The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1900-03-24
THEIR HONEYMOON.

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tiled gas CRATE. The first thing It
welcomed Tom home was the ghav
grin from a hideous Joss head abe
the heavy Persian portieres. |
"Isn't it a beauty?" Nan had So
"Poor fellow needs civilizing, tbs
ALL" he returned.
There were cushions everywhe
The three-cornered divan was bank
with all sorts and conditions; til
were piled, pagoda style, in une
pected corners and trapped the feet
the unwary. It was a week befo
he rebelled against being posed fl
an hour at time on the divan, viii
Nan tried the effect of each pillow
a background, to see which was til
most becoming to his peculiar styl
of beauty.
But the chafng dish was tn,
"bird," as he jocosely informed th,
boys down town, when they com
mented on his growing slenderness
1t was fair to look upon, fair il
promise, sit stood in state on quain
old Empire table near the tabouret
its surface shining as silvery moon
light, its business-like appearance
suggestive of delicious possibilities.
And Nan never looked more charming
than when she sat Turkish fashion be-
fore the tabouret, and played presid.
ing goddess of the chatting dish, in q
wonderful robe, the tint of dead La
France roses, with a girdle of old
beaten silver set with uncut jewels
about her slim waist, and her pretty
hands fussing ever mysterious jars on
the tray beside her.
But there was something lacking
The chocolate and rolls in the morn
ing were delicious, the chatting dish
feasts at night were enchanting, but
it was not until he strolled guiltily in
to the Rienzi and ordered a porter
house that his vague ideas took a
definite form and he knew that
the soul of man is not to be
satisfied with an eternal menu of
lobster and oysters and heaven knows
what, with entrees of Welsh rarebit
and Judges, the latter being a revival
of Mans college days.
After the first day it was easier to
transgress the unwritten law of 10y
atty to the cha6ng-dish, and the Rienzi
knew him frequently; but when he
reached the little fat at night and
confronted the goddess at her shrine,
his conscience smote him, and he
caught himself noting her appearance.
She would never survive such diet.
He fancied the dainty color in her
cheeks was fading. and one night he
counted the loops on the silver girdle
to see if it had been clasped closer,
and he thought of the inner man, not
exactly "capon lined," but pretty near
it, and he longed to smash the delusion
and snare on the tabouret, and march
Nan off to the Rienzi for a good square
meal.
Then came the big Farnsworth case,
and worked on it like Trojan all
lay to get scoop for the tirst.edition,
md that day the Rienzi knew him not.
It was very late when he, reached the
Barracks. From Sixth avenue he had
'een a desolate form kneeling at the
window watching the elevated station,
md he was glad he had not waited to
get dinner down town.
"Poor, dear boy" she said, II was
10 sorry for you, working away"
"Got anything to eat, Nan?" he
'sked, his eyes looking over her shoul-
Ter at his old enemy.
Something lovely" she said. "Sal-
MS of quail with olives, and some
ther things"
Slowly and deliberately Nugent
eated himself on the divan, and
the preparations with calm,
interest. There was rich
ooking sauce, whose highly seasoned
fragrance tickled his nostrils, but the
uails looked like humming birds in
he light Of his present needs, and bS
be time Nan reached the olives his
hole soul rose in revolt, and he said,
ale, but firm:
Nan, this sort OF thing can't go on
ny more. I'm tired of it,
A couple of olives rolled on the rug
nd she looked up, waiting.
'I'm awfully sorry" he rose and
aced the floor nervously, wishing
le would not look so white. "Td
eep it up if J could, but it's no use.
We tried, honest, dear; I have tried
IF your sake, and now I've got to tell
ou. Why, Nan, it wouldn't be fair
you if I didn't, would it now?"
The salmis was cooking too rapidly,
I'd mechanically she extinguished the
anne.
ssIt's q month tomorrow" she said
a queer, low tone as she rose and
oked at him, "and you are tired of
Tom squared his shoulders reso-