The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-06-19

"Never mind what l am; tell me
about yourself When, did you get
home?"
Chow did you know that I was
away" =. -
"What, do you suppose thatI came
to the island for?"
"Oh, I don't know; to fish, sup
pose. Aren't there four miles of fish
ing? Oh, no, I forgot; you came to
sketch, Of COURSE"
EXACTLY. Also to see-your father
and mother. I called on them day be-
fore yesterday, and they told me that
you would be home tomorrow"
"There isn't any tomorrow. l came
yesterday"
"Moral.-Always expect a girl two
DAYS before she is due. ("
''But how strange that mamma
didn't tell me. When I spoke OF you
She"
$50 on; why do you stop at such an
exciting 1noment?" When you spike
of me--what did you say?" ~suzs,
"Nothing."
Nothing for naught.' 1 hoped
that you would please my aattered cal;
by" e."
"Don't be q goose"
II can't. Both sex and gigantic in
tellect forbid it, even had I the incli-
nation, which I politely deny. How
long is it since your Aunt Armies
party?"
"Se7erai months, I believe"
"Several! Is that as near as you
can come to the date? Ny memory is
better than yours. It is six months to
a day-or was yesterday"
When they had seated themselves
side by side on the trunk of an old
tree, Rosalind had tossed her hat aside
and amused herself by stirring up the
dry leaves with the stick she held.
Now it dropped from her hand, and
she bent to pick it up, lifting q face
deeply flushed by the effort. The man
watched the bright curls and the little
ear, all that he could see Of the face,
intently. The ear was crimson.
"Did you have any reason for COM
ing yesterday" lie asked. "Had you
an engagement here?" She was silent.
81 had. I told some one that I would
be back from Europe and would see
her six months from the night of your
Aunt Annies party Do you know
who it was? Do you know where she
is? Little Bo-peep, what a humbus
you are!"
Still the head did not turn, though
it dropped little and the bright color
stained the brown throat.
"Have you quite forgotten our talk
that night among the palms i'll the
corner" he went on, softly and slowly,
moving closer to the girl, *stho talk
that I tried to have for weeks, when l
told you of 8 promise that had once
been made me by small girl with a
snub nose, who wore pinafore and
had q very dirty face? I think you
emembered it. Though the girl was
no longer small-in years, at least
she will never be very big, and her
nose is no longer a snub, it is delic-
iously tip-tilted! She doesn't wear a
pinafore now, and her face is most
charmingly clean, but she is not quite
so nice as in the old days-then
| She"
"Where can those children bel" ex.
claimed Rosalind, springing to her feet
and looking nervously about her. As
if in answer to her question came q
shout through the bushes, and it was
followed by q tall, handsome young
man, whose nose and di IMPLIES at once
proclaimed him "Brother Tom"
''Hello, Dedhamr' he said cheer
fully, running his fingers through {
moist mop OF curly hair. 'Then Rosy
is all right; 1 thought"
"Why, Tom," said Rosalind, won
deringly, edo you remember Mr.. Ded
ham? You were such little boy!"a
"Last week, and this? Very small
Of course, but still by making al effort
I can dimly recall"
GLOW long have you been here, Mr.
Dedham?" asked Rose severely.
About ten days. Tom, have yor
any idea where the children-I should
say sheep-haye strayed to-"
"Sheep?"
'Your sister Bo-Peep's eight tende
lambs; she has been wildly looking TO-
them for the last half hour. She com
forted them with green apples AM
then she turned them adrift. She i
very tired. It is late. Suppose thu
you"
II am not tired at all," cried Rosa
lind, ''and I have been interruptin
you shamefully. He was working
with might and main when I cam
across him, Tom. Let us leave him t
his paint brushes again and hunt TO
the children; that they are missing i
the only true word he has spoken
Good-by, Mr.. Dedham. Possibly W
nav sen Won before Won leave - ~