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

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which she stabs them far down into hea
brain. This makes me shudder} but Sc
is she constructed that 1t docs not seen
to hurt, and in thai human pincushior
the daggers remain until it is time TO
her to put on her jacket again.
She comes here occasionally always
looking as if she had been born afrest
that morning. to sit II the big chat
and discuss what sort of girl she Is,
with ether matters of moment. When
she suddenly filings herself forward
clasping her hands on her khee-auG
says, "OhWI know that she has re.
membered something which must out
at once or endanger her health; any
whether it be ~ don't believe in any
body or anything-there!" or "Why dc
we die so soon2" or, II buy chocolate
drops by the half pound,"I am expect.
ed to regard it, for the time being, as
one of the biggest things of the day.
allow her, but no other, to mend by
fire; and some Of her most profound
thoughts have come to her with a Jerk
while holding che poker. However, she
is not always serious, for, though her
face is often SO wistful that to be within
a yard of it is too close for safety, she
sometimes jests gleefully, clapping her
hands; but l never laugh, rather continue
smoking hard; and this she Every
properly puts dom to- my lack of hu-
NOR. The reason we get On together SO
well is because | treat her exactly as if
she were a man, as per agreement.
Ours is platoRic friendship, or, at
least, was, for she went off half an hour
ago with her head in the air.
After only one glance in the mirror,
she had spread herself out in the big
chair, which seems to one to put its arms
round her. Then this jumped out:
''And l had thought you so trust
worthy!" (she always begins in the
middle.)
"What have I done2" l asked, though
/ knew,
yesterday" she said; "when YOU
put me into that cab. On, you didn't
do it, but you tried to-
"Do what2"
She screwed her mouth, whereuDon |
smoked hard, lest l should attempt to
do it again. But she would have an
answer.
"AIen are all alike she said indig
nantly.
"And you actually think" broke
out bitterly, "that if did mediate such
an act Qor one brief moment) | was
yielding TO the wrctched impulses to
which other men give way! Miss Gun
ninss, do you know me no better than
that?'
81 don't see what you mean," she
replied. (Her directness is sometimes a
little annoying.)
| waeged my head mournfully and
there ensued pause, for l did not quite
know what meant myself.
"What do you mean2' she asked more
gently, my face slowing her that l was
deeply hurt-snot angry, but hurt.
l laid my pipe on the mantelpicce
and, speaking very sadly, proved to her
that | had nothing in common with other
young men, though forget now how
proved it. If I seemed to act as they
did my motives were quite different and.
therefore, | should be judged from
another standpoint. Also | looked upon
her as a child, while l felt very old
(there are six years between us).
"And now" said l, with emotion, Gas
you still think that tried Toto do it
from the wretched ordinary motive
(namely, because l wanted to-, suppose
you and l must part. l have explained
the affair to you because it IS painful to
me to be misunderstood. Goodbv; I
shall always think of you with extreme
regard"
Despite an apparent effort to control
1t, my voice broke. Then she gave way.
She put her hand into mine, and, with
tears In her, eyes, asked me to forgive
her, which did.
This little incident it was that showed
her how different am from other men,
and led to the drawing up OF our pla.
tonic agreement, which we signed, so to
speak, that afternoon over the poker. I
promised to be to her SUCH friend as I
am to Mr.. Thomson; I even undertook,
If necessary, to scold her though she
cried (as she limited she should probablyt|
dog, aud she was to see that it was for
her good, just as Thomson sees it when
[ scold him.
'I'shall have to call you Mary"
II don't see that"
eyes, it is customary among real
iiends. They expect it of each other"
was not looking her in the face, so
cannot tell how she took this at first.
However, after she had eaten chocolate |
lrop in silence, she said:
''But you don't call Mr.. Thomson by
lis Christian name2"
"Certainly do.''
"And be would feel sighted If you did |
lot2'
''ie would be extremely panied"
''What is his Christian name?"
'Thomson's Christian name2 Oh, his
christian name. Thomson's Christian
ame is-ah-Harry."
"But thought his initials were J.
"a Those are the initials on that UNI
rella you never returned to him.
us that so? Then my suspicious were
orrect; the umbrella is not his own.
low like him 2a II