth, white neck
The sharp contrast of her hair and dres
with the singularly fair complexion mad,
| her look like a black and white cameo ant
he thought as he stood there looking pas
| him into the ballroom that no carving
| could be more classic than her profile.
'Shall we 60 in there2' she asked. 1T
| seems dreadfully warm and crowded."
| Then suppose we stay here
II believe it is much pleasanter here, ;
che answered.
The ballroom was full of promenaders.
They pressed out on the veranda and
sat talking in the moonlight. Occasion
ally they would return and beguile the
intervals, Waiting when the music per-
mltted, until the crowd of dancers began
to thin and the parlor clock struck 1.
Il really must 60 now" said Miss Vim
cent, rising. "There is o'clock and
must leave at 81
(Which way do you 60 tomorrow ~
asked Lawrence.
EAST. I must be home by the
GOTH"
She gave the name of a village about
fifty miles distant from the town where
he lived.
"Ill see you in the morning. he said.
~ believe we leave this place on the
same train, so I won't say good-by. And
now, just one more dance-the last"
Down the long gallery they foated
into the shadow and out into the light.
his grasp gradually tightening as they
went, her face against his shoulder, aud
his head bent forward until his cheek
touched her hair. The music ceased
suddenly, but the arm about her waist
did not relax. She gave a furtive up-
ward glance, then dropped her eyes.
With swift movement of his left hand
nc drew her arm up until it encirclcd his
neck, leaned forward and kissed her.
She darted away like q swallow, and he
c"uenI 1T T, glimpse of her as she turned
a corner of the stan ~
When Lawrence came down u ,..l-
fast next morning it was nearly 8 o'clock.
The early train had gone. So had Miss
Vincent
1t was summer again. The work Law.
renee contemplated a year ago was
finished. He had acted on the sugges-
lion of his critic: he had turned Pegasus
gut to gvaZc ami given his attention to
prose. The result wasa nOycl-the story
# day called En- Route, " which he
assured his friends was suggested by an
Incident Of his western trip. The book
lad been published, and tn reviewers,
% use his own phrase, had let him
DOWN easy" and he was much surprised
% find himself gently and afably treated
~ the Dispatch. The writer was not
surprised to find so Indifferent a poet
sapable Of producing tale SO pleasing
md graceful, SO full Of felicitous de- |
cription, SO fresh aud unhackneyed. It |
vas understood that the young man was
lnder solemn promise never again to |
'ttempt verse, and, in consideration OF |
his assurance and the promise Of sue |
,ess held out by the latter work, it was
>ut just that the public should cXtin- !
;uish its resentment and take the author |
0 forGjving and indulgcnt bosom.
There followed u criticism in which |
he claims Of the book were seriously |
reatcd, and by the time Lawrence had !
finished the perusal he was thinking that,
fter all, he might have been little too
cree in his resentment upon previous
ccasion. There arose within him de-
ire to make amends in some way for his
wn derision of this person, who, how
yer hard upon him at first, was clearly
-ithout malice in the matter, and had no
oubt in each instance expressed an hon
st conviction. He wrote a note in
Ihich he acknowledged the courtesy and
sked leave to call and thank the writer
/ person. lie had a few copies that had
cen handsomely bound, intended as
ouvenirs for his friends. lie would be
lost happy to present one as a token of
is appreciation,
The reply to his friendly overture was
'ritten upon card across the upper left
and corner of which was the day of the
eek in gilt lettering; on the opposite
orner was pen-and-ink sketch OF St.
gorge in the act Of vanquishing the
ragon. Below was written:
"Miss Damon will be at home to Mr..
awrence this evening at 8 o'clock, 7O5
Test Broadway |,
This sketch, despite the limited space
occupied, was spirited, and indicated
knowledge of her unfattering sobriquet.
S he looked up at his own sketch upon
le wall he was conscious of a strong i'm /
llse to destroy it. ,
Ats o'clock that evening Lawrence, j
caring his peace offering coquettishly t
ound in gilt and morocco, rung Miss {
amon's bell He was rshered into the +
srlor, and in q few moments heard {
sitting of drapery behind him. AS he |
ose he encountered slender figure in S
toilet Of black lace. {
'Mis Vincent" he said exulting, II +
I'VE been looking for You everywhere. Y
have written you innumerable letters, t
ID have been four times to that horrid i
lie of a town where you said you lived I
nv did Won 1ecpiva mo Gu crI1o1lv2'1 -