Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1905-08-02

abscntiy. my mind coming my request
before Delphlne's father.
'Do you think I'D have the face 10
ask her 20 burden her splendid young
life with met" he demanded fierccly.
'She seems TO favor you" ven.
tured. feeling that I had 10 say some
thing.
THE sweet. tender pity Of her would
give more attention TO the wounded
dog than the well bodied one" he an
swered. with Infinite pathos. II did
know man once whose body was as
bad as mine. and he was married to a
saint and the father OF lovely children.
I couldn't dream OF burdenlng Del
phine. though. even IT.
My pity for poor Jerry was forgotten
nj Delphine's welcome. Surely there
was an answer 10 my warm pressure
OF her little hand; surely her dark eyes
held in their roguish depths CLEAN
of love. I sat beside her at the table.
too. with Hathaway at her left. I re-
member what he had said-"it viii be
Dick or me-" Hathaway looked too
cOmplacent for my comfort. though.
Delphine's father took the converse.
ton pretty much into his own hands.
As we ate our soup he talked OF
Dyak or Borneo's betrothal customs:
then he went from one foreign people
10 another. Jerry meanwhile helping
him out with a gay suggestion or a
witty remark. The rest OF US had liz.
tie chance for speech. We didn't crave
Il. We would rather look az Delphine.
gray gowned. with a crimson rose at
her throat and a chaplet OF autumn
leaves In her hair.
As the coffee was served her clear
voice took up the conversation.
You left out the prettiest OF them
all. papa" she said. smiling az him
'the custom OF the Yao Midas. a Bur.
mese- Tartar people. They WOO only
by music. The sutton sits under de-
sire tree and plays his fayorite instru-
ment. AS the girl OF his choice APP
proaches he plays louder and with
more feeling. II she pass by he real
lies that she will have none OF him.
but should she stop and lay nower
upon whatever instrument he Is play
ing he knows that he has won her"
Hum grunted her father as we
rose from the table. Dclphine and her
guests went 10 the verands, while the
man In whose hands lay our fate went
10 bis library.
Presently Hathaway. with very red
face. slipped in lie came out with a
swaggcr that made me want 20 punch
his blond head. Next was jenkins,
who came out looking scared.
II don't see how she can accept more
than one OF us" thought
When my turn came-thc twelfth
found Delphine's father looking ex.
cecdlngly bored.
Permit me to say that ] think you
fellows are pack OF FOOLS he re-
marked pleasantly. However am
instructed 60 say that you may have
her. and bless you. my children"
Dizzy with joy. was staggering
from the room when he observed dryly:
Each OF you has the same answer.
50 you're welcome To what encourage
ment YOU can get"
\ hard slap. sure enough. What
nextI
After l Joined the others Jerry. out
under the great oaks. began TO sing"
See the Yao under his desire tree
remarked jenkins nervously.
The song was love song OF rcnun-
citation with weird words and wild
melody. We lovers. how that cripple
sang. As the marvellous voice died
away Delphlne, sobblng, ran down the
steps. Snatching the crimson rose
from her throat she knelt before
Jerry and held It 10 his lips We heard
the boys exclamation; then Delphine
cried out something and put her own
sweet mouth In the place OF the rose.
II was Hathaway who broke the
spell
We've lost. fellows" he mutiercd
husklly. Jerry was In the running
after all