The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-02-11

rushed out to the stand while she was
still lingering there and SO some
times overheard few sentences the's
koft italian love words sounding like
bird notes In spring, Can't you fancy
them building u nest somewhere OF
boughs and moss-they wouldn't re-
qulre much more than the birds, you
know--and settling down like the birds
to sing their love songs and rear their
voungT"
A new light shone In Miss Mark.
hams clear eyes,
And this is the man whom the girls
describe as mere business automa-
tou." she thought, but she only said
encouragtngE. "Wellg"
Hammond's head swan for an in-
STINT with comprehension Of the
magnitude Of what he meant TO do, but
he went on steadily.
The day of the tornado--you remem
ber it--when the wind tore shutters
from the houses and overthrow chin.
neys and great limbs were stripped
from the trees as the small boy pulls
leaves from twig--that day | wit
messed the downfall Of the house OF
Buona-ln other woris. the complete
destruction OF Antolne's fruit stand
and peanut cooker"
Miss Markham sighed with quick
sympathy, Hammond was uncon-
sciously giving the little story a dra-
matte turn.
Poor Antoine, He made one or two
frantic endeayors 10 prevent the dlsas-
ter. and then crushed by the miSfor-
tune he elung f. the doorway of the
office building aud watched the gamins
as they wildly scrambled for the seat
tered fruit"
And was everything entirely ri.
inedg' Miss Markham's hand instinc-
lively sought her purse.
The peanut cooker lay in the mud,
bent and twisted out Of all semblance
to its kind, Antoine picked II up with
trembling hands and then, realizing its
uselessness, replaced it in the gutter,
while the tears streamed down his
cheeks"
That isn't all?" expectantly.
Hammond continued obedlently;
Never mind, Antoine, l said cheer
fully-it's so easy to be cheerful over
anothers misfortunes, you know
'you'll soon be on your feet again. We
must expect reverSes In business At
my words of sympathy the flood gates
Of his grief were opened, and the
words fairly tumbled over one another,
his soft broken English finally relaps-
ing into Italian altogether as he told
his story. He had been so careful Of
his money-he had saved twenty-three
dolla.' They were 10 have been mar.
ried tomorrow, he and Carita, and he
was TO have bought Carlta Il new gown
and a rose wreath for her hair. and
they would have been so happy And
now--then he pointed eloquently to
the ruined peanut cooker, waved both
hands in gesture expressing the utter
nothingness of his condition, and the
ready tears came again.
II missed him then for several
weeks. The other day they came to.
gether and waited until | came out
from the Office My brudda--he die
began Antoine chcerily as soon as ]
Joined them An leave Antoine sew.
enty-fOur della said Carita, her eyes
big with the magnitude Of the for.
tune. An his business Antoine add.
ed pompously. Did he have a standT
asked him. No, piano We mar.
ry ourselves tonight. Thursday"
Hammond paused abruptly. The ex.
preston on Miss Markham's patrlcIan
face was so unlike the usual air of po
lite indifference that he was almost
startled into the telling Of his own
story, forgetful Of the Italian lovers
THAT Is ALL he added awkwardly.
"And how did you know they would
be at your Office this morningP as II
reluctant to leave the subject.
Antoine hunted me up last night
at the club. Said his wlfe-you should
have seen his eyes when he said the
word-his wife wanted to come and
play for me first, believing 1t would
bring them luck. | hadn't intended to-
90 downtown this morning, as youI
know, but | thought that was really
very little to do if it would add any
thing to their happiness. Foolish
things, aren't theyY He turned his
head away. She would agree with
this. of course, and he couldn't bear to
have her do So
She put her hand lightly on his arm.
mo, they are not foolish. They are
wise. They have found the greatest
thing in the world. Those who win
love need look no farther; there is moth
ing more to have here. They who lose
1t lose everything.
He put his own strong hand over the
smaller one resting on his arm.
"Shall we look for it-together, Eliza.
bethw
She looked hastily about-there was
no one near; they were quite In the