St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-03-12
AS ALLY TO
--HUNT--
BY SARAH LINDSAY COLEMAN
Copyright. 1905. BY Daily Story Pub. g.,

-
IN oN'T!" Elizabeth lifted an adj
- monitory hand, sit will make 10
ana besides this is Friday"
standing on deck, hat in hand. ready
TO bid her good-by, Hunt did. Hadn't
ne attended 20 balls, 40 receptions and
something like 80 tea drinkings for her
sweet sake? Hadn't he sent expensive
candies, ingratiating flowers and edi-
ton de luxe books that had fairly
chased themselves up the steps in their
hurry to get to this most charming and
irresistible Of visiting girls.
She had ridiculed and satirized and
slmliized Hunt, even asking him for
the loan of his ears as handles for her
loving cup. (Hunt's ears were his sore
point) He had proposed to be told
she had not dreamed there was shred
OF proposal in him; had declared his
love Tor her to be the one absorbing
passion of his life to be chided for his
lack of originality, and in spite of the
warning "all ashore" cry he was at it
again
Co." she cried. The gangplank will
be drawn up" But he fingered obstinate
ly. Look at me-" he commanded. do
look like man who gets over things
easily?"
Unwillingly the girl lifted her eyes
to his again. His face was pale with
the fixity of his purpose. Under the ar
dor OF his eyes her own dropped She
was really very sorry that his liking
for her had grown into this great and
not to be managed passion.
Il wish could" she said kindly,
''but l can't. Go! you'll be carried to
New York" She gave him little push
toward the gangway as she said, 'Peo-
pie are noticing u.s."
II won't" said Hunt, doggedly. "I'm
going to make it IA right now, I'll
wire the fifteenth and -" ~
II wish could" Her eyes had kindled.
II do. You are like splendid bull
dog; when you set your teeth it takes
crowbar to unloose them"
You wish you could, then do" he
pleaded.
For one plying moment she felt
that under the intensity of his ardor
her own heart might kindle into-not
the old flame certainly, but something
that would satisfy him-then she shook
her head.
Its just that I've been so gay be-
ing back in the dear old place." she
said. II never meant to hurt you.
I'm not unlearned in such hurts. You
didn't know? But you are newcomer,
the old story is known. Some day I'll
say yes, suppose, but it won't be to
a man who cares like you do"
Her beautiful eyes were smiling at
him half sadly as he was hurried
ashore. AS the ship moved out and the
sea rushed between them she tossed
him q rose.
The faces ran together, the shore
melted away, the city grew dim and
dimmer-nothing was left but waves,
and she looked out over them with
troubled eyes.
Why couldn't she take this love prof
fered her? Had she no pride that she
kept tryst forever with an old aching
memory? Her mind crept back to
nights tossed through with a hurt and
aching heart crying for the man who
had failed her on the day that she
thought the world had ended-the day
the money was swept away; crept back
to days lived through in feverish gay
ETY.. The world had not ended, it never
does. and she had gone to New York
and fallen back on talent for art and
shown monstrous ability for painting
picture frames and dinner cards. But
she wasn't a genius, and there were
times when work was impossible and
life all loneliness.
Perhaps it was because the night was
coming on that sho thought OF silent,