The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1896-04-30

Then bright idea came to mo ant
I sad softly: "Polly."
"Well," she said, little IN.
graciously and without turning hes
head I'VE were walking now and she
was a step or SO in advance). "wnat i:
it?'
stepped quickly up to her an
caught her. hand. "Polly," I said
again, "there;s only one way for us to
keep from qnarreling and that's to get
married right away. Then we couldn't
twit one another about our old flames.
Now, personally don't care q fig
about Maria Jones'"
And then we came upon Maria face
to face in the narrow path, and she
must have heard what [ said by the
queer, triumphant CLEAN in her eyes.
Polly greeted her etfusively and
after the greetings were over Maria
remarked: 81 thought 1 heard my
name mentioned just as J turned the
corner. And she looked searchingly
from one to the other Of us.
"Polly looked at me, so I beca>
lamely: 'You-er-you did. You
see, my dear Maria" polly flashed
lightning glance at me and I hastily
corrected myself, "my dear Miss
Jones, Polly was just saying how much
she wanted to see you again"
Maria evidently did not believe o
word of my speech, but she said sweet
ly: "Oh, how nice of you, Polly! I'm
sure I'm glad to seeyou, too. What's
the matter with your eyes, dear?
They re SO red, have you been crying?
| hope" with stern, sharp glance at
me and smile fickering about the
corners Of her mouth. "that you have
not been vexing her.
ooh, no, indeed" said Polly quick
ly and mendaciously. 'T-I got q
gnat in my right eye and it hurt SO
that the other one got red out Of SYM
pathy, I Isuppose."
She blushed as she said this and
looked SO pretty that I forgave her the
fib on the spot, although hate falsi5y
in a woman and have often told Polly
SO when she has told pretty little
"white lies'' and defended them on
the ground that they are necessary to
the good of society in fact, we have
quarrelled about that very point sew
eral times.
ooh, really said Maria, chow
peculiar And I suppose your nose is
red out of sympathy, too? Well,
good-by, dear, really must go. I
promised to meet Arthur Sternbook
here an hour ago and then I met you, "
with pretty glance at me and mali
cious one for Polly, land l forgot all
about it. You have no idea," looking
full at Polly now, ''what a pleasant
time we had talking over our old
friendship before you came into the
park"
81 know" said poor Polly, bravely,
although her dear little lips were quiv-
ering, 81 saw you long before you saw
me-"
ooh, no, DEAR answered that hate
full girl Maria, sweetly but positively,
''that couldn't have been, for we saw
you come through the gates and your
face said-Well, [ really must go.
Goodbv, good-by," and she walked
off towards Arthur Sternbrook, who
was just dawdling lazily towards US.
$50 she really was going to meet
him" said Polly, incredulously, "and
she didn't just make that an excuse for
her Irritation with you"
"Flirtation, DEAR" I began, sscan
you really think that I would firt
with such girl as Maria Jones" II
was roally angry with Maria for hav-
ing behaved so meanly)---"after know.
ing you, darling?'
Polly shifted and I had bad quarter
of an hour with her. You see, had
so little to Say, there was so little
could say after Maria had taken the
wind out of my sails in that unfeelinG
, fashion.
But presently we came upon Maris
and Arthur, and they were walking
very far apart and Arthur looked ex
tremely angry about something.
Then Polly smiled wickedly and re
Tented little, but when, an hour OF
! so later, left her at her own door
! she said, decidedly: "I'm so glad
said that about Maria Jones, dear
she was setting her cap for you!"
And this time l made no answe
whatever. Chicago News.
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