Hattiesburg daily progress. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 18??-1909, 1903-11-23

1
tered. the. house; irritated and cross
| when he came out II makes very lit
tie difference at the end of a mile
run how you felt before you began.
AS soon as David had heard the
theatre mentioned at the Owens he
| had thought: -
Then III go to see Violet Ander-
] SON."
Pleasant thoughts came back; the
struggling past, the successful pres
| ent, the glorious future. Violet would
not receive him as Mary had done.
He rather thought he liked Violet
better than any girl he knew. Mary )
| ideas were too much like a mans.
She had splendid mind, but after all
1t is nice to have women feminine.
And they ought to be fond Of music!
Mary could not tell one tune from an
other, whereas Violet-perhaps she
would sing tonight. When a man was
married it would be nice to have some
one to sing to him when he came
home from battling with the world
and beating 1t, David added, throwing
| out his chest.
He did not want to come home and
argue and get cross and be told that
success was a bad thing. He smiled
at this last idea and also at pleas
ant contrast which had suggested it.
self next
Violet was sitting on the steps OF
the front porch, near her father and
mother, when David made his appear
ance He smiled as he saw the per-
| feet taste and elegance Of her simple
summer dress, and contrasted it with
some unfortunate inharmonious col
ors which he had seen not long ago.
After shaking hands all around, he
sat down next to Violet. Mr.. and
Mrs. Anderson set out to make call,
leaving the young people alone.
The gentle south wind carried to
them the fragrance Of the lilac in a
neighboring garden. In the next
street children were still playing,
though it was high time they were in
Dcu, anu Luclt fOlCCS sNClC Wo4NOo ~
David and Violet softeped by the dis
lance.
1t was one of those evenings when,
somehow, one finds difficulty in low
ing ones neighbor. David found none.
How did you like staying at the
Callamores?" asked David. Are
young married people agreeable at
homer"
II didn't have an especially good
time" Violet replied, "but they did.
Do you know l rather envied them,
and wished l was married or engaged
or something"
If something" stood for 'in love"
David began to feel as if he were
something"
1t was pleasant to sit in silence, but
It was pleasanter to hear Violet's
voice on the night air. So he spoke
to her again, merely that she might
answer him.
THE only trouble with being mar
ried or engaged is that you must be
married or engaged to some one"
And you think l shall find difficulty
in bringing any one to the pointr she
inquired, smiling.
He could not help being embar.
raised. mo, l don't mean that. Only
thought you might feel like being
in love and yet not know any one you
cared for in that way"
She half rose from the piazza step
and adjusted her dress so as to sit
more comfortably. II think | shall be
able to find one," she said.
Her reply set him thinking. But
you cannot think reasonably about a
beautiful girl of twenty when she is
sitting next you on a piazza step.
David was conscious of a certain alb
surdity in the attempt.
Wont you sing to me, Violet?" he
asked.
THE piano was close by the long
glass door opening on the piazza.
IF you're obedient," she said, ris-
ing. "Sit perfectly still, and don't
move muscle except to say it was
pretty when I've finished"
He asked her to. sing so as to give
| himself a chance to think while she
was singing. If he wanted to think
! favorably of her this was an excellent
plan.
Violet had an exquisite taste in all
things, and she sang few soft bal
lads and one quiet song of Shubert's
that harmonized as well as the lilacs
and her own violets with the stiffness
and beauty of the evening.
When she came back David was
hardly himself. With characteristic
frankness she sat down close by him,
just where she had been before.
Shall we go in?" she asked.
ooh, no." said David, II could sit
| here forever" =
She looked up quickly. He seldom
made speeches like that.
II am perfectly satisfied" she said.
David began to think over some
thing he had heard about great gen.
! eral. who had suddenly changed his
| plan in the heart of an action, and by
so doing had achieved splendid vic
tory.
II agree with you in what you said,
Violet" he observed.
What do you mean?"
why, I think 1t would be nice to
be married, or engaged. or something,
| too"
Then, why don't your"