The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1901-04-27

~ 10y otodAOo III DutCA lOl tuC LituS UC
ing. I had dined with the farmer, tn,
plain sisters had made music for me
they had lifted up their voices in song
also. for / was an honored guest, hav
ing been enabled to do some little deco
OF Kindness through the favor of oul
courteous general to a relative Of tn,
ladies who was prisoner in our lines
They had given me blankets and rug.
for the poor beggar, and the genera
had handed them to the man. TIL.
night was q beautiful one, so, lightinf
cigar, I rambled down toward thu
Quarter-mile long avenue OF orange
trees; It was to be my last visit, for Out
troops were on the move 1t dawn. Al
sauntered forward I heard the rustl,
Of woman's skirts amid the bushe.
on my right, and looking In that direc
ton l saw the navy-blue dress and the
red-gold hair Of the lady who had beer
teaching me Dutch. l had not many
seconds to look at her, but brief as thu
time was had long enough to notice
that one hand the blue skirts switched
up so that about a foot of white pet
ticoat was displayed. l also noticed
that she was heading toward the or
ange walk, which l had long since
learned was known in the family az
'the lovers walk" She did not look
in my direction, did not turn toward
me at all, but like many another fool
I was pulled up in my folly. What
harm Is there in it, l unused, II take
my last lesson in Dutch In the shade OF
the orange trees? Tossing my cigar
away, l sauntered after the flying fig
ure, out of the fiower-garden. over the
field, into the shady walk. l mean
dered like a he-goat through gap in
a hedge, walked about fifty yards, and
saw no one, heard no one. Then all at
once l found myself looking right into
the face of big, hairy savage, who
wore a tweed coat and bandolier full,
of cartridges; in his hands he carried
a handy little Mauser carbine.
"Well, Mr.. Spy" said the hairy in
dividual, you are my prisoner"
l tried to smile, but somehow the
springs in my face had got out of order
and would not work.
What did you want sneaking after
me for, you beastly Englishman, >"
snarled the man with the gun. Il could
have shot you last night, and the night
before, and the night before that, If l
had liked; but did not want to bring
trouble on this farm. What did you
want to hunt me for?"
1 found my tongue for moment.
then. Hunt you be blowed; didn't
know such a chap existed"
He lowered his carbine an inch or
two. Then what are you doing In
the lovers walk?"
What are you doing here?"
blurted.
We stared at each other like two
grass-fed calves in the starlight, and
I edged a foot or two away from the
gun. Just then l heard the patter of
girlish feet on the gravel behind me.
and, turning my head, saw one Of the
plain sisters hurrying toward us, and
almost at the same second the reddish
gold head of the beauty" the head Of
the girl who had been teaching me
Dutch, passed from patch Of shadow
into the streak of starlight where the
hairy young giant was standing fond
ling his gun l saw her clasp his arm,
heard her hurriedly whisper something
in Dutch, which caused the giant to
grin as If half his head ached to part
company with the other half. The
beauty pointed toward me and the
plain sister, who had come to halt
beside me. The plain girl put her
hand kindly on my shoulder. and whis-
pered: Don't you think it's too chilly
out here?"
Chilly was no name for 1t. 1t was
as cold as Klondike. The sight of
that carbine in the starlight had taken
all the warmth out Of the atmosphere
as far as was concerned. turned to
60, when a little hand touched mine.
The lady who had been teaching me
Dutch was at my side. Before you
gentlemen leave" she said, II want
you both to make a promise. You are
enemies now; some day, when the war
Is over, you may be friends But
promise not to hurt each other by talk
ing of this meeting. Otto had no busi-
ness to come. Father had forbidden
him until the trouble ended with the
British"
81 came out of love for you," grunted
the man with the gun.
"And you came out of fondness for
me-" murmured the plain girl. her voice
shaking with laughter that was almost
choking her. l muttered the biggest
lie had ever parted with.
The hairy individual rested his gun
against a tree, stepped forward, and
lifting his SLOUGH hat to the plain girl,
said. For your sake. promise"
l lift"l my helmet to the beauty"
and said something similar. A few
minutes later, as l was buckling my
girth, heard him galloping of south
ward to join Olivier's commando. AS
l swung up into the saddle, the plain
sister slipped away, and the beauty
lifted her hand in farewell. AS our
hands met, she said, why did you
come to the lovers walk?"
ITO get last lesson in Dutch" |
said. with sheepish grin.
WELL" she answered, Il hope you'll
remember your lesson" and | heard
the two Of them laughing as gallop-
ed out of the veldt.-A. G.. Hales, in
the San Francisco Argonaut.
British Royal Succession.
In Great Britain the royal success
slim 10 An hn 80 L.