The St. Mary banner., 1901-04-13
FRANKLIN, La, SATURDAY, APRIL ls, 1901

sign-board fer an emporium for brains.
Her eyes were large, brown, and fear
less, not bold, nor yet wavering. Her
mouth was perfect, not one of those
sepulchres which disfgure some fem
inine faces, not childishly small like a
bud bursting into bloom, but strong,
true mouth, large enough for a prayer
to slip through, but not big enough to
swear with. Her waist would lust
about fill the crook Of strong mans
arm, and make him feel that there was
no room for anything else under heay-
en-. Her hands were shapely, brown,
and strong, cracked little by wind
and weather; not toy hands, but hands
that could spank baby, or help hus-
band back to paths of rectitude when
all the world had damned him past re-
demption.
So she looked when l saw her, and
said unto my soul: Verify it is a
good thing for man to know some
thing Of his enemies language" and
made up my mind to learn. 1t was
the fifth evening after that, and had
registered my fifth visit to the farm,
when an event beeell which put an end
to my studies in Dutch for the time be-
ing. l had dined with the farmer, the
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 deed
OF kindness through the favor of our
courteous general to a relative of the
ladies who was a prisoner in our lines
They had given me blankets and rugs
for the poor beEsar and the general
had handed them to the man. The
night was beautiful one, so, lighting
cigar, | rambled down toward the
quarter-mile long avenue of orange
trees; it was to be my last visit, for our
troops We're on the move at dawn. AS
sauntered forward l heard the rustic
OF q womans skirts amid the bushes
on my right, and looking in that direc-
tion | saw the navy-blue dress and the
red-gold hair of the lady who had been
teaching me Dutch. l had not many
seconds to look at her, but brief as the
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. also noticed
that she was heading toward the or
ange walk, which l had long since
learned was known in the family as
''the lovers walk" She did not look
in my direction, did not turn toward /
me at all, but like many another fool /
was pulled up in my folly. What
harm is there in it, l mused, II l take
my last lesson in Dutch In the shade of
the orange trees? Tossing my cigar
away, l sauntered after the flying flg-
ure, out of the hower-garden, over the
held, into the shady walk. l mean
iered like 4 he-goat through gap in
| hedge, walked about fifty yards, and
saw no one, heard no one. Then all at
,nce found myself looking right into
lie face of big, hairy savage, who
wore a tweed coat and a bandolier full,
II cartridges; in his hands he carried
handy little Mauser carbine.
"Well, Mr.. Spy" said the hairy in
lividual, you are my prisoner"
l tried to smile, but somehow the
prings in my face had got out OF order
md would not work.
What did you. want sneaking after
ne for, you beastly Englishman,"
narled the man with the gun. Il could
AVE shot you last night, and the night
,efore, and the night before that. IL. l
lad liked; but did not want to bring
rouble on this farm. What did you
want to hunt me for?"
Il found my tongue for moment,
hen. :. Hunt you be blowed; didn't
now such a chap existed"
He lowered his carbine an inch or
wo. "Then what are you doing in
he lovers ,walk?" i;
what are you doing here? l
lurted.
We stared at each other like two I
rass-fed calves in the starlight, and |
edged foot or two away from the {
un. Just then heard the patter of
Irish feet on the gravel behind me, ]
nd, turning, my head, saw one OF the {
lain sisters hurrying toward us, and
imost at the same second the reddish
old head Of the beauty" the head Of
ne girl who had been teaching me
'utch, passed from a patch of shadow
ito the streak Of starlight where the
airy young giant was standing fond !
ng his gun 1 saw her clasp his arm, =.
card her hurriedly whisper something !,
i Dutch, which caused sthe giant to ,,
rim as if half his head Fached to part )
with the other half. The !,
eauty pointed toward me and the
lain sister, who had come to halt >
eside me. The plain. girl put her ;
and kindly on my shoulder, and whis- :
cred: Don't you think it's too chilly r
ut here?" +
Chilly was no name for it. 1t was r
!, cold as Klondike. The sight OF O
lat carbinc in the starlight had taken .
/ the warmth out of the atmosphere e
; far as l was concerned. turned to n
}. when a little hand touched mine. v
he lady who had been teaching me z
utch was at my side. Before you u