The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1905-10-26
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fOriginal.l

lOriginal.l
''They say" she said, pointing to q
rock a hundred yards from shore
against which the sunlit waves were
breaking, that If a man proposed to
woman on that rock she will be unable
to resist him."
How will he get her there? Take
her out in boat?"
''They can walk there when the tides
low"
II see.''
''It's called Lovers rock"
"Who told you about it?'
/. ooh, everybody about here knows
Lovers rock. questioned an old fish
erman about it the other day. He was
getting his nets ashore. He told me
that in his youth he had proposed to
girl there who cared nothing about
him. He watched long for an opportu-
nifty, but it came at last. When he ask
ed her on the rock she looked at him
kind of dazed and fell into his arms"
ut beats all how superstitious some
people are"
isn't it rather feeling on the part
of the girl that-well, that !.
Exactly. Women are full of feeling,
and woman feels"- He hesitated.
II know what you mean. How well
you understand women"
He wondered. He didn't know him.
self what he meant?
Now, if a man We're to propose to
me-" she continued, ION Lovers rock
would consider that Providence had
brought the meeting about and l had
met my fate.''
There was silence, during which
the man unused: This girl is giving
me great advantage. All I have to
do is to get her to go with me to Lovers
rock and she Is mine. She is either a
desperate flirt or she loves me. In
either case l have been bewitched by
her and there is only one egress from
the trap which I have fallen into-and
tnat IS Lovers rock.
1T is high tide" he said aloud. in
six hours it will be at the ebb.'
THAT will be midnight"
And it won't be ebb again before to-
morrow noon," he muttered ruefully.
1.-THE hour we all rest after bathing"
He mentally cursed the tides, which
came and went at such inconvenient
hours. He was looking out over the
water, computing how long he would
have to wait before learning whether
he was to be happy or miserable. They
stood for awhile looking at gilded
sail on the horizon. When the sun
sank lower and the gliding faded they
went back to the hotel
The next morning he took her out in
boat, and, after rowing about idly,
pulled for Lovers rock. Once there he
asked her to 60 ashore, but she sat in
the stern and smilingly declined
(Which MEANS" he said, that Provi.
dence does not intend
''Oh, Providence only influences PEG.
pie on Lovers rock who have walked
there"
That afternoon he spent studying the
almanac and learned that in about a
week he might hope to get on to Low
| ers' rock at time when it would be
proper to take lady there or wher
! the sun was not looking down from di
rectly overhead.
| He was tempted to ask his question
in the evening on the piazza, but he be
lieved that il he did he would NEE
with refusal. So he counted the day.
and the hours, even the minutes, til
the tide would ebb at from 4 to 6 II
| the afternoon.
/ Fortunately for him the moon dit
not stand still, but drew the tide late
every day. She had been used t
| emerging after her siesta at O'Clock
but when the tide served so as to en-
able them to get to Lovers rock a
that hour she did not emerge till til
evening meal. This threw him into
fever which only rendered him NOR
beside himself. Just before dusk sh
came out ON the piazza, becomingl
dressed, and he asked her to wal
| down on the beach. She hesitatingl
consented, and he led the way to til
tongue Of sand over which they Nigh
60 to Lovers rock. Now that it wa
possible to go there she demurref
"She has grown coy" he said to him
self. II must be bold. A woman like
to be carried, not led" He seized he
hand and drew her, struggling faintl!
where he wanted her to 60. Tiptoein
over the wet spots, they gained tn
rock, climbed it and stood on the sun
. NIT.
The air was still, the stars were con
ing out overhead, the waves rolled il
gently breaking on the beach. She di
not seem to be thinking Of the ocea
or the sky. Her eyes wandered abor
in a pleasing distress. He felt encou
aged. Surely she was under the Unfit
ence Of that singular feminine feelin
that was to be expected with a love
on Lovers rock. He. poured forth b
tale of love.
She did not fall on his shoulder. ST
covered her face with her hands an
said:
II am so sorry. Four days ago l WI
on this rock with a man."
He turned away crushed, then face
! her and asked:
: "At what hour of the day or nigl
did you come here?"
: 1T was week ago. He came !
from the city at night on the 10 o'clos
train and was obliged to go back at
: in the morning We sat out on Il
piazza till after midnight, then
swore that I should 60 with him
Lovers rock I told him that the ho1
> was not proper one for a girl to
there with a man. He brutality decla
ed that hours were nothing to him al
. 90 should. He obliged me to CO.