The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1894-03-22
A WOMAN'S YES.
An Incident In the Love Affairs of
Miss Bragg.

we're fond of saying of her to one an
other and to strangers that she was a
wonderfully clever young woman.
This was meant in no qualified sense; it
carried with it no contingencies; the
distinction was positive. The fact of
her cleverness stood prominently apart,
and was notable item in the general
assets of her social set. 1t became one
OF the chief facts concerning her inter-
esting personality, and frequently over
shadowed less striking ones when she
was being conversationally considered.
She was of the slender. willowy type;
tall as most men, and graceful after an
unconscious, unstudied fashion. Her
face had straight, angular lines, and
was not essentially pretty. When she
smiled it revealed many surprising
curves and subtle charms of expression.
Wondrous power lay in her brown
eyes power under complete subjection
of her will. Her hair was of the
bright yellow tint of over-ripe wheat,
the tint that somehow suggests arti-
fciality. Little curling wisps defied
the imprisonment Of the dainty coif-
fure in which her tire sses We're fas-
tened.
She was original and clever and,
therefore, unconventional and Bo-
hemian. Men she chose to regard in a
humorous light, as rather amusing
animals, charming under certain cir
cumstances, but ordinarily dull and
vulgar At little social gatherings of
her sex, her coming was always await
ed as an event which would give breezi-
ness an d vigor to the conversation. She
was not at all unpopular among her
own sex. This was doubtless due to the
heartless manner in which she rejected
the lovers of grea. many other young
lady friends.
Miss Bragg's love experiences had
oeen numerous; but she had managed
with her cleverness to give them va
rlety Every man she had ever known
well had attempted to make love to her.
one thought it very amusing, and her
women friends agreed with her in this
view when she told them of her ex-
perlences, omitting names. She was
not without consc fence in tho matter,
however, and contented herself with
oeleving that all of her admirers would
get oyer their weakness without per-
manent hurt.
a brief note from one of these ad-
mirers received one morning just as she
was going out produced marked effect
upon Miss Bragg. She gave up her in
@ntlon to go out and sat down to read
. second and third time the very brief
ana conventional epistle. 1t was
very concise note from Mr.. Philip New
mann, asking her to walk with him n
the afternoon.
inese walks, it must be explained,
formed one of Miss Bragg's character
is'ic social institutions. Besides being
elever she was peculiar. She went
walking with young men much oftener
snan she went driving or to the theater
win Them. Mr.. Phil Newman had
sa cen one OF the first young men to en-
!uy 'ne pleasure of these walks, and
rae s'gnt OF him promenading with Miss
bragg had inspired countless other
!, :5oung men to aspire to the same priv
nese' But for three years, although
e nao walked often, Newman had
!, o' oeen her companion. She had seen
a.m q, occasionally at balls, parties, the
AZ .Iea'er and elsewhere, but had had lit
We We communication with him. The day
bs lure receiving his note she had passed
! a.. on the street and he had bowed in
INSTANTLY polite manner.
Aiter reading the note the third time
a sainly trying to comprehend its
g ws;an sne took from the cabinet, in
~ %IIch she kept all her letters, a letter
tha '4e same handwriting. and, putting
So, M r"o together, studied them. Though
my y different in tone and apparent
nraaag aaing she believed them to Is of
;a,iy wr;.. the same import. The first.
1..t 1'sen oy Newman just after their
~ 49, walk together three years before.
msrr;. sS .lnid, half fearful proposal of
gaa. 1t had a tremulous note of
,rS ae IN lt-fear that she would refuse
VII, v last-1ust four lines-asked her to
loais a' nothing more. Yet, Miss Bragg's
sw gave the two the same meaning.
Spishea' hea' said Miss Bragg, as she
snaa ashea her note of acceptance ..tbe
80, the same to both letters
80 before 1t was q qualified, oh.