Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1899-09-07

Madame, l greatly fear sunstroke.
1t is disease which has had remark
able fatality for our family"
1 replaced my hat upon the chair on
which l had previously seated myself,
and seated myself upon the chair on
which had previously placed my hat.
That chair was nearer to madame by
over foot.
Monsieur is prudent" she said, and
smiled. 1 should have been perfectly
happy if her gaze did not so often wan
der through the window frame and
seek the sunshine outside.
"Nay, l fear" 1 murmured, looking
at her ardently, ''imprudent."
"That is hardly in the nature of
compliment"
Because" went on boldly, Sin the
Joy of a moment, a minute, an hour, /
peril my future peace"
She beat another solo upon the floor,
and again looked into the sunshine. My
eyes followed the direction Of hers, and
I thought saw hat. The hat was Sc
we're, nay rigid, it was a masculine hat.
"Is the peril so great?' she asked.
She spoke so softly that pushed my
chair a little nearer to her and lcant
forward.
"The answer is entirely in your
hands, madame" said.
There may be no peril she pouted,
''for who knows what tree of love may
spring from this mere grain of barely
ten minutes?"
She glanced at me sideways.
"Have you noticed the roses at the
Window"
NO" l answered. "They are there,
no doubt-roses are often at windows
but have eyes for you only"
"There is one, almost a bud. | covet
it. 1 must have it,"
She rose and passed swiftly to the
window. Again I thought l saw the
hat. | rose. | followed her. | stood
behind her as she raised her ungloved
hand-a dainty, slender, white hand;
hand that any man might not tire of
kissing easily. She caught the bud,
broke its stem and gave faint cry.
"You have hurt yourself" said.
"a thorn" she answered, hurriedly;
"it has pricIed met is still in, fear"
I took her hand in mine. have had
some experience with th0rns in connec-
ton with little hands, and l did not look
for any deep wound, yet must confess
to some considerable surprise when
found none at all, and even after minute
search no visible impression upon the
satin of her skin.
Madam" said, falteringly, Il can
see nothing"
Stupid" she cried pettishly, yet not
loudly. Look again. tell you l have
hurt my hand badly. You cannot see
well. Hold it to the light"
held it to the light. L looked at it
very carefully-the hand was really
worth looking at bent lower over it
lower still. Then suddenly l glanced
upward. She was smiling. l saw a
challenge in her eyes. L kissed her
hand.
"Clotilde," said voice over my head.
1t was a strange voice, and it seemed
out in the garden little above me. l
looked up and recognized the rigid, Sc
we're hat. He looked bad-tempered when
he observed me; he looked penitent
when he gazed upon madame.
Henri" she cried, 81 have thorn in
my finger. This gentleman is clumsy
he cannot discover it,"
She glanced at me scornfully, and
stretched out her perfectly healthy
hand to the owner of the rigid hat, who
took it, Then, in that hand, innocent of
a scratch or mark, he found thorn,
plucked it out, and kissed the place
where it had been. think, though,
the wound was after all not in her
hand and if l did not find it was not
useless in the healing.
Then suddenly | remembered that ]
had not summoned the landlord, and
rectified my forgetfulness in violent
manner. When mine host entered he
was in time to see the rigid hat bend
ing under parasol somewhat down the
road.
'Ah, they have made it up again" he
cried, with evident satisfaction. ~ am
glad of that, for the wedding is to be iii
the early part of next week, and am
to supply the wine for the ceremony"
Everyone seemed satisfied but myself.
1 continued my walk 10 Pourville, hav-
ing remembered my sister who was
waiting.-Chicago Times-Herald.