The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1900-12-20
Two Lovers Of Lila

b Lid lnVuSulSO. oAc AOuAu
6oth charming in such opposite, sucE
eontrasting ways. 1t was Max Claren-
don, her fathers private secretary,
Who had Deen sent to bring her home
] he day she graduated. Like true
woman the opinion OF other women
inAuenced her.
He isn't really handsome" her
companion had declared. He is too
/ Singular land just a little awkward
Then there's his hair. He ought 10
Near that long-or at least as long as
Irving wears his-if he is really q
pct"
For Max Clarendon had published
eome really remarkable verse in the
leading magazines. 20, he isn't to be
eonpared to your fathers partner
Burton Dildine!" decided Lila's bosom
friend. .sHe is so big and broad-ha
- such look Of bravery: And it's
piaiu to be seen he adores you, Lila!"
But Lila only laughed, and said thai
~ this talk was nonsense. She de-
elAred she was girl who was wise
only in the knowledge of how ignor-
4 ant she really was. And that she was
I going home to keep house for her IA
fher, and that it would be many a
rear before she left him for-anyone.
Nevertheless, in the year that fol-
lowed, and the next, she found her
self forced to consider the assiduites
q her ardent if repressed suitors. For
+ Ahc could not conceal from herself
md perhaps would not If she could
the fact th-t both men loved her
Though, indeed. they ahowed it IN
yastly different ways. One nigh,
] hare fancied that it was only hel
feminine intuition which made plain
10 her the fact that Max Clarendon
loved her at ALL Fe was~ occupied
With her fathers int.rests. He was
eonsumed by the-anwavering passion
his oy'r shtrancing literary labors
Md he did not pay her the pro
nounced and open homage of Dildine
Nho besieged her with invitations and
bombarded her with flowers.
But when they met by cnance there
IS Ras sudden lightning flash in his
dreamy eyes. swift compression o.
the sensitive, beafdless lips, a quicl
i tfradiation of countenance which be
tfayed the ecstatic thrill the mere
Alght Of her had given him. "Tha'
hecretary ct your father's is a queer
eAap remarked Dildine one day
some late verses of Clarendon's hat
been hugely praised by the critics ant
he was absurdly irritated thereat. :"
don't believe he has the nerve OF I
esf. We happened to meet the othel
az Just as an accident occurred Of
Warrington street. A ragged littl,
desil Of newsboy slipped, fell unde
aAe wheels of q cable car, and wa
AoFribly injured. Pom my word
d1rendon went white as ghost.
ought he would have tainted. He
tood bit Of coward. I take it,
coward! The term rankled in tn
- mind. It unconsciously infiu
- her, as had the remark of he
rest friend. She had all won
admiration of bravery. The grea
was to her the man of heroism-
daring.
ben that evening Max Clarendol
nght her little gift she was pei
less pleased by the offering tha
would have been before her "a
partner had reflected upon hi
age. The gift was slim volum
re. written by brilliant and uI
Ry poet of the Pacific coast
= whose self-inficted death wa
less sad than his life. She ha
eessed desire to read the poem!
Nas quite exhilarated at havin
I'd such an exquisite edition.
aon win fiKd many lines as deligh,
= those quoted" he assured he
NOW you will appreciate th
-the beauty of his work."
aenk you" ," she said, trifie coldlJ
are good. Pray do not exert your
ssin to humor my fancies."
Y glow and light went out OF hi
~ staid but short time, mu,
lev psrfunetory words 9