Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1905-07-13

I
Torchiller's broad back he felt the
old paralysis of speech, the same
strange numbness of all mental facul-
ties.
Esmeralda rocked back and forth In
the chair and fingered her string Of
colored beads, her eyes downcast. The
rocker creaked slightly. That was
something.
THAT chair squeaks, don't it?" said
Henry.
Yes replied Esmeralda, without
raising her eyes. Father says it needs
gluing at the joints. she added, after
pause.
Henry turned this information over
in his mind for a minute or two.
81 guess that's what it needs" he
said, suddenly.
"What?" exclaimed Esmeralda.
CHUNG"
"Oh!"
The subject, it seemed. was ex-
hausted. Henry wondered if she
would Re mad if he had to be going.
1t might look as if he did not want
to stay. He did want to stay; he was
sure of that. Esmeralda was good to
look at as she sat there. Ali the same.
there wasn't any use staying unless he
could think of something to talk
about. He knew lots of things; he
was conscious of tnat. He had
thought of three or four topics of con-
versation as he came along, but some
how they had gone clear Of his head.
He wished that old clock would not
tick so loudly. He coughed behind his
hand. Esmeralda coughed sympathet-
ically.
1T looks as if it might be going to
rain" she remarked timidly.
IL presume likely" answered Henry.
They both looked at the window, but
it was too dark to see anything out
side.
There was another long silence. and
then Henry made a movement to rise.
Don't you want to write in my au-
tograph album" asked Esmeralda,
quickly
"Oh, pshaw!" said Henry. 81 could
MT write anything"
why, yes you could.
She arose and walked over to the
bookcase in the corner of the room,
and after a moments search picked
out a little red bound volume and
brought 1t to him. He turned it over
in his hand and looked with interestat
the medallion portrait of the fair girl
with the colbat eyes displayed on the
cover. Then he opened it,
81 haven't got no pen and ink" he
said seriously as if it had been his
ordinary habit to carry these mater
ials with him
"Tn go and get them for you" said
Esmeralda.
When she had gone he turned the
pages of the book slowly, reading in
the hope of thereby recalling some
neat epigram or moral reflection. He
knew some, but now, at the pinch
they had deserted him. Ever remem-
Der me" sounded tame, and that was
all he could think Of
AS he stared at a blank page an in
spiration came to him. He would ask
to be allowed to take the book home
with him, and he would write some
thing in it then that would convey elo-
quently the state of his feelings. Per-
haps after she read it she would say
something.
Just then Esmeralda returned with
the pen and ink
81 guess I'll have to be going now"
said Henry, in sudden trepidation.
I'll take the book along with me and
write something in it at home"
mo, write something now" she in
sisted.
He sat down awkwardly by the cen
ter table and opened the book.
What shall l writer" he asked.
ooh, anything" she answered
81 can't think of anything"
He tried the pen on his thumb nail
and then wrote:
Dear Esmeralda--"
ooh, shucksl" he said. 81 can't
think of anything else"
She bent over him and looked.
Cant you think of anything but
Dear Esmeralda'?" she asked.
mo- he replied, boldly, "Dear Es-
meralda' is all | can think Of" And
then for the first time they looked
each other squarely in the eyes.
what are you young people do
ing?" asked Esmeralda's mother, sus-
piciously, little later,
Gust talking" replied Henry.
"You must have a good deal to say"
the mother retorted
Henry smiled and said, ''You bet we
have. Chicago Daily News.