The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1904-04-21

Her skin was like La France rose,
her eyes deeply blue and her hair sug-
gested mingled gold and copper. The
curves of her gracious figure swirled
and flowed in lines so graceful. so al
Turing that even the most sluggish be-
holder was kindled into admiration.
"She's beauty. all right" Barbara
decided rs she kissed her in greeting
and conducted her to her room, and,
though she kept up her part Of their
animated talk about old times and old
friends, her eyes feasted themselves
upon Amy's loveliness. The latter's
mcst ordinary movement was endowed
with a grace that made Barbara half
believe that beauty was the only thing
after ALL When other girls lifted their
hands and removed their hatpins it
was m action scarce worthy of notice,
but when Amy's arms went up with
languid grace and her rather large but
beautifully nodded hands. with their
long, tapering fingers. drew forth
glittering pin and removed her hat,
Barbara felt vaguely that she was wit
Messing q rita-that she was seeing
poem.
But after a few days of her compan-
iOnship the glamour was always be-
dimmed. The eyes were feasted, to be
sure. but the mind and heart were
starved. One wearied of her roselike.
futtering color and the amiable but
unmeaning smile and even of the very
perfect rows of teeth that the smile
exposed.
Il am going to have friend with me
for month";" Barbara had told Baird
Durham in preparation; "a girl that I
particularly want you to meet She's q
raving beauty and as sweet as she can
be-"
II she had spoken all Of her thoughts
perhaps she might have added. 80
sweet that at the end Of a month you
will want to kill her or do something
desperate and outrageous" But, with
commcndable self restraint, she ban
ished this unruly idea to the dark
chamber of unspokcn thoughts.
In the weeks that followed she ef-
faced herself. pushing Amy into Dun
hams society in every possible way,
but doing it SO gradually and skillfully
that he scarcely realized how little he
was seeing of his friend and comrade.
If she saw less of him, however, she
saw more of Jack Lester, whose cem-
panionship was grateful balm. be-
cause he was not forever talking about
beauty, however much he may have
admired it.
At first Baird haunted the house like
a spirit, while his plans for Miss Aver
Ills entertainment fairly tumbled over
each other in their eagerncss. These
plans, of course. always included Bar
bara. but with q mastery skill size
withdrew from them more and more
until almost before Baird realized what
had happened he noticed that he and
Miss Averill were usually alone. With
Miss Averill's exquisite profile beside
him, however, he was not in a mood to
complain.
Then, about the middle Of the fourth
week, his soaring spirit suddenly touch
ed earth. He was guilty of brutal,
heretical thought. Right in the middle
Of long afternoon that they were to
spend together he was seized by a great
WEAKNESS. For the life of him he
could think of nothing to say. He was
bored!
He stared at the beautiful Miss Av-
erill with q sort of stupcfied wonder.
It seemed incredible that the society OF
SO exquisite a creature could be so un-
commonly like muggy weather. 1t
seemed an age since he had had good.
bracing talk with Barbara. Now that
he thought of it, Barbara must be Sec
Ing a good deal Of that Lester chap.
Vaguely, as If he had happened upon
them in a dream, he recalled having
met them together several times lately.
II don't believe you are thinking of
me at allv' pouted Miss Averill. i've
spoken to you twice. and you haven't
even heard me. 1t isn't nice of you.'
"Eh-what?' ~ exclaimed Durham. try
ing to call his rowing thoughts together
and insisting upon hearing the remark
he had inadvertently missed.
Il asked il you don't think the Wal
dorf is lovely? l think it's just sweet"
YES" assented he recklcssly. THAT
expresses it sweetly. It's just sweet =
And he cast about in his mind for
some excuse by which the hours that
stretched before them might be short
ened. He felt precisely rs he had once
In his childhood. when he had surrep-
titiously bought and eaten six char
lotte russes.
Miss Averill confided to Barbara that
night that she didn't like Mr.. Dunham
20 well as she thought she did.
Hes so dull! Don't you think so?'
she demanded.
There have been times when he
seemed so,' Barbara confessed airily.
Then she wondered II Baird's ears
were aflame. Three days later the
radiant Miss AverilTs visit came to an
end. Soon afterward Durham dropped
in to see Barbara, quite in his old man
ner.
"Ah, this is good" he said gloating-
" as he sank into the depths of his
favorite chair There's SO much talk
to make up he went on in genial en-