The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-06-06
THE CRUMPLED ROSE LEAF.
b7 Erh.s6a hrtHa

cd dewn on the white skiis of ., yacht !
lying a mile or two out, making the
brasswork glitter and the pretty little
table, set under the awning,
loci, most cool Ind Inviting 1T was
charmingiy arranged deux, and every
thing, from the delicate eggshell china
to the little rat-tailed spoons, was OF the
daint;es. aeseishii6n' Everything
around looked so calm and quiet; 1t
seemed almost as though spell lay
over it ell, and the ship were about
to sail into on enchanted eitk.-the bril-.
liant blue OF the Mediterranean and the
cloudless southern. sky, with the white
roofs and orange groves Of ,Algiers in
the distance, maleing Up d picture
worthy of fairy-story! At least, so
thought the man and woman who were
leaning against the rail watching
tiny boat which WIS slowly making
iis way out to thcin:, The woman held
a big scarlet Eiihshaae av$f Ter, Is sliel-
ter her fair curly head and sweet ino-
bile face from the sun.
"Fancy, Harry" she was laughing,
"iust month to-day since we were
married. What a charming remem-
brance! and what q lovely idea CT yours
to have all those flowers brought over
to decorate the ship with for tonight!
The sun beat down on the little white
hands holding the parasol, and made
this brilliant rings upon thcm glitter
again. "iye'1i begin at once; rs soon
as he comes" she went on. Il think
q festoon of big yellow flowers WOULD
look splendid over the saloon door"
ooh, no." answered her husband,
laughing; 1--WE won't begin at once,
we'll have breakfast first, and look at
the papers; in fact, don't you think it
will be too hot for us to do anything
little woman? Tmeant to let Williams
do il nil, and ws could sit in otr deck
chairs and direct him.. sou khowl,' -,
"You lazy old thing!" she cried. u
do believe you get worse and worse
every day, and the idea of wanting to
look at papers when you're Oh your
honeymoon! l never heard of such
thing"
well; i'm sire god were as eager as
I was for the letters this morning.; he
laughed; lit would serve you right II
there were none, keeping me waiting
all this time for my breakfast, too,
and he cast a longing and smiling look
towards the little table under the avn
ing:
"Don't go yet. Harry" she said; hes
! lust coming now" and even as she
spoke the boat drew up at the yachts
side. 1t was, indeed, goodly cargo
that she carried, baskets of oranges
bananas and purple grapes, whilst the
| other end Of the boat was mass Of
brilliant blossoms, and on the seat be
side the tall swarthy African lay
precious little packet Of letters acc
newspapers:
"Oh," gasped Molly. who was an art
list in a small way; "oh, what glorious
mass of color, what lovely flowers!"
Meanwhile the men carried the has
kets on board, and Mr.. Ashley, with hi
letters, walked over to the table ant
sat down in low deck-chair.
"Now, sweetheart" he said; "yeus
give mo a cup of tea, won't you? Her
are two letters for you, do come and 81
DOWN."
But Molly was kneeling beside tn
flowers, burying her face first in on
basket, then in another; and had to b
coaxed away and comfortably instalie
in her Chinois wicker chair by Harr
himself before she would settle dow
TO breakfast nnd her letters. Such
pretty picture as she made! her whit
dress and scarlet parasol standing on
against the deep blue of the sea, and b'
hind her the large baskets of flower
; and fruits.
They were both engrossed in the
: posts; she, reading her first letter
from home since her trip, he, lookin
over the latest town news and renuln
eogerly all that had happened in Ii
beloved London during the three weel
! he had beea away. Sometimes
looked up with smile, and read her OF
n bit of news, and asked how her mot
er was, and the boys, and at last, hnis
ing off his tea with n sigh of satisfa
ton, he handed her his cup 10 refill.
q "How perfectly delightful it is here
:, he said, looking round on the beaut.f
; scere, end then letting his eyes re
. lovingly en- his wife; land think W
( look charming pouring out tea
e added, with laugh.
Q Fancy paying your wife comp
o ments after having been married
O MONTH" she smiled; you are not kee
il ing up your role of old married man"
o "I can't do that at the expense
q TRUTH" he answered.; land you knt
% / always had to say cut what l though
It But you have tiny frown, sweethear
l! what's the matter? no bad news,
d hope?" he said, quickly.
- ooh, no." she returned. "This is
= letter from Olga, and she always I'll
70 ~ me up the wrong way, somehow, 8
.. - says: 4 presume you are having p
=: feet time; now tell me what is t
- crumpled roseleaf in all this hap
ness ?-for one there must bel AM
= thought for a moment, If ever O
>. should come, if it could go on like t
r. always without changing. 1t see
At too good to be true" she added, in a i
N tone; "but there is absolutely not e'
n O crumpied roseieaf so far"
IN mo, DEAR" he said, quietly, bendi
en- down and kissing her hands; there
n, no serpent in our Eden!"
- Ia 80. o,1y offarx-orJS ba rep,e