The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1904-12-15

more sought the tailors shop and, to
his surprise, found the same two
young women before the counter.
Il simply could not stand Jack in his
old suit another day. so | am selecting
him a new one. Mollie. This gray is
very soft and will make up beautiful
ly. That brown? No | do not care
for a dark man in brown. 1t kills his
ccloring. Gray emphasizes his best
points, shall take this"
She laid the sample down and went
to look at some hats. Earl unnoticed
picked up the bit Of cloth and fixed the
quality and shade in his mind. Was
he not dark man? And if gray suit
ed Jack It would suit him also While
he was talking to the clerk he heard
the clear voice that haunted his
dreams 50 often of hate saying:
Not that wide brim, Mollie. A tall
fellow like Jack would look childish
in that. This straw alpine is the ver
thing. Jacks square, cut off shoulders
will look like those of Hercules toppe>
off With this"
Lifting his eyes to a nearby mirror,
Earl saw without turning his head the
hat she had chosen. Certainly Jacks
shoulders could not be any sguarer
than his own. He, too. would have an
alpine hat. And so once again had she
rescued him from doubt. 1t really
seemed shame, almost a theft, for
him to use her taste and judgment
thus without her knowledge, but it
was so much easier than thinking out
things for himself, and it could make
no difference to her, for she would
never know. So he gave his orde. and
then went outside and stood smoking
until the two women emerged from
the door, and he saw plainly the face
of his unknown and unknowing men
tor, and he told himself for the
twentieth time that she was beautiful
and that Jack was the luckiest dog in
the world.
A week later when the gray suit
came home he did full homage to her
taste. Never had he had anything that
suited him so well, and the alpine hat
topped him off just as she had said
He caught himself ardently wishing
that she could see him and set upon
him the seal of her approval with one
Of those flashing smiles he had watched
play about her fine lips. And. realiZ
| ing what he was wishing, he blushed
at his vanity and daring, and, having
argued that 1t was neither wise nor
| proper for him to think SO often Of her,
! he set to work to forget the litheness
| Of her movements and the exact tint
! of gold in her hair.
| Before the suit was a fortnight old
Mrs. German gave her long remember
| ed boat excursion.
II specially wish you, my dear Earl,
to meet Nellie Penton, and shlll expect
you to take her off my hands for the
evening. She is just the girl to cure
| you of your bachelor proclivities" SO
| the old lady wrote, and Earl. owing her
| several social obligations. acquiesced,
mentally matchmaking the girl, who
| would, of course, be dull and homely.
likely to put general utility before
grace or beauty in another woman
The evening of the outing was per-
fect--a gold and violet sunset TO be fol-
| lowed by star shine and moonlight such
as Cupid dearly loves. A brilliant COM
pany had already assembled on the
boat when Earl crossed the gangway
and mounted to the cabin deck. He
| glanced at the cloud dyed water rip
| ping away to the rivers farther shore
and then at the tete-a-tete chairs along
! the boats rail and sighed to think that
! the coming hours, with such wonderful
| possibilities in the line of lovemakins,
must be squandered on plain, ''sensi-
ble' girl At the top of the stair there
was something Of crush, most of the
company having just emerged from
paying their respects to the hostess in
the cabin. So it happened that Earl.
turning his broad shoulders first one
way and then another to occupy less
| space, came at last to the cabin door
and entered simultaneously with two
other late guests.
At the far end of the saloon hung a
| huge mirror, and as the three new
comers cleared themselves from the
outgoing crowd and stepped forward
they involuntarily lifted their eyes to
this mirror and then suddenly stopped,
for the reflection showed 1.-THE. grace
full girl with blue eyes and wonderful
sun tints in her hair standing between
two men who at first glance might
have been taken for twins. With a
quick motion the girl put her hand to
her eyes as if to clear them from some
mist, but when she looked again at the
mirror the same reflection was there
On either side OF her was tall, dark
broad shouldered man in a light gray
suit, lavender striped shirt and alpine
hat Even the white polka dotted ties
were the same. She gasped. and her
companion stared stupidly, but Ear
flushed hotly. 1t was as if he had been
detected in theft with the stoleI
goods upon him. In the flash of time
they stood thus he felt the girls eyes
travel over him questioningly, accusing
ly. Then. bareheaded, he strobe across
the floor to where the hostess stood
surrounded by her guests.
my dear Earl" she cooed softly, q
am SO glad to see you! As soon as