St. Tammany farmer., 1901-08-24

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=. e'ers, rs observed Broadbridge, grave
~ You should have considered the
modern writer's"
MISS Peters airily disregarded tho
sarcasm.
we have smart writer's, nowadays,
we haven't any great writer's"
Tor new woman you are the
most old-fashioned 1 ever met" he
sald' gazing half quizzically at the
mannish little figure. Miss Peters
mad grace, if she hadn't beauty.
suspect only my clothes are
new, she answered, with a laugh.
Tel me about your heroine. Is she, y
nesltatlngly, "very beautifully"
10 me she is very BEAUTIFUL" said
broadbridge, though, of course,
beauty is u matter of taste. Still /
may safely say'-Miss Peters thought
ne said it with unnecessary, almost
brutal, emphasize that the good
reading public would also call my
heroine beautiful"
Il suppose they are more interest
ing when they are beautiful" ad-
mltted Miss Peters. "but I wish''-
wistfully-"some one would write q
story about an ugly girl.''
IL would be rather catchy title,'
observed Broadbridge, carelessly. He
wondered if the ugly girl was not q
trlfie lacking in penetration.
Broadblidge was young enough to
h0ffAr HI al =
women very well. Such presumption
generally carries with it it's own pun
lshment. When Miss Peters, after
that conversation about his heroine,
began to avoid him, he made up his
mind that she had read in his eyes
his growing interest, and did not
care to encourage it. Broadbridge
began to feel blue and his story be-
came of secondary Importance. The
rector possessed valuable reference
library, which he placed at Broad.
bridges disposal.
When Miss Peters began to desert
him in his walks the library was a
pretext for meeting her. The story
was almost finished, and in spite Of
his blueness he felt singularly elated
over it. Miss Peters lack of interest,
however, marred his content. He was
sitting in the library late one after
noon reading when she came in unex-
pectedly. She nodded, cordially to
Broadbridge, seized a book and
turned to leave.
"Stay and talk" pleaded Broad>
bridge. "It's too early for lights and
too dusky to read"
. "We've nothing more to talk about" )"
said Miss Peters, gazing into the fire.
II know what you would say on ev-
cry subject"
'Well, life, for instance" suggested
Broadbridge, nettled.
can i'll endured because man is vain
and objects to becoming nothing"
"And death?"
can ending with no fresh begin
ming"
"And-love?"
Filtration carried to its logical
-distllusionment."
As she mockingly repeated some Of
his own pet cynicisms Miss Peters
looked provokingly impertinent in
the freight. but, of course, she
couldn't realize her own irresistible
charm, and when Broadbridge sud-
denly kissed her there seemed no ex-
cuse for him. He had no opportunity
for the explanation that was meant
to follow the kissing, for Miss Peters,
after one indignant, scornful glance,
fed from the room. That night he
almost finished the story. The next
in passing through the hall,
he heard Miss Peters voice talking
to his hostess.
"It's been an engagement of long
she was saying. ALTHOUGH
don't believe I've ever mentioned
The name to you before"
"It's perfectly lovely, and I con-
yratulate you"
Broadbridge, dazed, seized his hat
and rushed out of the house. He
walked all morning. In the after
noon he tried to finish his story, but
found he. couldn't write an intelli-
gent line. Finally, with sudden re-
solve, he bundled up and sent it un.
finished to the editor. The next day
1e went down to bid the rector good
BY. He inquired for Miss Peters.
"Ah," said the rector, kindly, "she
vas so sorry to leave without seeing
you. She left last night for Boston
% attend the wedding of a college
friend. It's an engagement of long
I believe. The girls prom
sed at college that whoever was
married. first should invite the other
% be maid of honor"
Two weeks after he left Ashton
received a letter from
he editor, together with the manu-
script. "Your story is the most
lvailable of any sent in,' said the let
er, "but it's not finished. Doubtless
you overlooked sending us the last
heet. If it ends happily, send it
,ack to us with the missing sheet,
nd we'll consider it,
Two days later Miss Peters in Bos-
on received a manuscript entitled
An J1ply Girl" together with the |