St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1899-09-09
To What Base Uses

SlE5JE55S S5E ~ - y u 7UE755E 4
DEYOND Dieppe is a fair country
ID skirting blue sea, and the poppie.
grew red and tall in the rustling wheat
The hedges are starred with blossoms
and powdered with dust, for the high.
ways are the roads of many.
Half way down the steep hill is q
little hostel, roadside in. 1t has a
face of flowers and is pleasant; it smiles
with the welcome of courteous ma
tive to the casual stranger; it invites
inspection; it suggests -refreshment,
and it disguises the materialistic form
OF its refrcshment with the glamour OF
roses and \ rustic porch.
The day was hot and hesitated at
the porch. The room inside looked cool;
it had 4 stone floor and a latticed win
dow, which was thrust open. Then ]
saw the fiutter of pink gown and a
silvery laugh came to me. l had a
married sister waiting for me at Pour
vile, and / was all ready; but then, /
argued, always had married sister,
and she was generally waiting for me
somewhere, for l am invariably late;
and pink gown, in conjunction with
so silvery q laugh, was alluring.
went in. The sunlight outside was
very bright, the half-light in the room
was dim, and I stepped upon a dog-a
pug dog, l afterward discovered
which resented my familiarity with his
teeth. That destroyed the effect of
my entrance. 1t produced a hurried
exclamation and half-laugh trans
lated into cough. The exclamation
came from me. apologized profuse-
~ TO the lady who had been indeter-
inmate as to laugh or cough. She was
] saw divinely small, a cool, sweet, in
noccnt face, with mischief, however.
lurking in the eyes; a figure slight, will
lowy; an air of command aud a dress
inccnceivable to an insular understand
ing-a mere dream of light fri4s, soft
) silks and color.
! She drew herself mp with some hau-
four inches, from which deducted two
inches in consequence of a glance at
het shoes. In the labor of buttoning
long glove she spoke.
monsieur, / too must apologize. 1t
was ill of Fido. 1t is pardonable that,
in the heat of such surprise, a man
should say-should say what you
said"
.sYet to me it is grief" protested.
"I.". she went on, buttoning her
glove, with her eyes fixed on me under
the curtain of their long lashes, Il
sthought you were some one else.
hate to be taken for any body else
but myself like to keep the futter-
ing hope that l am unique. l was
piqued.
Madame" answered, Il am sorry
that was not the other person"
She looked at me for quite awhile,
which made me feel uncomfortable. At
such moments. have always misgiv-
ing that my tie has wriggled. Then
she smiled The smile began in her
eyes, spread to her lips, and finally
took refuge in her teeth. l smiled too
-frcm sympathy partly, and partly to
show her that bore her no ill will for
her mistake.
Does monsieur generally enter an inn
to tread upon little dogs?" l became
aware that l had not summoned the
landlord. was also aware that did
not wish to summon the landlord.
.sI heard you laugh" l said. The
fact seemed all eloquent to me, it ap-
peared so to her.
II was expecting some one. We had
81 vr.aIo
..He was to blame"
81 have not said that it was a man."
sit was unnecessary. You were good |
enough not to think me devoid of COM
mon sense"
; 'Hs departed in anger"
"A most ill-tempered man."
ssf / were in the wrong"
(which is supposition very much |
strained"
Il should be miserable, but as it is |
] laugh"
"And when you laugh the world
stops at your window
Monsieur is pleased to regard him
self in a very fiattering light"
"And l, as the only tangible object
of the world, entered"
..AA!"
She played short solo upon the
stone floor with the tap of her shoe, it
was crescendo. Her brow-it was as
marble for whiteness sud as soft as
rose leaves-wrinkled in thought, her
lips-I hardly know whether to bless
the gods for permitting me sight. or
cprse them for the hot temptation-I
puckcrcd. She was evidently ponder
ing.
'It is" she said at length, IAN un-
entrance"
ssIt is an unceremonious introduc-
tion," l corrected; 1.-The entrance was
not unceremonious-"
aCnless to Fdo." She laughed
little, and I began to find her laugh
rather irritating-at times. But the
worst of it is there has been no intro
duction."
.Does that matter?" asked. For
INV part was willing to fore1o such
triyalities-
II do not know your name"
s4Nor I yours, SO that is = bond of
sympathy. Let Us" went on in glow
81 inspiration. Imagine that we have
heen. introduced at . dance. One never
knows the names in such cases."
sae was certainly to blame"
.Eesfainly. II man willingly yalks
one q psr.dise he must Be either afool
or
ssHe will come hack"
5 s.In that case-~ began, rising snd {
lakilg my hat from the chair. 4