Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-03-12

consumnlately. ana her eyes closed
tight with the mirth OF it, She had
taken one of the roses from her waist.
and as she stood holding IL by the long
stem Its cool petals lightly pressed her
lips.
you may have it-in exchange" she
said, He bent down to her, and she
fastened her rose In place of the white
one I'm his coat. She did not ask him,
directly or indirectly. who had put the
white one there for him. She knew by
the way ii was pinned that he had
done 1t himself. 'Who is 1t that ev'ry
morning brings me these lovely flow
ersT she burlesqued as he bent over
her.
"Mr. Windy" be returned. 81 will
point him out to you. You must see
him and MIR. Bodeffer, who is the old.
est inhabitant and the crossest of Car
low"
"Will you present them to mer"
mo; they might talk to you and
take some Of my time with you away
from me-"
Her eyes sparkled into his for the
laughed. Then she dropped his lapel;
and they proceeded. She did not put
the white rose in her belt, but carried
1t.
The square was heaving with a JOS
Ting, moving, good natured, happy and
constantly increasing crowd that over
Moved on Main street In both direc-
tons and whose good nature augment
ed In the ratio that Its size increased.
The streets were Kaleidoscope OF
many colors, and every window OPEN
Ing on Main street or the square was
filled with eager faces. BY 8 o'clock
all the windows Of the courthouse In
the center of the square were occupied.
Here most of the damsels congregated
TO enjoy the spectacle of the parade.
and their SWANS attended, posted at
coigns OF less vantage behind the la
dies. Some OF the faces that peeped
from the windows Of the dark, old.
shady courthouse were pretty, and
some of them were not pretty. but near
ly all Of them were rosy checked. and
all were pleasant to see because Of the
good cheer they. kept.
Here and there along the sidewalk
below, n father worked his way through
the throng. licorice bedaubed cherub
on one arm. his coat (borne with long
enough on the other, followed by n
mother, with the other children hang
Ing to her skirts and tagging exasper-
atingly behind, holding red and blue
toy balloons and delectable candy
batons of spiral striped peppermint i'm
tightly closed, sadly sticky fingers. A
thousand cries rent the air-the stroll
ing mountebanks and gypsying booth
merchants, the peanut vendors. the
boys with palm leaf fans for sale. the
candy sellers, the popcorn peddIers, the
Italian with the toy balloons that float
like cluster of colored bubbles above
the heads of the crowd and the bal
looms that wall like a baby; the red
lemonade man, shouting in the shrill
voice that reaches everywhere and en-
dures forever: "Lemo'! Lemo'i Five
glass! Ice cole lemo'i Five cents. a
nickel, half dime, the twentieth
potofadollah! Lemo'I Ice cole lemo'r'
ali the vociferating harbingers of the
circus crying their wares. Timid
youths In shoes covered with dust
through which the morning polish but
dimly shone and unalterably hooked
by the arm to blushing maidens bought
reckiessly OF peanuts, Of candy, OF pop
corn, Of all known sweetmeats, per-
chance, and forced their way to the
lemonade stands, and there, all shyly,
silently slipped the crimson stained am
brosia. Everywhere the hawkers din
ned, and everywhere was heard the
plaintive squawk OF the toy balloon.
In the courthouse yard, and SO sin
ming I'm the very eye of the law, two
swarthy. shifty looking gentlemen were
operating with some greasy walnut
shells and n pea what the fanciful or
unsophisticated might have been pleas
ed TO call game OF chance, and the
most intent spectator of the group
around them was Mr.. James Bardlock.
the town marshal. He was simply and
unofiicially and earnestly interested.
Thus the eye of the law may not be
said to have winked upon the nefari-
BUSINESS now under its vision. Ii gazed
with strong curiosity, an itch to dab
bic and, Ii must be admitted, a grow
Ing hope of profit. the game was SO di-
rect and the player SO sure. Several
countrymen had won small sums. and
one. charmingly rustic stranger, with
a peculiar accent (he said that him and
his goil should now have smoot' olt
Time of his winnnlls. though the lady
was not manifested had pocketed So
with no trouble at all. The two oper-
ators seemed depressed, declaring the
luck against them and the Plattville
people too brilliant at the game.
1t was wonderful how the young
couples worked their way arm In arm
through the thickest crowds, never sepa-
rating. Even at the lemonade stands
they drank holding the glasses In their
outer hands. Such are the sacrifices
demanded by etiquette. But, observ-
Ing the gracious outpouring of fortune
upon the rare rustic just mentioned, q
youth In a green tie disengaged his
arn-for the frat time In two hours
from that Of girl who looked upon
him with fond, uncertain smiles and,
conducting her to a corner of the yard,
babe her remain there until he return