The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-07-25

age began to fail and he looked long
ingly toward the entrance. Suddenly
the door was flung open and charm
ing young girl came in like whirl- |
wind Without saying a word to him,
she picked up the dog and showered |
kisses upon her soft muzzle, inter-
spersing them with loving words and
affectionate reproaches.
Poor Singleton stood as if nailed to
the floor. He was at once disgusted
and Mortified. Here was the prettiest
girl he had ever seen, and what mess
he had made of the whole thing with
his clever disguised! At that instant he
would have sacrificed unhesita tingly
the entire manuscript of "Redemp-
ton" could chasm have opened un-
der his feet and swallowed him and
his dirty blouse. She looked at him at
last and smiled kindly, little sur
prised evidently at the appearance of
this workman. He seemed decidedly
above his position!
"It is you," she said, "that 1 must
thank for returning my darling Mira.
l have missed her SO much. am very
grateful for returning her and for
your kindness to her. How can l ever
thank you?"
She stopped suddenly, evidently re-
| membering how he expected to be
thanked, and blushing prettily, she
added: II must tell mother. Wait
moment, please"
Not giving him q chance for
word, she ran out of the room. Felix
could hear whispering in the next
apartment, and then the mother ap-
peared. He saw with Joy that she
was alone. She added her thanks to
her daughters, and then going with
Felix to the door, she pressed some
thing into his hand, and, the next
minute, he found himself on the door
step.
He was covered with shame; red
with rage! What had he done9
| What should he do next? Ring the
bell, and say that it was all a mis-
take? Offer an explanation to that
lovely girl? No, no, a thousand
times, no! He could not face her
again. Now that the worst of his
programme was over, why not fol-
low the rest Of it out to the time
when he could return the loan? After
that, who knew what might happen
That evening he wrote to his pub
Usher.
Two years afterwards, at great
charity bazar, one of the most popu,
lar tables was the one presided over
by Mrs. Dennis and her charming
daughter, Gertrude. The rooms were
crowded by elegantly dressed peo
, pie, and the bazar was such success
that even the simplest things were
selling for many times their value.
Everyone was talking about Ger
trude Dennis. She was very beauti
full. and then her fortune was some
thing enormous. She had already re
fused many offers, it was rumored
but look at the men around her now
The crowd was so great, indeed, ant
< the flowers she was selling were go
g ing so fast that some one suggested
I that the remaining ones be auctione'
= lin this way they might bring eve1
t higher prices. Stem by stem, the,
d disappeared at fabulous prices unit
:, nothing was left on the table but
d tiny bunch of violets. Furious com
S petition had pushed the price o.
t these to $40, when new voice wa
e heard:
+ 1.-TWO hundred dollars!"
e Everyone turned to see who tn
l. happy man was, whose means pei
mitted such generosity.
: "Oh," said one, pointing out fash
l. ionably-dressed young fellow, who's
head dominated the crowd. 90
course! It's Singleton, the poe
n whose play is having such run. Hi
success has been remarkable. Tw
" years ago almost no one had hear
r. of him, but by Jove! he deserves hi
J. luck!"
70 Gertrude, blushing slightly an
70 smiling, held up the violets.
n 1.-TWO hundred dollars! Two hui
" dred dollars! Going at 5000! Am
"a offered any more? Going-going-
Sold!"
"A The crowd separated before Singl
"a ton, who came forward and gave tt
h money to the young girl. She SCENE
is embarrassed as she handed him tt
6 flowers and looked searchingly {
r. him for a moment, as if trying
N connect him with some incident
v. her memory. Then she thanked hi
OF very prettily for his generosity,
Y. the name of the charity for whit
d. the bazar was given.
IS do not thank me-" he said, lowe
e. ing his voice so that no one else cou
SIS hear him, Il am simply paying
On debt contracted toward you during
Id most trying time in my life"
"Ah," Gertrude cried. "Then 1 ha
be seen you before! You are"
e. 'sMirza's rescuer! After you,
st shall always be grateful to her +
he her timely help"
he Mrs. Dennis joined them, and 81
on gleton, with the confidence of M
It's whose present prosperity permi
he him to resurrect an unfortunate pa
er told them how, with their 5000,