Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1905-08-10
At the Court
of Rex
BY FANNIE HEASLlP LEA


II am LOST" sid the pretty maiden
with quantity tragic air.
She stood back against the window
of a big department store on Canal
street and scanned the surglng crowd
before her. 1t was Mardi Gras day in
New Orleans, and the pretty maiden
had been In town only three hours. two
of which had been spent in hotel.
IL have lost my mother" she said
again as If to impress the fact upon
herself -"nnd my father"-then she
added ms an afterthought, 'and my
PURSE
In the street the people crowded each
other for more room. and there was
constant stream Of maskers, gay dom
inoed follows with tinkiing bells and
swapping whips. and The pretty maiden
watched tlicm from the entrance TO
the department store. and her IDEAS
quite lost their balance and toppied
over into the mad whirl of carnival.
I'm glad I'm lost" size said to her
self; they'll know ! WAS separated
from them by the crowd and they'll be
fcarfuly worried but after awhile
they'll find me, and meantime feel as
if something were going to happen-a
wild adventure perhaps. Oh. | love
carnival. I'm glad | came"
A drum throbbed subtiy IN the dis
lance, the crowd surged TO the edge Of
the banquette. then surged back again
with easy laughter. for no parade ap-
pearet!.
'Ah." said some one mt the pretty
maiden's elbow. IL teg Your pardon,
but l thought | was never going to
find you. The crowd is SO thick"
The pretty maiden stared. \ young
man, clean sbaven AMI emlnently pre-
sentable. was regarding her, hat in
hand.
I'm afraid you don't remember me-"
he suggested, a trife crcstfallen Isn't
this Miss Preston!'
The pretty piaiden's eyes wdcned.
To herself she cried. 1.-THE adventurew
but aloud she said quite coolly:
I'm afraid the advantage is yours"
I'm sorry" he answered stif1iy.
bui Iit'lSc uDll lillilh me III lIlptih-
nent stranger. My cousin wrote me to
meet you here, you and your sister.
She asked me to show You around for
the parade. my name Is Robert Ran
dolph," he finished awkwardly.
The pretty maiden hesitated bare
moment, but the carnival spirit was
strong within her, and the trick that in
her natural environment would have
been impossible unfolded itself like
magic in this atmosphere.
The moment was bare one-then--
oh" she said. with the friendliest
smile imaginable you are Bobby Ran
dolph?'
"Of course he agreed cheerfully.
ITS been a great while since we saw
each other, but still''-
$50 it has" said the pretty maiden
cunningly. LET me see, just how long
exactly?'
Just ten years." said Mr. Randolph;
"tcn years, three months, seven days,
two hours and, think, twenty seven
minutes"
Dear me-" she murmured breath
lessly.
And, by the way, where's your SIS
ter? Didn't she Gomez
MY sister? said the pretty maiden,
quite astonlshed. my sister? Oh-er
yes, OF course she came. But she
had fearful heriache. and she decid-
ed to stay at the hotel. and hate to
miss the parade, you see" Il
"Of course. Too bad she won't see
It," said Mr.. Randolph regretfully.
THE trip was so long and tiresome,"
said the pretty maiden incautleusly.
Two hours long! like that. Why,
it's only forty eight miles between here
and Pass Christian
Distance" said the pretty maiden
sentcntiously, lis not matter of miles
with me, at least" she added pru-
dently.
well, we can have a jolly time BY
ourselves, anyhow" Mr.. Randolph as
sured her.
The pretty maiden hesltated-that is,
she would have hesitated but Mr.. Ran
dolph's cheerful confidence left her no
room to do so.
They walked on rather slowly. for
the crowd was dense, and Mr.. Ran
dolphs shoulders acted as a buffer
more than once
We'll have time TO go and get some
hot chocolate before Rex gets here"
he calculated cheerfully. Look out
there, viii YOU" This last to line of
college boys who were going through
the crowd like an animated wedge.
The pretty maiden laughed deli
ciously.
lyon looked so angry" she explain
ed between gasps, then stopped sud
denly because Il small red devil, with
battered mask, aimed a shower Of con
feth al hcr laughing race.
There Eas a blaze Of t-uprata down
the street and the long roll of drum.
y wave of excitement submerged the
people Randolph used shoulders and
elbows with a skill that bespoke long
experience on the football Geld ana the
pretty maiden found Herself In tie
front of the crowd. Mounted policemen
paced slowly past her. band SHILLING
forth IF Ever | Cease TO Love" and
then Rex and his cohorts
The pretty maiden dlmpled and blush