St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1893-04-15

duCO dG al lalCs
"Hcw could you be?"
She looked at me sharply, but my face
was without expression, and she sighed.
She remembered that had no humor.
Whatever my faults are, and they
are many, vanity is not one Of them
"When / said you had a bad temper
you made the same remark about it.
Also When"
"That was last week, stupidl But,
of course, if you think me ugly-'
II did not say that"
"Ycs, you did,"
"But if you think nothing of your
personal appearance, why blame me #
agree with you?"
She rose haughtily.
"sit down."
81 won't. Give me my scarf Her
eyes were flashing. She has all sorts of
eyes.
eff you really want to know what I
think Of your personal appearance
~ don't"
Presumed my pipee
"Well?" she said.
"Well?"
ooh, thought you were going to say
semething.'
"Only that your back pleased me in
certain other respects
She let the chair take her back into
its embrace.
"Mary, dears'
It is fact that she was crying. After
I had make remark or two:
~ am so glad you think me pretty"
she said, frankly, "iot though 1 don't
think &c myself, | like other people to
think it; and somehow I thought you
considered me plain. My nose is all
wrong, isn't it,"
''Let ME see"
$50 you admit you were entirely mis-
taken in calling me vain?"
"You have proved that was.'
However, after she had drawn the
daggers out of her head and pat them
into the scarf (or whatever part OF
lady's dress it is that is worked with
daggers), and when the door had closed
on her, she opened it and hurriedly fred
these shots at me:
eyes, am horribly valn-I do my
hair every night before | go to bed
was sure you admired me the very first
time we met know l have a pretty
nose---good afternoon"
HER sELFISHNEss.
She was making spills for me, because
those Thomson made for me had run
down.
"Mary."
"Wcu?'
"Mary, dear"
II am listeniug.'
"That is ALL
"You have such a curious, wasteful
habit of saying ones name as if it was
remark by ITSELF"
eyes; Thomson has noticed that also.
However, l think meant to add that it
is very good of you to make those spills.
wonder if you would do something else
for me!'
GAS friend?"
eyes. | want you to fill my pipe and
ram down the tobacco with your little
finger"
You and Mr.. Thomson do that for
each other?"
''Often."
every we'll. Give it me. This way2"
''It smokes beautifully. You are a
dear, good girl"
She let the poker fall.
"Oh, I'm not,' she walled, 81 am not
really kind hearted. It is all selGshness!'
This came out with rush; but l am
used to her, and kept my pipe in.
Given my charities are only hideous
kind of selfshpess," she continued with
clasped hands. "There is that poor man
who sells matchboxes at the corner of
this street, for instance. I sometimes
give him twopence." (She carries an
enormous purse, but there is never more
than twopence in it,
"That is surely not selfish" said.
sit is" said she, Selling the poker as
if intending to do for herself that in
slant. II never give him anything simply
because see he needs it, but only occa-
sionally when feel happier than usual.
Lam only thinking of my own happiness
when give it him. That is the persona
fcation of selfshness."
"Mary!"
"Well, if that isn't, this is. only
give him something when I am passing
him, at any rate. I never dream of
crossing the street on purpose to do it.
Oh, should need to be terrifcally happy
before I would bother crossing to give
him anything. There! what do you
think of me now?'
"You gave him something on Monday
when was with you?" |,
eyes"
"Then you we're happy at that tIme?"
3. ''What has that got to do with it2"
! ga great DEAL"
! rose.
"Mary, dear
: "No! Go aud sit OYER there" Il
!. HER SCARF. ,
So tar.I mad not Gas will have been
aoticed) by a word or look or sign ,
broken the agreement whlca rendered ,
'ur platonic friendship possible. had
1ot even called her darling, and this {
because, having reflected good deal on
he subject, I could not persuade my
elf that this was one of my ways of ad. I