The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1902-04-03
BENTON LOUISIANA THURSDAY, April. 3, 1902

I~ts take them outside" she said,
leading the way through the hall to
French window that opened onto the
gardens. He followed with claret cup
and cigarette.
"There's seat looking over the sea,
up little side path the other side of
the lawn. Let's come to that she
said.
How many weeks were you here be-
fore you found that out?" he asked.
The smoke of his Turkish cigarette
blew across his face and reminded him
of something.
"Did you ever know me take longer
than the first night?" she asked him.
Cant say that l did, he replied.
"Wasn't that something about the
length of our engagement"
"Our acquaintance, you mean-be-
fore we were engaged"
ut amounted to the same thing in
those days: we were both so abomi-
nably young-especially YOU
"And now? You don't think I'm de-
crepit now, do you?'
| GU Ie L. years olueT.
"Well, and what's that? 1t only
makes me 30.'
''You might have learned as much
in month";" he said. at isn't the ge,
it's the time
He smiled to himself as he thought
of her as she was-a slim little girl
with wideawake eyes and lips that
were supersensitive to anything.
I'm the first place." he replied, "had
it been II years ago you wouldn't have
looked at me this evening. You used to
be SO proud-as proud as the frills you
wore around your neck. That pride, in
fact, was really the reason for-for
everything. l don't know if you have
learned to realize that, have you? Why,
do you know" he went on, putting his
glass down on the gravel, "do you
know why you married me at all? Sim
ply because you were baby and mar
riage seemed to be such a grown-up
affair, so pride persuaded you into it,
How ridiculous" she said, GROSSLY,
You are talking all nonsense You
preach as much as the clergyman did.
and his is eXcusable-it's habit
SIT was pride that caused our sepa.
tion," he persisted with the usual per-
tinacity of his kind. You thought you
were overruled, whereas you were only
being supported. There's big differ
ence, only when ones a baby differ
ences show to advantage"
II really object to being called a
baby in that patronizing way" she
said, in little burst of temper.
He ruminated how her tone corrobo-
rated his last statement.
Tell me what you are doing with
yourself" he said, after pause. Are
you getting on we'll with the world?"
He seemed quite casual.
"Why with the world? Mayn't deal
with individuals?''
at doesn't generally happen" he re-
marked. with a woman when she's
world
Her expression was dangerously
near one of contempt. He took up his
glass and drank some of the contents
then emptied the remains on the grass
"On the WHOLE he said at length
do you get on as you used to do-12
years ago? No knocks, I mean
"What do you mean by knocks?" she
asked.
well, | only wanted to say that as
far as I'm concerned-I mean, OF
course, if you ever want any zone to help
you over a style-you have only got tc
send for me-"
She put down her ice deliberately
81 prefer not to be classed as lame
dog" she said
| He smiled quietly. "At any rate, ad-
NIT then that pride is not in your pocl1.
et,' he said-
mo, it's on my sleeve" she replied
tartly.
"Ah,' he said, "then mind people
don't brush against it when they walk
or push past you in the world
A small dance was given the next
night for those who had remained
Among these were an effe nina te youth
from Boston and the clergyman. Mars
den had judged them as types. Once
that evening he had danced with her
but her pride was still on her sleeve
She had been waited upon intermit
tently by the youth and the clergyman
until Marsden, feeling tired of it all
had gone out into the garden. He sat
on the same seat they had occupied the
previous evening looking wistfully at