The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-12-24
OF PATTERNS;


t0ESSA = tered timidly,
M9DS& with a furtive
Glance at her master, for whom her
heart was bleeding. But if her timid-
ity had arisen from the fear Of seeing
some exhibition of terrible sorrow,
she had alarmed herself needlessIy.
No signs of tears, either past or pres
ent, was visible in the young mans
eyes. They were hard and bright
Hard, also, was his face, and the
clenched lips like adamant.
He took the thick envelope off the
salver, glanced at the clerkly writing
and at the back, upon which was
stamped in blue letters "W. Robin
son & Co." Then he flung it on the
table, and as the servant left the room
the sound of harsh laughter broke
upon her astonished ears. She fled
to the kitchen and with scared face
whispered that she though poor Mr..
Ord must be going mad.
Small wonder, perhaps, if he were!
He had written a few days before to
William Robinson for those patterns
that he might choose the materials
for his wedding suit. What weighty
matter that choice would have haanl
May was so particular about what lie
wora-- He ,-g0d TO be little careless
about his dress once-going about IN
coats with creases in them, and far
mef's boots. Then, in his endeavor
to gain Mays appreciation, he had
overdone it in the opposite direction,
sporting collars of absurd height, and
impossible ties, enduring like a
martyr the pinch of patent leather
shoes o size too small for him and get
ting himself little chaffed by ap-
pearing in suits Enthusiastically in adj
vance of the fashion.
May, with gentle tact, had changed
all this. Never hurting her ardent
young lover by open condemnation of
his apparel, but by artful suggestions
had first reused him to an interest in
his attire, then toned down his some
what crude tastes, an l finally schooled
him into that quiet perfection Of dress
ing which is the attribute Of a gentle
man. He had written for the pattern
from RobinsOn's o few weeks before
the important suit should be needed,
as he wanted to have Mays opinion
with regard to the materials. Already
the little, laughing, gay girl had be-
gun to be more than q mere piece OF
loneliness for his admiring eyes to rest
upon. He consulted her about every
thing. Ho had no sisters, and until
the last year-when the death of an
uncle and the inheritance Of a fortune
had made him his own master-he had
lived a solitary life in remote coun-
try town with the relation by whose
sudden death he was enriched. May
Garden, one of the first young ladies
he came across in town, had taken his
heart by storm. The mixture of
frivolity and sound practical sense in
her nature was exactly what no need
ed. The one broke the crust of GER
tain moroseness born of an unloved
life, and the other steadied the pro-
pensities to extravaganza of taste and
living which unexpected wealth had |
not unnaturally aroused.
After that laugh of harshness, which |
lad so startled his servant, Laurence |
Ord went back to the study of Mays
portrait. It was indeed a veritable
May" face. Cheeks like young |
roses, hair brown as hawthorn twigs, |
Ups which were akin to the deep pink |
buds of the apple blossom, and eyes
rinct with azure, like two crystal wells
That drink the blue complexion of the |
skies.
These latter laughed back as if in
hooking merriment to the hard gray
'nes which were looking down on
him. A sob of anguish broke in
5roan from Ord's lips. He tried to
'ealize that these dancing eyes were
closed forever. Tried-tried as many
md many bereaved one had striven
n vain to do-to grasp the fact that
.he dear lips would never speak again:
hat no more until the day of resur-
'ection would so much as the fainteCt
color tinge the still white face, The
picture before him, bubbling over as
It was with life and mirth, gave the
10 to such thought. The idea Of
Slay-May, the merriest little person
IN the world, lying cold and silent wsg
100 much for the young man who last
1ad seen her having a wild game with
! kitten on the deck Of . friends
yacht.