The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-04-10

preciative glance at the mirror opposite,
in which her piquant face and curling
golden hair were p~leasingly reflected
shut nothing ever happens-nothing
ever will happen, either, SO far as can
see-that has the least bit of romance
in it. Just this same old humdrum
life; I'm tired and sick of it. If some
thing startling would only occur! If
/ could even fall desperately in love
with some one"
Here the low, disconnected murmur
of Roses voice ceased, and a faint blush
crept into her pretty cheeks as her
thoughts drifted away toward a certain
<Esome one'' who had never formed a
part of that humdrum life of which she
had so often and so bitterly complained.
Rose had numberless admirers, as the
prettiest girl in the village always will
have, and she could recall an almost
equal number of f~irtations which had
served to brighten the m~onotony of her
village life.
But they were tame affairs; her heart
had never been really interested for a
moment.
As for the grande passion Rose knew
nothing of it save in her day dreams and
in the pages OF her favorite novels.
She had laughed at her would-be
lovers, and declared her conviction that
there is no such thing as love in real life.
But of late pretty Rose had secretly
begun to entertain a somewhat differ
emit opinion on that subject.
A handsome, intellectual face ard a
pair of laughing brown eyes were the
direct u of her change of heart.
Yet their owner seemed in no haste
to enroll himself on the list of her ad-
mirers. Indeed, Rose knew him only by
sight, for Wilbur Severance was a
stranger in the village; she had seen
him in-church two or three times, and
occasionally on the street; but he had
never sought an introduction to the
belle of the place, and, beyond a passing
glance of admiration, had not evinced
any special notice of her attractions.
Perhaps that was the very thing
which had awakened Roses interest in
him. At all events, she often caught
herself dreaming of those handsome
brown eyes, and wondering what she
should say if Mr.. Severance were ever
to tell her the story Of love which she
had SO often heard from other lips.
But there was little danger of that
apparently. Rose bit her lip in chagrin
as that thought forced itself upon her
even while she was contemplating heI
graceful image in the mirror; and
catching up her wide-brimmed garden
hat, she suddenlY quit the room and the
house, land went hurrying down the
path with q Kind of desperate deter
animation in her heart to get away from
the dullness of everyday existence ana
wiring an adventure Of some sort from
the unwilling hands Of Fate.
'sTn go down to the river she said
after a moment of INDIGESTION at ths
gate, land if / can find a boat, I'll row
about in the most dangerous places
q find. And I hope something will
happen; but it won't" she added, sar
castically, unless 1 upset the boat OF
purpose"
Turning into the winding road tina
led out Of the village, she soon came Il
the river and found a fragile shell of
boat dancing at anchor on the waves
as If left there by fate for her especia
use.
Rose unfastened the chain and wa
&oon shooting swiftly down the stream
keeping time with her oars to her owl
E~estlesA thoughts.
All at once a sound, breaking the still
ness Of the scene, drew her attention II
the shore; and with that glance Rose
heart gave a mad bound, and the
seemed to stop beating, for there OF
the bank, only a few feet distant, busil,
arranging . pile Of flshing-tackle, sa
the hero Of her present thoughts-th
handsome stranger with the Laughing
brown eyes.
And they were quietly laughing a
her now, Rose thought, as a blush Q
confusion dyed her cheeks.
The sudden start she gave jostled on
of the oars out Of her grasp, and, reach
eng to recover it, the something
which she had so recklessly wished 70